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Christmas

Small portable presents for 7yo and 3yo

10 replies

vvviola · 03/11/2014 20:55

We're moving house/country/continent after Christmas. We're shipping stuff not long after Christmas, but everything in the shipment will obviously be gone for a good 2 or 3 months by the time we move etc. We'll also be doing some backpacking style travel "on the way". So I'm trying to keep Christmas presents small and portable so that the DDs can bring them with them.

I had the majority of my shopping (i.e. presents from Santa and myself and DH) planned - new backpacks for the trip, portable games, some new clothes for the new season we'll be going into, travel journal for DD1.

Then MIL got into a bit of a flap about her presents. Having been told that Santa was bringing new backpacks, she went out and bought shopping trolleys for both girls (you know the wheeled bag type) and showed them to me saying she got them for the journey. I hopefully gently told her they really weren't suitable and anyhow, backpacks were sorted. So she decided to give DH money and ask him to buy the presents on her behalf.

Which is actually quite considerate of her, but I'm running out of ideas.

So far, I have managed to get two "Elsa-style" dresses. These will be a massive hit, will easily fit in the suitcase and I'm trying not to sulk that she will get the credit for getting them as they will probably be the favourite present of the whole Christmas . But after that I'm stuck.

Any ideas?

(We'll be moving from height of summer to middle of winter, if that changes any ideas!)

sorry about the epic post

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Wickeswench · 03/11/2014 21:00
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vvviola · 03/11/2014 21:11

Oh, outstanding! DD2 is a huge Peppa Pig fan. They would be brilliant - and work well for plane/train trips too.

Now just need to find a source for them in NZ!

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BikeRunSki · 03/11/2014 21:14

MP3 players loaded with stories?

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vvviola · 03/11/2014 21:17

That wouldn't really be in MIL's budget unfortunately, or at least it would probably use up all of it, and MIL is a big fan of the "lots of cheap presents" style of giving, as opposed to one more expensive one - but it might work as something to add to ours, and I could transfer some of the games I was planning to get to MIL's pile.

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BeaLola · 04/11/2014 01:28

Watches
Bracelets, necklaces, hair clips, little mini handbags, Christmassy gloves and scarf, lip balm, sparkly tights, boots, doodle books, named pencils

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vvviola · 05/11/2014 09:49

Great ideas, thanks BeaLola. The gloves & scarf may be an issue as we're coming into summer here, but I'll have an Internet trawl.

I'm currently trying to get rid of 3 years of accumulate "stuff" like hair clips, handbags, pencils etc etc, so I'm a little reluctant to buy lots more, but I think some good quality useful pretty things like that would go down well.

Problem is I suppose there's only so much creativity my brain has for presents, and now I'm having to find and wrap all of MILs ones too.

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GoAndDoSomeWork · 05/11/2014 10:03

This plusplus is great - we got the set of 250 and keep it in dd's travel bag to entertain her on long journeys. Lockable diaries, invisible ink puzzle books, Christmas pyjamas all popular with dd (8).

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spaghettiarms1 · 05/11/2014 10:08

Playmats (the kind you can fold or roll up) and some little cars/figures/animals for imaginative play.
(we have Lego play mats).

Lego/playmobil.

Tag pens & books, colouring or activity books.

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MrTumblesBavarianFanbase · 05/11/2014 10:16

vvviola you can get non-brand portable (USB stick) MP3 players for just 5 or 6 pounds - our kids had those in the past, no need to get as stressed if they lose or break them, and they loved them for several years. Try Amazon.

Wind up torches for your travels should be good too.

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BellaVida · 05/11/2014 10:29

Been in the same situation. Mine actually had Trunki wheeled cases which you can ride on, which were great fun in the airport!

Sticker books
Slippers like Stompeze or slipper socks
Pyjamas
Coin purse
Hair bands & clips
Travel game like Connect 4
Top trumps-you can get Frozen ones
Playmobil fairies- come in individual packets
Zelfs- little long haired trolls which my DDs love
Pencil case with pens, pencils, mini highlighters, cute erasers etc.
Finger puppets
Glitter tattoos
Sweets
Character watch
Books
Music or story CDs
Small doll, teddy or Beanie key rings

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