Feel like my DD11 is a bit disappointed with Christmas

[Upsy1981]

I have a DD who is 11, nearly 12. Let me just say, she is very grateful for what she got for Christmas, said lots of thank yous and seems genuinely pleased with what she did get. However, she seems 'flat' and I think its because she didn't really get very much in the way of toys as she has in previous years. She has received more things like pjs, smellies and make up which she likes but she keeps saying she's not really sure what to do with herself. In previous years, this chrimbo limbo time would have been spent with her new toys. Is this normal and just a transition time?

Completely normal I’d say.

Mine too. Grateful, likes what she got but has a noticeable lack of anything to “play” with. She’s been playing with her brothers with their toys instead, which makes me a bit sad for her.

Mine too. First year of post Santa news too.

DD is 12 and I make sure to buy her art stuff and notebooks and other useful stuff too. She then uses these for stuff ‘to do’ rather than the toys she would have previously had.

Did she not get any games or anything? Mine have been playing their new games.

My ds is 11 and I felt the same this year too. He knows about Santa, and was brilliant playing along for ds 2, but feel this is the first year he doesn't have anything "fun" to do in these between days. He was so lovely and kept whispering thanks to me so his brother wouldn't overhear, but he does seem a bit flat.

Yes, I can understand that. There is a bit of a lull in between Christmas and New Year and the weather is rubbish too. Sounds like she could have done with a craft set or something?

I was going to say how about next year buying her a game all the family can play.

Yes she did get a couple of games, but a relative bought her the junior version of one game rather than the full version. We tried to exchange it in argos on boxing day but they wouldn't without the receipt and I haven't seen the person yet to get the receipt from them so that only left one other game. Friends of our have said they have got her a game but we have ended up not seeing them yet until NYE so we haven't exchanged presents with them yet. She did get a lego set which she built with DH the other night so she's not without stuff but its just different.

We have found things like Exploding Kittens to be great fun to play as a family. Or a Lego set which you can all build together.

I used to always get one or two crafting kit-type things at Christmas that occupied the days after. Maybe a few bits like that would be a good idea in future. They can be quite cheap too!

Because Christmas is like that and, at some point, we come to realise it.

We went to town today and she used some Christmas money to buy a light up mirror in the sales so she's had a nice afternoon setting up her desk as a dressing table with her new make up and smellies. We are off to see Mary Poppins tonight so she's had a busy day. We were at the ILs yesterday and played lots of games there so its not that she's lacking any input but its the times when she's just pottering in the house its a bit strange. Will make a mental note to put a couple of craft things in her stocking next year!