To have no idea whatsoever what I can buy dd2 for Christmas?

[hooveringhamabeads]

Dd1 (14) is easy to buy for, she is really into clothes and helpfully sends me about a million links to stuff she wants.

Dd2 (8) on the other hand, I literally have no idea. She’s gone past that age of playing with plastic toys, and I’m currently in the process of ridding the house of all the needless shite that never gets played with. But she’s not really moved onto the next stage of being into fashion etc so it’s an awkward inbetweeny age.

She is really into playing on the iPad, but she got a new one for her birthday. Her bedroom is tiny (very small box room), and there really isn’t room for much in there. She does hobbies/activities (horse riding and majorettes), but there’s nothing she needs for either of those things.

To complicate matters further, she still believes in Santa, and I have created a rod for my own back here by buying too much stuff for her in previous years. So if she comes down to hardly any presents on Christmas Day, it will be difficult to explain. However, this year the thought of another avalanche of shite coming into the house fills me with horror. It’s not good for my sanity, or the environment. And she will never actually play with any of it.

WWYD?

If you want to do a trip to London but still want her to have something to unwrap on Christmas day you could buy and wrap some little 'clues' about what you could do eg a toy fish (London Aquarium), a picture of her favourite celebrity (Madame Tussauds) or a London bus toy.
I also echo a previous poster who suggested books. A good book seller will be able to recommend books based on her age and likes/dislikes. Personally I recommend the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series.

Our DD1 is 10 and is after a speaker for her iPod. She's into music and dancing about.

Madame Tussaud’s is a really good idea, I think she’d love that. Sadly she’s not really that into reading, unlike her big sister, and we have literally hundreds of books suitable for her age that she’s never read so I don’t want to get any more until she starts reading the ones we’ve got!

Wall vinyl stickers for her room? doesn’t need much space but come in a big tube, so good to unwrap

We always told our kids that we had to give Santa money each year as there were so many boys and girls in the world. That way we were covered for hard years and more flush years. We had to do this as one year a 5 year old boy had been told by his mum Santa was not true and she never bothered buying him anything at all. He told my 2 ds, do I had to explain mummy and or daddies give Santa pennies.
How about doing her room up for her? New duvet covers, paint, wall paper, light shade. A diary ( with a lock on) You could either chose the stuff, colours, or Santa could get her some bits and she could have a voucher inside a lovely purse to go shopping with (with supervision)

I thought we had got past the stage of suggesting pets as Christmas presents?! Pets are serious responsibilities that should not be given to a child as a Christmas present.

Anyhow - my niece has just turned 8 and she is after:

• Glitter tattoo set
• Art stuff
• Goosebumps books
• Nail polish/nail art kits
• A Nintendo DS
• Speaker for her tablet

Just seen this deal which looks good, she’s always wanted to go on the London eye too so that’s a weekend away sorted! Especially if we get the train as she loves going on trains and we don’t do it very often.

Stuff for her room is a good idea, at this rate I’ll be lucky if I get around to repainting it and getting the bed up this side of Christmas so I won’t have done much in the way of blinging it up for her.

Depending what stage she is at with riding, a private lesson or two? At 8 I couldn't wait to start jumping, I would have been delighted with a couple of private lessons rather than group lessons. Or an "own a pony" weekend/week if your riding school offer them?

Thanks so much everyone for the ideas, this has been really helpful and I can stop panicking now!

What about science kits? My 8 year old loves them. The aqua monkeys/growing crystals etc etc. Dd's big request is a bath bomb making kit this year.

Otherwise, h&m voucher? Tickets to a concert?

A digital camera for her trip to London? Doesn't have to be expensive but just something for her to be able to make her own photos and then maybe wrap it with a photo album or scrap book and nice glitter/colour pens so she can make her own memory book.

Does she like writing?? Maybe a nice diary with a lock so she can start a journal (I loved mine at her age).

The wireless headphones idea is a good one.

She did have her own pony for years (kept at granny’s) on long term loan but sadly she had to go back to her owners recently as she got too old to ride (the pony not dd). Now she’s having weekly riding lessons as I’m trying to get her confidence up, and I think being in a group is helping her as she sees the others and feels the need to up her game to do what they can do. Going to review in the spring to see whether or not it’s worth trying to find her another pony.

All the bits of rubbish from Claire’s and the works at this time are what children love. Kits like make your own bouncy balls and colouring books with intricate designs are always super popular but usually get over looked for main present things

She got a Crystal growing kit last year which she liked so I might have a look at similar things. I seem to remember the bath bomb kit being a crushing disappointment when dd1 had one though.

My 8 year old hasn't asked for anything. She's getting:

• a sewing machine (one of the proper but mini ones). Bargain from a charity shop.
• stationary.
• bath bombs.
• socks.
• books.
• slime making kit.
• board games.
• tooth brush.
• some clothes she needs.
• beads/jewellery making kit.
• DVD

If she didn't already have them she would have loved a camera, microscope and bike.

How about some horsey books? At that age, I loved Jill's Gymkhana and the various Pullein-Thompson books, though I appreciate things have moved on since the 80s! But it might encourage her to read more.

Does she really not need any gear? Even if she doesn't have her own pony, things like a dandy brush and hoofpick never go amiss (I had a seriously well-equipped grooming kit years before I had my own pony!). Tickets or the promise of tickets to Olympia/HOYS? Or- Liverpool has a new show that's round New Year: I've not been yet, but tickets could work well for Christmas if you are in the Midlands or NW or N Wales.

Does her riding school do summer courses for a week in the holidays? Or, as pp suggested, a subscription to a pony mag? Or to the Pony Club? There's also innumerable pieces of pony tat that appeals to that age--China ornaments and the like. I still have my Thelwell ones on display

Lava lamp?

Things that DD who is 10 has loved or asked for over the last few years are
Hatchimal collectibles
One of those light up boxes you put messages on
Fitbit (cheapo one)
Heelies
Horseopoly
Light up drawing box
Fairy lights that spell her name
slime stuff
Harry Potter stuff
Proper drawing/colouring stuff

DD would also love a slush puppy maker (not getting one though).

A telescope would be amazing. Too much light pollution here. :(

Pets shouldn't be given as bday/christmas/Easter gifts. It turns them into "things" and toys rather than living creatures that are proper responsibilities. RSPCA, Cats Protection and numerous other rescue centres refuse to regime over Christmas for that reason.

Oh, sorry - you've updated loads whilst I was posting

The Works look like they have some interesting crafting kits, though I haven't actually tried any. And Hobbycraft usually have extra good options at this time of year. Sharpies are great, but as she's artistic, I bet there are other things she'd enjoy and be good at too - maybe decorating tea lights etc? I had a pretty funky loom at that age too, geared towards the U12 a iirc. I would have loved beads and a jewellery making kit too.

Or-a magic set? I remember my little brother being given one that completely captivated me--I must have been 9 or 10.

Bit of a pre Xmas pressie but tickets to Olympia? Buy a gift experiences often have deals...my 9 yo loved a meet the meerkats one.

I don't have a DD but for me when I was this age, I loved stationary. My mum used to put together stationary hampers, in hamper baskets, cellophane etc so looked really grown up but full of nice pens, notebooks etc.

Polaroid camera as a main present?

Get some photos of her riding made up as a collage/photo canvas?