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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to feel my niece's birthday 'wish list' has given me hope for the future

88 replies

Lydiaatthebarre · 07/11/2018 11:34

She's be 11 next Monday and I asked her to email me her 'wish list' so that I could choose something from it.

The list requests:
Pyjamas
A couple of books (named ones that she wants)
A Painting by numbers kit
A new lunch box
A Selection box.

It's the kind of list I could imagine kids drawing up when I was young.

AIBU to be delighted that there are no expensive items, phone accessories, or faddy 'latest must haves' on the list, and to find it quite sweet and uplifting?

OP posts:
TheBigFatMermaid · 08/11/2018 23:13

I asked m DGD (who will be three in Feb) what she would like for Christmas and she said 'Toys for (baby sisters name)'. This was during a face time call and both me and DD melted!

So lovely to hear of a soon to be 11 year old not being grabby! I hope her parents are very proud of her

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 08/11/2018 23:14

Your niece sounds lovely OP! Such a nice, simple list. Been reading this with DM who reminded me that when I was 9 I wanted a china doll more than anything- but it HAD to be one with glasses! I'd just started wearing them.

For the pp who once had a request for jam, I asked for a particular jar of mustard last year & got it in my stocking!

IthinkIsawahairbrushbackthere · 08/11/2018 23:18

One year my daughter asked for a space hopper for Christmas. A modest enough request but so hard to find in the days pre Amazon/internet.

catkind · 08/11/2018 23:20

Aw. One of my offspring (9) has requested: A Beano subscription, a sugar mouse, a candy cane, a peashooter and some peas. Not sure what we do with that one - time machine to the 50s?

Rachelover40 · 08/11/2018 23:29

That is so sweet!

I remember my son wanting a little ladder, can't remember why.
He also asked for a bowl of fruit.

Ah happy memories.

SallyH42 · 08/11/2018 23:30

OP what a lovely list!

DD14 asked for just money for Christmas this year, really surprised me as we’ve never done that before. Said she doesn’t want anything else (even though she doesn’t have a fancy phone or iPad etc). When pressed about what she wants to buy with the money... special presents for mummy that’s all 😳

OvO · 08/11/2018 23:35

My son is 11 in 2 weeks and his list is

Dinosaur figures
Monster figures
A giant squid toy
Some sweeties

And my favourite

A Bakewell tart. Grin

I have a teen who likes money and gadgets so it’s lovely to have my youngest still liking toys at 11.

VanGoghsDog · 08/11/2018 23:37

My then DSS, 9, asked for a green spatula, which he got. And, contrary to my expectation, he had not forgotten he'd asked for it and was pleased with it.

Talkingfrog · 09/11/2018 00:05

Sweenytodd - not sure where you line but how about adoption such as this (goat is on the list) noahsarkzoofarm.digitickets.co.uk/category/14099?navItem=15413 Our local community farm and rescue have goats too, so maybe ones local to you may appreciate a donation towards the goats upkeep.

DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops · 09/11/2018 00:12

@catkind- be relieved DC doesn't want a catapult, too?

My old school gives out novelty pea shooters & peas at boarders Christmas dinner though, so Amazon will likely provide!

Talkingfrog · 09/11/2018 00:13

When she was 2.5 my daughter didn't ask for anything for Christmas, until 2 weeks before them asked father Christmas for a red ball. It changed to a yellow ball but was still a ball. Sounds easy, but not that close to Christmas. Looked online and nearly did a 30 minute each way trip to smyths (not great when the are next to a stadium on match day) to get one. I did an excited jump when I found sparkly red and yellow balls in the range. She got a red one printed like a football and a Minnie one too for good measure. She was over the moon when she opened them.
Now she is 7 the list includes our generation dolls, clothes for the dolls, sylvanian families and art sets. That list is from us, Father Christmas and family.

But, the first thing on the list was things for the new guinea pigs.

HoveringHobbit · 09/11/2018 00:16

My absolute DSS once asked for a bulb because there was no light in his mum's hallway and he was worried Smile

MrsTommyBanks · 09/11/2018 00:53

That's so sweet.
My DS asked for a blue digger when he was 3.
Very very hard to find. It involved a very long drive.

PawneeParksDept · 09/11/2018 00:57

One of my friends kids once asked for a wand which was duly bought, after some waving she looked disgusted at me and said "but I wanted one that works" she was 2 at the time so it was more funny than rude 😂

KoshaMangsho · 09/11/2018 01:01

DS who is 7 has asked for a board game. That’s it. On behalf of his toddler sibling he’s asked for a ‘toy that lights up.’ He’s very very musical and last year asked FC for a ‘book of violin songs with Christmas tunes’.

footphobic · 09/11/2018 01:19

Youngest dd, 10 last Christmas had one thing on her list. A Countryfile calendar. 😂

Her birthday is just after Christmas too so I do really have to rack my brain to come up with ideas.

We have 5 dc, they’ve all always been modest with their lists and none of them ask for money. One or two specific wanted things asked for and the rest is usually surprises from me. They seem to get the most joy out of thoughtful unexpected gifts and silly things like funny socks.

Now they’re older they buy each other too, I absolutely love watching them open their presents.

IfOnlyOurEyesSawSouls · 09/11/2018 01:36

What a gorgeous thread.

My DS 10.5 has asked for "hugs" ( we hug everyday but every Christmas he always puts them on his list ).

ThePlatypusAlwaysTriumphs · 09/11/2018 01:42

Aww, that is nice! My dd1 (14) wants stationery!.

I remember my cousin aged 3 just wanted a balloon. Nothing else! The next year he asked for a frog. A real one.

MrsDrSpencerReid · 09/11/2018 01:54

These are lovely Smile

My DS9 has asked for a stapler and a dictionary Grin The stapler is so he can ‘staple the pages together when I write my books’ and the dictionary ‘because I want to learn ALL the words’ bless

My DD who is 12 just before Christmas wants an iPhone for high school and clothes for her American Girl doll. Balance?!

Cineraria · 09/11/2018 02:06

Oh no. What lovely children! My 13 month old has just today asked for an iPad when I asked him what he wanted for Christmas after talking to his older brother about what he wanted. Someone please hand me the worst mother of the year award right now!

To be fair though, he only has a few words so he could only really have answered an iPad, a banana or a brother.

Yura · 09/11/2018 06:09

my 5 year old asked for a hotwheels car. £1....

Yura · 09/11/2018 06:10

@Cineraria mine would have asked for banana. he does like food... and then toddled away with my ipad anyway...

BillThePony · 09/11/2018 06:23

That's so sweet.

Dd has asked for an electric milk frother this year, she is a student with a hot chocolate obsession.

maddiemookins16mum · 09/11/2018 06:36

Once when DD was about 6, she asked Father Christmas for....

‘little Nutela choclet pots like we had on holiday in Greece’

She loved being able to go to the buffet and get two individual ones for her breakfast, she still remembers it now.

I put some in her stocking every year still and will do for the foreseeable future.

jjemimapuddleduck · 11/11/2018 03:13

@BillThePony Aldi have an electric milk frother jug on special buy just now for £19.99.