I have started Christmas Shopping and I am happy and excited.

[SecretPlansAndCleverTricks]

Got a little stash of books and stocking fillers hidden away upstairs

hugs self with excitement

thumbs nose at Christmas-In-June-Refuseniks

Oh and thanks for the elf on the shelf suggestion, will be stealing that this year too!!

I thought I was nearly the only 1 who started buying bits at this time of year.How wrong I was.
Now the kids are older though,I have to wait till they are in the mood and provide me with their wish lists for their main presents.

Today I saw a complete non-bargain.

A 2012 insert for a Filofax.
It was half price- goodee.

But 2012 is half over

Probably best just to pay full price at the start of the year.

Just made my first purchase! Was planning to wait but I was cruelly manipulated swayed by the fact that stock is low and I've never seen it in the shops.

It is this family film which I had on VHS when I was young, I loved it but only recently managed to find it online when I'd previously given up hope of ever seeing it again (nostalgia is a very big deal to me). It will be delivered with jammies etc on Xmas eve so we can all snuggle up and watch it before bed. :)

Sayhello - totally understand about needing to buy more, I feel like my DCs need everything when they actually don't and would be better off with less. Sorry about the redundancy btw, it really suck, I was made redundant during my first pregnancy. Hope things are better soon!

Thanks fuzzpig. I was made redundant during my maternity leave so my work had to carry on paying my maternity pay for the full 9 months so could have been worse I guess.

I've just bought a wheely bug for my dd's first birthday or christmas, not sure when I'll give her it. It was £47 from amazon for a large one, thought that was a good price if anyone is interested :)

DS1 (7) told me this morning that from now on he hopes father Christmas doesn't waste his money on toys because he has plenty and that he would be happy with a couple of books. He's easy then!!

I haven't started yet but I have been thinking, what on earth do I buy DD aged approx 2 months?! FC has to come to her too or DS (6yo) will question it. I can't believe I'm planning christmas gifts in June for a baby that's not due until October .

Clothes for baby, plus any toys that she will use within the next year. Or little keepsafe gifts.

How lovely is your ds virgil but I bet he changes his mind

Wantanorange, definitely buy your DD some things that you would buy her after Christmas anyway. What about toys, books, a snack catcher, weaning spoons etc, a Grobag, a Little Life rucksack, a sun hat?

Does anyone have any ideas about Christmas presents for DS? He'll be 2.

He already has MegaBloks, Mr Potato Head, a Wheelybug, wooden puzzles etc., and he's getting a mini micro-scooter and a helmet for his birthday before then. He's also getting a little table and chairs set before then . I'm another one who is going to try not to buy too much stuff just for the sake of it.

Ds loved his happyland stuff at that age as well as his postman pat and bob the builder toys. Oh, and his toy kitchen.

Ah, I wondered about Happyland things. Our relatives kindly gave us their toy kitchen, but I wonder whether he'd like some little pots and pans to go with it.

First gift here.... Panto ticket purchase. My Dad got all interested last year in the Panto, but too late as all the tickets had been sold. I felt bad as it was him who always took us as kiddies.
So this year, when booking early to ensure front row seats, I booked an extra ticket for a present for him.

Hurrah.

Yep Happyland is great - dd will be 2 at Christmas, she will be getting ds's old stuff.

We;re getting her a balance bike for her birthday - what about one of those?

DD just turned 5 and is still enjoying happyland.

HappyLand is fab. I'm a childminder and have loads of the stuff. The babies can chew on it because it's so sturdy, the 6 six year olds use it for role play. It lasts ages.

WantAnOrange my dd was 3 months last christmas and we bought her some lamaze toys, a sophie giraffe and a toy for when she was bigger (a push along walker). I think she slept pretty much the whole day but we also didn't want dd1 wondering why santa had forgotten her baby sister :)

Recursive if your ds has a toy kitchen, what about some wooden food to go with it? We got dd some that you can "cut" and she enjoys playing with it. We got ours from Amazon.

I think we only got DS a few tiny things on his first Xmas as he was under 4m. A very hungry caterpillar teething rattle, and a 'that's not my penguin' board book. I think that was it! (that was the last Xmas where we actually were sensible with budget!)

I agree get stuff that is useful anyway so clothes, bibs etc.

Hello, he already has some play food .

Wendy, is he not too young for a balance bike (2)? Gosh, every birthday / Christmas, there seems to be the next big thing to buy him... He will already have a trike and a scooter. I am planning to get him a balance bike, but I was thinking maybe when he is 3.

Had an idea for stockings, I might get some Hama beads? They've never used them before. I could wrap up one template each with enough beads to fill it. They do a chunkier range now which might be better for DS.

I really wanted to get DS a balance bike but we went for a trike instead, because DH is on crutches and wouldn't be able to keep up with DS on a balance bike on the school run!

Is it down a big hill fuzzpig ?

I'll check out the larger Hama beads.

Good morning. May i join the maddness?! I have worked who to buy for, what my limit is and now i need to make lists! Any ideas on presents for a three year old would be lovely. Also i want to start some traditions this year - DH is from different culture so Christmas is down to me!

Oh and with any luck i will have another baby at Christmas!