Ideas for Santa at playgroup to give to dd.

[Loulousmummy]

Had an email from my dds playgroup saying the Christmas party is on this date and Santa making an appearance. Can you provide a small wrapped gift for your child up to the value of £10.Was originally £5, no idea why they've changed it.

What can I buy that's cheap and small for a 3 almost 4 year old that won't look stingy when she opens it as I've spent enough on dd already but we live in a snooty naice area. I've said that because the 'suggested £1 donation' for Children in Need turned into £5 and £10 notes being dropped in the collection bucket and I was when dds £2 coin hit the bottom!

Good grief £10? Some of the kids at our group got packets of rice cakes last year DS got a plastic boat bath toy, 50p. Could you use a stocking filler you've already got? A book she hasn't looked at much? Or hit the charity shops?

I bet not everyone will spend £10. I wouldn't stress about it.

Pound shop fairy wings and a magic wand? Or an activity book from The Works - they have some very nice Christmas stuff at around three pounds.

And if you have s TKMaxx that sells toys, they have some nice Brio and Melissa & Doug stuff at the moment - I bought up loads for birthday party presents.

When I ran a playgroup we added to the price of the Christmas party the cost of the present.

That way it was fair on every child. They got a pack of crayons, a colouring book and a small chocolate Santa.

Have memories of my oldest getting a matchbox car, while his friend got a hot wheels set and saying that my boy had obviously not been that good!

That really doesn't sound very inclusive, in fact it sounds positively diversive, I wouldn't like that way of doing things at all.

Saying that, you are probably stuck with it so try to focus on what your DD would like rather than worry about how it looks, she is the important one and other parents can go swivel if they think it's any of their business.

Now this present you buy is for your child so you could just get them whatever they want. I think they may have upped the max value because other parents requested it, but it is a MAX and you're not offending anyone if you don't spend 10.

The kids won't be able to tell! When I did this for my DDs it was usually something like a packet of pens and a sticker book because I knew that's what they wanted most! Yes other kids had bigger packages but mine did not notice particularly.

If you already have something in the presents you bought for them that would be suitable just use that. It's what I did.

Our playgroup provides Santa's present and you don't pay that week as we all bring the food.

I'd get a book or something from a charity shop, or something you've already got her for Xmas

Last year they supplied the present, out of playgroup funds. This year we have to do it which I don't mind as the leg of the doll dd ended up with fell off that afternoon.
I think I'll wrap the Polar Express dvd I bought from a charity shop for £1.99 and use that. And it's still in it's wrapper!

That's a great plan, and it means that you can get to watch it in the run up to Christmas, to feel all Christmassy rather than having to wait until after Christmas. Maybe have a word with the organisers for another year, 5 pounds, with a little savy MN shopping goes a fair way, and if people really want to spend a bit more then no one will really notice if they spend 6 pounds. 10 pounds is straying into the realm of big present for us.