Hits and Misses - all ages

[candykane25]

In prep for bargain buying for next year the successes in our house were:
DD 2.4
peppa pig DD case
Playdoh
Playmobil advent calendar throughout Dec
Aquadoodle
Balance bike
Frozen Elsa had for hair styling

DH
Bear claw back scratcher
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012FEHZKQ/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_rPWFwbD0ERJCR
Photobox personalised phone case

Me
Face Mats (beer mats with lower faces in them)
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00PCDRUVM/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_JQWFwbMNFXCNR
Surprise Christmas Eve box from DH with new PJs, hot choc sachet and marshmallows, Christmas DVDs
Lush Soap

Everyone who I got a burst bees bauble seems to really like that.

Teenage Nephews -
Joke Snot nose
Coin stash
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007IOHPWM/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_kTWFwbX796JV1

I didn't get any misses and everyone has been polite but next year will buy more grown up things for friends kids as I think I went too young.

6 year old boy loves stocking filler pencil with times tables printed on it and a giraffe shaped tape measure. His brother aged 9 loves a foam fit together biplane and a wind up torch.
I believe they quite liked all the it big presents too!

OP here.
You know that Lush soap I said was a hit?
Despite being told it was soap by DH, turns out it's not exactly.,,
After a shower which has left my bits on fire I googled it.
www.lushusa.com/Wiccy-Magic-Muscles/03862,en_US,pd.html

The mosaics I mentioned down thread are actually called 'fairy sparkle mosaics". Think dmil got them from Sainsbos. Would really recommend - no glue!
Dd also loved the second hand Watership Down figures my db got her off eBay - they look like they're out of a cereal packet or a Happymeal or something, but she just loves Watership Down! Db always manages to spend about £2 and buy her the Best Thing Ever.

Fuji instax camera massive hit with dd (6) and ds (8). They have loved taking pics and watching them develop. Also both loved Rubik's cube and star shaped highlighter pen with different colour tips in their stockings.

Ds loved star wars battleships (as did dh ), lightsaber pens and a sound blaster keyring.

Dd loved frozen lego ice palace, frozen monopoly (even though it's junior version and she loves playing the 8+ version) and Nivea pearly shine lipgloss

Ds2 (1.2) loves brio police car and fire engine, tomy hide & squeak eggs, and ELC stacking eggs.

I loved Turkey breast with no bone in the foil tray, cooks in 90 mins and Turkey gravy thanks M&S, reduced my kitchen time and sweaty let's pretend it's a glow look!

Games we've already enjoyed playing, Labyrinth and City of zombies. Great for kids 6+

DD (12) lived her 3D pen and faux fur throw (£30 from Asda and absolutely brilliant). She is also happy with her (musical) keyboard.
I am very happy with my surprise gift from DH of 2 night trip to Dublin for all 3 of us at NYE to visit my favourite cousin and his DW

Hits
'Go mini' remote control car, both ds1 (4) and ds2 (2) love it
Keyboard
Imaginext ambulance with lights and sounds- ds2 loves
Batman pyjamas with cape attached by velcro. Wears as dressing up outfit. Ds1
Battery powered 'Percy' to go on brio track
Cannons that shoot from playmobil pirate set

Misses
Lego junior batcave. Normally loves lego but just not interested (I suspect as no wheels!)

Hits:
ds 11 -
punchbag
football top with his name on the back

dh -
reversible black/brown belt

Misses:
nothing really but I've been given a handbag and am furrowing brow over how to use it [yes I know] - I haven't owned a handbag since 1988 and I carry my stuff in other ways. Very kind but the more I look at it the more alien it seems.

DD1- 9 next month

Hits:
ipad mini
sew cool sewing machine (seriously addicted to it)
ipod case
nail polish
jewellery
lego sets

Miss:
craz-knits

DD2: 4.5

Hits: Well everything really!! Not as into her Xeno but i only paid £12 for it brand new so not that bothered. Playmobil is the biggest hit and surrisingly her merida bow and arrow.

DS1 - 14 weeks

Does not give a shit.

weve had a few hits and misses

hits

ds6 loves teksta scorpion, i think its overpriced though

ds3 loves his easel and play doh

misses

ds6 and ds3 both dont like qixels, its fiddly and they dont stick together very well, also ds3 jcb workbench is utter rubbish

DS(11) biggest hit was the RC car my DP's bought him. If I'm honest, it's an amazing bit of kit and will last him for years while also being relatively quiet and not involving a screen of any description.

And bizarrely, a small star shaped cast iron skillet with cookie mix in it. This is being saved for scout camp apparently :o

Another big hit for my DD 2.4
Learning Resources Post Office set. I got it for £13 on Amazon after a thread recommendation and it is amazing value, has loads of accessories and takes seconds to set up and put away so win/win!
Worth watching for a price drop.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005ERBYEU/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_sRsGwb8XGBRHQ

DS (11) A beanie hat costing £3. He wore it all Christmas day.

DD (4) a set of plastic car keys that make car sounds 25p from Tesco are her best present ever!

DS (9) father Christmas brought a squishy ball coloured like a melon, his brother brought him a mega tube of Haribo and my sisters father in law brought a big box of chocolates.

DS (12) fleece blanket, he's Autistic and touch is a big issue he loves a soft cosy blanket to snuggle in.

If you could call what they'd love it'd save a fortune.

Hits - no misses this year:

DH - Lego Millennium Falcon
Me - Colouring books and posh pens
DS - Nerf Modulus gun and all the bits & Lego Dimensions (with extra kits)

Candy, we have that post office and it's brilliant. We also have the school which is just as good.

Biggest hit was a £20 pop up shop thing. My 8 and 6yos have been playing with it constantly.

DS has barely been out of his Captain America suit.

Misses, none really, although DD got a bit downhearted about the Tantrix game - it's not really her kind of game (spatial awareness etc) whereas DS is really good, so I think that made her a bit disheartened, I should've thought about that but I knew she'd seen others playing it and wanted to try. Hopefully she will get used to it but it's a lesson learned, maybe that kind of thing should be more a family present/purchase.

Ovo I will be looking for the school set, thank you!

DS (7) - Hits were his Scalextric set. No other present got a look in for a few days! He also loves his world/star map globe. Of the stocking fillers, his spy pen was a massive hit.

Misses - Star Wars yo-yo from H&M broke within half an hour and cardboard craft model of a storm trooper...way too complex and there's no way I'm doing it for him!

DD (3) - Her favourite presents were a My Little Pony play doh set, an Artogan art set and a Cinderella doll with a twirly skirt!

Misses - A chunky Hama bead set. I thought she'd love this but not interested at all.

I'm a bit ashamed to say it ... BUT fart whistles here were the big hit stocking fillers in our house...

And the digibird / digi-owl that I got as an afterthought for our dds have been a big success too. All thanks to a mn thread!

Thank you belle ! Never heard of the digibird thing. I think DD will love them next year!

3 yo DS hit Imaginext transforming batcave and batman accessories

5yo DD hits art case, play school set

8 yo DD hits doh Vinci, shopkins