Alternatives to 'stuff' this Christmas?

[Misty9]

With two DC aged 2 and 5 we have more than enough 'stuff' and I'm trying to think of alternatives - both for my kids and my nephews (2 and 6) - which would be exciting in their own right and acceptable to young children! Ideas?

Maybe ideas for adults too?

We do the tickets for events too - theatre, season tickets, sports events that they're into (although yours are too young for this). And days out (Lego land, Peppa pig world) etc

If your children are into animals, adopting an animal can be given with a cuddly toy and tickets to see an animal. I have friends' children who liked that, but my kids didn't like animals and didn't really get the gift at that age.

Finally, I tend to buy my children lots of consumables, stuff they need, special treat foods they don't usually get mixed in with some big presents. So in their Xmas sacks my girls get a huge box of Coco Pops (I don't normally buy this), an annual supply of tights, pants etc, and new supply of nice stationery etc. My children get lots to open (which they love) with very little crap!

Last year my eldest daughter says she looks forward to getting her new supply of clothes (pjs, dressing gown, slippers, underwear etc!). Bless her!

As for the experiences. My children are older, but DD1 says she likes experiences because then she gets the present twice!

But we tend to buy her things like tickets to see international sporting events (she's massively into gymnastics and netball) DD2 has ballet tickets or West end theatre tickets (she love dancing). So it's stuff that they love and they are older to appreciate them. At 2 and 5, I don't think they got it so much and we did do more physical presents.

I give them stuff I have to buy them anyway, like bed covers and pjs too. Tickets to a show would be nice, but it might be tricky getting away with it.

Its nice to get:
Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
And something to read!

For slightly older kids a Phoenix subscription is a great gift. Comes once a week, no ads or plastic toys just good old fashioned comic storytelling with incredible illustrations. DS has had one for two years and he still devours it on a Friday night.

I think a subscription to something may be a good idea? I got a kids geek box subscription for my godson and he loves it. Majority of the boxes are really good and worth the money others sometimes aren't as good.
My dc are getting 2 toys each, a box off books each and some pyjamas this year. I learnt my lesson last year buying lots of toys that are still sitting there in a box 10 months later! I think I may get them merlin annual passes next year and a small gift as they will be older.

If you're thinking magazines, Aquila has been a massive hit here. My 8yo has enjoyed if for over a year, her 5yo sister has starting reading bits of it, too.

A Christmas decoration dor each child. Mh 2yos LOVED this last year. I then put them into a separate box, one for each child after Christmas. It's a nice ritual and then when they are grown up they can take them with them.

If they leave them in their student house I WILL cry though. Bloody kids.

Gifts that can develop into hobbies are nice. Last Christmas we got our little girl an Instamax camera (like a mini Polaroid) and film then friends and family got her extra film, blank albums and scrapbooking stuff, photo props, a label maker etc. so she could make memory books from the pics she took.

You could potentially do the same sort of thing with cooking or gardening too by buying tools, seeds, recipe books, pots and pans and the like and making a gift basket with all the ingredients or equipment they might need to get started.

Another vote for The Phoenix subscription - we've had it since issue 0 and even though they're now nearly teens they howl if I suggest cancelling it.

Might investigate the phoenix for nearly 7 year old nephew then, thanks. Aquila looks good but ds has only just started school and doesn't read/write yet. Maybe next year though.

Maybe cbeebies friends magazine for dd, 2? They love the plastic tat on the front of such things.

Craft sets - so they're used and thrown away after

A baking hamper? Again it's consumable but also the tools would just lived in a kitchen cupboard so not 'clutter'

Pj's & slippers

Hair clips/bands etc if they're girls

Swimming things? Maybe with a voucher for swimming lessons or just for a play in the pool

I'm shamelessly marking my place as I thinking the exact same thing. My two are similar ages and I am really struggling with ideas. There are some really good ones here. I have already asked my parents to buy us a family national trust membership for all of us for Christmas.

I like to get money towards season tix to local zoo/farm type place. And something small if rellies like to have something to open

Following - I've been thinking the same and I love some of these suggestions.

Don't get me wrong, there are tons of toys I can think of that they'd love, but nothing that they NEED. Ds tends to just want more when he gets gifts and I really want to discourage this consumerist attitude while he's still young...

I'm also going to cast a vote for a large Lego set (for 2 and 6 suggest Lego City) for the whole family for Xmas. We have had many very happy Xmas days around the table building and finding pieces together and the kids play with it for months after and then break and rebuild something else.

My 6yo loves her beano subscription. And its weekly. As they get older The Week Junior is good

We are cutting down this Xmas. They are getting a 'big' present from Santa but otherwise just small things (books, stationery, etc)

That sounds good cupkate - I like the look of the Lego city square and I reckon I could get the rellies behind something like that.

Can't recommend it enough - we've done it for years and even the step kids who are in their twenties love participating.

Yes- my 6yo spent the entire day last Christmas building a large, tricky lego set. He managed it all by himself too!