Ideas wanted for an annual Christmas gift....

[lildottie]

Hi everyone. I have a 6m old baby boy and we are looking forward to his first Christmas. I would love to buy him something like a collectable that I can get another part of/add to each year for him but am struggling to think of what. So I thought I'd turn to the fabulous minds of the mumsnet community for some help....thanks in advance

My sister bought a Disney ornament for the tree every year from when her first was born. I'm pretty sure they have the year on them? She's got three kids now and a rather spectacular collection of decorations

Thanks admiral. Not sure that will work for us as I'm a bit ocd about the tree decorations! Nice idea though. really thought more people would have replied to this. Only idea I have come up with is coins from royal mint

I would stick the money in a long term savings account.

The trouble with 'collectibles' is what you think is nice now might not be so interesting as your DS grows up - my DS was given a fabulous collection of first day covers - added to every time there was a new stamp issue - now as a teenager he has zero interest in it.

A really beautiful edition of a book? So by the time he gets to the right age you have a fab collection of classics to start on?

Otherwise it is tricky. Tree ornaments are one of the best ones I think but you've discounted that. As others have said coins and stamps he might not be interested in. You kind of want something he will enjoy, that will have a story behind it, like when you get the decorations out each year and you can say "oh yes, that's the one we bought when you were 6 and we went to Munich for the Christmas market, do you remember when......."

Folio Society have some beautiful modern editions of classical stories for children and adults - so they can be enjoyed by anyone who loves books & you can purchase each years present to your DCs interests.

Alternatively buy a gold sovereign for each year. Don't buy them from Royal Mint but from a bullion dealer - then you only pay the 'true' gold value.

Ooh I really like the book idea.

You make a good point about the decorations iam I might think about whether I can do something similar without being tree related

I buy our boys a snow glove each year and have done since DS1 was born. I was devastated last Christmas when I got the box out of the loft and most of them had been broken 17 years of snow globes!

Folio books would be a nice idea; they are beautiful. They don't grow in value though, and tbh I tend to read a paper version as hardbacks are a pain. So they stay on shelf (my dad has bought me hundreds of folio book!)
Depends whether you are building a sentimental /nice to have collection or if you are hoping they will build something of value??

I love my parents "unthemed" tree as every decoration has a story. Could you have one tediously tasteful tree and one covered in more personal decorations you build up over the years

A little late but we are starting a lego village this year. Each year new pieces are released and I'm imagining building them with my children each year but then later on grandchildren. Very much long forward to next weekend!

My DS has his own small tree that he decorates with his ornaments, mostly so that it doesn't mess with my tree OCDness.

I second the tree ornament. In a couple of years he will be old enough to choose his own which is really interesting! Did this with ours who are all grown up now. As they left home their ornaments went with them. They are now an interesting snapshot of their individual childhood interests/fads/quirks and make lovely memories. [I am also VERY fussy about my tree so we always had a "children's" tree that they decorated with their own baubles and bits they made at school]

What about a Hornby railway set.
You could get him the Santa express this year (the one that goes around your tree)

@flowersandthorns what's a lego village? This feels like something we'd love as lego fans but google just shows us minecraft villages?

It's on the Lego store website as Santa Toyshop, a train and I think a Xmas village. They are all lovely. We have the toyshop.

shop.lego.com/en-GB/Winter-Toy-Shop-10249

A small tree and you can get a new ornament every year. I had a mini tree in my bedroom when I was little and I loved it.

Wheezes coffee mad is right. They also release something new each year so it can build into a whole village overtime.

Pick a theme like 'Bears'and get a bear related thing each year - bear toy, bear book, bear art print

I have wondered this too. Dd gets a silver charm for bday each year idea being I will get them put on bracelet when there are enough but don't have an equivalent for ds. My parent always got me coins from royal mint. I do like having them actually.

Ooh reckless I hadn't thought about the stuff he'll make at school. Hmm 2nd tree may be necessary methinks!

The Lego village sounds awesome, dh will love that!

I second the idea of a hornby train set - easy to add to and if at 18 he doesn't want it he can flog the lot on ebay!

We get a new singing/dancing santa toy each year.....I now have a whole choir of tackiness .

A really nice matchbox type car each year? You can line them all up on a shelf and he can get them dien and play with them. You could etch the year on the bottom of each one.

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