Something they want, need, wear and read

[Ggirl27]

If you followed this four present rule at Christmas what would you buy your DCs?

I think my presents to dc fall into these categories unintentionally:
Want: is the big present which has been some stupid thing that is either age inappropriate, over-hyped, plastic tat etc, but they have their heart set on it and their eyes light up on Christmas morning when they see it.
Need: something age appropriate that they will actually play with (I consider play a need for children). Generally there are a few of these. I might put new stationery for school into their stockings. And while it’s maybe not a need, I try to fill the stockings with things they will use like bubble bath.
Wear: not so much a present but we get new pjs for Christmas Eve so they look presentable in the photos, and I make sure they have something smart to wear for mass.
Read: I’m a book lover so I always put a book or a box set in their gifts.

I'd struggle to stick to 4 presents but if I had too I'd get

want Would be the main present so any big toy that they'd wanted for a while. Possibly a large playmobil set.

need Either an age appropriate board game or some cool stationary.

wear A fancy dress outfit probably superheroes.

read A boxed set from the book people type of thing.

Op how old are your dc!

Want
Something they want - within reason. DD is after a dolls pram for this years 'want' gift
Need
I'm going to say family time here - some lovely traditional activities that we do together are gifts for a lifetime
Wear
Probably coupled with the need category, something that her wardrobe is missing. She is also very keen on a necklace.
Read
This year for DD it will be a starters reading book - like a classic story in easy read format.
For DS I will need to scout the bookshop for a nice new title. I have spotted a fantastic book of science experiments so that will be a gift too although for both

I hate this, I really do. It kills the fun of Christmas stone dead. If as an adult you had four people who bought presents for you and this is what you got wouldn’t you be disappointed? You don’t have to spend a fortune buying something a bit more exciting to wake up for at Christmas. It’s the modern equivalent of a stick and an orange. Not a criticism of you OP.

Still..

Want - GoPro camera
Need- Nothing really, GoPro camera if DS was answering.
Wear- long trousers for school
Read - Noel Shusterman Unwind boxed set

I make sure I cover all 4 elements in the stocking, but not just 4 gifts.

Want: Fun stuff, things she has asked for, usually her big present, often a joke, maybe a small puzzle (she likes those) or something to add to collections (lego, Match Attax cards 1 year, extra food for the kitchen another...).

Need: nice knickers (she likes a particular type), hair bobbins (we always need more!), nice socks, etc. Small things that are useful and help take up space - maybe 2 or 3 items. Craft consumables can also come under this heading, as pencils, paint, stickers etc get used up (I often find some nice unusual ones in the National Art Gallery shop, which I wouldn't be likely to buy in the normal course of events - still for DCs, but that bit nicer).

Eat: red apple, green apple, orange, green banana, and 1lb box of sweets (tradition going back to my Christmas stockings).

Read: Between 1 and 3 items normally. Always at least 1 fiction book (maybe 2), to try and instill a love of reading. Often an Annual or festive edition of a favourite Comic or Football magazine as well. And sometimes I find a nice non-fiction book of relevance - so DD is now very involved in sailing so last year there was a sailing tactics book in her stocking as well as a story (fiction). But I give books to DCs a lot (nieces, nephews etc) as part of presents and always remember the joy of a new book all for my own at Christmas (rather than just for a week from the library).

DD will be 13 this Christmas, but I've been doing this since she was 1, always making sure there was something practical, something to eat and something to read in her stocking as well as fun stuff. And she has always enjoyed her stocking - not always every single thing in it, but most things.

Want: some shit plastic tat for my DD’s like an LOL doll and Pokemon cards for DS.
Need: a new bike
Wear: they always get new pyjamas, socks and slippers on Christmas Eve and a new outfit to wear Christmas Day
Read: DS is currently into the Beast Quest series and DD’s like the Little people big dreams books.

I’d struggle to stick to this rule, mind.

We are doing this and we'll have:
DD is 4 and in Reception.
Want: I think a big-ish toy. I've left DH to research Lego Juniors type kits (maybe a big bundle of vintage Lego as they have fewer tiny pieces).
Need: haven't decided yet. Actually, she's obsessed with her Tommee Tippee cups and I really want to get her off them so I might see if I can magic them away and get her something a bit more age appropriate.
Wear: cute Christmassy dress
Read: Oi Cat and Oi Duck Billed Platypus.

DS is 6 and in Y2
Want: no idea, I just posted separately
Need: a watch, he has a specific one in mind but I think it's OOS!
Wear: I will probably make him a nice top as I sew quite a bit. Or else we really like Indi Baya which usually has very cute seasonal tops.
Read: not decided yet but we may start a language class in Jan so probably a book of words in that language.

I have a DS who is 17 and a DD who is 13 - thought about doing this as we may be away for Christmas. Love these responses though - I was hoping your ideas might spark something in me!

Want - he wants a playmobil airport
Need - literally nothing he needs - he gets what he needs all year
Wear - he'll get new clothes for Christmas but doesn't count as a present.
Read - there will be books involved, I love to read so again, he gets lots of books all year round.
I'm really not into this as ideas for presents. I think presents for children should always be "wants". We aren't well off at all, but throughout the year he gets plenty of clothes and all he "needs". He likes books so they fall into the "want" category in my opinion.

IWould I Father Christmas gives my DCs new pants and socks and they are delighted so I DO think that things they wear count as things they want!

Want: Melissa and Doug piano
Need: a new play kitchen as the old one is broken
Wear: trainers - he loves putting on his trainers ready to go out!
Read: Complete Beatrix Potter

Although to be honest we don't do books as presents - books are for anytime he wants them, as it's the one thing that's really important, for me. I really want DS to love reading as much as I do.

God I hate that twee poem.

It doesn't work for me anyway. Want is fine (but I'm not limiting that to 1 present).

There's an extremely wide definition of need being demonstrated on this thread. If I'm honest, my DS's don't need anything because they get it throughout the year.

I'm not getting my 4 year old DS something to wear because he couldn't give a flying fudge about clothes.

My 4 year old will get tonnes of books. Probably 30+. The baby will also get a good selection, though we already have most of the classics.

It might be more applicable to teens, but I don't know anyone who needs a poem to tell them what to get their kids for Christmas.

We buy more than this, but I do like it as a starting point concept.

DD1
want: posh makeup
need: maybe lovely bedding or towels
wear: cashmere wristwarmers
read; anything to do with forensics, or death!

DD2
want: nanoblocks
need: shower gel and face wash but 'nicer' brands than usual
wear: yet another bloody hoodie
read: something to do with astronomy or horror films

I also don’t like this idea, at least not for children until teenage level.

As a parents I have to provide what they need and things to wear anyway, hardly an exiting present unless it is something really special or a joke like DD getting crop tops in her stocking loast year as she insisted “no pants” when we read a Christmas story during advent.

Books area again something we supply all the time, she may get one or like last year when she got a kindle voucher to buy her own selection as it is hardly exiting to just download a book I bought an hour earlier,

When they get older then yes, I may want to buy her something she needs but wouldn’t necessarily buy herself or would by a better one than she can afford. Same with something to wear.

For me for a child Christmas is about the things you want to have. It may include a book or even something to wear like new party shoes or a special outfit I as the parent wouldn’t normally buy.

If I'm able to follow this 4 I would give:
Want: Scooter. He always wants to get a scooter.
Need: Probably a Trackimo GPS tracking device. He needs this to keep him safe all the time.
Wear: New pair of shoes.
Read: A set of books maybe? If you have any suggestions on a good set of books. That would be nice.

If you don't like it or think it's twee - don't use it!
We do use it because a) the children like the presents we give b) they don't get so overwhelmed if they have fewer presents and c) it's really hard to distinguish wants from needs anyway.