They don’t need anything!?!

[KJL87]

I have 3 boys aged 11, 7 & 5. Younger two have birthdays in November.
I have absolutely no idea what to get them as gifts. They have so many toys as it is and even when I ask what they would like they don’t know or say random things that I know they don’t actually want.
We haven’t got a great budget this year and don’t want to buy just for the sake of buying things. They get so much from others as it is and we haven’t got the space for much more.
But again I don’t want them to be disappointed.

We have dss 15, dsd 13 in November and dd 5. We stopped doing "stuff" for the older 2 a few years ago. We now get them driving lessons through youngdriver experiences (buyagift often do them cheaper and if you search voucher code websites can get great deals). They now ask for them rather than plastic tat.

We bought dd a riding experience at a local stables for her birthday and she has asked for lessons for Christmas. She will get them from most people I think as she certainly doesn't need anything. I might ask for money towards a body protector for her if she carries it on.

Yes to experiences - cinema, trampoline park, theme park, go ape.

Got zoo season tickets for £60 per person last Xmas which have been used at least monthly.

My two are 11 and 8 and in a similar position. Im buying them clothes, tickets to an ice hockey game (we have never been before and ive heard its a good experience), a cinema gift card and also a homemade voucher for their rooms being redecorated in a colour of their choice (it needs doing anyway I just hope they dont pick black!!!)

My older one is more interested in games or vouchers to do with gaming. Even though it’s pricey it just doesn’t look a lot.
I like the experience days or someone mentioned putting a load of different “to do” ideas in a jar and they take one out for something to do such as the cinema, or go out for lunch, make cakes etc so they don’t all have to be expensive things.
It was something that I was thinking of - but think there is also the slight disappointment of not opening up a number of presents, more so for the younger ones.

why not do it like parce the parcel rather than treats in a jar?

so instead of sweets between each layer have a written treat - like a Christmas fortune cookie almost - so one layer could be a cinema trip, next one a local attraction - maybe do 12 so there is 1 a month and it speads the cost? Have the central 'prize' as a family dvd or a family game?

We've had a good chat with DSS(9) about how if he wants expensive things it won't "look like a lot" and he seems to have grasped it. It's been co.ing over the past few years as he has moved away from cheap tat toys and gravitated towards Lego and characters. Last year I had the panic that it didn't look enough but he was so happy with it.

So he has asked for Harry potter Lego this year and we've explained that if he gets the three sets he wants, that will eat up all his budget and he won't get anything else from us (just one more gift from FC and a stocking). He has said he will be more than happy with that. We have had to really make it clear this year as we now have DS(2) who we adopted this year, who in comparison will have a huge pile of much less pricey presents and I would hate for DSS to feel upset about that.

If your DS wants games and vouchers just explain to him that it would be all he gets and it would look like sibling get much more when they aren't. At 11 he should be able to grasp that

What about tickets to insomnia game festival? Would second go ape. Doing a multi games table for 9 year old this year. Next year thinking ankdrive. It does get harder especially if they don't know what they want

My DDs (8&11) need nothing!
DD(8) wants a Kindle and case and a particular watch.
We are going on a big holiday next year so we will get some things for that perhaps luggage etc but beyond that I have no ideas at all.

They do still love playing with the Sylvanian families stuff that we have but it does seem that they are too old for it really.

We have enough lego in this house to build a replica!

Magazine subscriptions have gone down well in the past. Aquila is the one we receive at the moment, it is pricey so renewal would be a good gift.
I am wondering about something like climbing lessons or similar.
Smart speakers like Alexa? (I want one for listening to podcasts in bed without having to take my phone with me, house rules no phones in bed rooms overnight)
Clothes because they always need some sort of clothing.

It was something that I was thinking of - but think there is also the slight disappointment of not opening up a number of presents, more so for the younger ones.

I'd worry about this too. I know I would have been hugely disappointed as a child. But you know yours best obviously. The thing with experience days is they are in the future and it is hard for children to imagine that, I think.