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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Non-toy present ideas for DC

32 replies

MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 21/08/2019 08:06

Hi all

DD will turning 6 a couple of weeks before Christmas. She already has so many toys that rarely get played with, I'm trying to avoid adding more plastic tat to the pile. The only toys she plays with consistently are her Barbie's and her Build a Bears so have bought her a Barbie Ambulance and she's getting a new BAB for her birthday a couple of weeks before Christmas. But I'm struggling to think of gift ideas that aren't toys but will still be exciting for her to open on Christmas morning. She loves books but already has loads of them. She tends to get quite a lot of clothes from family members.
So far I've bought her some unicorn bedding, some pyjamas and some stuff from Smiggle for her stocking as she loves stationary.

Any non-toy, non-boring ideas for DC would be much appreciated. It's too easy just to go out and buy loads of plastic shite that I know she'd love on the day but won't get played with for more than a week, but I really don't want to do that this year.

Thanks.

OP posts:
Bubblysqueak · 21/08/2019 08:09

Could you get season tickets local attractions? Ours are getting local zoo and adventure park tickets .

LoisLittsLover · 21/08/2019 08:09

Dressing up clothes
Board games (dd loves guess who, dobble, snakes and ladders)
Disney nail varnish
Stuff for a film night - dvd, blanket, popcorn, sweets
Towels (dd loves her disney ones!)
Craft sets eg hamma beads or more general paper, paint, stickers

RainOrSun · 21/08/2019 08:16

Yes to days out.
Also magazine subscriptions.
Consumables. DS1 got a can of coke in his stocking last year - trying to keep Santa alive, as there is no way Mummy would allow cola!

RainOrSun · 21/08/2019 08:17

Sorry, didnt finish -consumables - craft, bath, food bits that aren't generally available in the house?

Abouttime1978 · 21/08/2019 08:20

A nice water bottle - smiggle do great ones.

Vouchers for the local cinema, ice cream place etc

Umbrella and/or raincoat - Hatley has a sale on right now.

Books

Nice socks/underwear

Abouttime1978 · 21/08/2019 08:22

Definitely a Disney towel. We did those last year and had their names embroidered, my lot love them!

They should be in the sale about now.

Does she do activities that you can buy stuff for - leotards for gymnastics etc?

Also sell the stuff she doesn't play with - I've made a fortune on Facebook marketplace recently.

Original poster
MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 21/08/2019 08:22

We already have Merlin passes so season tickets to local attractions wouldn't really work- the two local attractions she would really love are both on our passes anyway.

DD loves crafts but we're still working through craft sets from Christmas last year as she got loads from family.

Dressing up clothes are a good idea, I think she's outgrown quite a few of hers and she does like imaginative play. Will definitely have a look for some.

Thank you all for your suggestions, keep them coming!

OP posts:
FilthyforFirth · 21/08/2019 08:24

Some fun bath bombs? Lush do great Christmas themed ones.

Agree re days out though. I think I am going to ask DS's grandparents to do this, this year. He has a summer birthday and got loads, I want to try and avoid it all again at Christmas.

thaegumathteth · 21/08/2019 08:27

Something to play music on? Dd loves playing music in her room.

Stuff for her room?

Voucher for her and a friend to do something like go for afternoon tea or trampolining or something.

Outdoor stuff a den kit, potions kit, torch, bug kit etc

YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 21/08/2019 08:27

Fairy lights for her room? Fluffy blanket? Mini sewing machine

Original poster
MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 21/08/2019 08:27

Does she do activities that you can buy stuff for - leotards for gymnastics etc?

At the moment she does Zumba, weekly Arts and Crafts club after-school and swimming lessons but that's it. A new towel and swimming costume might be a good idea- doesn't sound very exciting though does it?

OP posts:
Original poster
MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 21/08/2019 08:29

Something to play music on? Dd loves playing music in her room.

That's a great idea actually! She's just started to get interested in pop music and has started asking our Google Home thingy to play her favourite songs. She'd probably love to be able to have music on in her room. Thank you! Smile

OP posts:
sashh · 21/08/2019 08:32

Instant camera, I take mine to family gatherings and it is popular with the kids.

A scrapbook to put the photos in.

Do you have a garden? some bulbs or a tree she can plant.

Original poster
MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 21/08/2019 08:40

We do have a garden and she quite enjoys planting things with DH. That's a good idea, thank you.

OP posts:
Toomanycats99 · 21/08/2019 08:43

Tickets for a show? If you are near London Disney on ice is on over Xmas period.

OrangeSwoosh · 21/08/2019 08:48

Theatre/cinema tickets?

My DC is much (much!) younger but we're slowly over birthdays and Christmases compiling a library of more classic books for when he's older. So far we've bought my favourite book, my husband's favourite book, and we're moving onto classics. It'll be years before he can read them himself, but we've put effort into buying nice editions with lovely illustrations - so if she's into books maybe something more advanced that you could initially read together? Or audio books?

Original poster
MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 21/08/2019 08:48

We took her to see Matilda as a birthday present last year but the budget won't quite stretch that far this year as I've been on maternity leave. We really wanted to take her to see Mary Poppins but the tickets were way too expensive.

OP posts:
OrangeSwoosh · 21/08/2019 08:52

What about a smaller local theatre? I know the ones here always do stuff for children - usually adaptations of stories and stuff.

Something else I've been known to do in the past if budget is tight is stretch it out a bit. Trip to somewhere (London for example) and a stay in a hotel overnight - hotel can be booked nearer the time (and paid for then), attractions can be paid for on the day etc.

Original poster
MinisterforCheekyFuckery · 21/08/2019 08:55

What about a smaller local theatre? I know the ones here always do stuff for children - usually adaptations of stories and stuff.

That's a good idea, will definitely look into this, thank you!

OP posts:
OrangeSwoosh · 21/08/2019 08:59

They're definitely much cheaper. You could make a day of it, here the kids production tickets are about £10-£15 for an adult (less for kids obviously). Add in lunch (somewhere like Bills for a pancake brunch is always a massive hit with my niece and nephew), maybe some vouchers (Lush, Primark, Waterstones, whatever she's into) for some shopping after. Even better if you can make it a day out for the two of you for some 1:1 time after having had baby Smile

Fridakahlofan · 21/08/2019 09:27

Zoo keeper for a day experience!

MulticolourTriangles · 21/08/2019 12:03

Does she enjoy baking? You could put a set together, mixing bowl, wooden spoons, cake cases etc. B&M do some sweet unicorn cookie cutters etc

LoonyLunaLoo · 21/08/2019 12:44

Easy then: her own google home mini for her bedroom. And a colour changing smart light bulb. Oh and a microphone for singing into.

mummyof2boys30 · 21/08/2019 13:07

My boys 7 and almost 10 want a plasma ball , go pro equivalent and electric scooter

thismeansnothing · 21/08/2019 15:33

Last year we got DD (6) tickets to see Annie (her fave film/musical) at the theatre in Manchester. My only issue was it wasn't till February but we watched the advert for it on YouTube a lot. We also got her the accompanying CD so she could 'learn the songs'.