The Definitive 'What to get a 7 year old DD for Christmas' list - pressie and stocking filler ideas needed

[Earlybird]

I have vowed to get organised early for Christmas this year, and that includes shopping before the hordes descend so that it might actually be an 'enjoyable' experience. Maybe I could even order some items from catalogues to avoid the holiday rugby scrum? Also, would like to get everything sorted before the 'must have' holiday items are out of stock (well, I can dream can't I?).

So let's have it ladies (and gents if there are any reading) - what are on your dd's Santa lists, and what ideas do you have? I'm looking for any/all suggestions from books to plastic tat to vaguely-educational-but-still-fun ideas to 'electronic beeping items that require batteries' and anything in between.....

Main 'big' presents
'Medium' and 'little' presents (at 7, dd still wants quantity as well as quality)
Stocking Fillers

Would appreciate any links to specific items - especially if they're mailorder. Thank you!

am lurking as have 2 bestfreind's with 6/7 year old dd's and have no idea what to get them. tesco direct and argos have websites for the plastic/tat end of things!

Last year I made up a box of goodies for my gd, who was 7. I put things like, individual sachets of face packs, foot scrubs, hair conditioning stuff in. Along with little makeup brushes, hair brush, Primark jewellery, hair bobbles, you know, loads of girlie things. I have just asked my friend what she'd like this year and she is still working her way through the box and wants another one! My budget was £20 and I filled it high. I covered a shoe box with Christmas paper and just tied a big bow around it.

Maureen - good idea. A while ago, dd was given a small children's makeup kit in a party bag and she recently has started using it while I'm getting ready to go out. Of course, you can't really see the eyeshadow or lipgloss she puts on from the kit, but that's not the point is it? She might enjoy having her own box of things to play around with - it's the next step from dressing up, I suppose.

I did a boy box too actually. It had dinosaur and sealife animal related stuff in it, from whale stencils to funky foam sealife shapes and a wooden t-rex kit.

DD likes Lego Belville shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Leaf.aspx?cn=400&d=70 and Sylvanian Families so no doubt will get her something in that line which I would call "big" presents, although I think DH will have a fit if I get the SF Grand hotel she has her eye on as it looks scarily space consumingwww.toysdirecttoyourdoor.co.uk/products.php?category_id=331

On the smaller presents front, she bought these www.amazon.co.uk/Paper-Fashions-Klutz-Editors/dp/1570545340 with some pocket money and has had hours of fun with it so will probably get her a few more of their sets, as she has enjoyed other Klutz kits she has had as presents too. I will probably get some kind of lip gloss set, jewellery, new felt tips and pencil crayons, a diary and possibly the HSM2 DVD (we don't have Disney channel but she likes the first one and it's the in-thing at school) for her stocking. There will be a job lot of books too as DD is a voracious reader, she's into Eva Ibbotson in a big way at the moment.

Hope all that helps. DD's not the most up to the minute nearly 7 year old and she usually requests "surprises" whilst I deal with family determined to spend £££ and DH who doesn't seem to want to get her anything!

From memory, here are some things on dd's current list:

The first Harry Potter book
100 piece jigsaw puzzles
electric toothbrush - but child's model with 'character head'...currently entranced by Hello Kitty model
High School Musical 2 DVD
Cross stitch sampler kit

Will post more when I have more ideas, and hope to glean some inspired suggestions from Mnet.

DD2 wants a Nintendo DS ( big sister has one). She wants Bindeez and any other craft things available. She has really been enjoying a knit your own teddy kit she got for her birthday and has knitted several teddies which she has handed out with great enthusiasm to babies and toddlers of our acquaintance. teddy kit

must must must must must must get all 7/8/9 year old girls the Pippi Longstocking illustrated by the charlie and lola woman. It's a big hard back book. It's gorgeous.

here

dd and all her friends are in love with it!

Oh yes - I heard that version of the book was coming, but yours is the first endorsement. Must put that on my 'possibility' list.

The Book People have it in their catalogue already (but I bet it will be popular so might be worth looking at ordering soon).

In fact, if you are looking for books, they have some corkers in their most recent catalogue.

book people pippi longstocking

they've said 4+ but I would really say 7+. It's a huge book and you'd have to be older to 'get' the story iyswim.

Skinny Jeans (but that might be a bad thing)

My DD is 6.5 and here's what she wants:

Groovy Girl (she has 3 and loves them)
Polly Pocket (any that she doesn't have)
Slippers
Polly Pocket ball (! Seen in the park once)

She is also getting
High School Musical DVD
Groovy Girl sleeping bag
Books aplenty

Stocking fillers like tiny Sainsbo's stationery set and Barbie colouring book.

Not sure if any of these are "big"; my top whack is usually £20-ish but there is nothing here over about £12 which is fine by me.

Maureen that sounds like a lovely pressie but I would say more for a 10-12yo? Can't imagine my DD using a face pack.

Fox I saw that in Book Ppl but sadly someone bought DD the ordinary paperback version this b/day.

Hiya

Santa is bringing my 7yo dd a karaoke machine with High School Musical 1 and 2 karaoke CDs ...she'll have to fight her 4yo sister (and me) for a go though

xx

Thinking about it the best present my dsd's got when they were 7 was from their older brother (ok his girlfrend bought it for the cos he is useless at this kind of thig) was a massive set of felt pens and 500 sheets of blank paper. Didn't see them till Easter.

dd is turning 7 on Tuesday, so this is her birthday list rather than Christmas. Have some Christmas ideas too, will list at end.

• pink cat-shaped squishy neck-rest/pillow thing [from her brother, who has the whale-shaped equivalent]
• a Proper Workbox (from my mum, with embroidery scissors & thimble & thread) - the idea for this came from dd's doing (& loving) Needlecraft Club - ie cross-stitch - at school
• lots of Joan Aiken, the next level up from Arabel's Raven - so Wolves of Willoughby Chase etc.
• a set of alphabet printing stamps with gold and silver ink pads

For Christmas, stocking fillers will be old-fashioned "scraps" - do you know what I mean? Elaborate Victorian illustrations intended to be cut out & pasted on a screen, eg - found some lovely ones in the Museum of London. Plus mini books of stencils (published by Dover - they're US - in NY I think), and loads of little crafty bits - sparkly pipe cleaners, paper doilies, mini scraperboard kits, whatever Baker Ross have that looks fun. (She's very very keen on making things out of paper - does it endlessly.)

There are some great ideas here - quite a few things I haven't heard of (klutz, groovy girls, teddy kits), so will explore further.

Bink - found the stencils online. They look fab, and it's definitely the kind of thing dd would love.

I agree with Pippi Longstocking. I bought it for dd for her 7th birthday and she loves it...and actually reads it!! She also did the Princess and the Pea a few years ago which is brilliant as well.

FurReal friends are a big hit, but they do lose interest fast. Another thing that my dd has spent hours playing with is the paper FX papper weaver. She makes loads of stuff and it is a great way to recycle the gift wrap from xmas. Pixel Chix (sp?) are popular as well. My dd has a Nintendo DS and she loves it, so if you can afford it it's a great gift. make sure you get Cooking Mama and Animal Crossing.

one of dd's most successful birthday presents (she was 7 in August) was a set of watercolour pencils (they came in a pod with a brush). Someone gave them to her with a pad of thicker artist paper.

You colour in with the pencils then go over them with a brush dipped in water. Marvellous.
I think it was this set

my dd would like a lego mindstorms nxt. Shes been asking for a robot she can build since she was 3 (and wanted to build a robot pony!). So we think that this year we might take a large gulp (beyond our usual budget by a considerable margin) and give in. I reckon it will be fun for all of us.

Oh, if you haven't come across the klutz range you are in for a treat!

As you wanted links, here's a link to the neck pillow things

foxinsocks - those paints look amazing, and are just the sort of thing dd would love.

Bink - thanks for neck pillow link. DD has been on about a neck pillow as she thinks she 'needs' one for long flights.

Any other ideas please?

what about the lego clikits? I haven't got girls but bought these for a 8yo girls birthday - i hope they'll appeal?

My daughter just threw Li'l Luvables at me.
I have never heard of it, but it is like a little teddy bear factory. Really cute and at Argos on sale. You can buy extra little teddy "skins" that include the outfits and stuffing. Really sweet if your dd is a bit crafty and likes teddy's.

We've had the clikits, and they're fun.

Will have to look into the 'make your own teddy' kit - sounds interesting.