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Christmas

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

Original poster

Does anyone struggle with close in age children?

30 replies

TisButADream · 16/08/2021 16:51

So I've begun organising and planning Christmas gifts for this year Halo

I have 3 children who will be just turned 6, just turn 4 and nearly 2 this Christmas. Really struggling with what to get the little one as due to having the older two, there's not really anything missing in terms of toys. As you can imagine we have accumulated pretty much all the types of things you buy children that age and I don't want to be ridiculous and wasteful and overspend just for the sake of them having a similar pile of presents.

Any out of the box ideas? I have a few lovely things picked out for his stocking but apart from that I literally can't think of anything.

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NuffSaidSam · 16/08/2021 16:57

Keep present numbers low while they're small. Make the Christmas magic be about all the other stuff/build up and not about the pile of presents. Otherwise this will be an ongoing problem with close in age kids.

Is there anything the little one likes that the others didn't? That might help with gift suggestions.

Imcatmum · 16/08/2021 17:00

Get the two year old very little. He won't notice and the others won't either. Just say that Santa brings the right amount for each child.

I tended to go practical to balance things a bit. Like clothing or a toy box or nice plate and bowl or socks and pants.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 16/08/2021 17:03

I have two girls 20 months apart. (Now 8&10). We now get experiences rather than physical things. Best present they got this year (for birthdays, but Christmas works just as well) was zoo season tickets.

JustAnotherUserinParadise · 16/08/2021 17:05

Consumables might be good?
We had a whole list of things that we always got in our stockings, with hindsight my mum is a genius...
Chocolate (coins, santa, giant tube of smarties, orange)
Satsuma
Marmalade
Bubbles
Pants, socks, gloves, scarf
Books

JustAnotherUserinParadise · 16/08/2021 17:06

Ooh and pens, pencils, notepad, sticky notes etc, which they'll probably use for school eventually anyway

Original poster
TisButADream · 16/08/2021 17:12

Thanks so much some really good ideas so far, he does have a few little interests that the others didn't like but I have covered those in his stocking. I suppose I could wrap stuff like a nice melamine dining set, we have so many books but I could get him a personalised one maybe?

Consumables are a good idea and I bet he would have fun opening them :)

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Original poster
TisButADream · 16/08/2021 17:14

Is it awful to get presents designated for the little one but that are really sort of for everyone?

I'm getting a Schleich animal for the older 2 for their stockings and am wondering if I should just get him a few of those as I loved them as a child too and haven't started collecting them yet so I could get a few more and put them in his stocking...

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Henrytheehoover · 16/08/2021 17:16

I do struggle with this. Mine are 6 and 8 and have very similar interests. I am finding it a bit easier this year now they are older. They both need new bikes, so that's the big presents sorted. I also get them nice clothes as presents.

Fabuleuse · 16/08/2021 17:19

I've had this problem although I only have two kids. What about something large and fairly cheap but also useful - I'm thinking of getting my youngest his own sledge so my two don't have to share if it snows. Decathlon do good ones. Also Hobbycraft have huge cardboard colour in castle, shop, train etc for a tenner on sale at the moment. Won't last forever obviously but can be recycled when it falls to bits. I also try to get my oldest to open a couple of presents while youngest opens one and that way a disparity in number isn't so obvious because they finish at the same time!

Original poster
TisButADream · 16/08/2021 17:24

Love the idea of those carboard houses. You're right at least if it is broken it's at least recyclable and not just going to sit in the house and would be a big (in size) present.

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17caterpillars1mouse · 16/08/2021 17:31

What about a bath toy upgrade, I find Bath toys need regularly changing. A might be a bit of a gift for all 3 but I think you find that with the youngest. The schleich animals could fit into this, my 2 year old has a selection of sharks and whales for the bath.

Other options, new ball for outside, space hopper, skittles. If they live outside they take up less space in my mind

Colouring books and different art materials

Character trainers or clothes

Character blanket for on his bed

Otherwise just add a few extras to collections you already have

Jumpingintosummer · 16/08/2021 18:03

How about something for all three to share? Outdoor - Slide/swing set? Playhouse?
Indoor - Teepee?

Soft toy just for him?
Personalised cushion/clothing?
Wellingtons with his favourite character?

Original poster
TisButADream · 16/08/2021 18:29

Ah thank you all these are great suggestions when I was really drawing a blank, I have a nice list now :)

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CoffeeWithCheese · 16/08/2021 18:55

Less so as they get older and their interests start to diverge (I have 11 months between mine so they were very much into the same phase with toys a lot of the time). I think I bought the younger one a lot of bath toys and things like outdoor toys they would both use.

Original poster
TisButADream · 16/08/2021 19:03

Yes that's a good idea the bath toy upgrade could definitely be for the baby.

Definitely the your points about interests, it can make buying when they are young though quite uneven can't it! Like, my nearly 6 year old just naturally has more interests than the nearly 4 year old so I just naturally find more things for her. Can't wait til they are all a few years older in that respect.

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InvincibleInvisibility · 16/08/2021 20:08

Dont count your chickens Wink. The last couple of years my 7 and 9 year olds would have happily had almost the exact same presents for their birthdays. Often resulting in one getting same thing in a different colour a few months later for his birthday...

Fortunately some tastes are different like books.

CarolinaWeeper · 16/08/2021 20:23

My 2 year old loves Schleich animals because DC1 has a huge collection of them. I go practical too.....got them a really nice toothbrush from Rex London, a skip hop backpack with reins, a cup with their favourite animal on etc

AliceMcK · 16/08/2021 22:07

I’m in a very similar situation. Last year I got my youngest, then 3yo bath toys, colouring sets, aqua doodles (things you would normally get throughout the year), I got her a bunch of Princess dolls from the clearance bin at home bargains for 50p each. When she was 2 I got her a peppa pig bike for £4 from the charity shop. I get a lot from charity shops especially for my youngest, she gets to open things, money goes to charity, if it’s not played with it’s fine it gets regifted and I’ve not spent a fortune.

I also keep things from the older 2, for her birthday she got a Belle cart that we had packed away and will be pulling out the old doc mcstuffin ambulance for Christmas.

Original poster
TisButADream · 17/08/2021 08:30

Yes a rein bag would be good! I do have a huge Age Concern charity shop near me, I really should go and check it out.

As you said at least it's not wasted money!

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PieMaster · 17/08/2021 08:32

We have a similar age gap and our DC share 90% of their toys so never been an issue.

Original poster
TisButADream · 17/08/2021 10:34

@PieMaster do you mean they all share them afterwards or do you mean they get shared gifts under the tree from Santa? I have no doubt all toys will be played with by all the kids for the most part, but obviously on the day I want everyone to have stuff to open, even the baby!

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Bigoldhag · 17/08/2021 11:01

Craft/making things i find good and act as consumables. Card making, paint by numbers etc

PumpkinKlNG · 17/08/2021 11:03

Aren’t they into different things? I have 10 9 7 and 4 but all very much into different things

Original poster
TisButADream · 17/08/2021 11:21

@PumpkinKlNG the older 2 are, I have no problem with those at all it's the baby. I have all the toys for that age including characters he likes as the older 2 liked them too!

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Original poster
TisButADream · 17/08/2021 11:22

I have found a very cute finger print painting kit on Rex London if that helps anyone out, they just press there fingers into the paint squares and there are lots of pictures to add the prints to, would be a nice keepsake too Halo

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