So my girls are 7 and 11...

[toadstool32]

And they've given me no clues or requests whatsoever. Please help!

Big ticket items already got:
11yo:
Phone
AirPods
Bigger bed

7yo
Bike
Scooter
iPad

I'll do usual books, bath stuff, chocolate but what to actually wrap?!!

Don’t you think you’ve got them enough already?

@PinkSyCo

Don’t you think you’ve got them enough already?

Read all the updates…they already have those. She hasn’t bought any Christmas presents yet

Read all the updates…they already have those. She hasn’t bought any Christmas presents yet

Ah ok I was gonna say! Well I already did, whoops haha sorry OP.
At those ages I just got my kids to write a list, and then picked out some things from the dozens of things on it.

My 7 year old is getting a rock star Barbie, our generation doll, a Polaroid camera. She also has a December birthday so will spread it out with other bits like books etc. Considering getting her a keyboard as well as she has piano lessons.

My 11 year old niece would like branded hoodies and trainers. Gymnastics stuff and make up, also money goes down well!

@toadstool32 Could you have a conversation with them (or the 11yo at least, seeing as she seems a bit more mature) about your dilemma and you not wanting to just buy Stuff for the sake of it?
So instead of Stuff, a subscription to a fun magazine (my 11yo devours The Phoenix, for eg, but Aquila is a bit more informative!), 1 or a set of beautiful reference books (huge world Atlas, grownup dictionary and thesaurus etc), tickets to HP World/ tickets to an art exhibition - we recently saw this at 180 Strand lux.seetickets.com/timeslot/lux?outputStyle=Default&pageIndex=1&pageSize=30 - and it was fab, although it finishes on 18 Dec.
Or the theatre.

And then for something to open on the day, a super-size stocking with the usual bits and bobs.

Something for an activity she does or if she doesnt do any something to encourage activity/exercise

Something creative - keyboard/guitar, craft, more complex construction sets

Books/kindle - age appropriate fiction and non fiction

Board games for older kids

Echo show with colour changing light bulbs/led strip lights/voice activated plug socket

Spotify or other music subscription

Clothes/trainers

Bathbombs/face masks/nail kits/fancy tinted lip salves

Long hot water bottle

11yo is going on 16 so the likes of squishmallows and Lego wouldn't go down well.

Try to avoid buying anything to perpetuate the idea she isnt 11 years old or you are going to make the problem bigger each year. She isnt 16, she is an 11 year old playing at being 16. For example dont start with adult make up, perfume etc for at least a couple of years yet.

What does she like? Any idea what her friends are getting for Xmas?

What about some outdoor stuff
Kite
Frisbee
Bike gear
Skateboard
Basketball hoop
Skipping rope
Boomerang
Etc etc

I have DD 11 & 13.
Some things from their lists:
Apple Watch
Piano/keyboard (which is more of a necessity now as they’ve started lessons and have to give the borrowed one back in a few weeks)
Converse
Campus notebook & paper
zebra midliners pens
Hamper of favourite snacks/drinks
Victoria’s Secret body sprays
All in one charging stand for phone/watch/AirPods

@InvincibleInvisibility what's the detective set? My 7DS might like that.

And thanks to whoever mentioned the little live pets my youngest will love that.

Thanks all! 11yo says she wants bits to make her room more grown up. Awesome, she's given me ideas! We've recently got her a double bed so will get new curtains/bedding/ wall prints etc. I've asked her to Pinterest ideas. She's senior school now so I get she wants to move away from the butterfly wall stickers

7yo literally stumped. So many ideas on here, thank you. She looks up to her big sister so doesn't act 7. She wants to be a doctor and has asked for doctor stuff but she already has dressing up stuff, play doctors set, operation game. So that's me out!

@HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime those games look right up my DS street thank you

Does the 7yo have a real stethoscope etc? We gave my dd when she was 7 an assembled-by-mum medic bag - Stethoscope, blood pressure monitor, variety of bandages, thermometer etc in a first aid bag - all cheaply available on Amazon - she was delighted!

I got the detective set off amazon. Includes fingerprint set and a costume as well as various other bits and pieces

For the 7yo, does she have the Adam Kay books? Marvellous medicine and Kay's anatomy? My DD reads both over and over. Does she watch operation Ouch? Maybe a copy of their new mag in her stocking. Perhaps something to Do with science or STEM kit, sure GALT or smart lab will have a human body kit. DD has a small skeleton on a stand that I got from Rex London last year.

For the 7-year-old:

• science experiment kit
• See Inside The Human Body book (it's great, my kids really love all the information in there)
• puzzle book (my 7-year-old feels very grown up when she works things out by herself)

We're getting my children a giant box of building bricks to share - would yours be interested in something like that? This set has 1000 bricks so should keep them busy.

What about a Kindle for the 11-year-old? (Other brands of eReader are available.)

@toadstool32

Thanks all! 11yo says she wants bits to make her room more grown up. Awesome, she's given me ideas! We've recently got her a double bed so will get new curtains/bedding/ wall prints etc. I've asked her to Pinterest ideas. She's senior school now so I get she wants to move away from the butterfly wall stickers

7yo literally stumped. So many ideas on here, thank you. She looks up to her big sister so doesn't act 7. She wants to be a doctor and has asked for doctor stuff but she already has dressing up stuff, play doctors set, operation game. So that's me out!

So if your 7 year old wants to be a doctor what about some body/ interesting body facts encyclopaedia book?

@toadstool32 I saw on another thread someone mentioning vine lights for their DD’s room. My DD turns 11 next week and I’m getting some for her birthday. For Christmas she’s getting a phone, national geographic kids subscription, exit room game and books.

Oh, and my friend’s DD who wants to be a doctor is getting tickets to Operation Ouch live.

Amazon echo show
Smart watch
Escape room tickets
HP World tickets
Theatre tickets
Make up
Perfume
Earrings
PJs
Winter clothes