So my girls are 12 and 8...

[wingingit33]

The 12 yo has a phone, AirPods, laptop. She's also got a sprocket which I know gets regularly suggested. Last year did her room up for Xmas including double bed. This year - stumped.

The 8yo has an ipad, switch, Xbox new bike recently, loads of plastic crap really don't need/want more.

All the above are from over the years btw not one Xmas/bday! Im clueless this year. Any ideas please?!

Oh and ds will be 10 months so he'll get a vtech walker then just little bits.

A new game each for the switch/laptop?

My 12 year old is getting a loungefly handbag, some books, a Stranger Things hoodie, one of those Primark copies of snuddies, a wax melt warmer for her bedroom and the usual stocking fillers of sweets, bath bombs etc. Oh and a board game which is more of a family present but a tradition in our house. I wanted to get her that new Hogwarts Legacy game but its delayed again so might stick in some Amazon vouchers to order it when its out.

Concert or theatre tickets
Magazine subscription- dd loves Jaqueline Wilson mag and Nat Geo kids
Netball hoop
Popcorn or ice cream machine
Photo shoot
Giant bean bag
LED strip lights or lava lamp

What do they do/like? Have they got hobbies or particular interests?

My 12yo DD is getting things related to her hobbies so we know they’ll be used, things like baking, art, gymnastics and music bits.

My 9yo DD is wholly obsessed with art and music so we’ve taken advantage of the Hobbycraft 50% sale to get her (and 12yo’s) art supplies and will search for a second hand keyboard with stand and stool.

Experiences: My eldest loves trips to the theatre so we make a day of it before they go back to school and have lunch out. She did an escape room with her friends for her last birthday, that went down well.
Trampolining
Cinema tickets
Farm visit
Zoo passes
Kids manicure
Afternoon tea/brunch
Vouchers for shopping/ice cream/milkshake

Physical gifts:
Game or accessories for their console
Magazine subscription
A nest swing (surprise hit with everyone in our family, even my mum uses it!)
A hammock (ditto)
Hobby equipment
Scrapbooking set
Lego set (my teen has the Central Perk set, DH has a couple of the grown up sets so not just for kids!)

The one thing my DDs both absolutely love and live in is an OOdie.

They are expensive and i know there is loads of places that do dupes but i got them the actual oodies and they have absolutely been worth every penny.

My 12yo DS likes his milk velevtiser for hot chocolate and soda-stream machine.

He really wants a slushie maker but I don't think that's going to happen- they look like a hassle. I'm thinking about getting him a mini-fridge for drinks in his room. Obviously he doesn't NEED that, but I think he might like it.

I bought my grandson a metal detectors when he was 11 which he loved and it also encouraged him to get away from screens for a while.

Hmm they have oodies already and whilst they enjoy trips out / holidays etc I want them to have actual gifts to open iykwim

Pandora bracelet and some charms?

Sewing machine and fabric?

Baking stuff?

Kindle?

We have often done experiences. I make a voucher/certificate in A4 and print it out, and where possible we buy an inexpensive related gift. Eg the year DD did husky riding we bout an IKEA soft husky toy to go with it.
Helicopter ride, speedboat, skydiving in a tunnel for one, and various animal related for the other

Are they into makeup?

You could make them up their own beauty boxes and skin care boxes. Primark is great for that stuff.

My dd are 10 and 8. They don't have as many big items as yours by the sounds of it, but still a bit tricky now they are less into toys. They both have birthdays in January.

However they both like arts and crafts and baking so there is endless stuff you can get with that. Last year I got them the cheap version of Apple pencils for drawing on their ipads. I don't have many ideas for this year as the 10yo will be getting a laptop and/or a mobile phone (one then, one later). I have nought them far too much in the past and they haven't used it all so I am trying to cut down, also to save money.

I have a few ideas which are:

mini waffle maker (Lakeland)
drawing books (how to draw .. eyes etc)
posco paint pens and some things to draw on (eg plain mugs)
some clothes items eg hoodies
boxing gloves (we have a punchbag)
mobile phone accessories
laptop case
Fimo

And lots of small items like books, toiletries, Roblox gift card, mug with marshmallows and hot choc in.