Please suggest large(ish) extra pressies?

[Twoweeksandcounting]

My daughter is 9, an only child. This year, we are going to the inlaws for Xmas day and other family on Boxing Day, so she will have lovely gifts waiting for her at both places. We’ll be waking up at home on Xmas morning, and I have just realised it’s going to look almost bare under our tree. My husband and I aren’t exchanging gifts this year, as we have booked a treat for early next year. So there will literally be her presents under the tree from FC and us.

She has a bike, which will obviously be very exciting and take up some space in the living room. But otherwise, she just has a few small bits and pieces. We’ve never been ones for massive piles of presents, but I would really like to pad it out a bit so it looks a bit more exciting. Don’t want to buy stuff just for the sake of it that won’t get used, so would be nice if any extras I get can be useful for her.

I would have started with a onesie and a fleecy throw, but I know grandparents have got her both of those. So I thought perhaps a new duvet cover set, a fun cushion for her bed, and maybe a primark version of an oodie if I can find one. Any other suggestions please? Can afford to spend the extra, but don’t want to break the bank!

So that you and your partner have something to open under the tree could your do something like print off an itinerary for your weekend away, some photos of the hotel or some local pamphlets for attractions etc? Or maybe one of you can open printed flight tickets and the other the printed hotel booking. Something that isn’t massively cost or time intensive but which at least gives you something to open with your DD?

Sounds like she has plenty all ready. A bike is a huge present.

A sledge, 🛷 red plastic, often seen for sale hanging outside hardware or garden centres. Not expensive, but tricky to wrap!

Ornament for her bedroom, neon sign letters, framed picture/poster for her room.

Cuddly toy.

Anything she’s into like animals, cuddly toy or ornament of it.

Storage containers.

cushion

christmas mug

She doesn’t need more stuff. May be a box of cereal or something. But she doesn’t need an oodie if she is already getting a fleece and a blanket.
She does need to see that you and DH value each other and that Christmas isn’t all about her. You and DH could each wrap up something for each other eg bottle of favourite drink, favourite chocolate bar, something for the weekend away.

A large Squishmallow! The kids love them !

This.

I don’t understand why you feel the need to go out and buy piles of junk, when she’s going to get more presents at the in-laws.

All she will want to do is ride her new bike anyway; rather than a load of stuff for the sake of it, get her a new cycle helmet and bike accessories.

Giant teddy bear/stuffed animal- always look big and impressive.

'Pad it out' , 'looking for bulk'?! This is insane! How do people think like this? Who wants a gift for the sake it and devoid of any thought?!

I am not a scrooge, I get my DC whatever they want generally but I stop once I've done this and don't buy for the sake of having a pile. It's pretty disgusting.

A beautiful Waterman pen and kitten notelets and writing paper and envelopes. Plus some stamps.

See, if I were her I think I'd like my parents to have something to unwrap, just so I didn't feel like I was being constantly watched. That might just be me though — when I was little I said I wished I was a twin so it wasn't just me opening presents on my birthday!

Bike helmet, lights for in the tyres maybe? Notepaper/notelets and stamps. She'd need them anyway for thank you letters, and I loved getting "grown up" stationery at that age — I still remember some notepaper and envelopes with a matching pencil box. Twenty something years later my stock of birthday candles lives in that same pencil box!

As weather forecast means it's unlikely to be bike weather I would echo the suggestion of something to do. So craft / jewellery making kit, good colouring book/sketch pad, drawing pencils /pens, jigsaw depending on interests. Home Bargauns have had some very affordable craft kits(£3ish - £10) and B&M near us have some great double ended art markers, not the younger kids ones.

I always wrap up the special chocolates, biscuits, drinks, cheese crackers, stollen etc. and label them "to everyone" from Father Christmas.
Makes it look festive and we open them when we fancy a treat over the holidays.

Like the idea of stationery and stamps for writing notes of thanks.

Ice cream maker
Squishmallow
Buttonbag kit
Bath bomb making kit
Tie dye kit
Board game
Weird but true book
LED lights/some other lighting for bedroom
Clothing
Books

I was in the Range earlier. My DD is severely disabled and has zero interest in toys etc but I saw loads of craft sets, art bits, etc. that’s be better in options than the Works..

Mine both loved a daft toy claw game at that age

A plastic sledge is useful, looks big and doesn't need to cost much.

My dd is 10, some gifts that went down well on her last 2 birthdays/Christmas.

Box from the works filled with crystals bought off etsy (I used paint and sharpies to personalise it for her).

Fuse beads from amazon, shes made so many things for friends/teachers/family and kept her busy!

Jewellery making stuff from shein, then I got crystals from amazon to make her own crystal bracelets.

Big squishmallow.

Box of garden things - stomp rocket, skipping hoop, one of those balls with the plastic on the outside to bounce on, pogo stick.

Hairdressing Dolls head to practise hair styles.

Milk frother and hot chocolate stuff.

Baking set - her own bowl, spoons, apron, moulds etc.

Jewellery box.

Wool and pom pom maker/crochet hook.

Cd player or echo dot. We have both which she uses equally.

I would also look on Facebook marketplace/olio to see what people are giving away or selling cheap. I've got some great bargains this way and bulked out the pile for v little money. (Dds stocking has pretty much been done from olio this year and only cost me the consumables!)

Oh and games! Always loads in charity shops and we have lots of fun playing them! I've collected a few for this year (between £1-5 each, I've got catan, cat crimes, pass the bomb, labyrinth, picktureka disney and herd mentality)

We tried puzzles but not dds thing at all! As I'm not keen I didnt push it 🤣

another big hit was bop it and Simon Air games. We've had great fun trying to get the highest score! Again bought second hand for a few pounds each)

I have been guilty of falling into the padding it out trap. But I now think people need to take a step back and really think about why we feel the need to do this. Why is it that we think piles of stuff will make it magical?

If you must, how about a bird box and feed, hedgehog house? Frog house? Help biodiversity.