Christmas on a budget so starting early!

[Iammetoday]

Definitely on a budget this year. Ds wants dragon riders lightfury so far and dd no ideas yet- quite artistic and loves books

Dd 10 and ds 8 looking for ideas please?

I think kids love ‘blind/mystery’ boxes - I’m doing my dd12 a stationery one - using a huge cardboard box from an Amazon delivery lol which I’ll wrap up and fill with anything thats a bargain. I randomly bought a pot plant from a supermarket super reduced and the huge black plant pot in came in I cleaned up to put in which she’ll decorate with paints/paint pens and she’ll love it.
There will be good new stuff too lol but I found it’s things like these or £1 black cups (Asda) she loved to design - cheap and cheerful and looked an amazing present in a huge box 👍

Oh and also the dot bullet journal things with stencils go down well at that age I find - the works is good for these

Building on @snowmanshoes's idea, random glassware from a charity shop plus a set of glass paints to decorate it with would be nice in the box. Loved this as an arty child.

@snowmanshoes that's such a great idea!

I have a DS(8) and am similarly stumped for what to get this year - even he doesn’t know! Switch games and Lego is a favourite at the moment but for all birthdays and Christmas he also gets books from charity shops that I build up a collection for in the lead up - all in great condition and popular authors like Tom Gates, Tom Fletcher, Andy Shepherd, Ben Miller, David Williams etc.

Skateboard
Lego - Star Wars, Minecraft, Technic
Nerf blasters
Board games like Blokus, card games Sussed and Guess in 10, Labyrinth, Ticket to Ride, Smart Games
A basketball/football/cricket set
Swingball
Stomp Rocket

I’ve heard that Posca pens are popular for drawing etc, and can be found on special sometimes.

Can't comment on dragon riders lightfury cos don't know anything about them. What I do know is that a lot of the things my DCs enjoyed the most were the things hat didn't cost very much. eg i wouldn't buy sugary cereals etc as the norm so stocking fillers of coco pops and nutella went down a storm. They enjoyed Nando's as a treat meal, so enjoyed the sauces in their stockings. Anything wrapped up is potentially a win, so buy things they need anyway - toiletries; magazines; books et

Such great ideas! Thanks so much!

Depending on how you feel about charity shops, eBay, local Facebook groups and Vinted etc, you can often find brand new/nearly new toys and books for great prices. I love a rummage around charity shops in particular and the key is to visit them often as donations arrive daily in most places. I have bought so many new unopened toys, board games, clothing and recent books that don’t look like they’ve been read. I do realise this is probably more suitable for buying for younger children but just a thought anyway.

Last year (and will Do the same this year) I have experiences to my DCs. Things like pottery painting, arcades and a football stadium tour. Bonus is you can pay for them throughout the year.