Picking present then asking to wait (plus Christmas activities in London)

[JnMS]

This weekend coming my daughter, her partner and their children (3 and 5) along with my husband and I are travelling down to London.
Got a few plans, afternoon tea, going to see the ballet, ice skating, my husband and I are going to see a play. I want to take them to hamleys, I thought maybe I could let them pick out a present but then tell them that it needs to be wrapped and they can open it on Christmas. My husband thinks it's a bit cruel to let them pick something then say but you have to wait a week to get it. He also thinks we run the risk of them picking something that they've already had bought for them.
I'm struggling to come up with a Christmasy idea for the Saturday day time as we have ballet in the evening, doing afternoon tea on the Friday and then husband and I going to a play, daughter is taking the kids to see the lights, ice skating on the Sunday. So I thought maybe hamleys would fill some of the time on the Saturday though I'm open to ideas.

Is it cruel or would we get away with it? Any ideas to fill the Saturday?

I don’t think the three year old is big enough to understand that. The five year old might understand it but would find it upsetting.

Could you just get the things they like best without them seeing, and wrap them up to give on Christmas Day? Get your daughter to take them off somewhere while you pay?

My mother in law does this. It's not so much cruel as absolutely pointless wrapping something to give them it on Christmas day when they know what it is.

Can’t you explain Hamleys is like a toy museum? The children can enjoy looking around and you can spot what you think they like and not buy anything in front of them so they still get a surprise. My children enjoy pointing out things in toy shops and we photograph the toys they point at like we do at a museum.

Let them each pick a bauble for the tree at selfridges
They willhave enough toys
Daft idea to have them pick and then wrap it

And arrange some down time just flopping

Have you also bought them something already or is this your only gift to them? Actually, I'm not sure that matters - why not let them pick something and just keep it? You don't need to take it away to wrap it, which would seem cruel at those ages. As for them choosing something already bought for them, well that's the risk when anyone chooses them a gift. If you know it's already been bought then steer them away from it.

Yeah maybe go in there under the guise of just looking and sneak off to buy their favourite things, then they'd be pleasantly surprised Christmas morning. Depends on the child though, mine are happy to peruse a toy shop and "send photos" to Santa of the things they like.

Take them to the big Waterstones on Piccadilly to pick some special books. It's lovely in there and considerably more calm than Hamleys which is a horrible loud, crowded and overpriced place.
Then buy them a separate Christmas present for Christmas Day.

There may well be a massive queue just to get into Hamleys. There was last weekend. It will be hell.

Ohh really? Might have to reconsider then, any suggestions to fill the day?

I don’t think this is cruel or pointless. My 4yo would love to choose something she knows she’s going to get for Xmas.
Why not ask their parents though..? They know them best.
Selfridges toy department is also lovely and calmer and has the food hall nearby for snacks.

Sound idea here, OP. Central London is absolutely rammed right now with people shopping, going to theatre and pantomime, seeing the lights and all the rest of it.

Otherwise you could go for a walk along southbank and go to Xmas market. Also some fun bits for kids to climb on along there

@JnMS where are you actually based in London? Rather than central London the children might prefer a regular shopping centre or a smaller independent toy shop (for example there is a nice toy shop in the shopping centre in Putney).

This^ 100%
and considering that it will busy and overwhelming trip I expect children to be much less “understanding” then usual.

I probably wouldn’t go to Hamleys on a Saturday before Christmas by choice. It will be rammed. How about just a walk around to look at the Christmas lights, window displays etc?

I think there may also be special open top bus tours if that would be easier on little legs.

Hamleys is hideous at the best of times. Let alone at Christmas.
An overstimulated child is likely to have a huge tantrum watching the item they chose being removed from them, wrapped and kept for Christmas

We are staying just by Covent Garden and would prefer not to travel too far out from that sort of area if we can avoid it (we've been to London many times and done all sorts of more obscure places but this trip is just about Christmas!).

@JnMS oh sorry I thought you were living in London and the children were visiting.
I really don't recommend Hamleys though. It's far too overwhelming for adults - let alone little ones.
As I said the large Waterstones on Piccadilly is a really nice shop. They sell toys too if the children don't seem that excited by books.

This is a good idea.

My god those kids sound privileged. That would be a once-in-a-lifetime dream weekend for literally billions of people on this planet. I think two toddlers can live without the toy shop trip.

There's a snowman trail in the Fleet Street area which looks fun. My 5 year old loves doing things like that.

Definitely a huge queue and crowds - we are avoiding it all month! Could you take them on the Thames Clipper, under Tower Bridge and along the Christmas markets there? The one by Tower Bridge has preschooler friendly stuff?

How about taking them to Benjamin Pollock's Toy Shop, which is in Covent Garden? It's quite small so a lot less overwhelm than Hamleys (which is not a pleasant experience at the best of times). It sells more traditional toys and toy theatres so no good if you're looking for lego etc but it is very charming. If you do want a bigger toy department, the toy department of Selfridges is nicer than Hamleys, although Oxford Street is probably best avoided at the moment due to all the crowds!
I was also going to suggest the Snowman trail around Fleet Street and a boat ride but have been beaten to it!

There is a trail of snowmen decorated to represent the 12 days of Christmas. Its around Chancery Lane and St Paul's. If you google snowman trail london you can get a map. Its free and good fun, not too spread out (although some are a bit tricky to find if just using the paper map we ended up putting the location in to google maps on our phone). It took about 2 hours but we didn't rush.
Or they're is usually a nice Christmas Market on the South Bank around Tower Bridge and London Bridge, not sure if that is on or Covent Garden usually has some lovely decorations.

Take them to build a bear and let them create a new Christmas teddy? I would let them keep it rather than take back to wrap it though