In brief...
DD1 is 3.5, DD2 is 16 months.
Been thinking about Christmas pressies, trying to be organised this year and decided that DD1 will probably get playmobil type something. She'll like it, will play with it for ages, can get more playmobil in future to add to set. Grand.
What on earth, though, do I get DD2? There really is nothing that I can think of that she might need / want. DD2 has all the old toys of her older sister so has jigsaws, shape sorters, happyland, bricks, push along truck, trike etc. Obviously I could just get DD2 nothing - she's 16 months she won't know or care, but I just think this sets a terrible example to DD1 who will think "I'm important, I get stuff, my little sister gets nothing....."
Also part of the problem is that DD2 isn't that interested in toys for her own age range, she'd much rather be trashing her big sisters stuff.
(Should also mention that books are not really an option either. My DH works in book trade so we are drowning in the printed word here... I think I will go mad if another book comes into the house in the next few months....)
any ideas most welcome. I know that the combined brains of mumsnet will give good advice