Christmas Presents - Help needed.....

[Tillysmummy]

I am looking for a Bear (in the Big Blue House) soft toy, has anyone got any ideas of where I can buy one they used to have them in the Disney Store but don't seem to anymore ?

Also looking for a Balamory video, again any suggestions on locating one very welcome. Thanks !

I believe Argos stocks some Bear products, including a soft toy which tells stories. I am not familiar with Balamory, but have you tried amazon.co.uk, play.com or choicesdirect.co.uk? Good luck in your search.

Thanks Azure I'll try.

Loads on ebay at the moment - try this link .

Elc did the bear series last year.

Any ideas where I can get hold of a big red fire engine? I'm after something solid and chunky, ideally without a plethora of sound effects

Allatsea I got a lovely red fire engine and it was from one of those catalogues, I can't remember but will try and think. I think that Dawson and Son do one though too.

Try here , here , or here for wooden fire engines.

We have the Dawsons wooden one and it is very nice. Have to say that at 3 and a half ds now prefers the gadgetry on the (silent) Playmobil engine instead. How old is the recipient, allatsea?
Tillysmummy, have you tried Woolies for the Bear?

Thanks GillW and Marina. Recipient will be nearly 2 at Christmas, the ones suggested seem great, and not too dear. Perhaps we can get him the noisier version later!

Hi Marina

I found it at Argos - thanks !

Batters - shame you didn't ask this last week, as I've just sold one (new but unused) on Ebay. Oh well!

There are several on e-bay now, but are quite expensive at almost £20 each plus postage - depends on how desperate you are !

Any suggestions for teenagers. Little people are easy but I always become unstuck with the older ones. Got a 15 yr old boy to buy for (£10), 12 yr old girl (£10) and 12 yr old boy (£6). Any suggestions? Or do I wimp out and just post them money?

As a teenager what I loved best as presents was money. I always seemed to be saving for something yet my relatives always seemed to buy me horrible tasteless clothing instead!

I'd say money, or if you want to be sure they spend it on something they will have for a while to enjoy, then an HMV (or similar) voucher (what do you call them now that they're not record vouchers any more?). Always used to go down well with my and my brother when we were teenagers.

Batters, the playmobil website has them, but delivery it says is 10-15 days which is kind of no help. They do have some cute christmas tree decorations though.
Katherine, the book people do a bumper novel package for teenage boys. I got it for my nephew and it was 5 books I think for £4.99. Other than books, money is always a winner in the teenage section of our family!

Mmm we've got a book people brochure somewhere must dig it out. Glad to see everyone thinks money is a good idea though - was worried I'd be seen as not bothering.

RE: Playmobil thing - might be worth phoning them. All catalogues etc say allow 28 days still but most arrive in 2-3. Many aslo have next day delivery at extra cost although of course that might make them too expensive. Also if you phone up and grovel..... (bit of the christmas spirit kind of thing).

(I was recently expecting a parcel from Dawson and Son with presents for a friend I was meeting up with. When it didn't arrive I phoned and they sent it out on a Saturday delivery so it would get there in time at no extra cost. V. impressed. Gorgeous toys too.)

The Book people are also online .

I could do with some clues for a 10 year old girl if anyone has any ideas (budget - £20).

My daughter is 10 this Friday and all I can advise you, bells2, is what she is into herself. She loves anything to do with stationery (stapler, hole punch, pens, pencils, blutack, highlighters), anything crafty (I saw some good things in Woolworths - £4.99 each - in a metal tin - crafty/makey doey (!) things, CDs.

Obviously there are "mature" 10 year olds and "immature" 10 year old - mine is half and half.

Yup, crafty stuff is great. My dsd is 11 and her Xmas presents include a flower press and a glass painting kit and a Ready Steady Cook ice-cream maker. She's quite a young 11 BTW. She's also addicted to a computer game called The Sims, which lets you manipulate a community (!!) You can build people houses, put families in them, help them earn a living, cook food etc. They die if they don't get food or company etc. Sounds sinister, but isn't.

That's great Bumblelion - I have 2 10 year old nieces to buy for both Xmas and birthdays and am clueless. There is a Woolworths near me so I will stock up. Many thx

My 10 year old stepdaughter loves clothes. The secret to buying for that age is to go to a store like h&m or gap (depending on your budget) and watch what other 10 year olds are buying or better yet begging their mothers to buy! When I used to buy clothes for my dh's stepdaughter she was always amazed that someone as "old and uncool" as me could pick such hip clothes.