I’m still in denial that Christmas is next month. I like my holidays one at a time and we just had Halloween, so I’m not sure I’m ready yet. As much as I don’t want to think about Christmas or the work involved in getting gifts for everyone, I am a planner at heart and like to get ahead so that Christmastime doesn’t feel as stressful. I don’t think I’m alone in vowing every November that I am going to “simplify Christmas this year” and NOT going to buy my kids any more rickety cheap TOYS or PLASTIC JUNK that will just add to our already existing pile of reject/broken/forgotten toys and in six months find a new home at Goodwill. But if that is the goal, the question remains, what DO I get them instead? So I’ve been doing an inventory of the best gifts we’ve given our kids plus a few of my favorites I’ve received to help get some ideas going.
Here are ten gift items that I consider are WINNING, in that they are used often, some daily, and appreciated long after the holidays are over.
Roller Coaster Cars/Plasma Cars (Ages 2-6 or adults if you are young at heart)
We purchased two of these little cars on a whim for our two-year-olds. After putting them together on Christmas Eve, I found myself taking them for a ride on our front patio. They are really easy to use, inexpensive, and get the kids outside and moving. We brought them to parks and outdoor family gatherings, and every kid that saw them wanted to take one for a ride. Ours were very durable and considering how much we used them and how often they sat out in the sun/rain/sprinklers, I was impressed that they lasted a good 3-4 years. We actually still have one 8 years later.
Custom Lego Table (Ages 1-8)
A friend on Facebook was getting rid of a train table/lego table and lucky me snagged it up just in time for Christmas. My husband went to work creating a custom side (opposite the train side that was already there) purchasing large lego baseplates to build a fun layout that included green grass, blue water, and painted streets in between. The two roll out drawers underneath are very kid friendly and great for storing all the crap you bought, so you don’t have to look at it all day. This table has been used for the last three years by all five of our kids, although I’d say it’s more interesting for my younger ones vs. my 10-year-olds.
Platform Swing (Ages 1-15)
We have an old-school swing set in our backyard which is sweet to keep the kids busy when they go outside. Last year I got to thinking how we could go about sprucing it up a bit and replacing some of the boring bar swings that weren’t as popular. I found this large platform swing that can hold up to 400 pounds (according to the company) and Kevin got to work putting it together on what was a very cold and rainy Christmas Eve. Christmas morning, we waited to see if the kids noticed their new item on the swingset. It was a HUGE hit and they were on that swing EVERY DAY and continue to be even 11 months later. Because it is so large, all my kids can go on it at once which is a nice perk. The only down side was the mat edges wore out within a few months of using it, but the company provides a 12-month warranty and sent us a replacement right away. Even after the warranty, I think it’s worth the $30 to replace the mat if it wears out again. I love this swing. I even enjoy going outside and having enough room to lay down on it.
Pogo Passes (ages 1-adult)
One year when we were really wanting to give an “experience” gift, we decided to give our kids Pogo Passes. Pogo Passes are multi-venue passes that give you free admissions to a ton of different popular venues that can be used over a 12-month span from purchase. They had free visits to the Phoenix Zoo and museums, Skateland, laser tag, bowling, paintball and even the pricey waterpark I try to avoid talking about when we pass it on the freeway. Over $1000 worth of admissions at a fraction of the cost, and it gave us things to do during Christmas Break, Weekends, Birthdays, Fall Break, Spring Break and Summer Break too. They loved it so much that I even got a random “Thank You” note from one of my kids!
A year or so later I started working with Pogo Pass as a rep, and we now have passes available in Tucson/Phoenix, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Waco/Austin, and Dallas Ft. Worth. Use my link here to check them out and if you buy them with my referral link, you’ll get 60% off and I’ll be forever grateful:)
Karaoke Machine (ages 3-adult)
I don’t think there is a single person in our family who doesn’t like to sing, whether they are talented at it or not. Frozen was really big the Christmas we gave our kids a Karaoke Machine, and so it was a lot of “Let It Go,” via our three-year-old. It was easy to go on YouTube through our firestick and play any and every karaoke song we wanted, so we never ran out of songs. Kevin and I had fun doing duets and at the end of a rough day, I could belt out some 80’s love songs when no one was listening.
Bikes (ages 4-12)
We’ve given our kids bikes a few times for Christmas and it’s always been a fun reveal to have something big ready for them when they come in the family room Christmas morning. We found most character bikes were lacking in quality but even simple bikes from places like Target were pretty decent and have been dependable for several years. We’ve gone on bike rides to the park as a family and my kids use their bikes every day to ride to school and back which is awesome. Great for entertainment, getting outside and exercise. It’s a win-win.
Doll House (ages 4-8)
My twins got a dollhouse for Christmas when they were 5 years old. It took several hours to put together but has been played with for years and can be handed down to their younger sister. For anyone that enjoys playing with Barbies, this one was a great choice. I’m sure these would be easy to find second hand on CraigsList or Facebook Online Yard Sales. Some people even make their own DIY doll houses!
Instant Pot (8 quart size)
I’ll admit that I gave myself an Instant Pot last Christmas. I really did, and I’m so glad. It makes my life so much easier because let’s be honest I am not the best cook and the less time it takes to prepare a meal the better! Frozen chicken breast to cooked ready to shred in like 20 minutes, are you kidding?! Who doesn’t need that? I’ve made cheesecakes, soup, rice, chili, meatloaf, pot roast and all sorts of delicious meals and the Instant Pot welcomed my procrastination.
Portable Stereo
Kevin doesn’t usually give me things I didn’t specifically ask for, mostly because the last time he did he felt it was a bit of a “flop.” It was one of those back cushions with the built in arm rests, overhead light, cupholder and optional back vibration. It was really thoughtful and was perfect for propping our twins up for pictures as they were only 3 months old at the time. This last Christmas, he went out on a limb to get me something that he really thought I would want (without me saying specifically that I wanted it). It was dangerous, but he did it, and guess what!? I didn’t like it. Well, I didn’t enjoy opening a box holding this weird cylinder black thing that had water being splashed on it. I had no idea what it was and how I was to use it. I was confused and frustrated seeing everyone else with their new boots they SPECIFICALLY asked for, and Kevin and his new fancy guitar that he SPECIFICALLY asked for, and on and on, and there was me with this random techy gadget that I didn’t ask for. I of course smiled and said “thank you” as any wife would. BUT, let me tell you the miraculous part. After I began using this stereo, I found that I really really liked it, and I ended up using it pretty much every day. I listen to scriptures on it, and when the kids and I need to have a “performance” or dance party in the family room, we blast our beats through it. When I go to work I listen to my favorite podcasts on it, or conference when that rolls around. It has a bluetooth connection so I just hook it up to my phone and it plays whatver I want. It’s just super handy and is the one gift that I didn’t know I wanted.
Water Tumbler
Silly to include such a small, seemingly insignificant item, but ever since I got these thermos tumblers, I’ve been drinking a lot more water every day. They are really great at keeping drinks cold. I left mine in the car countless times during the summer when running errands and hours later after cooking in a hot car, the water was still really cold. I also like that they use a straw vs. some other weird sipping contraption because it’s easy to replace with disposable straws and doesn’t get mold or food or any nasty stuff stuck in it. My kids love them too and always want some of my drink when we are out driving. I use mine every single day and I love it!
Flops to note (some of which I continue to buy):
Dollar Store Markers (They may say washable but they stain, stain, stain!)
Matching or Card Games (Unless it’s a classic it turns into a giant pile of mismatched cards in our junk drawer and no one wants to play with that.)
Bubble Guns (While they are super fun and exciting, but they break within a week EVERY SINGLE TIME.)
Kid’s Microscope Kit (She used it once)
Kid’s Volcano Kit (It was exciting that first time, and then….boring)
Giant Bead Kits (Beads and string everywhere)
Puzzles (We have like 12 dozen of them in all shapes and sizes and because there are SO many we have less put together to play with, small pieces are the devil.)
Stocking Stuffing Garbage (plastic, breakable, dollar store candy, gross lip gloss, it all ends up in the junk drawer and it’s junk, to begin with, why must I keep buying it?)
- All the links in this blog post are affiliate links (mostly Amazon) that provide me a very very very very very small commission if purchases are made through them. They are for your convenience and don’t alter the price other than offering you a 60% off discount on the Pogo Passes through my referral link.
Hannah says
Great site! And you’re so right… I LOVE my instapot!!! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas!