Christmas Questions

[HikeMama]

What are you spending on your 2 year old for Christmas?

How many different presents are you buying?

What is the coolest thing you are getting your 2 year old?

[Marlet]

I do 3 things for each kid (currently a 4 yr. old and 2 yr. old). Something to wear (jammas are always opened on Christmas Eve and then something for Christmas), something to read, and something to play with. That allows for a large range spending wise. I've already gotten the something to play with and between my knitting and sewing that'll be supplemented (plus the jammas). This year is going to be more frugal due to life changes but I haven't set a budget yet.

[mnnice]

For my own children I didn't buy Christmas or birthday gifts until they turned three. Christmas was overwhelming as it was without DH and I adding to the excess.

For my niece and nephews I usually bought books. My standard first birthday gift if a EE bond.

Can you tell I don't like to shop?

[bandgeek]

I'm making all the gifts this year. $20 per kid. DD is 2 and will get 5 felt puppets, pajamas, a knitted hat, an outfit from clearance fabric, an ornament, and her BIG gift will be a playmat (she can't walk or sit up and spends a lot of time laying on the floor) made from the pictures from her favorite book (printed on t-shirt transfers and quilted together).

DS's big gift is felt food which would also be good for a 2 year old...it's really easy to make even if you aren't very crafty!

So I guess the answers would be $20, 6 gifts, and a playmat and felt food.

[VisionaryMom]

We have in the past spent around $200 per child for Christmas. We won't be doing that this year. In part, we've realigned some priorities and want to cut back on material possessions. Plus, with some family changes, we're tight financially right now, and I just don't think that's the best way to spend what we have.

As for what I *am* getting for 2YO DD, I don't know yet. DS (4) is getting a kid-friendly digital camera (~$30). DD loves fairies and dance class, so I'll probably get something related to that.

[crukai]

I am getting our 2, 4, and 7 year olds personalized superhero capes from etsy. They are going to LOVE them!

[GardenStream]

Originally Posted by BrandiRhoades

As for what I *am* getting for 2YO DD, I don't know yet. DS (4) is getting a kid-friendly digital camera (~$30).

Oh, my DS is 3 and would love that. I might have to steal that idea.

So, I guess I'll be spending about $30 on each kid this year

[cschick]

Originally Posted by HikeMama

What are you spending on your 2 year old for Christmas?

How many different presents are you buying?

What is the coolest thing you are getting your 2 year old?

Last year, I spent about $100 on the two year old. To him, the "coolest" thing he got was his Thomas table, which we inherited from a neighbor for free. I bought some extra track and a train for him, along with some games and some clothing.

This year, I'll probably spend about $100 as well.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Well, I love Christmas and love finding the perfect gift. Last year DS turned 2 right before Christmas (on the Solstice). I probably spent about $250 on him, but we got a lot of german-made wooden toys and american made things too (on co-op so it was less expensive).

So, he got:
- a spiel & holz rainbow stacker (this is an excellent toy! it has two complete large rainbows & is a stacker)
- oestheimer farmer on horse (sooooo cute!)
- holtzinger farm animals (dog, big pig, momma cow, baby cow)
- whittle train cars (the little engine that could set & the xmas car - a new yearly tradition)
- Thomas the Train Rock Slide Track Set (on 50% coupon from AC Moore)
- waldorf doll I sewed for him (Olly the Dolly) w/ blanket I crocheted & a wooden cradle I've been saving since I was a little girl

There were probably a few other things....I'm trying to be a lot better this year. Although I'm going to be stocking up on Waldorf supplies this year on sale and he's getting at least one maybe 2 for christmas this year. Plus I'll need to make a little one for the baby, but it's due after xmas so it will probably be able to wait until after new year.

I did do most of my other shopping through swaps on this board. And I'm going that route again this year. I've already secured a 4 pack of knitted gnomes & a bunch of play food.

But I'm also going to work closely with my hubby b/c he felt I was doing all the shopping w/o him. I think we'll probably be less this year, more like $150. I hope. We have a lot of trains, so I don't think we'll need more than the xmas car from Whittle.

It's just hard w/ his bday so close to xmas, it's very easy to go overboard.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Originally Posted by BrandiRhoades

As for what I *am* getting for 2YO DD, I don't know yet. DS (4) is getting a kid-friendly digital camera (~$30).

This is what we asked grandma for! It's adorable, but almost heartbreaking, to see him play with our old broken digital. He pretends to look at pictures of him & daddy & the dog, etc. Takes pictures of us and has us say "cheese!"

The Fisher Price one got great reviews. I think it's more like $50, but it will probably be on sale before the big day.

[caiesmommy]

Last year ds was 2 and we spent MAYBE 40 on him. We got him the Fisher Price Little People Doll House(on sale for 15 regular 50!) and the Planet Earth Dvd/elephant stuffy on sale for 10 regular 30). Then stocking stuff and a pair of pj's and a book

This year ds is getting homemade things- pj's(free, got off of freecycle), stocking(alot of the stuff are things frm loot bags that he was too young for that I put away/things I've buoght cheap), a quiet book im making, a sock monkey im making, maybe a fishing game again im making, a book(illbuy)...I'll spend at most $20.00...we are *really* considering makinghim a train table, which will prob cost less then $50...it depends on time/money.

[BetsyS]

Last year, my then 2 year old got jammies (traditional Christmas Eve present), an inchworm ride on toy, some great truck books from ebay (he adores trucks and cars), and a dress up bear hat/paw set. He also had a pretty good stocking, with several small wooden airplanes, some fruit treats (!), and a much beloved new toothbrush and toothpaste. Go figure.

Grandparents gave him a car road rug (still liked and played with daily), a handmade car road quilt (equally loved and portable, so a great toy for lots of occasions), and a few other things.

But, the hits that have lasted the year as fun stuff are the car rug, car quilt, the truck books (like an encyclopedia of trucks), and the toothbrush.

[JamieCatheryn]

Age 2, last year, we got DS a sled ($20). He got a mini trampline, Thomas train set, and tinkertoys from relatives. We love the doing stuff involved in Christmas more than the things really. He will make paintings for all the grandparents this year and help to make clay ornaments of DS2's handprint. The big gift for him and DH this year is a dog (well, a surprise dog bed I make, leash, and permission from me to go adopt one right after Christmas). We'll get a few cheaper toys too ($40 budget for everyone's toys and games) and I'm making a doll of this pig he made on a computer game for him.

[Storm Bride]

This seems unreal to me, but ds2 is only four, and I can't remember what he got for Christmas two years ago - not one thing! I think we bought him a Melissa & Doug shape sorter (he didn't really like it), but I can't remember what else.

We don't usually spend all that much on Christmas gifts, although we went all out last year - three gifts each, as usual, but one of them was big (ds1 got a Wii, dd1 got a Plan Toys dollhouse, and ds2 got a train set). I don't have a two year old this year. DD1 will only get two gifts, probably. That's my usual with a baby...a commemorative Canadian coin set for their birth year and then something else.

[mommariffic]

I love Christmas

DD will probably get a few things, which I started buying now with the money I earn freelance writing.

I'm getting her:
Museum of Modern Art little wooden fishing set - she LOVES fishing, LOVES pretending to, and it will be fun for the winter when we can't actually GO fishing ;]

A few puzzles - there's a 4 seasons one I really, really want to get her.

Books of course! Probably off Ebay or Amazon used. I love that I can get 10 books in a lot for what I'd pay for one new hardcover. These I may put in a basket

Probably some wool boots and possibly a dollhouse.

[carmel23]

we do Christmas Eve Jammies, want, need, play with, read.

The want this year is a doll house I got on Amazon for a total steal.

The need will be socks, or a little mug.

For the play with, I'm going to make her little wooden animals to play in her doll house with the dremmel.

And read-- DH usually picks the books for the kids.

I have to get a few things for these categories for my 8 and 5.5 year-old, and then a little token gift for the new baby to be born in December (probably his Christmas stocking, and Jammie).

The tricky thing is that my 2 year-old's birthday is the day after Christmas, so I might get her a little something for her b-day, but am really considering having her b-day celebration in January when everything is a bit calmer...

[Pumpkin_Pie]

DS will be 2.5 this Christmas, and will be receiving this name train from Maple Landmark that I found for half off, this Plan Toys parking garage that I bought for 40% off plus another $5 off coupon, and a few other smaller things. He is also getting a pair of Hanna Andersson Christmas long johns that I found at a thrift store for a dollar on Christmas Eve, and a pretty well stuffed Christmas stocking. I am also still looking for some used train track for his trains too. He has a little figure 8 set, but he loves to make big layouts with the trains at preschool, so I would like to get him a few more pieces for cheap.

I would say in all, I have spent just over a $100 on him. I can't wait to set up his trains and parking garage the night before!

[happyhats]

DD is only turning one, but I wanted to chime in. We've only spent about forty on her so far, since we went to a jbf sale and got some great deals on giftable items. I also curb found a pretty white wooden crib I'm cleaning up a little and giving her, and I'm making her some big blocks with old formula cans. I have to admit she got a lot of the fisher price type plastic toys, but at least they were secondhand, right? We got her a bubble maker, a shape sorter, and a ball slide/shoot thing, plus some books and other stocking stuffers. Since I scored a coupon for twenty dollars off of a hundred dollar purchase she'll probably get the farm and fun toy I saw on tv. Her birthday is a week before Christmas, so all of this will be split up. Still, I know she's gotten a lot and next year maybe I'll be able to contain myself. She's my first, and I'm a Christmas nut.

[OkiMom]

Originally Posted by HikeMama

What are you spending on your 2 year old for Christmas?

How many different presents are you buying?

What is the coolest thing you are getting your 2 year old?

DD1 going to be 3 in January. We are giving 3 gifts (Jesus received 3 gifts on Christmas morning so thats what we are starting to do with our girls), stocking and an outfit/pjs on Christmas eve. She won't be getting the actual gifts until middle of January since we are going to be out of town during Christmas.
The 3 gifts are:
Wooden cradle (got from a flea market for 5.00)
Handmade doll (spent around 3.00 total for materials)
Something I will pick up in the states for her to open Christmas morning (wasn't planning on it but MIL/FIL are really big on Christmas so I don't want them thinking they need to make up for me not getting her anything- budget for it is around 10-15.00).

The stocking will have: crayons, playdough, bubble bath, tooth brush, small stuffed animal (I might make her a few felt animals for it), book, CD. Total budget for it is around 15-20.
PJs and outfit I haven't got yet probably be around 15 for both.

[kayleesmom]

I love the jammies 1 toy and 1 thing to read idea.