What Are You Getting Your Kids for Christmas This Year?

Hi All

Vague question, i know, but just wondering if others have found some awesome gifts for their kids (aged say 5-15) for Christmas this year? Finding gifts is getting harder each year as mine get older, so i thought id reach out! I have three boys - 5, 8 and 11.

We've got some nerf stuff, switch games, board games and some other bits and pieces, but it would be great if others could share some ideas under $100 maybe). My kids are all 'active' but arent huge sports lovers, so trying to find stuff that gets them outside is always great!

Thanks

Comments

  • +1

    Already got tablets?

    • Panadol ?

      • +10

        thats for the parents

      • +3

        Just get me a 2L glass bottle of phenergan

        • +1

          story time,

          knew a guy once who gave his 2 young daughters phenergan just before they got on a long haul flight, and then the flight got delayed right at the last minute,

          needless to say dragging 2 kids off a flight that were totally incapacitated was not easy.

          • +4

            @Archi: Idiots Guide To Parenting Chapter 13

          • @Archi: Actually the glass bottle is for someone to bottle me over the head with it to knock me out.

      • -1

        Valium

      • melatonin?

    • +1

      We have some that we share as a family (ipads). Havent had a need yet to get them their own unique ones……

  • Ill just add also that one of my kids wants to get a portable music player so he can listen to music easily. Unfortunately, it looks like a cheap or old hand me down phone is the best solution if you are using apps like YT Music or Spotify which is hard to give as a 'gift' from Santa….

    • +3

      Just say that Santa is trying a sustainable approach this year

      • -1

        Or stop lying to them and explain the truth.

    • If they have an iPad for school, can just get a Bluetooth speaker and connect to iPad.

    • You can probably find a friend with an old phone they will give you. Then you give the kid that present plus some educational books. Or just books I guess. Or some special socks.

    • Got my husband a Spotify gift card last Christmas. I got if from Costco for around $100 for a year.

  • +7

    Lazy parent here, I just ask them what they want and as long as it is not too unreasonable, they will get exactly that. My mental energy is spent scouring OzB for what they have asked for.

    • +1

      We do too, but sometimes a 5yr old (even an 8yr old!) dont really know what they want/whats available!

      • +1

        Ok, in that case, it is kinda subjective as it is dependent on the child. Maybe there is something or somewhere that he really likes but you don't go or buy as often as you would like due to time/money constraints. It doesn't have to be extremely meaningful or profound because lets face it, there's another Christmas next year. :)

        Here's an idea, maybe assign the present buying task for the 8 year old to the 11 year old and then present for the 5 year old to the 8 year old. All you need to do is buy a present for the 11 year old…..

    • +1

      That worked when I was a kid. Usually N64 games, which probably weren't cheap for our poor household. But I def got moneys worth out of them.

  • Jobs

    On a serious note I usually get them whatever they want as long as it isnt too expensive. Their grandparents usually end up spoiling them anyway.

  • +4

    Nice try RBA!

  • +4

    I gave my kids the gift of life. Nothing else could be as great so why bother

    • Well, half a life. For some it’s hard to decide which half to contribute, and which half to leave out. For others it’s this uncomfortable feeling that they really have to scrape the bottom of their barrel to make up the numbers

  • +3

    kites, fishing gear, bikes, ball and hoop to shoot at, bat and ball tennis/cricket, child's golf set, goggles flippers, surfboard, bocce set, marbles, badminton, water balloons/gun
    You know the old fashion fun stuff that didn't need batteries

    • When did you buy them the gun? Shooting a hoop will require a steady hand

      • +1

        I was given an air rifle for my 12th birthday. By brother got his the same year - when he was 10.

        I did get yelled at by a neighbour for shooting a can across the road from the bedroom window, and a bird's life was ended prematurely. Maybe it's better that we don't do that anymore.

        • I had fireworks, BB guns and all kinds of chemicals to experiment with as a kid. I never once tried to hurt a living thing with them. Just sayin'.

  • +1

    Trampoline

    • That was the best xmas present ever in our house.

    • +1

      Lubricating gel for vagrants?

      • +1

        I was scrolling down the page and i t stopped when I thought that I saw the words "Lubricating" and "vaginas" in the same sentence!

        • Consider yourself 'programmed'.

          • @Protractor: Got twins.
            Noticed the other day that their ankle restraints were a bit tight.
            So that's definitely on the list for this Xmas.
            Kids are amazing. They grow so quickly.

  • Thanks for the Nerf stuff Dad!
    Get me a PS as well please

    • +1

      P.S. Be grateful for what you have

  • I wanted to get this for my baby nephew but they don't have a suitable backyard.

    • +1

      Two men enter, one man leaves.

  • +3

    A Gerry Harvey pinata each.

    • Don't forget the baseball bat.

      • +1

        One's getting a baseball bat and some nails to make a mace. The other one a flame thrower. They have to share them. I'm raising them to be mind to others

        • …..'kind' to others

    • Looks great, but I can see that getting lost in no time!

  • Meta quest 3

  • -1

    A dog this year for the youngest. Oldest getting PlayStation games and an experience probably.

    • +1

      Any room in your family for an adult adopted son? I need some playstation games and could do with a dog and experience…

  • Has anyone got their kids an action video camera (like a go pro)? I was thinking something they could take around, make videos with their friends, put on their bike etc. Think it has to have a fairly decent screen on it so they can watch bits and pieces as they go (without connecting to a computer)

    • Best solution is a phone plus "nopro" kit., ie padded case and assorted mounts - bike, chest, helmet.

      An old-model phone with good ultra-wide 2nd camera is good.

    • I was gifted an old-school video camera when younger. With the flip out screen and tapes. It got a lot of use filming pranks, jumps on the bike, etc.

      Also, the portable music player. Walkmans were so easy. Then you go to sanity and pick a new album. It's a shame they ain't happening anymore.

      Seems a phone could replace both of the above but just doesn't seem as fun.

  • -1

    I have no kids but I ask my parents what they want, they always say nothing but deep down they always want something….. always get them random stuff

    Just say what you want, no need to act all humble

    But I kind of given up after many years because they always say they want X Y Z throughout the years and I keep a mental note, when I actually do get it, they never use it. For example, my mother wanted a blue tooth speaker and wouldn't shut up about it and kept complaining she wanted music in her room. I got it for her birthday, I paired it with her phone and she never used it once……. I was 99.9999999% sure she wouldn't use it cause she is mainly all talk, she's the type of person that wants it and talks about it but doesn't want to learn to use it or acts on it. Quite annoying actually. I don't like parenting my parents…..

  • Nothing. Don't celebrate

  • Getting nieces and nephews Gamepass, a pile of Switch games, and those JOBY phone tripods from last week's deal. Should probably get them some chocolate or something too.

  • I used to just ask. And always a book.

    This year he got an overseas trip. Fairly certain Ive done my bit for the next 10+ years now.

  • -2

    Back in my day we only got ONE present and it couldn't have been very expensive… I thought you had enough from your list alone :)
    Unfortunately the 90s is 30 years ago :(

  • My kids like cash so will be giving them $50 each.

  • +1

    My five year old granddaughter has wistfully commented that she'd love an "alexa" for her room so that she can dance and sing when she wants to. My four year old grandson wants a pirate sword so he can stab us all.

    • (4YO mission) …starting with Alexa

    • Be sure to not get one with a screen or if you do then restrict it, imagine the looks on our faces when a whole carton (5x 6 pack boxes!) of baby wipes arrived that "we" didn't order!

      Needless to say we turned the feature off to order through it.

  • Goat food.

  • Get them a money book and set up a "who has the most in Save jar before next Christmas" competition.

  • +1

    Kiwico is a pretty cool company that sends STEM and creativity shoebox sized activities for the young and the young at heart.

    My kid has had a ball making a mini air cannon, a paint spinner and a glowing light frenzy-pendulum (3 separate boxes). They were Tinker crates which are for younger kids and the next one he'll try is a Eureka crate which is a make-and-play ukulele. Would recommend, especially when they have sales

  • -1

    We have cut back on the number of items our boys get the last few years. We only get things we know they want (within reason) trying not to spoil them with expensive unnecessary presents.

    As parents we also dont get much to show our kids we dont expect much. I get socks each year and maybe a packet of lollies. Some years ive restored a piece of furniture for my wife (told to).

    In regards to gifts under $100 i know its a bit boring but some t-shirts. Clothing they will use not toys they may play with once and never again.

  • I’m a big dumdum this year, but I say that every year. The kids have been after minecraft java and PC gaming for years.

    I’m a bit of a nerd, and tried many attempts at a bandaid solution (Pi, virtual desktops yadda yadda) but without any real success that doesn’t involve a lot of hand holding from me. This year in concert with the idea of ‘bringing our gaming areas together’ (we were all over the house). I’ve gone all out on desks, monitors, computers (one of the $699 deals off here) etc. Turns out my expectations about what they should have and what I think a gaming room should be are a lot grander than my wallet should have allowed for, but cest la vi, they’re only young once.

    Should be a good Christmas.

    Edit: on the upside, having a PC means an obligation now to learn how to type properly as well which gets implemented as part of the ‘you want to play, 30 minutes of typing practice first’ routine.

    • Typing practice, is there a particular game or software you use for this?

      • I hadn’t started looking yet, but I’m sure old Mavis Beacon is still around in some form.

  • Everytime when I have to go through this beautiful experience of having to choose a gift for kids, I think of the days when I was their age. I think of what I loved the most and my parents said no to it. So for my kids I happily choose that gift and I'm pretty sure kids would love it as well.

  • Bluetooth speaker, headphones, mobile battery pack, bits and pieces, cash. All up nothing too expensive.

  • DNA test…they ain't mine

  • Kiwico

  • On top of individual presents, a mechano set for the whole family. Your boys are at a good age for it (5yo too young but you'll have the kit when he grows). If even one of them are into it, then they will get a lot out of it and they will likely become proficient with their hands and mechanically minded. It's also great to spend time with them bulding the kit.

    Some of your boys might not like it, and that's fine. But if one does, then you'll begin honing his mechanical aptitude that could serve him very well later in life.

    Dad bought me one back in the day and I loved it. I feel like it contributed to me having some level of mechanical aptitude. I don't have kids but if I do, I'll absolutely be buying them a kit. Ill even consider buying it for friends kids when they get old enough.

    https://amzn.asia/d/dIkhHo1

  • Given that AI is likely to take over their adult lives, maybe find something on topic

  • High yield investment car!

  • C.O.A.L.
    coal

    (ok,honestly I don't have kids, but if I did)

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