Holiday gifts your AL wants/is getting?

[Dmmetler]

I know I got a lot of ideas from this in past years. With DD's birthday and Christmas being practically on top of each other, it gets tough to find interesting stuff for both.

 

So far, DD (turning 10) is getting for either Christmas or birthday

 

1) Donations/memberships to a bunch of conservation organizations, some of which are sending stuff or personal wishes to her. 

 

2) A box of shed snake skins (and one broken rattle, contributed by a keeper at the local zoo) collected by people of the herp education group she's part of.

 

3) A box of prepared biological slide samples of various pathogens and parasites.

 

Hopefully, nothing alive, but I said that last year at this time, only to get offered a snake in early December, and said snake is now residing in DD's bedroom, so you never know.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[1053]

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[EndOfOrdinary]

Ds' birthday is in early October, so the birthday list rolls into a Christmas list. Our immediate family celebrates Solstice. That means on gift for the family to enjoy either together or to enrich our lives in a similar way. One year it was the dog, one year musical instruments, one year was a National Parks pass, last year it was paying off all our debt (and a skateboard for Ds when we felt guilty that debt-freedom meant nothing to a nine year old). The grandparents do presents and Christmas.

 

Birthday: Zoo Membership, road trip to the largest really big city for museums, ears pierced, and skateboard upgrades.

 

Christmas: Science museum membership, National Geo magazine, Greek Etymological dictionary, and a MolyMod set.

 

Demetler - if you haven't seen MolyMods you might want to check them out. They are pretty great and can be found used at the usual places if they are cost prohibitive.

 

http://www.molymod.com

[Jackie]

I'm doubting my 4yo's wish list will help much. We don't celebrate any of the winter gift giving holidays, but in reality there's a constantly evolving wish list anyway :) Currently on the list are puzzles, magazine subscriptions, musical instruments, art supplies, and Lego.

 

Actually, the MolyMods are on the list, too. Our children's museum had them out to play with for a while and DD was fascinated with them and really wants a set for home. Amazon has them at decent prices. Chemistry is not a strength of mine - anyone want to clue me in on what set(s) I should be getting for her?

[Eagle]

ds wants "a box of science". I am having so much fun putting it together. I am including things like giant boxes of salt, baking powder, rice and corn starch. Dish soap in 4 different colours. A huge bottle of vinegar. Then there are things like beakers, a flask, a funnel, stir rods, eye droppers, tweezers, ph and litmus paper, an immersion thermometer, a spring scale. And to top it off a Brock Magiscope, prepared slides, a slide making kit, Petri dishes and a couple microscope books. I expect squeals of excitement!

 

If anyone has ideas of other things that might work in our "box of science" please let me know. :)

[Garga]

What's an AL?

 

An Adam Lambert?

An Animal Lover?

An Angry Lesbian?  (Sorry, it's just the initials fit is all.)

[EndOfOrdinary]

What's an AL?

 

An Adam Lambert?

An Animal Lover?

An Angry Lesbian?  (Sorry, it's just the initials fit is all.)

 

Accelerated Learner

[deerforest]

Mine isn't getting anything related to her academics. She wants an aerial hoop (lyra) and another gymnastics mat. She is an avid aerialist and has aerial silks at home but wants to add a lyra, which is similar to a trapeze, but looks like a vertically hanging hula hoop. I doubt this gives anyone else any ideas!

[EndOfOrdinary]

Mine isn't getting anything related to her academics. She wants an aerial hoop (lyra) and another gymnastics mat. She is an avid aerialist and has aerial silks at home but wants to add a lyra, which is similar to a trapeze, but looks like a vertically hanging hula hoop. I doubt this gives anyone else any ideas!

 

This gives me anxiety!  How does one learn to be an aerialist without exhausting your medical insurance?  I am very impressed with this and your willingness to support her.  Nice one Mom (or Dad since your handle is androgynous).

 

[deerforest]

This gives me anxiety! How does one learn to be an aerialist without exhausting your medical insurance? I am very impressed with this and your willingness to support her. Nice one Mom (or Dad since your handle is androgynous).

 

Honestly, we signed her up for classes as soon as she was old enough to give her a safe place to climb! DH was a stay at home Dad until she was 6 and he let her climb everything which gave me anxiety! I feel so much better now that she has been working with instructors and learning everything safely now. It was the perfect outlet for her climbing obsession! I am a bit nervous when she performs outdoors in the wind, and some drops and moves make me nervous but she knows her ability and limits really well!

[Crimson Wife]

My oldest wants a graphics tablet. The kind she REALLY wants costs $1500+ so that's not going to happen unless we were to win the big PowerBall jackpot. Actually, if we won that, I'd seriously consider funding a multimedia art & design studio at our local arts education program with all sorts of cool "toys".

 

DS would love a 3D printer, but I don't think the decent ones have come down in price enough yet for DH to be persuaded.

 

[Runningmom80]

We are doing a trip to NYC in December as the big gift to the kids, so they are just getting a couple toys and a book each.  Edibles and consumable art products in their stockings.

 

 

I'm not much help either!

 

ETA:  I did get DS "Brick Shakespear" from costco, its 4 tragedies and 4 comedies acted out with lego mini figures.

[raptor_dad]

Maybe Ukeleles... for both DS8 and DS6. I like the idea of a simple instrument I can learn and teach and there are cheap group lessons available for my older HSed 2nd grader and younger DS has some lessons in his B&M Kindergarten music program.

[EndOfOrdinary]

Maybe Ukeleles... for both DS8 and DS6. I like the idea of a simple instrument I can learn and teach and there are cheap group lessons available for my older HSed 2nd grader and younger DS has some lessons in his B&M Kindergarten music program.

You are a brave man. My son's drum set lives in the neighbor's garage where he can play with no one able to hear.

[Slache]

You are a brave man. My son's drum set lives in the neighbor's garage where he can play with no one able to hear.

 

Ukuleles and drums are two entirely different things. My husband plays his ukulele while I nap and he's never woken me up. When my son gets a drum set it will be an electric one that he can plug headphones into. :)

[Dmmetler]

Ukeleles are nice. I like small nylon-string guitars for kids, too. Neither are terribly loud, and, if you invest in a tuner and teach tuning, usually sound halfway decent. Another option is a dulcimer-I've had kids build these (using kits, either with a cardboard or a wood soundbox), and then learn to play them. My DD got her first one at 4, I believe. 

 

 

 

 

[KarenNC]

This year, she's getting a DSLR camera and lens (handed down from a friend of ours), a bunch of funky socks, and some tshirts related to her current fandoms (Supernatural, Marvel comics characters, various manga). I'm also trying to find a good bag to steampunk up as a camera bag for her (currently considering repros of WWII medic bags or similar, since she loves that era, with a padded liner added). Now that her feet have basically stopped growing, she'll also be getting her first pair of tabi (basically split-toe ninja boots :)) for aikido, rather than using socks with gripper bottoms. Our dojo is a traditional wooden Japanese design, open in the summer, with storm windows in the winter, but unheated, so the mats can get really cold during early morning winter practice.

 

In recent years, we've done:

- the year of Doctor Who (lots of TARDIS-related items, and some homemade amigurumi--the 10th Doctor, an Ood, a weeping angel, as well as a Cthulhu and a Hello Cthulhu (a webcomic that's a cross of Cthulhu and Hello Kitty). Last year, going to the simulcast of the 50th anniversary Doctor Who episode in the local theater was part of her present.

- lots of manga and books she likes

- last birthday she got my handed down phone, as we'd hit a point that it made sense

- increased access to TV shows she wants to see but had been previously too young for

- art supplies

- shopping trips to local teen/college consignment store with the money we would have spent on a party. From age 10, she's been offered the choice between a small party with friends or just having the money we would have spent. She's always chosen the money.

[Space station]

My dd10 wants a "geeky math shirt" and seasons of Mythbusters. She misses it now that it isn't streaming on our netflix anymore.

[Arcadia]

8 year old wants a staging microscope and flute group lessons. 9 year old wants the MolyMod Buckyball model kit, cello and group cello lessons. Both want Lego Hero Factory Invasion from Below toys.

 

Their birthdays are in December and they haven't written their birthday wish list yet.

[kiwik]

Well they both need new scooters so ds7 getting the best one I can afford on special and ds5 getting one to last him until he is ready for one like ds7s. I have ordered a couple of dvds that we can't get here from.Amazon and a set of mine craft books. DS5 wants an illustrated dictionary so I will get him one plus a picture book or early reader.

[Lisa in the UP of MI]

I'm doubting my 4yo's wish list will help much. We don't celebrate any of the winter gift giving holidays, but in reality there's a constantly evolving wish list anyway :) Currently on the list are puzzles, magazine subscriptions, musical instruments, art supplies, and Lego.

 

Actually, the MolyMods are on the list, too. Our children's museum had them out to play with for a while and DD was fascinated with them and really wants a set for home. Amazon has them at decent prices. Chemistry is not a strength of mine - anyone want to clue me in on what set(s) I should be getting for her?

 

One of these basic sets of MolyMods would be good unless there are specific interests:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Molymod-MMS-009-Molecular-Inorganic-Chemistry/dp/B005RUTZ8Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415315446&sr=8-1&keywords=molymods

 

http://www.amazon.com/Molymod-MMS-008-Molecular-Organic-Chemistry/dp/B007FAZOVS/ref=pd_sim_indust_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=1X7HM6XAC7RC03VVHXB3

 

I used to have the organic chemistry set in college but it has been lost in the two moves since then.

[lewelma]

Fancy, extra-sized origami paper from France: http://www.origami-shop.com/en/tissuefoil-papers-origami-xsl-207_215_624_354.html

 

Gift card to the art store.  DS can walk down there and buy what he wants when he wants (card acts like a credit card so super cool)

 

Watercolour lessons

 

Carving knife and balsa wood

 

Math t-shirt  http://www.zazzle.co.nz/math+tshirts

 

Fancy food basket (yes, my kids like exotic food)

 

Plants (well, they love those too)

 

I'm sure I'll think of more.....

 

Ruth in NZ

 

 

[Arcadia]

Actually, the MolyMods are on the list, too. Our children's museum had them out to play with for a while and DD was fascinated with them and really wants a set for home. Amazon has them at decent prices.

My boys have the Inorganic/Organic Student Set MMS-009. It can withstand rough handling. My older wants the buckyball Carbon 60 set MKO-102-60 to add on to the fun.

[Black-eyed Suzan]

Ukuleles and drums are two entirely different things. My husband plays his ukulele while I nap and he's never woken me up. When my son gets a drum set it will be an electric one that he can plug headphones into. :)

Even electronic drums make a lot of noise. When we were living in a co-ed cinder block dorm, I could hear (now) DH's electronic drums with headphones 1 floor up and 6 rooms over. The sound came through the pipes.

[WinsomeCreek]

I can't afford my kids' requests. Wish lists include going to see Evgeny Kissin in concert, an iPhone, a drone, a GoPro....

[EndOfOrdinary]

I can't afford my kids' requests. Wish lists include going to see Evgeny Kissin in concert, an iPhone, a drone, a GoPro....

 

My son has placed ATV at the top of his list for the last year and a half.  The entire family just nods and smiles. 

[Korrale]

My son will be 5 in December and then we will have Christmas. I am getting him a box of trash. Seriously! That is pretty much. what it is. He has a bunch of science books with contraptions and experiments in them. And I never seem to have what he needs on hand. Many of the things are empty bottles, old paper towel tubes, bits of string. So I am going through his books and writing a List of things most commonly used. Of course I won't call it trash. :)

 

A metal detector and some replicas dubloons.

A bigger bike, curtesy of my parents.

A Q&A kids journal.

More snap circuits

Lego.

[Dmmetler]

DD found a giant-and  I mean like 12 foot or so-stuffed snake today while out shopping . She's informed us he's on her Christmas list...

 

I think about the only thing she's less likely to get is a REAL 12 foot long snake (I draw the line at anything with fangs or that requires more than one person to safely lift. A ball python is about my limit).

 

 

 

 

[Arcadia]

My kids pick the Hexbug Strandbeest as their early birthday presents and the strandbeest are now dueling on my foldable 6ft long table.

 

It's the $25 one

http://www.hexbug.com/mechanical/strandbeast/

 

We also manage to get two old simple Bausch & Lomb 25/100 microscopes for $3 at a teacher supply store for them to just play with. The magnification is not high powered enough but its cheap enough for them to tear the microscope apart if they want to.

[Dmmetler]

I lucked out with a $5 microscope of similar quality (I think it goes up to 300, though). DD's getting a lot of prepared slides this year.

[raptor_dad]

I can't afford my kids' requests. Wish lists include going to see Evgeny Kissin in concert, an iPhone, a drone, a GoPro....

 

I know it is probably not what they imagine but on the drone front there are plenty of "cheap quadcopters"... just google it.

 

In the 4-h building at the fair they had a number of quad copters that they let us duffers crash into the nets over and over again. They were very durable. They didn't have video out and whatever else but for ~$50 they were pretty cool.

 

[acurtis75]

DD is suddenly on a creative kick so I'm planning on getting some more sewing and art supplies. She has been cutting up old clothes and creating all sorts of doll clothes and other things. Right now she is making a quilt for her toys.

 

She always gets Beast Academy stuff for gifts. She still likes going through the books and wants to "finish" the series even though we are currently in pre-algebra.

 

We will also probably get some Lord of the Rings legos because she recently finished reading the books and loved them. 

 

A game called Idiom Addict we played on vacation recently and really liked.

 

If we have a really good next 45 days financially (we are self employed) I might upgrade my iPad with a new refurbished one and give her my iPad because she has a first generation.

 

So far I haven't come up with anything very exciting so I'm looking forward to ideas from this thread. Last year I ordered several things we saw on the thread.

 

[acurtis75]

Fancy, extra-sized origami paper from France: http://www.origami-shop.com/en/tissuefoil-papers-origami-xsl-207_215_624_354.html

 

Gift card to the art store.  DS can walk down there and buy what he wants when he wants (card acts like a credit card so super cool)

 

Watercolour lessons

 

Carving knife and balsa wood

 

Math t-shirt  http://www.zazzle.co.nz/math+tshirts

 

Fancy food basket (yes, my kids like exotic food)

 

Plants (well, they love those too)

 

I'm sure I'll think of more.....

 

Ruth in NZ

It is ridiculously expensive but dd would probably love several of these. Especially the one with career aspirations that says Ninja.

[EndOfOrdinary]

It is ridiculously expensive but dd would probably love several of these. Especially the one with career aspirations that says Ninja.

 

For twenty dollars you could probably find a local place to make you one.  If you want to get crafty,you can print your own iron on transfer for even less if you head to the craft store and get an ink cartridge for your printer.

 

Dh has received quite a few T-shirts over the years.

[Pegs]

DS has requested lego for his birthday, and I am lovingly crafting relevant manipulatives for Hands on Equations for him for Christmas.

[Dmmetler]

Or, you can buy your DC a silk screening kit, some blank t-shirts, and let them try to make their own. One of DD's reptile friends own a silk-screening business to print signs, and they've let her design some snake shirts with their machines and print them. I've seen kits at Hobby Lobby and Michael's, both of which regularly do 40% off single item coupons.

[acurtis75]

Or, you can buy your DC a silk screening kit, some blank t-shirts, and let them try to make their own. One of DD's reptile friends own a silk-screening business to print signs, and they've let her design some snake shirts with their machines and print them. I've seen kits at Hobby Lobby and Michael's, both of which regularly do 40% off single item coupons.

 

 

This is a good idea. I might just get her stuff to make her own.

[raptor_dad]

It is ridiculously expensive but dd would probably love several of these. Especially the one with career aspirations that says Ninja.

 

The binary shirt there is classic... Thinkgeek.com has some off those shirts for ~$20 instead of ~$40... merely expensive but not *completely* exorbitant ;) Thats the upside of US vs NZ.

[Korrale]

My son got so excited about the math shirts. But he really wants the "carry on and focus on math" pacifier. Oddball....