I loved wrapping gifts the last few years because I'd do it at a wrapping party with my MOMS Club friends. We'd chat and listen to Christmas music, swap paper for those who do Santa gifts in different paper, and gorge ourselves on tasty snacks and desserts. This year I've moved and I'm wrapping alone :( I did it last night between the toddler's bedtime and her inevitable midnight summons. I'm baffled by this trend of engineer husbands who wrap. Mine must be defective. He is all about function, streamlining, and efficiency so why bother wrapping? Amazon boxes are sealed! Walmart bags are kind of opaque, especially if you use two or three :)

What about a mug with some "nerdy" interest or joke on it?

My 5-year-old likes the PBS Kids Photo Factory. Its main use is to add PBS characters (Curious George, Wild Kratts, Peg + Cat, etc.) to photos. So if they like any PBS shows it's cute.

Google Keep! We are loving it for all our lists.

I totally identify with that :). I could see my childhood self doing that had I been homeschooled. I was so thrilled when my 5th grade teacher let me pick through his book discard pile at the year's end. I grabbed several math books and assigned myself lessons all summer, which I completed at my desk in my room each morning after breakfast.

We had a flying baby Jesus too! The 9-year-old Angel of the Lord was supposed to surreptitiously slip him to Mary during one of the songs but she was not a very subtle kid and hurled him into the manger. My 7-year-old sister ranted for days because she had wanted the part of the angel and insisted she would have done it right :)

When I was a teen I was watching a scary movie in our dark basement with my family. We heard a strange noise behind us and flipped the lights on to discover our cat lapping up my mom's Diet Coke!

Walkie-talkies Binoculars Metal detector Nice sunglasses Custom embroidered sports bag OYO Sports mini figures (like LEGO) if he likes a professional team & LEGO

I acquiesce when my 5-year-old insists he's not a little kid but I smile privately because he is. Anyone who is awed and thrilled by such trifles as popcorn and gum, any cartoon, story, or song featuring a dog, and "getting" to use the broom or push the garage door opener is a little kid :) I think the age varies by kid, but somewhere between 7-10 seems to be the dividing line for kids I've known.

Maybe Tex by S.E. Hinton? I also heartily recommend Homecoming and the rest of that series.

Our Walmart has these. Cute idea!

That's what I was going to suggest :)

Me too.

My panda-loving 5-year-old drools over thishttp://m.lakeshorelearning.com/h5/pdp?href=%2Fproduct%2FproductDetBySkuCode.jsp?product_code%3DHH482(but I had too many other ideas)

I would get a Gameboy Advance SP personally. I like the folding format, it plays the old games, and you have even more options for cheap cartridges. I still enjoy mine :). The plain Gameboy Advance is another option that still gives you more game choices. Compatibility chart:http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/systems/gameboy/compatibilitychart.jsp

Like others, I would definitely be direct and explicit in this circumstance. I've known several girls this age with troubled backgrounds who were ostracized by peers because of their stench. The teasing and emotional wounds lingered. I have a good friend who had a rough home life that caused depression and low self-esteem which led to poor hygiene as a symptom; you might want to consider that. I would have a heart-to-heart with her, saying something like, "Wow Sweetie, I can't believe you're 12 already! You're not a little girl anymore, huh! You know, now that you're practically a teen you could totally take over doing your own laundry so you can make sure to always have clean clothes. Let me show you how to do a load.". Then while you're folding laundry make some comment about that fresh clothes smell and then say something like, "And you know, you are at that age where you need to shower and change clothes every day now. Little kids can get away with quick baths, but oh, we women get so stinky if we don't wash our privates and pits every day, huh?" Maybe you could offer to show her how to shave her legs? And definitely shop together for products. I would point out products you remember using as a teen (Teen Spirit, anyone?). Maybe even get a nice travel bag/basket/organizing box (remember Caboodles?) to keep stuff in. You might think about casually mentioning menstruation as well if you're not sure her mom has covered that well.

My husband grew up in rural Alaska and encountered a black person for the first time when he was 7 or 8. He was shocked/intrigued and excitedly asked the guy if he got that way from being in the sun all the time. His parents were mortified but the guy laughed and chatted with him. I was 10 or so before I knew racism was a thing. My dad was in the military and I had friends, classmates, and neighbors of all shades. I was taking skiing lessons and we were told to buddy up for the lift. I saw several girls snub one girl and say things like, "Eww, I won't ride with her." I found I usually preferred the company of those who others snubbed, so I asked her to ride with me. I thought the girls must have a history for them to act that way so I asked her if she knew them from school. I was shocked to find out they were strangers. The girl was black and explained to me that was why they were mean to her. I was horrified and angry. We hung out all day and ignored the other girls who whispered and pointed every time they saw us.

Cheese!

Business major here :) I was thinking a nice looking coat like leather or a wool pea coat depending on your climate.

Yep! When I was 12 I was riding in a 15-passenger van on the way to a conference with some adults. The driver said "buckle up" in a sing-songy voice to remind everyone. Two women behind me didn't buckle up, rolled their eyes and started saying stupid things about getting injured worse from the seatbelt at low speeds (though we were on the freeway). I turned around and asked them to trade seats with me so they could be ejected out the windshield instead of decapitating me in a crash. That shut them up and they buckled their belts :)

My son loves the PBS Kids shows Wild Kratts, Word Girl, and others.

Thanks! I just used it on The Giver quartet boxed set--only $16.99!

This Playmobil lawnmower is about $11.50http://m.ebay.com/itm/231396703857?nav=SEARCH&varId=530656403632

Maybe check the miniatures section of a hobby/craft/train store? I found this on eBay and you could add your own ribbon for hanging. The quality/detail might not be good enough for you, but maybe this is an avenue to explore.http://m.ebay.com/itm/361019449615?nav=SEARCH

Not here. But we were shopping for used not new. We went thrift store shopping and I got 6 pairs of pants, 3 shirts, and 3 sweaters for my growing boy at buy 3, get 3 free. We also got a few board books for the toddler and a $40 fort building kit for DS for $2.