If you had to buy gifts for 13 kids ranging from 2-13 years old, what would it be?

[ChristusG]

We are going to be traveling to DH's side of the family for an early Christmas get-together this year. We've never done this before. Since we will be there, we will need to purchase gifts for all 13 kids on this side of the family. Honestly, we don't know most of the kids well (I know 3 of them very well) and they do not know us.....and we cannot spend lots of money on each child....it would just add up too quickly. I'm thinking about $5 each but I don't even know if that's possible. What would you get? Is there any one gift that could be for each age? I doubt it, right? I wish we didn't have to buy anything just because $5 is basically not even enough to buy anything and I don't even know what these kids like....but they will be buying for my kids and everyone will be exchanging gifts and I sort of feel obligated. Any ideas?

[BMW]

If you have a Target, they have a dollar section and there are lots of practical, inexpensive things (along with some junk...).

 

Some of the things ours has right now: wall calendars, pocketbooks, cute planners, knitted gloves in several colors and stripes, decorative pencils and pens, etc. , chapstick with cute characters on it, photocubes, slinky,

 

I've got some of our stocking stuffers from there already.

[Miss Marple]

My boys always loved getting gift cards! I remember the days when a $5 gift card to WalMart or Sonic or Braums or QuikTrip meant they could get a snack when we were running errands. It always made them feel big and important that they could pay for their own snack - and they could get anything they wanted.

 

We have a lot of out-of-town relatives who would do this for the boys. I know many people think a gift card is too impersonal, but for those ages, it is truly a treat. And they would be easy to pack as well :D

[katilac]

Those giant candy bars are always fun!

 

Lipgloss for the girls.

 

Keychains or pins.

 

Anything 'local' if you are coming from pretty far away: keychains, magnets, etc.

 

Or how about a big box o' fun for them all to open together and use that day? A Mentos geysers tube with a few packs of Mentos and diet coke, some candy or other treats, face paint . . . you can think of lots of things if you go that route, and you could do it all for $25-$30.

[Cinder]

I like the gift card idea. My first thought, though, was a candy assortment. But they'll probably get enough sweets over the holidays anyway.

 

Cinder

[Julie in AZ]

If you have $5 to spend on each gift, how about buying everyone a Nerf gun?

[hsmom]

If you have $5 to spend on each gift, how about buying everyone a Nerf gun?

 

I agree, it would be fun for everyone. No one would complain that they got something better and it is simple

[yellowperch]

Any chance you could go back to the group and get people to rethink this?

 

If not, would you consider giving gifts to family groups? If so, there are some un games that you could buy.

 

Set

Uno

rat-a-tat-tat

catch a match

hiss

etc.

[momtotkbb]

For some of the school ages ones you could take a look at

http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/category/science-fun

 

They have some fun science items that you can get for $5 or less - we have never purchased anything from them that my kids didn't think was fun and different. I use them for stocking stuffers. The youngest I've used any of their things with though was 5.

 

For nerf ideas take a look at their site -

http://www.hasbro.com/nerf/en_US/shop/browse/Nerf/_/N-1rZ70Zgt/No-0?Ns=P_Price_Sort

 

I agree that all my kids from the time they were 2 or 3 thought a gift card was great! Markers and fun pencils have always been a hit too.

 

Could you ask their parents some questions about things they like? Keep in mind, if you don't know much about their kids and they don't know your kids well they are in the same boat as you in trying to figure out something to buy. If there are several from one family maybe you could just do a family gift like a board game. One neat and fun gift we received as a family was an ice cream freezer - my kids talk about getting it every time we use it. Another was a chocolate fountain.

[Pippen]

I'd go with the same $5 gift for all ages if you can find something. My daughter is the only granddaughter and I can't tell you how many times we've had to deal with situations like the boys all getting some fun gift or cash, while she's been given something the giftgiver thought would be cute, because they liked shopping for the girl.

[Nan in Mass]

I would go to the used book store and buy books, preferably fun ones like comic books, for everyone. This is what I sometimes do for our huge extended family. Or you can have a family fudge-making afternoon. The ingredients are expensive, but it would still work out as less than $5/person, and you could include all the adults, also.

-Nan

[momtotkbb]

Another thought for something you could give everyone regardless of age --my mil gets all the grandkids little calendars from Big Lots - I think they are $1-2 a piece and you add a photo for each month in a little pocket. She takes pics of the grandkids or puts in photos of she and fil, etc. and fills each pocket. I don't know if you could give them the calendar and then take photos while you're there and have duplicates made and give to each child to place in the photo calendar. All the grandkids from 1-30 have enjoyed over the years pics of cousins that they see rarely.

[mcconnellboys]

I might buy a nice set of Sharpies for older boys and/or girls. I might buy small beading kits for older girls. They have all these things at Wal-mart, Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Target, etc.

 

For youngers, I might buy some sort of Crayola art sets.... For toddlers, I might buy wooden toys if I could find them inexpensively enough (Target might be the best bet for that....)

[Cera]

I would get book for each kid. If you shop on Amazon you can get the 4 for 3 deal and the prices are always fairly cheap.

[Mejane]

If not, would you consider giving gifts to family groups? If so, there are some un games that you could buy.

 

 

 

This is what I'd do.

[coffeegal]

A simple, old-fashioned idea, but one my children love. Balls. My toddlers, especially the girls, love mid-sized balls (@4" diameter). Older children love the really bouncy balls that bounce everywhere, and they still enjoy the mid-sized balls. Gym balls are popular also. You can play soccer, kickball, dodgeball, and various other games with gym balls. Nerf balls are great for throwing at each other or in the house. :toetap05: Teens might enjoy hacky sacks.

 

Happy Shopping!

[treestarfae]

I would go to the craft store and get some thoughtful crafts.

[katilac]

I would go to the craft store and get some thoughtful crafts.

 

Only on this board would you see a suggestion for 'thoughtful crafts,' :lol:.

 

((I do know what you mean, the phrasing just tickled me))

[Sherry in OH]

If you have $5 to spend on each gift, how about buying everyone a Nerf gun?

 

Don't do this unless you KNOW the parents are okay with it. About half of my family would be seriously peeved if their kids received toy weapons. The other half of the family would be amused and ask why you didn't get them real guns.

[Pippen]

We've bought small fLED lashlights that were along the lines of glow sticks or light sabres with a neck strap. The little kids just think they're fun and as our kids have gotten older they still use them when they're camping or traveling. They don't throw off as much light as regular flashlights so they're great for when you need one in a hotel room or car.

 

I'm pretty sure we got them for about $5 at Walmart.

 

LED book lights would be another idea as those often can be found on sale around the holidays.

[Pretty in Pink]

I'd give each a $5 gift card to something like Target, Walmart, Books a Million, McDonalds, etc.

[MaMa2005]

I would go to the used book store and buy books, preferably fun ones like comic books, for everyone.

-Nan

 

This is what I would do, too! DS is involved in a book exchange at co-op for Christmas. The limit was $3.00 for a book. It was even recommended by the women in charge of the exchange to find gently used books. I stopped at Goodwill yesterday and walked out with 5 BRAND NEW books for less than $3.00 :hurray:. Whoever gets DS's package is going to be one happy child!

[Tammyla]

Winter scarves in matching or coordinating colors would make memorable pictures. :D

[happyhomemaker25]

Michaels has a great gift section around this time of year. Stuff from $1-$5. I hop in there every year and load up on stocking stuffers and other fun stuff.

For my cousins kids this year I am going to be doing a shoe box of craft items. My price range is about $10 though. I still think you could do it for $5.

I did one up for each of my kids at the beginning of summer and they had a blast all summer long with it.

[Melinda in VT]

A mug, a hot chocolate pack or two, and some candy canes?

 

I also like the idea for the LED flashlights.

[silliness7]

If you have a Target, they have a dollar section and there are lots of practical, inexpensive things (along with some junk...).

 

Some of the things ours has right now: wall calendars, pocketbooks, cute planners, knitted gloves in several colors and stripes, decorative pencils and pens, etc. , chapstick with cute characters on it, photocubes, slinky,

 

I've got some of our stocking stuffers from there already.

 

:iagree: I totally second this! Also Michaels craft store has a dollar bin with some amazing things too. Also the Dollar Store...the one where everything actually is a dollar.

 

When in doubt, give candy. Who doesn't like candy? :001_smile:

[Chris in VA]

Maybe hit the dollar store and buy everyone a scarf and mittens, and then a mug to fill with candy. 4 bucks, right there--under budget! lol

[Mom0012]

Does the family have a Wii? Or some other gaming system? You could get them a game or two, maybe one geared more toward the younger set and another geared towards the older ones.

 

Lisa

[ChristineW]

Don't do this unless you KNOW the parents are okay with it. About half of my family would be seriously peeved if their kids received toy weapons. The other half of the family would be amused and ask why you didn't get them real guns.

 

I agree. I would be one of the peeved parents if someone got my son a nerf gun and I'm pretty relaxed on most things. Also, I can't imagine the nightmare of having 13 kids running around grandmas house with nerf guns.

 

I agree with the person who recommended balls. Gift cards are good. Toys r us has board games super cheap usually around black friday--last year we picked up several for $3 a piece.

[ChristusG]

Wow, I knew I could count on y'all for suggestions! These are awesome!! Now to just decide which one to use LOL!

 

I can't really do the family group gifts because the children are not all from the same family. Some families have one child, another has five, several have two, etc. So it would be sort of difficult to break that up.

 

I'll probably either do a gift card, or check out the Target dollar spot, or check out those glow flashlights. Or maybe I'll check out the dollar spot for the youngers and a gift card for the olders? Hmm...so many choices!

[Giraffe]

One idea - Christmas ornaments. I get ornaments for each of my nieces and nephew each year and I'm told they look forward to them each year. If you're going to give all of them gifts every year, then you could pick a theme for each child and give variations on that theme each year. For instance, my oldest niece gets bells, my nephew gets snowmen, the next niece gets angels, and so on.

 

I had an aunt who did the same thing for me. I loved it and still have those ornaments.

[jujsky]

If you have an AC Moore or a Michaels Craft store near you, they nearly always have coupons for 40-50% off a single item. They will take each others coupons. They often have great craft/activity kits for around $10. If you can get them for half off, that would meet your $5 mark. You'd have to go to the store 13 freakin' times because it's one coupon/visit. Of course you COULD get around that if you gave each of your children cash & a coupon ;)

[Starr]

Everyone gets their own big tin of different popcorns. :D

[Chelle in MO]

What fun ideas!

 

A warning...I thought I was buying dollar items in Target's special section, but it turned out that the two items I chose were $2.50 each! I'm not sure when it changed from all items being a dollar, but it sure is a sly ploy! :glare:

[LBS]

similar situation, every few years, on my mom's side of the family. Lots of age range, too. Some years we draw names: since we aren't together another time during the year to actually draw pieces of paper out of the hat, we just say that each kid gets the kid next below in age (or above in age, or skip two), from a family not his own. That's nice, cause you only give as many gifts as you get, and its really, really easy to get $20-30 gifts, but hard when you get below $15ish. .

 

I love, love the Target/Walmart gift card idea....I think I'd get a toy for all the children 4 or 5 and under, and gift cards for the children older. Little ones may not appreciate the delayed gratification of a gift-card, although a candy cane would cure that :D

 

Also, you could get a boy-present (multi-tool?) and a girl present for all the olders.

 

This is nice to think about Christmas so early. I always resolve to get it done in August.....its getting later and later every year, instead.

 

LBS

[teachermom2834]

Thought of this thread when I saw $3 games in the target ad today. I would do that for all the kids old enough and not give a hoot if they already had the particular game.

 

I like the ornament idea, too. Last year Kohl's had some really unique ones cheap. If you have a World Market near you they had cute ones for $1-$2 last year.