How do you organize what you will buy for Christmas presents?

[Dianne-TX]

There are SO many different things to choose from for Christmas presents. We try to be very thoughtful when buying dc presents, but it can be overwhelming when there's so many good, thoughtful things to buy and then I end up forgetting something or going overboard. I was wondering if you had a system or some type of other way you organize or categorize what you will buy for presents? (i.e...book category, game category, toy category, etc.) What have you done to organize your choices to make it easier to buy. Am I making sense?

[Night Elf]

I've never thought about it that way. I buy to fill my budget and then have to stop. I go for things I know the kids really want and then try to throw in a few little surprises.

[RahRah]

DS compiled his list (a mile long)...then he and I went through the list, and prioritized for Santa - what things did he want most and why?

 

Gotta say that made my job easier!

 

I then break the list up.....talk to my mother about some things on the list, she greenlights what she wants to get him (I shop for my parents since they're in another state and this year won't visit for Christmas), do a good chunk of the list from Santa and us.....then when my sister and MIL email or call asking, I give them each different things to consider that remain on the list and leave it to them to decide what they'll get - the only thing I ask them is that if they want to do something other than what's on the list, give me a head's up since he may already have other option and/or may be already getting it from Santa, us or my mom.

[Mrs Mungo]

We make a list with four columns: name, budget, present ideas, final gifts purchased.

 

We do this because DH was sick of finding hidden presents when we moved. They were things I had purchased for people and had forgotten about. Whoops. :blushing:

[Chris in VA]

I just buy a few things here and there, and keep track on a list. We try for ~ 8 things per child.

[Sherry in OH]

I buy a set number of gifts per child, plus stocking gifts. I also have a budget.

My general mantra is "something they want, something to read, something to play with, and something to share (family gift)."

 

I sometimes over estimate how much will fit in the stockings. Depending on the nature of the extras, they are saved for birthdays or Easter baskets, thrown in with the arts and crafts supplies, or put in the pantry. (DH loves to find treats in the pantry.)

[Annabel Lee]

There are SO many different things to choose from for Christmas presents. We try to be very thoughtful when buying dc presents, but it can be overwhelming when there's so many good, thoughtful things to buy and then I end up forgetting something or going overboard. I was wondering if you had a system or some type of other way you organize or categorize what you will buy for presents? (i.e...book category, game category, toy category, etc.) What have you done to organize your choices to make it easier to buy. Am I making sense?

 

It depends on what kind of budget we're working with. This year, I put the $ limit per kid and the overall $ limit at the top of a notebook page (what? no excel spreadsheet? nope! keepin' it simple.). Then I make a note below that of the types of categories we plan to buy/make things from for ea. person (for ex.: "Kids: 1 big main gift, 1 educational/useful/worthwhile thing, jammies, stocking", "Grandma & Grandpa: coffee maker, individual gifts, pictures", and "Everyone: books, family games"). Below all that, I list each person's name and leave 1/4 to 1/2 a page of space to list gift ideas for them. Stockings get their own page, since there can be so much little stuff. This year I'm not spending a dime on anything I consider to be dumb, useless, plastic junk. No junk toys. Legos are exempt from this. :D But, the kids' are each getting 1 big, nice, main present from dh & I instead of a whole lot of carp.

[Ravin]

Honestly I'll just be glad if I can fill the stocking and put one quasi-impressive toy from Santa under the tree this year. I'm making DD her gift from me (a robe), and there's a pair of rain boots she'll get from us compliments of holiday helper, plus the hand-me-down computer we cobbled together months ago. She'll probably get a boardgame from Goodwill (games are on her list) and a hula hoop from Santa, plus inexpensive stocking stuffers that will include some usual things (new toothbrush), a few other practicals (new undies or socks, usually in a fun print she'll like, and headbands and barettes), candy and cocoa (thanks to food stamps), plus the mug she asked for and maybe some marbles or other similarly inexpensive toy. All that plus what we need for religious rituals (a new Yule candle and base materials for a wreath) will probably about kill the $30 or so dollars I can find for holiday stuff. It's going to be another year of hanging a stocking for the kid only, which is a bummer. I like being able to fill stockings for DH, DW#2, and myself. I'm probably not going to have money for gifts for DSS's, either, which stinks. If anything I'll chip in so DW#2 can get them something since she just lost her job.

 

That's pretty much it. I may or may not come up with postage to send cards and portraits out to grandparents, etc. I can't even get anything for my 2 and 3 yo. sister and brother. It's frustrating.

[Annabel Lee]

:grouphug: to you, Ravin. It can be hard trying to stretch it all out.

[snickelfritz]

We just try to keep the girls matched and we try not to go overboard. They each get a movie or the older gets legos and younger gets wedgits, etc... As I wrap, I lay matched gifts out and wrap them at the same time. It's my fail-safe to make sure they get similar level gifts. Un-matched gifts are left unwrapped, so I can visually see what I am lacking for the other dd.

 

We don't buy for other adults. For my nieces/nephews, we set a money range and find them something in that range. I do lay these gifts out together, to look over, before I wrap. Sometimes one gift just LOOKS more extravagant and I try to keep each side of the family at similar levels. We all get together to un-wrap, which is why I'm so careful.

Edited December 9, 2010 by snickelfritz

[bettyandbob]

I keep a chart with the person's name on a row. there are columns for the price and the present. I use this for extended family as well as my kids. For extended family (nieces and grandparents) they are only getting 1 or 2 things amounting to less than $20. But the chart helps me keep track and tells me when I'm done. I don't have a big budget for my kids, but mil gives me money to shop for her. so each present and cost goes on the chart and lets me see when I'm done for each kid. Then I decide when I'm wrapping which will be from mil (most ) which from us. The chart makes sure I don't "lose" anything (like a book I got a few weeks ago, before I established where I put all the presents).

 

I don't have to hide presents. For some reason my kids don't look. Weird? (I always looked) So, the presents are in shopping bags on the floor next to my dresser. I won't wrap them because youngest ds, who has developmental disabilities, thinks he must unwrap a present when he sees it. So, wrapping doesn't happen until almost Christmas.

[Mimm]

Each year my kids get books, clothes and then a few other things. Usually they get a movie given to the both of them. They often get many of the same things. They are similar in age and have very similar interests. For instance, they are both interested in Webkinz and have quite a collection. They will each get one for Christmas (different from each other of course).

[RoughCollie]

Categories for kids who play with toys:

 

Books

 

Music - usually cds or instruments (may be toys), drum sets, nowadays a Sansa for a younger kid

 

Arts & Crafts - paints, crayons, drawing pads, play-doh, sewing kits, sewing machine, knitting stuff, art books, etc.

 

Pretend Play - dress up costumes, large fabric swatches & accessories

 

Playsets - castles, dollhouses, Playmobil

 

Construction - blocks, legos, duplos, lincoln logs, etc.

 

Outdoor - sleds, roller blades, bicycles, trikes, camping gear

 

Special Interests depends on child -- planetarium, microscope, globe, talking globe ... or given as shared gift.

 

Dolls -- including wardrobes and a doll closet to store them in (on hangars) and a chest of drawers for folded clothes.

 

Action figures -- sometimes playsets (Bat Cave) or figures or figures w/accessories (G.I. Joe)

 

Character Toys -- this year DD is getting a Dora the Explorer action figure in her stocking (for old times' sake)

 

Vehicles -- dump trucks and other equipment, Hot Wheels

 

Board Games & Puzzles to be played with real people IRL

 

Video Games & Equipment, including games for the console or PC.

 

TV shows on dvd -- I have the Jetsons, for example.

 

Useful items -- watch, alarm clock, desk w/ chair, play table w/ chairs, lava lamp

 

Clothing -- for DD only; even Batman, Superman and Spider Man underwear did not impress the boys when they were little! Howls of outrage that Santa would bring underwear!

 

Magic and Prank Tricks -- in every kids' stocking; especially popular with the boys

 

Personal care stuff -- bath oil beads, pretend makeup, little purse, and so forth in DD's stocking

 

New PJs that have a Christmas theme for DD -- boys' tended to be solid colors, though, as they were not thrilled with Santa or reindeer-patterned pjs.