naturegirl Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 So, I just found out this past weekend that I have four kids to buy gifts for I wasn't expecting to need to shop for. The whole thing has kind of been a mess, with my sister telling me we were probably getting together with these kids (her partner's children) but on a different day than our main Christmas celebration, then telling me it definitely wasn't happening and now it's on, but on the same night the rest of our family is celebrating. When my family celebrates there are usually six or so adults and two kids. Each individual or family (depending of relationship status) buys about five gifts for each person (it may seem like a lot, but that is just what we've always done, so it is normal to us). A lot of the gifts are just small things we've picked up throughout the year. However, now there are four more kids to shop for. I've never met these children and I have no idea what to get them. I feel like I should get each of them several presents so they are not left with only a couple presents each to open while the rest of us open our 15+ presents. As annoyed as I am with my sister for springing this on us last minute, it's certainly not the kids fault and I don't want them to feel left out. So, I need ideas for presents for a 15-year-old girl who is smart, likes learning new facts and likes to read; a 13-year-old boy who likes soccer, specifically the Portland Timbers, and movies; an 8-year-old girl who likes reading, books on CD and sock monkeys (my mom will get her a sock monkey though, because she makes them); and a 5-year-old girl who is into faeries, My Little Pony and drawing. Any ideas for any of these ages/genders would be appreciated. I would like to get them several smaller things so they have a bunch of gifts to open. I'm not sure my mom or her partner will be open to getting multiple gifts for each kid, so I really feel like I need to come through on this. I'm not on a tight budget, but I don't want to go too crazy. I've already spent a lot of money of gifts this year. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 15: One of the complex coloring books (Costco had good prices on these) plus some gel pens 13: Nike Elite socks 8: Sock monkey headphones 5: MLP cards or "Fash Ems" (near the baseball cards at the checkout in Target) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 (edited) "15-year-old girl who is smart, likes learning new facts and likes to read; a 13-year-old boy who likes soccer, specifically the Portland Timbers, and movies; an 8-year-old girl who likes reading, books on CD and sock monkeys (my mom will get her a sock monkey though, because she makes them); and a 5-year-old girl who is into faeries, My Little Pony and drawing" -------------------------------------------------------------- 15: trivia-a-day calendar, $10 B&N or amazon gift card, sudoku or puzzle book, cute bracelet, a food item of some sort 13: $10 Fandango gift card, Portland Timbers sticker (maybe he could put it in his room or on his computer), flying hoop, soccer hacky sack, a food item of some sort 8: Little House in the Big Woods on cd, sock monkey rubber ducks, a pillow pet, flingshot monkey, a food item of some sort 5: Fairy Houses book (or any of the fairy books by the Kanes), a fairy sticker book from Dover, any of these fairy items (quite a few are 'add-on' amazon items), fairy wings, a food item of some sort Edited December 15, 2015 by Stacia 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsuga Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 OMG, these are almost the ages of our kids. And no, it's not us. :) So, I need ideas for presents for a 15-year-old girl who is smart, likes learning new facts and likes to read; Anatomy coloring book instead of a complex coloring book; a 13-year-old boy who likes soccer, specifically the Portland Timbers, and movies; iTunes has movies, so an iTunes card Timbers stuff is expensive so I agree, socks are best an 8-year-old girl who likes reading, books on CD and sock monkeys (my mom will get her a sock monkey though, because she makes them); Half-price books gift certificate, or if you're in Portland, hence, Timbers, a Powell's gift card Journal with a pretty pen with a light on it (never seen an eight-year-old girl, whether she's a super girly girl or the toughest kid you've ever seen, not swoon over a journal with a pen with a light on it but that might be just me), wrapped separately and a 5-year-old girl who is into faeries, My Little Pony and drawing. Plush fairy Special drawing journal with colored pencils, grown-up looking ones, and a little carrying case, all wrapped separately Fairy coloring book Frozen Yoghurt gift card ("take a friend!") I know gift cards seem impersonal but people have so much stuff nowadays that honestly... our kids just love them. Put in a little box. Also, you can buy sets of: packs of cards, Christmas ornaments, or Mad Libs, to wrap separately. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 Anatomy coloring book instead of a complex coloring book; Totally agree. My dd loved hers so much that she colored it completely & then asked for a new one so she could start again. Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 15-year old girl Amazon or local bookstore gift card Book-light Calendar Trivia game Journal and pen Socks or gloves Candy 13-year old boy Timber-related items Movie passes Headlamp or flashlight Game/card game Socks or gloves yo-yo Candy 8-year old girl Sock monkey charm Bracelet or necklace Sock monkey book (or ask sister for recommended titles) Notebook/journal Glitter pens or scented pens Game/card game Gift card Bubble bath Candy 5-year old girl Art tote (plastic bin large enough to hold paper and supplies) Pad of paper, colored pencils or markers, pencil sharpener How to draw faeries or ponies book Toy faerie or pony Faerie dress-up costume Game/card game Bubble bath Candy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 You've gotten some great ideas. But I'm thinking also of the sudden financial burden plus time spent shopping. Can you ask your sister to bring a few gifts for them so you don't have to buy so many? Be careful of Amazon gift cards unless you know the recipient has prime and/or already likes to shop there. A $10 gift card won't go far with shipping costs. I'd get the 13- and 15-year-olds Starbucks (or local coffeehouse) gift cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I like the above ideas - also, TELL you sister to bring some presents for the kids to open, too, as you will only have one or two things for them. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 This is one of the things that drives me batty about steps--everyone feels like they need to treat the steps the same as the non-steps, so the steps end up getting double everything. That's the way it happened in my family before my step aged out of the process: stepson received presents from my parents (divorced, so x2), my husband's parents (also divorced, so x2), my husband/me, his mom and step-dad, his step-dad's family and his mom's parents (not divorced, so just one set). That was 8 family units giving him something, just counting parents and grandparents. It can be overwhelming for the steps to be inundated with gifts from people they barely know. That's why I would suggest getting them a gift each and possibly restructuring the evening so they're not there for the main present-opening fiesta. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naturegirl Posted December 15, 2015 Author Share Posted December 15, 2015 Thanks everyone for your gift ideas! I definitely plan to use some of them. And I agree with those of you who suggested asking my sister to bring some gifts. I'll talk to her about that. Unfortunately having the extra kids come later isn't an option. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medawyn Posted December 15, 2015 Share Posted December 15, 2015 I think it's very generous of you to help make them feel at home on the holiday. A few suggestions I didn't see mentioned: Restoration Hardware has some stocking stuffer items that might work and are a bit unusual: https://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/category/products.jsp?parentCatId=cat180005&categoryId=cat280049&sale=false fuzzy or silly socks (15 and 13) earbuds (15 and 13) stickers (5) small lego kits (8) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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