Christmas 2013: Part Two
This is the second part of a two-part series about gifts we are getting the kids this year for Christmas. Be sure to check out Part One for more ideas.
Aside from all the educational games and activities the kids are getting, Santa is bringing the kids a few really fun toys that they have been asking for, too.
Cinderella’s castle: Gracie hasn’t actually ASKED for this, but every time we go to Downtown Disney, she points it out to me. She is going to LOVE it! It says it is sold out online, but it is still available in the Disney shops here in Orlando. I’ve been keeping my eye on the Disney Store at the outlet malls, too. I haven’t seen it there, yet, but I’m hoping I might get lucky one weekend.
Jake’s Hideout and Captain Hook’s Hideout: We are getting Bean two of these because they are a little smaller than the Cinderella castle. Plus, he already has Jake and Captain Hook’s ships, so this will complete his set. He loves Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and he is starting to really love pretend play. We got him the Batman Imaginext Batcave for his birthday, and he will sit and play with with for HOURS. I think he is going to really love these!
For our really big gifts this year, Chris and I debated about who was going to give them to the kids. Originally, we thought they would be Santa gifts. But there was an immediate problem. If we gave the kids the best gifts first, they wouldn’t want to open anything else. And then there was the selfish issue of not wanting some fat dude with a beard to get all the credit for the good gifts! I want the kids to know that MOM and DAD bring the goods home! So, in the end, we decided that the two biggest gifts would be from mom and dad and not Santa Claus.
This year, we are getting the kids the toys that both Chris and I wanted as children but never got…
(drumroll, please)
POWER WHEELS!!!!!
That’s, right. Each of them are getting their very own Power Wheels. We normally don’t spend this much money on presents for the kids – especially just two presents! – but that’s why most of the other things we are getting them aren’t too big or expensive. Plus, we think we will get a lot of use out of these considering the weather here and how often we are outside during the warmer months. Shoot, we plan to get a lot of use out of them during the cold months, too! That’s what racing gloves are for, right????
Gracie is getting the Sophia the First Jeep and Bean is getting the Lightning McQueen car. After some very good advice from my Instagram followers, we’ve decided to juice up Bean’s car by converting the six-volt battery that comes standard with a 12-volt battery because the word on the imaginary street is that Bean might be too heavy to get any good speed in a six-volt. I’ll blog all about that conversion when we actually do it, in case anyone needs instructions. There are also a million different videos on YouTube about how to do it, too, if you’re interested.
I hope the kids are half as excited about these as Chris and I are. We cannot WAIT!
What about you guys? What gift are you so excited to give your kids for Christmas this year?????
14 Comments
Sara
Hi Katie!
We’re down here in Florida visiting Disney for a couple weeks, from Canada. Our kids are the same age as yours and I can’t tell you how many times we’ve gone into a Disney store and drooled over that castle (and I’m not just talking about our 2.5yr old daughter!) Gracie will love it! Thanks for sharing your picks, you’ve given me some great ideas for our 4 and 2.5 year olds!
Amber
we’re getting the kids one modest gift each this year and putting the rest of the money that we would have spent away for a vacation – the saying goes, memories last a lifetime, toys last a VERY short while…. we plan to have the kids involved in the planning of the trip and destination choice, and as part of our education endeavors will show them how that money we save Christmas and each month grows little by little to get us to our end goal.
Suzanne
I’m so jealous of the powerwheels! I also wanted one SO badly when I was a kid but my parents never were able to get us one (with 5 kids, that would be a tall order I think). They will love them I think! 🙂
As for my child and what I’m getting her…well, she’ll be about 2 months old so I’m thinking…diapers. and wipes. Hope she likes them!
Krysti
Suzanne – my 2 month old son is getting the same thing. Folks keep asking what “he wants for Christmas”… still haven’t figured out how I should answer that. 🙂
The Life and Times if Me
My son was 2 months old his first Christmas. Easiest Christmas ever. Even at a year old we got off pretty easy because he still didn’t get it or care. Now he’s six and we’ve had to have quite a few talks about how he won’t get everything he wants. 🙂
Jen @ ginger guide
LOL I love that you guys want the credit for the good gifts. Can’t blame you there. We’re still debating whether to even have Santa bring any toys because Sullivan is completely freaked out by Santa. We watched Elf a few nights ago and he told me that he didn’t want Santa in our house and that Santa could leave the presents at Grandma’s house. The kid doesn’t like anyone in costume. So it’ll be interesting.
He’s almost 3 so he’s getting a new bed, lots of Cars toys, some TNMT toys that are more for daddy, and a big soccer net. We’re thinking about a Leap Pad so if anyone has any experience with one, I’m all ears.
Sara M
We got LeapPads for each of our boys right around the time they turned 3, whether it was Christmas or their birthday. They are 6.5 and 4.5 now and still love them and play daily. Don’t be fooled by the games at the store being $20-25 each. You can buy and download games from the leapfrog online store for as little as $5 each. Most of the cheaper games are the ones my kids love. Next year when my youngest is closer to 3 at Christmas, she will be getting her own leappad too, since right now she likes to sit and watch her brothers play.
Natalie
That all looks so much fun – especially the power wheels!!! As to our little one who will be 10.5 months old…I’ve spent lots of time looking through your archives getting excited about various ideas 🙂 Wish list includes play balls to make a pack-n-play ball pit, water table, rocking horse, and lots of board books, blocks, etc – which all should sound pretty familiar. We’ll see what we end up narrowing it all down to. Thanks for putting these lists together!!
Alaina
I LOVED my hotwheels when I had one! Mine was Cabbage Patch Kids. So sorry you didn’t get to enjoy one of your own!
Megan
This is awesome!!! I always wanted power wheels as a kid and like you never got them! My parents still here about it today! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
sarahthecrazy
Awesome gifts!!! My little guy will be about 20 months come Christmas and he’s getting a play kitchen and a Cozy Truck (like the Cozy Coupe car but the truck version). I’m so excited I don’t know how I’m going to wait!!!
Ashley @ A Recipe for Sanity
I always wanted Power Wheels, too! Never got them, but always wanted them. My kids will have to have that for sure!
Lindsay (Young Married Mom)
I totally wanted a PowerWheels!! Lucky ducks, your kiddos–but more because you’re their parents than because of the toys 🙂
Emma B
My mother in law had a great idea when my husband was little – Santa brings gifts but mummy and daddy have to pay him for them… Nothing like a little dose of reality that the kiddos can’t have anything in the world.