Top Holiday Gifts: What's Your Must Have?

Every year, there are the top holiday gifts: the presents that your child is dyyyyyyying to get (and hey, the gifts that you wouldn't mind getting yourself). Today, the panelists discuss the must-have holiday presents for their kids, what they want from Santa this season, and how the economy is affecting their gift giving. Maggie Mason of Mighty Girl asks, "What are your top holiday gifts this year?"

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deannanmc
2 yearss ago

We live in Hawaii, so everyone is getting Kona coffee from the Big Island. Can't go wrong with delicious caffeine. My husband is traveling a lot in the upcoming year for work so I got him a brand new suitcase in his favorite color with funky luggage tags and our parents got him a bunch of things to fill the suitcase--new toiletry kit, a new Klean Kanteen, and I heard rumors of a Kindle. The baby is getting a lot of wood-based gifts, really simple and classic toys, and I discovered that you can try to say "Please, no plastics and no DVDs for the baby" but someone is always going to think you're a jerk.

feastafterfamine
2 yearss ago

My husband and I are giving each other the "gift" of no gift this year. The credit card balance is ZERO and I don't want to change that. Times are tough for people which makes over-consumption feel inappropriate. I don't like a lot of "stuff" to begin with. We typically give one another a special book or scarf, a framed photograph or piece of art. I guess I just feel like we have so much already, so much more than so many that I just want to take a break from the gift exchange. That said, Santa will be bringing gifts for our gang of four. A jump rope for my oldest who just learned how to do it ($8). A monogrammed cape for my 3-year-old son who wants to be a superhero ($25). A piggy bank for his twin sister who covets her older sister's piggy bank ($25). And a set of dinosaurs for the 15-month old ($20). They're all getting books (personalized with a note about their big achievement from the past year like learning to skip backward or use the potty, getting a letter from the president or saying their first word). They're getting a handful of other things as well: pajamas, puzzles, stilts, pirate Band-Aids. Things like that. The one big gift they'll all share is a "fairy house." I heard my daughter tell Santa she wanted one. So, I went online and saw a bunch of crummy junk nearly all of which cost in the $100 range. We have a beautiful, plain wood dollhouse that I bought for $25 at a sidewalk sale. It's been sitting in the storage room for the past few months (because we have a small house, I frequently take toys "out of rotation" to make room for the others). I asked my artist friend to create a "fairy house," gave her $50 and she's running with the idea. She plans to cover it in vines and butterflies, flowers and such. I cannot wait to see it. I think it's going to be the hit of the holiday. Oh, and Maggie, you may be interested to know that I found most of the gifts in catalogues but ordered them online.

Lou
2 yearss ago

Well, we're actually going to Orlando this year ... so I'm sorta counting that as a 'gift' for all three of us, although we only do big trips like this once every several years. In light of that, Santa went a little easy on the material items this year. Once again, I'm with Alice on the Legos ... that is all my son can talk about - Lego Indiana Jones has been his particular favorite the last few months. Also, a Bionicle, a sled, and some great stocking stuffers ... oh and Bendaroos (which Target now carries). A few years ago we each started taking our son out solo and having him pick out one gift for Mom and Dad ... typically there is a $20 limit. This year we are both getting comfy/cushy slippers. :) Happy Holidays!

Barbasaurus
2 yearss ago

For the kids, we do one "big" gift from Santa that's not wrapped. This year, my 6-year-old daughter is getting a pink electric guitar with a small amp (and we'll hook her up with lessons); my 2-year-old son is getting a few sets of Geotrax... each kids' gift was bought from Craigslist for WAY cheaper than in the stores (Geotrax are ridiculously expensive!). They each get a few smaller things from us, too, and lots more from the grandparents and aunts and uncles. My husband is impossible to shop for, and he doesn't offer much help, so when he does request something, I snatch it up. This year it's a holder for his iTouch and some new shoes. I don't know what I'll get this year. I've dropped hints about wanting spa gifts cards (seriously the best thing anyone could ever get me), pots (because I threw away a pot and lid that started on fire on my stovetop...only realize that the lid fit another pan, which is now lidless=oops!), a purse with matching wallet (I like Fossil), a CD by the band The xx and slippers... my birthday is a week after Xmas, so I can give lots of gift ideas without feeling too selfish!

lissak
2 yearss ago

A few years ago, when everyone started to have kids (and at the suggestion of a girlfriend who had had a child almost 7 years ago) my husband and I basically started giving gifts ONLY to children. (with the exception of my mother and father-in-law). But I tend to go for quality, and I like to look for something a little different than what they already may have. So far, this seems to have taken a lot of stress out of the holidays for us. Since there were actually a few things that I wanted for myself, I was thinking of getting a couple of "me" presents this year, small things, a pair of boots, a necklace, some work shoes - things that hubby wouldn't even begin to know my taste on. My SIL told me that for most holidays, she and her husband don't exchange gifts either unless it was previously arranged.... and then it might be "oh, well we went on this vacation 2 months before Chanukah/Our Anniversary/insert holiday here let's just have that be the holiday gift". This year, there are a few broadway shows my husband I would like to go see, so I think that's going to be our rationale.

theladyslounge
2 yearss ago

My list is about a mile long but like Giyen, I'm the only parent at our house. Money is crazy short this year so I'm finding it extremely difficult to find creative and affordable gift ideas for 3 teen and pre-teen girls, all of whom are praying for iPods. Yikes! http://www.theladyslounge.com

MeMyselfandMommy
2 yearss ago

Steve and I both strongly believe in quality over quantity. We are constantly on a mission to declutter our home. There are a few VERY big ticket items that I would like this year, but we are focused on the budget. We may go out on a nice date or two instead of exchanging gifts.

fitmamastoll
2 yearss ago

The last two years hit us hard. First we had to sell our business, then relocated to a new state. Since the move my husband has been our only source of steady income. So, we've been forced to basically live on one income for the first time ever. In doing so, it gave us a lot of perspective on all the stuff we were wasting our hard-earned money on before...like expensive coffees, brand name this and that. We buy generic products now whenever possible even from our pharmacy which is now in Canada and we can get generic version of our medication there for about 1/4 the cost we were paying in the U.S. We don't buy new clothes, shoes, or expensive coffees and we don't eat out. Our dates nights are spent in, once a week after the kids go to bed. Christmas, although just as joyful as always, we don't have a bunch of stuff under the tree the kids will forget about in a few days. Instead, there are thoughtful gifts for each of our four boys. We've done a lot more family-free things...and there are a lot of them this time of year. We've driven around to look at lights in 3 different towns...the kids love it...baked our holiday cookies together this year....make our own x-mas decorations ol'school with paper snowflakes and daisy chains we all made together and attending our Church's annual candlelight service. So, there's really nothing special on their "lists" this year just adding to the stuff they really like to do all year round. Me, well my husband and I haven't been able to get each other gifts for a few years now and we don't seem to mind. Although, the twins did break my digital camera...so if I could, I'd really like a new one of those to capture our Christmas memories. Other than that, it's cookies for Santa and veggies for the reindeer...reading of T'was the Night Before Christmas...wrapping til the wee hours with my soulmate....watching the kids eyes and excitement Christmas morning and a bountiful Christmas brunch! Yummmmm

Angry Julie Monday
2 yearss ago

We are doing Lego's for our son this year. He's only 4, but we do have a ton of Lego's in our house too. I asked for baking things. I got the response from my husband, "buying baking stuff is like buying a vacuum cleaner"....so who knows...I really don't need anything.

Top Holiday Gifts: What's Your Must Have?

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