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RSS FeedA Chrismukkah “Nice” List
‘Tis the season of giving–and frustration with hyper-gendered, sexualized toys. So, how about “fighting fun with fun” with some recommendations? There’s my on-going, if badly organized, list on this site. But in addition, let’s help each other out: What are you giving your children for Christmukkah? Tell us their ages, sexes and your gift ideas. I’ll go first, since Chanukah is in four days. But I’m trusting you guys NOT TO TELL MY DAUGHTER!!!
To reduce the greed-fest that the holiday has become, we usually have a latke night with another family whom she loves and doesn’t see that often as one “gift.” We also typically bake Chanukah cookies on the weekend as a “gift.” There’s also a “dreidel night” with gelt and/or M&Ms (yeah, it’s teaching my kid to gamble, but heck, it’s TRADITION). Sometimes on that we give a board game as well. This year she’ll get a lot of games from relatives: my parents are giving her Seafarers of Catan an expansion set for The Settlers of Catan, which has been a favorite since she turned 9.
My oldest brother’s family is giving her Forbidden Island.
My husband’s family will also probably give her a board game. My other brother’s family always gives her wonderful books or audiobooks for the holiday, usually picked out by their (now adult) children based on what they loved as kids. Later they can discuss the books together, which is a lovely way for cousins who are over a decade apart in age to bond.
Then we have calendar night (something my own parents always did), when I give silly calendars for daughter and husband. This year I think she’d like this one. Nine year olds love absurd, “in-joke” humor.
And we have an art night–this year she’ll get this Klutz book and some pastels.
I’m putting my money where my mouth is this year and getting her an original Roominate kit. It’s expensive, but I figure it’s not just a toy, it’s a political statement. Plus, I know she’ll really dig it.
She will also get this book of optical illusions from my parents, which looked really cool.
That takes us through the 8 nights and more, really. And, ok, we are also mulling over whether to get her what she REALLY wants, which is a camcorder. Something like a Kodak Playsport or a Panasonic. Basically something akin to a Flip, which sadly no longer exists. But she’s already getting a lot, so she may have to break down and use the allowance money she’s been hoarding for four years to buy that one for herself. She’d also really like an electric keyboard; perhaps next year.
On Christmas morning, she generally gets a few stocking stuffers. Santa brings candy, tangerines and a few items that, COINCIDENTALLY, appeal to my husband’s tastes as well as my daughter: little Japanese animation-based toys, a graphic novel (she is missing one from the Bone series) or a Calvin & Hobbes book, Plants vs. Zombies.
For other little girls on my list, I am doling out Rapunzel’s Revenge.
So, what about you? What are you getting (or suggesting family get) for your little ones?
I love the Boardgames and Rapunzels Revenge! I am getting my daughter (7) a Telescope and a microscope this year.
Posted by a reader on facebook:
More thoughts from facebook friends:
Wooden marble ramps (to go with blocks-FUN!)
For a dino-loving 3.5 year old girl:
“A book from Princess Free Zone,”
Angry Birds game,
Science kits (from either A Mighty Girl or Toward the Stars)
Books, books and more books
Mismatched socks (a big fashion trend!)
the Brave DVD
Star Wars stuff
An intelliglobe Deluxe interactive globe
My parents gave Daisy an interactive globe one year–it is something kids can use throughout childhood. She LOVES it. But get a good one, especially if it’s going to go through more than one child–the cheap ones break and don’t last.
I googled “interactive globe” when I read your post because a globe would be a great thing for us to have. We are a military family that moves all over the world and it would be great to keep track of where we are vs. where other family and friends are/ where we are going. We would prefer for it to last through more than one child (although our children are widely spaced so that may be more demanding than one would think). How do you determine which ones are the “good” ones?
Hi Heather, I can’t recall how I did my research because I got our globe a few years ago, but I know I spent a lot of time checking them out and the one I finally chose was this one: http://www.ultimateglobes.com/Intelliglobe-Deluxe-Interactive-World-Globe-p/rp-39820.htm
It was more expensive, I think, than some others but it has totally held up and especially the pen thingame has held up. That’s the one thing about the globes–they have that thing you have to touch to the countries or whatever to make them talk and you CAN’T LOSE IT. We have managed to hang onto it AND it has held up.
Perhaps it is possible to get that same globe cheaper elsewhere, I just put that link up because it’s the first one I saw.
My daughter is 3, and so far I know she will be getting:
- a superhero cape in warm colors from Etsy
- gardening gloves (she loves to help her Dad work on our teeny garden)
- new bath toys
- a magnifying glass
- a couple of books, which I haven’t chosen yet but will probably include “The Peanut Pickle”, a book for kids with peanut allergy because she is allergic to peanuts and borrowed that book from the library and loved it
- a little handmade witch and a little handmade fairy that I got at a craft fair, and a couple of teeny handmade pieces for her dollhouse
We are debating a ride-on toy (the Wheelibug), but are not sure we have room to play with it. We are also considering “EZ steppers”, little upside-down bucket-style stilt things? I need to make decisions about this stuff pretty soon.
Yeah, I have to decide RIGHT NOW.
I had the same issue with ride-aboards. no room. And contemplated EZ-steppers (which are like the tin can and string “stilts” the kids use in Ramona the Pest) but same problem. Love all these ideas, though!
Daisy also likes getting little miniature stuff. Little miniature bottles with corks, stuff like that, which I get in different colors and styles on etsy.
Are you familiar with Melissa and Doug toys? Check them out. They have some really nice wooden puzzles for young kids.
Harriet the Spy for my niece
A play kitchen we made out of a cupboard set, in blue (my daughter’s favorite color) for my 2 year old
Oh, Peggy, this is what’s got me wishing it was January already My kids will have Chanukah, plus 3 Christmases. They’ll see their birth mom’s family before Christmas, then we see Dad’s family, then mine. Even my 7 year old daughter admits to being overwhelmed. (My 5 year old daughter still believes in Santa, and is really sure he’s giving her Dora’s Christmas Carol).
Our plan: Chanukah, a couple small Jewish-themed gifts and our “giving menorah”. I bought 8 “gifts” from places like Oxfam Unwrapped, like school supplies for kids in developing countries. We’ll use it to talk abt gratitude and “spreading the light.”
For Christmas, the big present is tickets to the Nutcracker (plus handmade Clara dolls) and stockings with small Lego sets (but not Lego Friends, Dad is adamant), books, chocolate and ever-popular hair bands.
While my family’s on board with our “nothing that focuses on appearance” request, other 2 sides are not. We’ll see what comes in, and decide if it gets “saved for when your older” (I.e. lip gloss), or stealthily removed from the mountain of toys (monster high).
Yes, this is why we also have gifts from family “count” as the night’s Chanukah gift. We give less (which is ok with me, actually….) so that it isn’t an avalanche. Though sometimes hard because it’s FUN to get neat stuff for her. And I want to be the one to give her the present she really wants. However, in the end, I try to let grandparents, aunts & uncles give the presents I know she is really hoping for. Builds that sense of specialness.
We (and family) purchased a M&D king and a lion puppet to round out our medieval collection (knight, princess, dragon, pirate), a 3D solar system kit, a DK Great Scientists book, a M&D Deluxe Stamp Set with stamps of familiar things like a home, trees, pets, etc.; a large medieval castle in lieu of a doll house, a planets sticker book and some Schleich/Papo figures to inhabit the castle including a female “barbarian” from Papo. Story books were “A Goat for Beatrice” and “One Hen – How One Small Loan Made a Big Difference.” Our daughter is five years old. She keeps telling her friends “I don’t like girl stuff” no matter how many times I try to explain to her that toys are for everyone and she plays with all of them. I think social pressure has forced her into a false dichotomy.
That’s such a good insight–the false dichotomy that kids learn is “girl” and “boy.” What a loss for both sexes. Especially as things that USED to be gender neutral–art, music–start being designated as for one sex (in those cases, girls).
This list is a great idea! We are getting our 4 1/2 year old son a cardboard playhouse
http://www.amazon.com/Discovery-Kids-Cardboard-Color-House/dp/B0045H4GNG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354712312&sr=8-1&keywords=cardboard+playhouse. I got it at the Christmas Tree shops for $15. We actually
had the same one last year and he loved it. We all colored it and hung pipe cleaners
from it etc. It was huge, and ended up in the basement, and finally fell apart. I
wanted to resurrect it but by then the cat had puked on it. Also tickets to Sesame Street
and some map puzzles and a toy saxophone.
This post cracks me up. Love the cat puke. Enjoy! (Not the cat puke, I mean the holiday!).
I enjoyed reading this, and the comments. The ideas are good. I do have to say though, they are geared for young girls. It is much tougher to avoid “gendersexnation” when your daughter is 13. She isn’t all that thrilled with board games and calendars under the tree. And try telling her that having friends over is a GIFT. Uh uh. There are some good options out there though. Classes are great, for example: art classes, fashion design class, beginning sewing, metalworking (beginning jewelry). How about an appointment with a make-up professional to teach her the proper way to apply make-up – as opposed to the heavy slutty look. That’s a great gift for everyone! Art supplies and craft supplies – look on YouTube – there are fantastic how-to videos posted by other teens who make some remarkable things. Pick a few and give her the supplies and the link to the video. How about a photography class, or music mixing class, so she can better utilize that IPhone that Grandma gave her. So on and so on.
Thanks for your thoughts, Kate. Yeah, mostly at this site we’re talking about girls from infancy to about 12, so not a lot of discussion about teen girls. I like the idea about the art supplies and linking to the craft video. That is great. Or music mixing. Or photography, metalworking, sewing etc. All very cool and in keeping with this idea of encouraging inner development.
Also, maybe a “gift” at that age should be about her doing something for others? She may not consider it a present to herself, but, frankly, it’s a good time to learn that volunteering is part of the “season of giving” as well…..
Sometimes a family trip is the “gift” at that age, too, if it’s someplace really special (then it’s the “gift” for the whole family….).
What about crafting: Jewelry making (ribbon-wrapped barettes are back in!), weaving, friendship bracelets, beading, etc? Also, knitting is hip now, and she’s old enough to learn, and I heard cross-stitch is making a comeback.
I learned all this stuff back in my youth when it *wasn’t* cool and I grew up to be a hippy-dippy crafting type.
My daughter is 3, and just outgrowing baby toys. This year at Chanukah, she got introduced to Stawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony, Lalaloopsy, and also got a new Groovy Girl. I’m happy with all of these. I also found her an awesome gift called Rainbow in My Room, which projects a rainbow image on her wall. She loves all her new swag. Incidentally, the Lalaloopsy doll is named Crumbs Sugar Cookie, and she’s got a pet mouse, which my daughter named Transformer. She also got a Princess stamping set (I’m okay with this) and a jump rope.
My son got Hape cars, a change purse with some DC superheroes on it, a magic set, a Hoberman sphere, a puzzle, and some books. He’s 6.
The kids also got some new food for their play kitchen. They have a kitchen very similar to this one: http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3872808 which is happily not pink, and with which they both play equally.
Kinda late for this, but check out The Maker Shed, http://www.makershed.com/ for great electronics gifts. I got my 11 year old daughter a basic soldering set and a watch kit, and the Blinky Bugs for my 7 year old niece, http://www.makershed.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=Blinks+bugs&Submit=Search
Ooooo. Cool.