Author |
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 3:19 pm
Oh Serate, I'd get the plain boring writing pads too in that case. I like to work with themes. One year Caleb was going through an artistic phase so he got a lot of art supplies. Plain pads plus a nice sketch book, pens, pencils, paints, etc. So for a 14 year old girl you could do a basket of stuff like the writing pads, a journal or two, pens, pencils, maybe even some funky stickers or stamps she might like, and a couple books of poetry. Something like that isn't likely to be seen as dangerous or ready to catch on fire, lol. We went through a similar sitaution with a cousins daughters until he got custody of them a year ago. Couldn't send money or gift cards, presents were often taken to the store and returned, etc. Got to the point we only sent things we knew would be of use to only the girls (like one of them is really into sports so someone sent her a subscription for a sports magazine) or shopped at local stores where the gifts couldn't be returned without driving for four hours.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 3:20 pm
Chili when I'm around the kids I refer to her as their mom. When I'm not around the kids I refer to her as the birth vessel [and a few more things that not only would get me modded but banned from TVCH] because no mom would treat her kids the way she treats my step kids. She is the vessel who gave birth to my wonderful step kids. Kids who I don't think I could love more if I gave birth to them myself.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 3:26 pm
War I only get her journals. I just called them note pads for some reason. Before 9-11 if I got them anything at Wal-Mart I'd actually cut the tags out of the clothes and take anything out of packages and throw the packages away or ruin the UPC codes so she couldn't return items. Grandma used to take the youngest's clothes back and get them 2 - 3 sizes too big so they would last longer. But by the time they almost fit her they would be so raggedy and holy she was ashamed to wear them. Grandma only meant well, and anything SHE took back was exchanged for something for the kids. Now that they are older we try to steer them away from Wal-Mart under the guise that they can shop at Wal-Mart at home, but not Target, Kmart, Meijer, Pamida, etc. And even then the kids have smartened up and take the tags off themselves and throw any of the packaging away at our house.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 3:26 pm
She likes to draw some too so maybe I can do the sketch pads and stuff. And the basket is a good idea. Thanks.
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 4:55 pm
I like the idea of a gift basket! I also like the idea of a magazine subscription. TeenCosmo or some such garbage. Maybe Rolling Stone, or a teen music mag.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Wednesday, November 07, 2007 - 6:13 pm
Alas no mags cuz she'd never see them unless she was at home when the mail came. 3 1/2 years and counting down!
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 12:21 pm
What do ya'll think of family gifts? We've decided this year to give family gifts instead of individual gifts. Little adopted sis is giving gift baskets full of games to each family while little adopted bro is doing family movie night (dvds and snacks.) I'm at a loss. I've got five families to buy for: sis and bil and their three girls (ages 2 months, 4 and 8,) little adopted sis and her hubby (they live with his parents so they have to be included plus an 18 month old, little adopted bro and his wife (12 year old boy, 4 year old girl,) the other brother and his wife (boys, ages 10 and 7,) and a cousin who is a single dad to two girls (ages 14 and 11, plus his parents who they live with.) The point of doing this is that first off it's just plain cheaper than buying all these kids gifts and then not doing anything for the adults, with all this family the kids get way to much for holidays, and finally all of us are pretty family oriented, if we're not all together we're at home with our kids and we're trying to figure out stuff that everyone will have fun with. I'd like to stick to the same theme for all five families, want something the adults and kids can all enjoy, but don't want to spend more than I would (about $20 per kid) if I were buying individaul gifts. Any ideas?
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Jewels
Member
09-23-2000
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 12:54 pm
What about those science experiment kits? Growing crystals, making gummy worms, making soap....that kind of thing.
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Lumbele
Member
07-12-2002
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 12:59 pm
gift certificates/tickets for bowling alley, skating rink etc?
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Heyltslori
Moderator
09-15-2001
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 1:17 pm
Jigsaw puzzles or books maybe?
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Mameblanche
Member
08-24-2002
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 2:08 pm
How about 2 tickets to the Ice Capades or the Circus...
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 2:42 pm
Oh oh Lum, lol, you just reminded me I have a bunch of tickets left over from Kota's party at the bowling alley for free games that I'll slip into the baskets or buckets or whatever. Books are a gimme, lol, I've been ordering from scholastic since last January. The sciency stuff is an interesting idea other than for little adopted sis and the baby. The one I am having a really hard time with, and may have to go a completely different direction from the rest of the family gifts is little adopted brother. If you've ever seen the tv show Home Improvement, he is Tim Taylor, lol. Him and his boys do outside stuff (camping, fishing, hiking,) they tinker with cars and have restored two already, they build stuff. Heck he even has the accidents down, he's never met a project that hasn't injured him yet!
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Urgrace
Member
08-19-2000
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 2:58 pm
Safe toys -> click here! Check the FAQs.
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 3:42 pm
I LOVE The Family Gift Basket idea War!! Games and movie nights sound like a great idea. Or badminton or a backyard sport basket?
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Ducky
Member
08-27-2000
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 3:50 pm
You can find those sports packs or family fun packs that have different outside games. There are like 8 to 10 different things included. A croquet set, frisbee, balls, badminton set, jump ropes,and golf set.
Edit-Eeyore and I were thinking a like took me longer to post
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Friday, November 09, 2007 - 4:02 pm
LOL, I liked the game and movie night baskets, wish I'd thought of that first. However, the backyard sports basket is a great idea! Those would be pretty easy to do no matter how old the kids are and since these parents do spend time and play with their kids it's something the whole family would enjoy.
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Eeyoreslament
Member
07-20-2003
| Sunday, November 11, 2007 - 2:47 pm
What about a gift certificate for family professional portraits, or a family pack of tickets to a local sports event, like AAA baseball, or minor league hockey? They usually have the "no alcohol" sections, that offer cheaper tickets for families.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 6:43 am
Thought I'd share what I think is a great buy that I got for the 15 year old. $20.00 @ Sam's. 100 gel pens, there are 3 - 4 of each color but there are 5 different finishes like neon, glitter, pastel, metalic. Almost want one for myself!

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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 6:55 am
Now for my question. Is it terrible of me to get gifts for people [the older kids who won't give us any ideas] and include the receipts because they probably won't like it but that way they have gifts to open and the younger ones won't think it's unfair that the older ones got gift cards and can do what they please with their $$? [The 17 & 19 year olds are not living with the birth vessel so she can't take their gift certificates and use them on herself.]
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Ducky
Member
08-27-2000
| Tuesday, November 13, 2007 - 10:40 am
In my experiences with giving gifts to my older nephews and nieces I just wrap only the gift. That way it is not about how much I spent on them but the gift itself when they open it up. Later I tell them if they need to take it back to let me know as I have kept the receipt for it.
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Wargod
Moderator
07-16-2001
| Wednesday, November 14, 2007 - 12:47 am
I love those pens! Darren bought me a set several years ago and they were awesome. We've been doing gift cards for the past year or so. Everytime we ask one of the kids what they want, it's money. I'm not going that way for Christmas though since we're doing the family gifts instead. If you do get gift cards, you could always wrap them in a larger box and stuff it so they have something to open up.
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 2:08 pm
If the older kids weren't coming they would get one Walmart card so it's not that I care they know how much we spend. It's the younger one is insisting on $$, we have them for less than 48 hours so no time to shop, and the younger one still lives with the birth vessel so we can't give her $$ or gift cards or the bv will take them. We have to get her stuff that can't be returned in any way back where she lives. So it's not really fair to her - tho life isn't fair - that the two older ones who moved out get gift cards and she doesn't. So I thought about getting stuff at walmart that they might or might not like - who knows these days - and giving them the receipts. That way if they absolutely hate the gifts they can take them back, but it's not as easy as $$ or gift cards and might placate the younger one. Thought we had it taken care of yesterday - hubby got an email at work for a very good discount on Ipod Nanos. That would about wipe out the budget in one swoop if we got each one. But I read on the reviews that the prongs for the docking station break very easy. Out of 250 reviews on the Apple site it got a total of 1 1/2 stars. So back to the drawing board. 3 1/2 years until the youngest is 18! And if she moves out at 17 like the others 2 1/2 years! [There is one more that might come, their little 7 yearold half brother. We treat him like our own and he usually gets to come so the bv doesnt' have to put up with him since the older ones are here. I'd take him in a minute if I could.]
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Serate
Member
08-21-2001
| Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 2:11 pm
Oh and I'd love to be able to tell the youngest one her birth vessel is such a *self modded* and that's why there is no money or gift cards. But we don't talk bad about her to the kids - even tho she doesn't do the same about us - and she already knows anyways.
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Justavice
Member
11-22-2005
| Thursday, November 15, 2007 - 3:58 pm
Serate, you mentioned that you gave your step daughter an mp3, but the BV took it from her because it was a fire hazard (or something like that.) I would hope that you asked for it back so you could return it and get something "safe" as a gift. Otherwise, that is theft and worth pursuing.
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Grooch
Member
06-16-2006
| Tuesday, November 20, 2007 - 6:55 pm
I need to buy an electric razor for a Christmas gift. Can anyone recommend a good one?
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