do you have a GIFT drawer?

[MrsPete]

And I don't buy "junk" just because it is on sale (I was guilty of this when the kids were younger....have gotten smarter as the kids get older) but high quality gifts that I find at a great price.

This is the difference between doing a gift closet well and doing a gift closet poorly.

If you buy stuff just because it's cheap, it's going to look like junk and it won't be a good gift. Some stuff gets marked down because no one wants it. On the other hand, if you buy good stuff while it's on sale or on clearance, it'll still be good stuff when you go to give it as a gift.

 

[MrsPete]

As my children get older they do not want to give gifts out of the closet. They like giving gift cards to Claires, B&BW ( they tell me their friends might not like the scent that we have or they could be alergic to the scent) or usually they will say Susie likes dogs, Susie would love some ____________ and that is what they prefer. I also like it when my children get a gift of something that they like and not something that I think came out of their closet.

For birthday parties, I tend to give my kids this choice: You're going to your friend's party. You need a gift. You can have one of these things here, or you can purchase a gift yourself.

Now that my girls are teens, I tend to have things like color pen sets, wallets, fancy socks, and jewelry in the closet -- things that may be rather generic, but are not junky. I have a bunch of $10 iTunes cards that were bought on a good sale.

 

[dougsmom98]

We did very well with clearance gifts when my kids were younger, but now that my boys are 12,10 and 10, they have very specific wants at the holidays. I buy a few things on clearance that will serve as "filler gifts" or stocking stuffers. I also buy things for birthday party gift bags on clearance. I scored Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader hand held games for $2/each. A few weeks later, I went back to the store and the price was back up to $20. It made a great birthday party favor for my 12 year old. I keep 3-4 other generic gifts for kids, but I have stopped stock piling.

 

[tinker&belle]

This is the difference between doing a gift closet well and doing a gift closet poorly.

If you buy stuff just because it's cheap, it's going to look like junk and it won't be a good gift. Some stuff gets marked down because no one wants it. On the other hand, if you buy good stuff while it's on sale or on clearance, it'll still be good stuff when you go to give it as a gift.

This

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

I keep "gift" items in my walk in closet in my bedroom. The kids don't go in there at all, but my oldest son does know that when he is going to attend a bday party, to check with me because chances are, I have a really cool gift in the "gift closet". There are some people I buy for every year, as previous posters have mentioned, so if I see something throughout the year for a BARGAIN, I will pick it up. Sometimes I will buy for teachers for the next year after Christmas when stuff is marked down.

 

[jennilynn510]

my husband calls our walk-in closet the "prize closet"

 

[craigs bride]

Hi all just been reading this thread with interest i also buy way in advance for birthdays,anni and christmas my O/h thinks im crackers as do my family..but when the times for handing out gifts and we could be broke that week/month my Oh thinks im really organised and we arent worrying where to find the money for the gifts...

 

[Dismom55]

For years now I have kept a storage bin with a stash of gifts, I do keep a few things for younger kids, but not much. Mostly my stash is cleared out each Christmas as I buy thru the year with certain people in mind. I keep my bin in my bedroom closet and have space on the shelves in there for larger items. This is a rather large closet as I also stock up on can veggies in the late summer early fall when they are on sale, I have many cases of canned veggies, soups, fruit also in the same closet. I will not have to buy canned goods for well over a year.

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

my husband calls our walk-in closet the "prize closet"

Yeah, that pretty much sums up our walk-in closet too!! Our bedroom walk in is huge, but the stuff adds up I tell ya!! We have a lot of kids and I have a niece and nephews and the kids are ALWAYS getting invited to a bday party, so the "stock pile" comes in handy!!

 

[sameyeyam]

The good news is eventually your kids grow up and become teenagers and you no longer need the "gift closet" stash.

Once they hit jr. high all of the kiddie birthday parties end. Most of the kids hit that awkward stage where they don't want attention called to themselves or worse yet, to let other kids know they actually have parents! So the gift closet will die a slow death and you'll find yourself walking the aisles of the stores looking at toys and thinking of the good ol' days and fighting the urge to pass up a great toy bargain.

I just consider this a temporary lull for a few years...one day I will have grandchildren and then I can start looking for toy bargains again.

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

The good news is eventually your kids grow up and become teenagers and you no longer need the "gift closet" stash.

Once they hit jr. high all of the kiddie birthday parties end. Most of the kids hit that awkward stage where they don't want attention called to themselves or worse yet, to let other kids know they actually have parents! So the gift closet will die a slow death and you'll find yourself walking the aisles of the stores looking at toys and thinking of the good ol' days and fighting the urge to pass up a great toy bargain.

I just consider this a temporary lull for a few years...one day I will have grandchildren and then I can start looking for toy bargains again.

OMG! I was literally LOL over this post! It's so true. I see it with my friends who have TEEN children. Sad sad days. I don't have to worry about those days for awhile thankfully!!

 

[ZuZugal]

NO. I found I wasted way too much time/money space on getting 'gifts' for some future unnamed event. It's much simpler,and in the end,cheaper,to look for a bargain on a gift WHEN I know I'll be needing one......what I ended up with was boxes of old crap I forgot to use,or no one ever wanted,and I gave it all away to Goodwill years ago,and never looked back! I'd rather spend 10.00 on one item,and use it well,then spend 5.00 on 3 of the same,and store it away,along with a million other things I don't need cluttering my life. I know,against the tide here.....

I used to buy too much and store it away "for just the right person" or "for the next kid bday party" and found myself with a shelf full of stuff that just wasnt used.

I have been de-cluttering for about a month now and am so much happier; truly. I buy VERY little to save any more.

 

[Dismom55]

My kids are grown, but still I have my "emergency gifts" box, they are 22 and18 yrs old and I still want to give a gift if one or more of their friends stop by at Christmas time. Now for birthdays, not so much but the friends are starting to have kids so I do keep a few stuff critters around to keep them busy and then they can take it home with them.

 

[jacksmomma]

DS is just hitting the party age, so I have not bought ahead before. I do tend to get gifts for all the kids that I know I will buy gifts for by Feb. or March and it covers the entire year.

I keep everything in storage tubs. It addition I tape an "idea" page to the lid of the box with things that I think of but cannot buy right then.

 

[TnTWalter]

I have a laundry basket in a closet in the mud room with great gifts for kids bdays. The other day I grabbed 'Twister Hoopla' for a party my oldest DD was attending. We added pre-wrap [she plays soccer] and a candy bar which we also had on hand and perfect gift for a school only friend.

I have a basket next to it filled with tissue paper and gift bags. the kids make cards.

Trish

 

[livie1205]

I dont have a gift drawer BUT I do have a candle closet for me! My dh laughs at me for it ...I always burn candles,at any time of day I have my yankee candles going (with 3 guys in the house its a must haha) so anytime they have a big sale or I find them marked down at kohls I grab them and stick them in the closet for whenever.I dont worry if they are christmas ones or any other kind So he can laugh but my house always smells good! I must have tons..

 

[southern_redhead]

No, I just give the toy I got on sale and don't supplement. If I get a good deal, then yay for me. I got 3 gifts at 75% off at Target, each was $7.50 (down from $30), and that's all the kids are getting. I tailored each toward the child and feel it's more than generous. I've been known to give $1 and $2.50 toys, if they were an amazingly super sale, like kmart's toy clearance.

This!

We also make our own cards (I don't know anybody who saves cards) as they just get thrown out with the trash. By making our own card it save about 3.00. Just my .02.

Amen to that. As much as I love to read greeting cards (some of them are hilarious) they have got to be one of the biggest scams ever pulled on the public at large. I mean some of those things are $5 and up...for a piece of decorated tag board with a witty saying. And, no, I don't really know anyone that saves them (my grandparents generation did but even my grandma through them out at some point!)

I have a multi purpose closet. I buy things my kids would like, that I would give them as a gift. If a party comes up (and what is with people giving you an invitation on Tuesday for a party that Saturday?!) I can usually find something in the pile to give and feel good knowing that it would be something I would consider gift-able to my child. I never give away something I bought specifically to give my child and on rare occasions I will give my kids a "treat" from the stash if I feel they need a reward (or encouragement.) I do agree that buying because it's cheap isn't good enough. I buy it if it is something I would consider buying at full price AND it's cheap

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

I dont have a gift drawer BUT I do have a candle closet for me! My dh laughs at me for it ...I always burn candles,at any time of day I have my yankee candles going (with 3 guys in the house its a must haha) so anytime they have a big sale or I find them marked down at kohls I grab them and stick them in the closet for whenever.I dont worry if they are christmas ones or any other kind So he can laugh but my house always smells good! I must have tons..

Ummm, I may or may not have a cupboard for candles.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

Ummm, I may or may not have a cupboard for candles.

ROFLMAO!!! ME TOO!!! ANNNNND I keep Bath & Body stuff in my hall closet

 

[sarahlovesmickey]

ROFLMAO!!! ME TOO!!! ANNNNND I keep Bath & Body stuff in my hall closet

My Bath & Body stuff is in the cupboard in my master bath. But yeah, got a stockpile of that too!!!