Gift Ideas

[kazbar]

we are going to be in the US for Christmas as well this year. I am doing the little tree thing as well and am making little stockings from felt to hang on the branches for each child. I will put their first initial on each stocking so they know which is theirs.
The stockings look like this

I am putting in vouchers for Australian stores, US cash, a bracelet for my daughter and watches for my sons and some of their favourite lollies. The idea is for them to buy a few things for themselves with the US cash over there and then when they get home and they can pick what they want to buy with their Aussie store vouchers.

 

[Aussie Wendy]

For the younger ones if into Lego-once you remove all the packaging it takes up very little space in suitcase or bag in a baggie and the range is bigger in US and much cheaper than here if you can buy online and have delivered to your hotel. I also second iTunes and $ cash or card they can choose to spend however they wish (if not used to this again the younger ones especially, get a big kick out of it) and jewelry. My DD used to collect Pandora charms from places we visited but wore on the Pandora necklace as she isn't really into bracelets due to her very slim wrist.

 

[TulipsNZ]

my kids love it when I do present tricks, ie a huge box with a smaller box inside then a loose lot of lollies with a smaller box more lollies, a smaller box and so on to something they love, a gift card, a 'treasure' last year for one son it was a bunch of trashies. They loved being able to just rip of paper to fill the room it didn't matter if the gift was small. I'm sure the hotel would be happy to put aside some boxes for you and you just need to add paper, gift & lollies

 

[jenshell75]

Take your daughter to the American Girl store in NYC - 3 stories of the most gorgeous dolls. The girls on the creative boards can make you up some print at home gift vouchers Santa delivered them it was the best thing ever. Be warned when you start an American Girl collection you can't stop

 

[LisaAJ]

Is love to do the box inside the box presents but we will arrive late in the evening on Christmas Eve and I'm just not sure I'll have the energy to wrap after 24 hours of travel. I don't sleep on planes :-/

I thought about American girl but my daughter is not a huge doll person. More if a stuffed toy kid. She does like Barbie though so we'll see I guess!

 

[elphaba91]

Is love to do the box inside the box presents but we will arrive late in the evening on Christmas Eve and I'm just not sure I'll have the energy to wrap after 24 hours of travel. I don't sleep on planes :-/ I thought about American girl but my daughter is not a huge doll person. More if a stuffed toy kid. She does like Barbie though so we'll see I guess!

We actually bought a fair bit of Barbie stuff in the US when I was little, as they had a lot of stuff that we'd never seen. I think the Barbie range in Australia might be better now though so the American stuff mightn't seem as special.

What are you planning on doing for wrapping the things you've had sent over? Gift bags? Or just shove them in a stocking/sack?

 

[LisaAJ]

What are you planning on doing for wrapping the things you've had sent over? Gift bags? Or just shove them in a stocking/sack?

Hadn't thought that far ahead! I might have to wrap, but a few gift bags would be easy to pack.

 

[WearegoingtoAmerica]

I agree, the lego is great over there. Once you remove the box it takes up very little space. Just keep them in the bags that they came in, write on each bag what set it was from and then prick a few holes in it to get the air out. I think I just used a Disney trading pin. They take up very little room in your suitcase this way.

 

[LisaAJ]

I just had a thought. My kids love getting money to spend but I love a bunch of presents! I could wrap a heap of little boxes with money inside and that might satisfy all of us! Boxes get packed and then get thrown away and kids can choose what they want!!

I'm think I might do that!

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I agree, the lego is great over there. Once you remove the box it takes up very little space. Just keep them in the bags that they came in, write on each bag what set it was from and then prick a few holes in it to get the air out. I think I just used a Disney trading pin. They take up very little room in your suitcase this way.

Great idea about pricking the bags. Lego is so cheap over there that we came back with quite a bit from our last trip. This year we plan of hitting Walmart and filling half a suitcase with Lego. We like to say it's for DS, but I think DH gets almost as much enjoyment out of it.

 

[LisaAJ]

Both my kids are lego nuts. I guess I'll have to allow enough room for a Lego spree!! We may have to buy another suitcase over there at this rate!

 

[BecBennett]

Ughh, I haven't done a trip where I haven't come home with a new suitcase...

No... That's not true, for our 2011 trip I shipped a heap of stuff home

 

[losfp]

We're normally really good packers, and haven't really done many trips where there's been opportunities to go shopping. NZ road trip, south pacific cruise, alaska trip... not really big shopping destinations.

Our 2012 USA trip was I think the first one where I bought a suitcase on the trip. Actually I bought three lol.

 

[elphaba91]

Ughh, I haven't done a trip where I haven't come home with a new suitcase... No... That's not true, for our 2011 trip I shipped a heap of stuff home

For those who have shipped home, what have you found to be the cheapest option? There's a set of mugs I'd love to buy but I don't know about bringing them back.

 

[roteiro]

I like useful gifts for kids, not just toys. I got a cool designer clock for my little sister from www.jeezdesign.com and she was completely happy. As for my niece, I got her a very cool Princess Mug for Christmas. I guess, girls love such cute little things