Christmas Is So Close!

[Scout]

I really like the slippers too. And the Scholastic book idea.

[Scout]

So I was wondering what you all do as far as Christmas gifts for DCKs.

Usually I give them an inexpensive $5-$10 gift. This year was thinking to get them all slippers (to stay here) for them to get from the house to the garage without having to put on shoes as our garage is the play area and perhaps a combined gift for the daycare. What do you think of this idea?

Also, I am at a loss as to what to get for my own children (boy3, and girl5). Since we have the daycare, it seems like they have EVERYTHING!

As for your own kids, have you thought about a weekend away at an indoor waterpark or great hotel with lots of stuff to do? We recently went to Great Wolf Lodge with ours and had a blast!! I dont think they would mind if you gave them the gift of memories along with small gifts. I am at a loss with our boys too(5 and 2) but, I think I may get the little guy a swing set. We had to take ours down last year because bees were going in it. I am also thinking of the waterpark again! My 5 yo LOVES the big slides and is now tall enough for aot of them that he wasn't in the summer!!

[Blackcat31]

As for your own kids, have you thought about a weekend away at an indoor waterpark or great hotel with lots of stuff to do? We recently went to Great Wolf Lodge with ours and had a blast!! I dont think they would mind if you gave them the gift of memories along with small gifts. I am at a loss with our boys too(5 and 2) but, I think I may get the little guy a swing set. We had to take ours down last year because bees were going in it. I am also thinking of the waterpark again! My 5 yo LOVES the big slides and is now tall enough for aot of them that he wasn't in the summer!!

I love the idea of giving time.

Going somewhere special such as a weekend get away, a dinner date, a movie etc...

ALL things that include face time with their parent.....which every kid needs more of.

Great idea Scout!

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I love the idea of giving time.

Going somewhere special such as a weekend get away, a dinner date, a movie etc...

ALL things that include face time with their parent.....which every kid needs more of.

Great idea Scout!

I was going to say for my own kids when they were little a lot of times we gave them things other than toys, movie tickets or activity. We really do not do a big Christmas here. I tried to give them something that they wanted that would stay in their room and not to be shared. So a special baby doll or toy. I would get games that we would play as a family instead of a daycare item.

[Josiegirl]

My kids are all grown up now but just thinking back oh maybe 17 years ago, when one of my dds was making out her 'Dear Santa' list, at the top of it was school supplies. Back then Santa left one special gift, the rest came from mom and dad, etc. So the one gift she got that year was a tackle box filled to the brim with school supplies. She was in sheer ecstasy.

As for the daycare, I'm still struggling with that one. In the past, I've always gotten them a book with something else, such as pjs or a homemade fleece blanket. I think this year I'm still giving them a book and maybe a toy geared towards what they enjoy doing here. I usually try to spend about 20. on each dck.
My own kids this year....haha what else do 21 and 23 yo starving college students want besides money and/or gift cards? And my ds is 32... sigh... gone are the days when Christmas was a time of enchantment and surprises.

[daycare]

I always gift some kind of educational board game, like memory, candyland or the like along with a few books from our scholastic book club.

While some of the families don't really say thank you to me, the kids sure do and they just can't wait to get home and rip them open.

I never do things with a thank you in mind. I learned long ago that I do these things for the children. As long as you can go into it with an open mind and no expectations anything you give the kids will be loved and welcomed.

[Meeko]

With 16 daycare kids, I don't want to go broke. I usually keep it waaaay simple.

I have done cookies or other baked goods for their family in the past.

I have also saved formula cans and wrapped them in Christmas paper and filled them with homemade playdoh. I am probably going to do that again this year. Playdoh is pennies to make and they LOVE it.

[Blackcat31]

I have also saved formula cans and wrapped them in Christmas paper and filled them with homemade playdoh. I am probably going to do that again this year. Playdoh is pennies to make and they LOVE it.

I am totally stealing a cute play-doh idea from another member on another board....

She makes scented play-doh in Gingerbread, Peppermint and Chocolate flavors and gives a "set" to each child along with a cookie cutter.

Super inexpensive and cute too!

(I can post or send you the links to the recipes if you want.)

[jenn]

I buy a $10-$15 "whatever is on sale the day after Thanksgiving"

I did the same when I taught Kindergarten. I know it's expensive and sometimes not appreciated by the parents, but I do it for the kids.

I like the idea of buying something for the child, but it being something that stays at daycare. (Slippers, new blankets for nap, new cups/plates,...)

[melilley]

I am totally stealing a cute play-doh idea from another member on another board....

She makes scented play-doh in Gingerbread, Peppermint and Chocolate flavors and gives a "set" to each child along with a cookie cutter.

Super inexpensive and cute too!

(I can post or send you the links to the recipes if you want.)

Ooooh please post the recipes! I tried to make some a few weeks ago and it didn't turn out at all! I followed the recipe, but no luck. I have no idea what went wrong...

[Meeko]

I am totally stealing a cute play-doh idea from another member on another board....

She makes scented play-doh in Gingerbread, Peppermint and Chocolate flavors and gives a "set" to each child along with a cookie cutter.

Super inexpensive and cute too!

(I can post or send you the links to the recipes if you want.)

Funnily enough, our topic last week was pumpkins. We made pumpkin pie playdoh! Smelled divine!

[Blackcat31]

Ooooh please post the recipes! I tried to make some a few weeks ago and it didn't turn out at all! I followed the recipe, but no luck. I have no idea what went wrong...

Here you go! I stole this idea from Lianne lovethis

Hot Cocoa:

http://www.momto2poshlildivas.com/2012/01/valentine-hearts-chocolate-playdough.html

Gingerbread (and the pic inspired the whole idea)

http://christyrobbins.blogspot.ca/2010/11/christmas-gingerbread-playdough.html

Candy Cane aka peppermint

http://playandlearnwithdana.blogspot.ca/2010/12/peppermint-playdough.html

[Josiegirl]

Thank You BlackCat! I'm definitely going to do this, they LOVE the scented playdoughs!
If giving as a set for a gift, how do you package it all so it stays airtight?

[christine19720]

This year I am giving the daycare kids a few nice books and some homemade treats. I feel they have enough toys.

[Blackcat31]

Thank You BlackCat! I'm definitely going to do this, they LOVE the scented playdoughs!
If giving as a set for a gift, how do you package it all so it stays airtight?

I plan on using those take and toss type snack containers. Similar to these:



or these:



and then using fancy Christmas ribbon to attach a Christmas themed cookie cutter.