A warm welcome to everyone coming from Moms Favorite Stuff! I hope you’re enjoying the festivities leading up to Toy Tuesday, December 8th.
If you’re just now joining us, we’re having virtual play time (or a blog hop) and sharing our favorite toys, toy trends, and places to buy them for the best bargains of the year.
After my tips on making Christmas Day more fun for everyone,
learn how to enter to win a $250 gift card
AND a $500 in products to your favorite charity or school!
I have 3 boys, two of which are only 22 months apart. There can be some serious competition and disappointment on Christmas morning if I neglect to keep a few things in mind while toy shopping. Therefore, I thought I’d share with you my philosophy on Christmas toy buying which makes Christmas morning more fun for everyone.
The Tip Junkie’s Christmas Toy Philosophy: Limit your gifts to 4-8 (depending on cost) for each child. Make sure there are a variety of good quality toys so nothing breaks and there’s plenty to do throughout Christmas day. This ensures no one is disappointed or is bored an hour after opening presents.
1. First, know what your child wants. I take into consideration my boys’ wish list and their likes and dislikes. You can have the best variety of toys imaginable but if it doesn’t cater to their special interests then it’s still a no-go.
2. Next, I like to make sure my boys each get:
- Something to build
- A video game to play
- A toy for their imagination
- An item to build on whatever they are collecting
- Something to play with outside
- A board game
- A big gift from Santa
Any of these qualities can be combined for one toy. For instance my boys’ favorite Christmas gifts have combined “something to build” with “a toy for their imagination”. Having a wide range of toys expands their uses, creativity, play time, and excitement throughout the day.
Things to Build:Â Marble Run, K-nex, Bionicles
Favorite Video Games: My Sims Agents, Star Wars Legos, Mario Kart
My Favorite Toys We’ve Collected:Â Anything Star Wars, Imaginext, Legos
From Santa: Santa gifts are usually large and go for the shock value. I don’t go overboard on price but I do try to make it fun and unique.
Other options to consider:
- Art supplies: to paint, draw, or create. Play-Doh, Pixo’s, and craft kits
- Electronics:Â MP3 player, DS, radio, spy gear, watch, Funkeys, computer game
Entertaining Toys:
- Zoom-o (surprisingly fun for $10)
- Anything Nerf
- Air Hogs (the new ones are more durable)
5. I try to keep things fair:
- The same number of gifts or price range for each child.
- Size matters with boys! So I make sure each kiddo has the same number of “large” wrapped gifts. Even if I have to put a toy inside a larger box. {{evil laugh}}
- Same number of items in stocking and I try to have larger items next to stocking for shock value when the boys come down the stairs.
So what’s your toy buying philosophy?
Feel free to leave a comment which automatically enters you to win a $250 gift card. Details below.
Huge thanks to Bill Me Later for organizing such an informative and fun play time. Feel free to check out all the blogs participating and their favorite toys and money saving deals. They’re worth the read.
What is Toy Tuesday?
Toy Tuesday will occur on December 8th and is a one day sale event held over on Bill Me Later’s website. You’ll find all kinds of amazing deals to wrap up all your holiday shopping from these stores:
| Toys R Us | Walmart.com |
| eToys | Mercantila (trampolines) |
| FAO Schwarz | Drugstore.com |
| Little Tikes | HP.com |
| Overstock.com | MacMall |
| Step 2 | and moreÂ… |
Bill Me Later wants to get YOUR attention and to do so they’ve not only come up with a really fun campaign that introduces you to some new bloggers and new toys, but they are putting up some serious CASH and discounts!
Bill Me Later has made it really easy to enter to win a $250 gift card AND $500 in products to the winners favorite charity or school. They aren’t messing around and are taking good care of everyone involved. They’re buying some toys from Wal-Mart for my boys AND they’re paying YOU some hard core cash to get your attention.
A $250 gift certificate to FAO Schwarz and a
$500 product donation to the school or charity of winners choice.
Share what toys you are most excited about giving this year
or your toy buying philosophy in the comments.
This giveaway will only last until midnight Saturday (CST).
P.S. Toy Junkie’s, tomorrow head on over to Bargain Briana for her toy tips and another $750 in giveaways.
My 2-year old son has finally figured out what happens when something is wrapped and you get to unwrap it, so this year isn’t so much about WHAT we’re giving him (he’s more than content with a balloon, lol). We just want to watch him open everything up – it’s so wonderful to watch as the parent!
This year will be my first year to purchase a battery powered vehicle. I’m pretty excited about it. About 8 or 9 months ago Lil Man saw the John Deere Gator. It was strapped to the top of a mini-van and he fell in love. I told him if he was a really good boy then maybe Santa would bring him one for Christmas. I thought for sure he would forget BUT alas he didn’t. When Christmas decorations started showing up and talk of Santa began the first thing he said to me was “Nanny, have I been a good boy? Will Santa still bring me a ‘tractor'” Of course being the Nanny who has had her heart stolen by this little boy I told him I was sure Santa would be bringing him his ‘tractor’ for Christmas. I can’t wait until Christmas morning to see his face when he finds his own John Deere Gator parked under the Christmas Tree.
My philosophy for buying toys for our children is a lot like yours! Legos and other building toys that promote imagination and creativity are big on my list.
Also, we get snow here in the Midwest, so snowboards, sleds, etc. are always
fun for them to receive at Christmas time. I will most likely be buying a game or two for the Wii. Great prize drawing…..
Many thanks to you and Bill Me Later for this opportunity….. Cindi
“Happy Holidays!”
I am most excited about the Step 2 Tower of Doom. This is the first year that my son has been old enough for decidedly boyish toys and I can’t wait to see him on Christmas morning with that bad boy all set up and ready to play!
This year I am excited to give my daughter her digital camera. I bought it on sale on Black Friday. She has been wanting one for over 3 years and I kept telling her when she is older. This year I am still telling her that but she really did get one. My other 2 still believe in santa so they are just excited about anything santa brings them.