The Mock Turtle

How are the ideas and shopping coming along?

Both girls wrote a small list, which me and my parents have both used. There’s no big ticket items on there though - mainly specific clothing/ accessories and Friends stuff.

I bought an annual frisbee golf pass this morning, which is a bit different. Otherwise their stockings are mainly sloth/panda and Friends related things. :lol:

SB2 probably wants clothes and we will go shopping when he's here. I've also got him nice hot chocolate. Sb1 is getting a phone. His GF is getting a heated throw and earrings, and I've put together a bag of nice hamper food for them both.
Sb2's GL is getting nice socks, candle and posh hot choc.

S would like an iPhone, but also has starting floating maybe wanting a PS5 or upgraded X-box, so one of those will be his main gift along with wee bits and pieces.

I’m stuck to be honest as we’ve just had both birthdays.

For his birthday J got a phone (my old iPhone) and the Spider-Man 2 PS5 game. We gave S a Frank Green drink bottle, an AFL guernsey and some gloves for mountain biking.

Christmas so far I’ve got new pool toys on the list.

Both my chaps want new bikes, so that's the big ticket item sorted. (Fuck me, how expensive are bikes though :cry: )

We got them a Smyths catalogue each and they've been pootling through that but again, some expectation management will be required there, everything is so expensive! So I think there'll be a bit of Lego for both of them (in the £20-30 each category), probably some weapons :lol: and some Minecraft stuff.

I've sorted most of the stocking fillers (chocolates, socks, bath bombs) and will get them just to pick a couple of smaller things from Santa and the rest will be from us.

I've also booked Disney on Ice, and a separate trip away to Blackpool between Christmas and New Year to try and make everything more experience and less plastic We did Monster Trucks Live last year and they loved that so hopefully the Disney on Ice will be similarly enjoyed.

Weapons.

I have absolutely no idea and her mother has absolutely no idea and she has no idea. I can't wait until she is old enough to just throw cash at her to be honest.

We have a whole shelf dedicated to weapons It appears that you can't actually own enough swords or nerf guns :lol:

This is brilliant and I fully support it. :lol:

Topcat wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:48 pm Weapons.

I have absolutely no idea and her mother has absolutely no idea and she has no idea. I can't wait until she is old enough to just throw cash at her to be honest.

Are you looking for ideas? I have 3 nieces to buy for (2 x 14, 1 x 19) so can share what I get them.

sally maclennane wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:57 pm

Topcat wrote: ↑Wed Nov 22, 2023 12:48 pm Weapons.

I have absolutely no idea and her mother has absolutely no idea and she has no idea. I can't wait until she is old enough to just throw cash at her to be honest.

Are you looking for ideas? I have 3 nieces to buy for (2 x 14, 1 x 19) so can share what I get them.

Yes please, Sal! Especially the 14-year olds. I have a 14 and a 12 year old niece and haven’t got a clue other than vouchers for clothes.

I am probably throwing cash at mine this year. I have some clothes and sweets and stuff so there's something to open, but Jack wants more tattoos and Joe doesn't want anything. Joe's birthday is also a few days after Christmas

I'm considering breaking my own rule and buying a big Lego Star Wars set as both his Christmas and birthday presents. It's expensive, but he actually wants it and it avoids wasting money buying stuff for the sake of it.

It's mainly stocking fillers stuff as I give them cash/vouchers as a main present but I usually get them some wee bits including socks (the fluffy ones seem to be a big hit!) bath bombs, make up sets (Elf, Revolution, Glossier are popular) toiletry sets (Ted Baker etc are often on 3 for 2 at Boots) vouchers for Starbucks, Costa, bubble tea places, hot chocolate kits, chocolates, nail varnish sets, phone cases, keyrings, stationery. Usually stuff is from Boots, New Look, H&M, Flying Tiger etc.

Is anyone's else's kids obsessed with Super Mario? My 7 year old niece is completely obsessed with all of it. I have looked at a Princess Peach costume but they all look like highly flammable, nylon nightmares.

Does anyone know anything about aqua beads? Are they an environmental hazard?

No to Super Mario - Liv is 8 (turns 9 in Dec) and is all about make up, clothes, slime, skincare and stanley cups :lol:

She's also still into lego and I picked up a Lego Friends ski slope set which was on offer in Sainsbos last night She's getting Taylor Swift tickets which is a BIG surprise. She didn't have them on her list as I told her there was no chance. I'm planning to put the bracelet making supplies in her stocking. S wants to get a life size cut out of Taylor to stand by the tree

George wants a laptop which I was thinking of getting him for school anyway and he likes clothes, chocolates and I've also ordered him some personalised tennis balls. I need to work on his list a bit.

I saw fun Mario slippers recently that come in their own holder to look like Piranha plants. We never opened the aqua beads can of messy worms. :))

I'm still birthday shopping for #2. B wants a new gaming chair and LED lights for his room. So far all I have actually purchased is a giant fluffy bear hoodie, that's more of a dressing gown, and freeze dried fried egg sweeties. I will also get him a concert journal, because I got one for R's birthday which went down well. They both love going to gigs.

Hopefully xmas wish lists will be incoming this week. I passed the Taylor Swift merch Wishlist to my mum. So far I've bought them both artist pen sets and a few other small bits and pieces for stockings. R will be getting a big jewellery box because her ring and earring collections are growing quite significantly. And I know she wants some skincare and makeup. B will be getting some bike accessories (recent-ish bike purchase). And I would like to get him some more things for his room. But I suspect they won't ask for much beyond their birthday wish lists.

This year I'm not getting wall calendars, because neither of them even bother to change with the months. :lol:

Emma, put Taylor on the top of the tree. She's an angel. :lol:

Mario slippers sound interesting! Yes, aqua beads look messy.

Taylor Swift tickets are a fabulous surprise :))

I love the idea of Taylor on the top of the tree but I ordered a new tree topper yesterday that I've been coveting for 3 years

I have also bought her a croissant shaped Jellycat bag - she really wanted an coffee cup one she saw in a toy shop in Whitstable and she doesn't even like coffee! She loves croissants so I feel confident this will go down well. Jellycat have some amazing stuff at the moment.

Oh my god, I saw that croissant bag yesterday! It's sooo cute! Jellycat have loads of tempting things.

I love that croissant bag! I was going to get it for my niece but she has the watermelon one already. I now want it for myself :lol: