Are your grandkids overwhelmed by gifts at birthdays and christmas etc?

I think that is a really good idea.

I think its a fabulous idea youlooklikeafishGranny1 and could solve the problems for lots of families,

Excellent idea, my DGC have enough stuff for a new branch of Toys R Us !!

A great idea youlooklike. My GS is 10 next week and I asked my DS for ideas for a present. He had no idea - even he was struggling to think of something as the boy has just about everything, and more, that he could possibly want. My DS suggested a cheque, to go into a savings account towards his first car in 7 years time. So that's what we'll be doing. I thought it was quite sad that you could get to 10 years old and there's nothing left that you want. How times change.

DGD2 has just had her 5th birthday and a party for 30 children! So many presents that DD, her mum, had to remove half of them to be opened another time. I decided to buy her a riding lesson and a chance to groom the pony as our gift to her. She loves horses but hasn't had much experience with riding. Checked this out with DD who organised it at a local equestrian centre. Part of the joy of this was the little one's anticipation and excitement.

My DGD loves musicals (she is 7) and I have given theatre tickets for Christmas and her last birthday. We have seen Annie and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at out local theatre and she really gets excited and looks forward to the trips . The best of it is that I get three tickets so that she can take me and her mother along and it is a treat for all of us!! I do get a small gift to open on the day as well, but this is starting to be a pattern.

Thank you all !! I love Granniebabi's idea of the theatre tickets. It would be great if there was somewhere, like a website, that one could find all these wonderful experiences for youngsters - it would be so helpful for grand children that lived a long way from grandparents. My son lives in Scotland and when they have children I will be about 500 miles away :-(

For GS1's 9th birthday DD organised a family trip to the Harry Potter studios. Brilliant success all round and, because it was his birthday, he got to open the doors into the Great Hall! It solved the piles of presents problem for this year, but heaven knows what she can organise to top it next time.

My GC are thoroughly spoilt in that they have too much and are given too many large presents, especially by the other grandparents and not just on birthdays etc. We tend to give them a small birthday present and take them out for lunch and let them pick some clothes.

My oldest GS will be 7 in a couple of weeks, he's counting 'sleeps' until he goes to Legoland Windsor for his birthday treat. It's what he asked for.

I often buy clothes and have at various times completely decorated their bedroom themed to their choice (the seaside) and taken our little balletomane to ballet performances.

The real problem we have is GS2 whose birthday is Boxing Day. It seems a bit hard to give him fewer birthday presents because it's the day after Christmas.

Our GS had so many Xmas presents a lot were saved for his birthday later. He is over indulged by other grandparents and his parents to the extent we buy only one small gift. We know we are talked about by the other grandparents as being mean, but they have much more money than us and no mortgage. Mother has a LIST of prospective presents that he 'needs'.

We often give them theatre tickets, take them out for the day or give money for riding lessons etc. We don't give them toys any more.

I'm glad its just not us feeling like this! I can't even give the DGCs small treats when they come round as nothing is special or a treat for them these days. I will stick to giving 'experiences' I think. Eldest GS is going on his junior zookeeper session next month. Hope it goes well. He's looking forward to it but is worried about maybe having to clean up after animals. Aged 5 he anxiously told me that he hopes he doesn't have to shovel up poo "because I'm really too young for that sort of thing Gran!"

Jane10 What zoo does the 'Junior Zookeeper scheme? DGS, also 5, is absolutely mad about animals and his main aim in ife is to own a zoo. With an upcoming birthday I cannot think of a better present.

GC have parties and invite the whole class, the outcome is that they end up with 30+ presents. DIL keeps a notebook and lists gifts and who they were from, if gifts are duplicated she removes the gift to a cupboard and it is re-gifted at a later date.
I buy GC premium bonds and clothes with the addition of one toy or game for WiiU.
GDs always get tickets for Disney on ice from their aunt or parents but I am not sure the ten year old will keep it up much longer. Last October she complained that the show was identical to the previous year and when we checked the programme she was right.

When I asked my DGS3 what he wanted for his 8th birthday, he said, eyes gleaming, '£10', which is what he got, inside a 'Minecraft' wallet. No doubt he used his cash to purchase yet more clutter Lego Heroes. I wouldn't presume to choose garments for a teenage GD so she will have cash too and will head straight for Primark. It makes present-giving easier when they ask for money but takes the fun out of shopping for gifts!

These all seem quite expensive especially as we have 12 DGC. Any other ideas

my grandson's birthday is on Boxing Day too. He is 3 now, so not really a problem, but I can see it might be in the future.
I love the idea of an Activity List rather than presents and will be suggesting it to DD as she too bemoans the fact that the 2 children are given far too many presents and their rooms are full of so many toys, fluffy animals etc etc. Perhaps instead of usual parties the party could be one of these special outings and costs covered by parents of invited children instead of more presents?
Thanks for the inspiration Youlooklikeafishgranny1 - what a moniker! which dgc
told you that??!!! (I'm sure it is not true!!)

Aagghhh !
12 GC Flower yes very expensive.
Depending on their ages and proximity maybe you could write an kind of IOU to put in their card with a promise of a day of one to one with you doing exactly what they want but that doesn't cost. GS would love to spend all day* playing/making Lego models. Maybe one would love a day baking with just nannie or a trip to the seaside with icecream and candy floss and anything else they want to do, within reason and budget

I opened one of those trust funds, rightly or wrongly, for my grandchildren. I now tend to buy bits from charity shops for them which they play happily with. It's a win-win situation as it all ends up under the bed, regardless of what you paid.

youlooklikeafishGranny1 Red letter days have a children's section with lots of activities for children/families which vary in price. It's well worth having a look there. You could also check out local theatres for child friendly shows. The Lowry had sing-a-long Frozen shows recently and there were hundreds of Elsas, Annas and a few Olafs. The funniest one was a very happy Batman who was accompanied by a scowling Elsa and her mum!

I am hoping, next year after GCSE, to take granddaughter to Australia to see her cousins and meet DS her uncle. Busy saving for that.