What are people buying grandchildren for Christmas?

I have eight DGC and another on the way. I budget for about £20 each for them, with a little leeway. Two of the DGS have birthdays within two weeks of Christmas day, as well. I'd love to be able to afford a bit more, but I simply can't. I do get them each a Thorntons Santa figure and each DC's household gets a tin of choccie biscuits. The adults (that is my children and their partners, my ex husband and me) do a draw and we each buy for one person in the group, with a budget of £40 ish. Everyone seems happy with this arrangement...those who are couples do also buy for their partners of course. Unsurprisingly, the DGC do 'hope for' pretty much everything that the advertisers tempt them with in the long run up to Christmas on the television!

This years good ideas include a 'mini Hornit' for GS aged 8...he loves his bicycle; some Schleich horsey bits for GD aged 9; two of the boys asked for Match Attax advent calendars instead of a pressie to open on Christmas Day (thats 24 packs of football stickers for footie mad children!)...youngest GS is having more Magna tiles to add to the set he had last year - lots of play vaLue for a 4 year old there...and GS aged 7 is having a Nerf 'blaster'...several pressies still to sort, but in the main, job done!

To quote Joanna Lumley "don't mind if I Baileys", although in my case it would be "don't mind if I... Wicked Wolf Gin" If you are a gin afficionado, do try this wonderful nectar from Exmoor, it's astonishingly wonderful!

I bought my dgd (5) a dolls house and accessories from asda. Reasonably priced. It didn't come with dolls though so ordered from amazon. I didn't realise they were coming from China though!! Haven't received them yet ?

I am buying my grandson aged aged six a miposaur dinosaur, looks a very good toy, there is a huge variation in price, so well worth checking prices.r

Ours have loads of toys already, with more coming along courtesy of Santa. So for the last two or three years, we've treated them all (mums and dads too) to an 'experience' at or near Christmas.

Last year, it was the Black Country Living Museum's Victorian evening, followed by panto the following afternoon.

This year, it's the Polar Express Experience at Telford.

Plus stocking fillers for the children and adults. Cost per family member (x7) around £40 all told. Quite a bit, but we don't see much of them through the year.

Cherryblossom - saw a post on one of our local sites from someone who bought one of these and was very disappointed. Firstly it didn't hatch properly and then child lost interest in it after a couple of hours because it didn't do much.
DGS1 aged 9 will get an alarm clock and a watch and probably a board game. DGS2 aged 8 will also get a watch and a board game plus something else probably Dr Who related. I usually do stocking for GSs and DDs but as they now both have partners I think I'll do one per couple, so mostly sweets and maybe Primark socks.

On their mothers suggestion a personalised floor cushion and fleecy Christmas blanket and an American football jumper and fleece( one each)
For the five yr old girl a sparkly bomber jacket from MandS and a smiggle thing. For the 3 yrs old girl a microphone and tights and sparkly top.

That's all except for stocking fillers from Tiger.

I am only buying experiences now for the kids at Christmas, treated mine to an expensive Santa thing. other than that I do collect from chairity shops throughout the year, books puzzles etc for them.

BIG TIP go to charity shops immediately after Christmas, as people who were given things they do not like just move them on. I have worked in several shops and find people of 20 coming in with all sorts of stuff for 9 year olds that they were given at Christmas by people who hadn't seen them for years. Puzzles, boxed games and books mostly but well worth buying and putting aside.

I only buy second hand wherever possible, trying to encourage the kids not to go mad, I make little dolls clothes etc and this year have bought a huge, interactive pony, from e bay to be shared (when they are here) and she has a range of clothes and will be a circus pony. or panto pony, or Indian pony as required.

9 year old DGD doesn't like "toys" and doesn't have any. She is very creative so has some of the lovely adult colouring books and pencils, pens and paints and two Breyer horses sets that you paint.
DGS was 5 in October and got lots of Lego Dimensions he has asked for Lego and loves Ghostbusters and Superheroes so 2 Lego sets for him.
Baby is 4 months so she has ITNG plush toys and I will get some clothes as she is fast growing out of everything.
I try to spend about £50 each but I have a Shop and Scan scanner which earns me near enough this amount each year which I change to Argos vouchers around the beginning of October and then start buying things on the 3 for 2, or have been reduced.

LEGO

With 9 grandchildren I used to have problems looking for things they wanted, and about the right price. I now allocate £30 each, look for a present I think they'll like, then give them money to make up the difference. All approximate, but means I can give one a present that costs five pounds, and one that costs twenty, without worrying about fairness.

I have two of 14, boy and girl, two at 9, boy and girl and one of 5. Two oldest get money, two 9 year olds are having clothes and vouchers as they get toys/big presents from parents and youngest has a book, a car transporter and Man U pjs. I spend about £35 on each.This year however as I shall be away for Christmas my son, daughter and I have agreed no presents for adults.

My 11 and 14 year old GD s have a fortnightly horse riding lesson, but their stables offer a week helping with the chores with a ride at the end of each day. So I pay for this week for them as a xmas pressie. Did the same for their birthdays this year. Real hands on experience, from shovelling manure to grooming and feeding. They love it.

1. GS would like a solitaire game like Granddad's and Sonic Lego dimensions and David Williams latest.
2. GS would like a new skateboard like the one he saw in a sale ( so we bought that quickly) and a voucher towards a game for the XBox he hopes he's getting.
1 GD would like a Pandora Ring or money for make up for her college course.
2 GD would like a fluffy unicorn and . . . And . . . And . . . whatever she sees on the TV.
I like it when the know what they want and as they get older, they know what the cash limit is and try to ask for things that fit within that.

We only have the one GD. She was a year old yesterday and got lots of toys. Wasn't sure what to get for Christmas, as she got so much. However, we have seen a swing with four interchangeable seats, which will do her from now until she is about 8 or 9. it will be kept at our house, as our garden is quite large and flat. It looks good value.

My GC are 8 & 6 & they are both getting cameras (under £40)

6 year old -Grocery gang - don't go there, worse than Shopkins, but that's what she wants. Taking a punt on the grandson, guessing his favourite activity. He will be 4 months old on Christmas Eve, and so far his hobby has been milk, so I am extending the range with a huge set of weaning bits and pieces. I have added a toy of course. 13 year old wants books, 18 year old shave stuff with 007 branding, 3 year old certain books, but I have sneaked in a little ballet shoes necklace.

Things they need! Pyjamas, Onesies, Dressing gowns. Also some bits and pieces but my granddaughters are approaching the fussy age so difficult to buy clothes now. I would rather they choose the main thing and get a few small surprises.

Mine have a room full of toys that are never touched. Mum and dad will only by them mor elf the same. I am buying them new duvet covers with matching pillowcases and a book and a few stocking filler type gifts.
I think I have mentioned before that their great grandmother has only ever bought them adult classic books for gifts. They love receiving them and treasure them.

My darling GC live overseas but visiting us for the hols. GS would like a big egg thingy with a chick that eats its way out. Apparently seen on US YouTube? Anyone heard of anything like that over here?

We bought our grandson some megablox in a charity shop a while ago. In the bag were some little vehicles with interchangeable tops. He absolute loves these and they don't seem to make them any more so I found some on ebay and ordered them plus a car carrier for them. I think he will love them and he can be quite creative swapping around the front and back of each onto a chassis to make different vehicle configurations. I think they are called tiny and tuff. I've never seen them in the shops which is a shame but he won't mind having 'recycled' toya!

anno the microfibre towel is a really good idea. GS swims a lot and he never seems to be red hot about drying himself properly.

Its about £50 each the football boots were £35 so not too bad.

I hate to think what their parents spend I think its a new X Box/Playstation this year plus no doubt a range of other goodies.

my 9 year old grandaughter likes to think she's grown up so a lovely Cath kidston overnight bag with a travel hairdryer,PJ's a manicure set and some smellies....she's also getting a Lego Friends set.7 year old has a similar bag no hairdryer though and she wants a camera and some small toys Trolls and Kitty Club and Shopkins,5 year old its PJ's and Toys galore Paw Patrol is her favourite this year oh and a one cup teapot and cup set as she loves a cup of tea.Grandson its clothes and money...he's 13 and thats what he wants .Generallly I'll spend around £75 a head ..or a little more ..they're worth it

Following family format -
Something you want
Something you need
Something to wear
Something to read!
Plus Santa always make a special Christmas Eve delivery of new pj's for everyone!

No idea really. They have so much stuff, 18mnth old is too little to decide and if you asked him the 4yr old would want just about everything you could think of.
Big brother all ready has a lot of these things.