Christmas Presents - Big Family

I liked someone's idea on here, about measuring out the correct ingredients and some deocrations for gingerbread men (think it was in the recipe section)...this would work with the nieces and nephews and prob the brother or buy a greens cupcake mix (thomas the tank and fairy's). Kids love them and I think they were about $3.60 at Countdown.

BIL last year got a beach towel from The warehouse (approx $10).

Thats were I ran out of ideas..hope that helps tho.

For Dad - vouchers seem to be the best bet! Book/DIY store/plant shop depending on his interests, or just a box of chockies/specialty biscuits/somethine else he likes and enjoys but perhaps doesn't buy himself a lot, and a scratchy.

Mum/Sisters - a couple of bath bombs nestled in coloured tissue and a wee box (any box which you could decorate with xmas paper), a lip gloss in a good colour for either of the sisters (check out Strawberrynet for cheap stuff), a small hand cream for handbag, a nice address book, for the 15 year old, is she going to be learning to drive? What about a really nice keyring which relates to her? You know how you get those really nice metal ones from places like Living & Giving? and that's about $20 - again, just box it up nice! You want something small but nice for them.

BILs ... buggered if I know! BIL's are HARD! We usually end up sticking to something along the voucher line ... although looking out for a book which suits their interests can work (for my BIL's bday this year, we got a book about hunting, but how they USED to hunt a hundred or so years ago because he loves hunting). Or, if they have prepay phones, a phone card? scratchies are fun ... I'm not much use at all here!

Nieces and nephews - don't ask me! We have a ton of them to buy for this year!! For a boy - Richard Scarry books are great, a 5 year old niece, some cool hair ties or a tee shirt, or one of those little makeup kits that you can get at Pumpkin Patch with lip glosses (or 'lip slop' as my neighbour's 3yo calls them!). A 2 yr old, I'd definitely go for a book (or books of course!).

Sorry ...that's about all the help I can be!

What I really want to do with our family is buy for one person - name out of a hat stuff! Then just buy for kids. That way you can buy one nice present, and it takes some of the stress out of trying to think of things!

Its more the type of family he has (don't get me wrong I love them and they are all great) no one will be the first to admit that they are having trouble with buying that many presents - including DF so they just all put up with it.

I may just have to say something - but then what about the 15 & 9 year old - with a family with such big age groups how do you sort it out?

My family is easy (mum dad 3 kids (24, 21 & 19) and we all have partners) so we all buy for each other (including partners) and then anyone who wants to buys for Ethan (last year they all did). But with his family how would you do it?

My Dad's extended family do a secret santa type of thing. Bear with me, this might seem more complicated than it is!

Basically, everyone over the age of 18 goes into a draw, and gets one other person to buy for; then my aunts/uncles buy for those of my cousins (and my siblings) who are under 16 and also for my children if they choose (I am the oldest of my cousins, and the only one with children)

Long version: There's Grandad, Dad & Mum, aunts and uncles W & L, C & M, J & K, and my cousins (and now partners): me (26), my DH (25), J (22), her DH (22), R (21), N (20), C (19), L (18), K (16), E (16), S (14). This will be my cousin L's first year in the draw, and as a result only my cousin E and my siblings K and S will be bought for by aunts and uncles. They might buy for our children as well (some do, some don't) but Nat and I don't expect it.

We still buy a small gift for my parents, and for my brother and sister, as the Family Draw is a gift from the extended family not us specifically.

What ever you decide to do, I can recommend The Warehouse or Kmart for their Xmas lay-by. 12 weeks to pay, then you could put a little aside each week and wouldn't feel so daunting and expensive.

My family is the same, lots of our side and only 3 on DFs. Which means DFs parents usually buy expensive pressies.
We don't buy for the adults, just the kids. The last few years I've been making pressies. Jam, Cakes, Biscuits cause I like to bake.

You could always give them all a framed picture of Ethan.
I did this last year with my nieces - got half price frames from Briscoes and printed pics at DFs work.

Just a thought for the parents a joint present of a dinner for two gift vouchers, it doesn't have to be a flash place and just do it for the meals and not the drinks. I did it for my parents and they loved it was a real treat that they probably wouldn't have done otherwise.

Brother in laws could just get a box of biscuits each, they always come on sale around xmas.

Sisters might like a cute photo of Eathan in a pretty frame and some nice body wash. Instead of the frame you could get a Body Shop body wash(about $7.90) and a lufa(about $3) and if you ask they will usually do it up in an organzer bag for no charge. It won't cost heaps but looks expensive!

Brother. . .thats a hard one probably a gadget like SimSam said, or maybe a cool cap. What about sea monkeys? I loved them at that age!

Nieces might like a high 5 or my little pony dvd each or a hula hoop each(my girls 22mths and 4yrs love theirs).

Nephew, a bucket and spade set or one of those bug catcher sets from the warehouse for about $10-15.

I hope this gives you some more ideas

the $2 shop for everyone...

you can get candles/puzzle books/ornaments for the ladies, mini tool sets/ torches/ bar accessories for the men, colouring stuff and craft things for the older kids and cheap buckets of chalk and drawing pads for the younger kids, not to forget the stickers. also hair accessories, wrapping paper, sunglasses, jewellery, mugs...the list goes on.

i hate that we feel obligated to buy presents for family at xmas time.

Edited by GandT

GandT wrote: I hate that we feel obligated to buy presents for family at xmas time.

Me too especially as I'm usually feeding them as well. I don't mind bying for the kids, Christmas and Santa is really for them.
For adults I wish a nice cooked lunch, with wine was enough.

oh Glenn and I might buy something little for each other...