Post Punk Kitchen Forum

ndp, that's why* I've told most people not to get poopiebaby anything (although some of them still do) - I just went through and cleaned out his toys (almost none if which we bought for him), and most of them are being given away this weekend. He still has more than enough, and will get more in a couple of weeks. He doesn't really 'get' it right now, but when he gets older we're definitely going to do the "one in, one out" thing, where for every new toy he gets, he has to donate an old one to a kid who isn't as fortunate.

*ETA: the reason isn't that I don't want him to have toys, it's because I don't want him to equate what people give him with how much they love him.

Also, how old are your nieces and nephew? We might be able to help with ideas that don't add to the mountain of crepe.

For our nephews (we have 3), we give books generally. Books are great, don't take up a lot of room and can be easily donated.

Although, for one of our first nephews, when he was a baby, we bought him a cute half stuffed animal/half blankie thing (hard to explain but trust me, its cute). We went to visit them recently and he was carrying it around! I was so excited because it has got to be 5 years old. His parents don't hoard toys though so they don't actually have a lot (especially compared to other kids I've seen in upper middle class families).

Books are generally a safe bet though if you want to give something.

And I don't do gifts because I find it stressful. I tell everyone not to get me anything or donate to a charity or what not. My mom gets upset, not for herself but for my stepfather who does equate gifts with love. She does wish I'd buy him gifts but they have TONS of stuff, I see no need.

Definitely understand that, poopiebitch. I'm the same. I want my nieces and nephew to have toys! But like, my goodness, consumer culture. Of course I've noticed it with myself, too (cough, shoes, cough). I guess a big thing for me this year is the importance of getting to spend actual time with love ones.

linanil: I usually do the same. Corinne is just starting to read, so she is EXTRA in to books right now. I have no idea what books to get though. I was seriously thinking about getting her Steven the Vegan, but it's so hard for her parents to get her to eat anything, I kind of don't want to make trouble for her. She is practically vegetarian anyway. I've given them Make Way for Ducklings, The Giving Tree, Blueberries for Sal, Where the Wild Things Are, The Lorax pop-up book...

Kind of off topic--does everyone else weep when they read The Giving Tree or is it just me?

poopiebitch: They are 5, 3, and 7 mos. Two older girls and a little boy. Any thoughts are very, very welcome. Corinne, 5, is the sensitive girl, artsy, etc. Lydia is going to be a linebacker. She takes zero shiitake from anyone (even at 3!). And Johnny? Well, he can sit up and eat rice cereal.

ETA: Corinne just had a birthday, so I got her a beginner painting set (non-toxic! washable!) and a little stuffed kitty because she really wants a real cat and her parents kind of suck. (OK, her parents don't suck, but they're waiting to adopt a cat who has already been declawed because they realize that declawing cats is horrific, but they still want a declawed cat. I'm sorry if that offends anyone.)

the giving tree makes me angry. that boy was a jerk. did he ever even say thank you? i don't think he did.

OH JEEZ! Don't get me started! (Eyes welling up) The tree still loved the boy! And gave him everything!

nothing about this makes that boy not a jerk.

My little cousins are the same. Their parents have never gotten rid of any of their toys, so every room in the house is just a mountain of toys. Like bordering on hoarding-level. The youngest kid is 4 now and they still have tons of infant toys lying around (and my aunt and uncle don't plan on having any more kids) because they just never get rid of anything and get a million presents for every christmas and birthday. So I'm definitely not going to buy them toys for christmas this year!

Here are some book ideas:

I've been wanting to get this book for Peter. It would probably be a hit with both/either of them.

Dr. Seuss' The Sneetches and Other Stories is another good one. The Sneetches is about not being prejudiced, and the other stories have good morals too.

The Little Pea, Little Hoot, and Little Oink set (the books are also sold individually). They're just cute stories that make kids laugh - little pea has to finish dessert before he can eat his vegetables, little hoot has to stay up late instead of going to bed, little oink has to dirty his room... you get the idea.

Honestly, a 7 month old doesn't really need anything, and won't know the difference, so unless you're worried about his parents getting offended, then I wouldn't bother with him yet. Or ask them what to get him, because they might have something in mind that is practical.

I love Click, Clack, Moo http://www.amazon.com/Click-Clack-Moo-Cows-That/dp/1442433701/ for young kids that are being read to.

I think giving books about nutrition/vegetables/whatever sounds like a good idea for a kid that is struggling with eating.

You're right, of course, but I just love that damn tree!

Yuch, apparently instead of spending Xmas with my husband, his dad & his new wife and his sis, her husband & their 3 kids we're now also spending it with his cousin ans his dads new wife's son who's bringing his girlfriend (who he's know for a month) and her daughter.

It sounds like a forking nightmare, and, of course, we have to stay over & buy everyone gifts. I hate Christmas this year & I'm tempted to jump on a plane & run away somewhere.

I think they give things away, and they definitely have it confined to the playroom, but I mean, you could play for like, weeks and still figure out new stuff from in there.

Are they into cooking/helping out in the kitchen at all? I had this idea to get my friends kids a small mixing bowl and mini spatula and some cute muffin papers and then a jar of homemade muffin mix.

Thanks linanil and poopiebitch for the book suggestions! I think they sound great, and I'm going to go order them (through the PPK!) when I get home. I will probably get Johnny a onesie or something. They are actually really cool and don't expect me to get their kids anything, so that's a load of pressure off. I just like these kids so much though! And I do want them to have a super fun Christmas. I won't be able to be there, but hopefully we'll be able to Facetime again. Although Thanksgiving Facetime was just the girls running around screaming. I did get to see Johnny sit up though!

Oh and this author has some great illustrations in his books. They are simply beautiful.
http://www.amazon.com/Artist-Who-Painted-Blue-Horse/dp/0399257136/

Oh my goodness! That is such a cute idea! Hmm. . . I will have to investigate this--thanks for sharing!

Have to add this even though a bunch of people have already posted a ton of great ideas, but my favourite kind of gift for kids I'm close to is to take them on an outing somewhere. We took my best friend's kids to the science center last year, for example. They have fun and it doesn't add to the mountain of crepe they own.

I hate the Giving Tree. SO FREAKING MUCH. Its a barely/thinly veiled metaphor for the martyr mother.

I want to vomit whenever I see it and I wish I could unsee it forever.

UGH YES. I've pretty much vowed to never read it to children.

I'm strongly of the opinion that children can't have too many books.

My nephew will be just under 4 months at Xmas. I bought him (well, my sister and her husband, really) a pack of 100 diapers. He has plenty of clothes and can't really play with toys, so I figured, why bother? And my sister doesn't want him to have a bunch of toys either. I don't know about next year, though. I can't wait until he's old enough to read. Mike's niece and nephews always get books (apart from one year when I bought them Panda With Cookie gear). Last year, they got a fully illustrated Dr Seuss anthology. I wish *I* had that book.

I like the cut of your jib.

Did we lose some posts today or is it just me?