What 'big' present did you give your DC each year?

[ourbabygirl]

It seems like my kids already have everything they could need/ want, toy-wise, and they're only 1 & 3! (Sure, there's a bunch of 'stuff' they could get that's electronic, character-related, etc., but I'd rather avoid that as much as possible). I'm afraid of what my parents could give them for Christmas, because we really don't have much space for more, and the more long-lasting/ quality products (like Magnatiles, unit blocks, Legos, musical instruments, Tripp Trapp, Learning Tower, etc.), I've bought for them. :bag
My parents don't do online shopping :thumbsdown:, which is too bad because there are a lot of great deals to be found online, and things that places like TRU wouldn't have. When I suggest experience gifts for our kids, they don't want to do that and would rather have something big for them to open.

So, thinking ahead, what are some 'big' gifts that your kids have gotten for birthdays or holidays? All I can come up with right now is a bike, but I'm sure there are other things that come up as kids get older...

Thanks for your insight! :)

[KrisM]

DS1 is 7.5 now. He's getting a Spy Video car this year. Not big, but I think he'll be very excited by it. Previous years have included the Lego Train sets, Thomas train parts.

DD is 5.5 and this year she's getting a Nintendo DS Lite. In past years, she's gotten an easel, Butterscotch pony.

DS2 is 3.5 and is getting a Geotrax set this year and got a garage last year.

[kijip]

We usually only do big present for Christmas but occasionally we do something on the birthday too:

Toby:


Age 1: Trike
Age 2: play kitchen (from my dad for his bday), Trains
Age 3: Trains, easel
Age 4: Bike, Dollhouse
Age 5: Snap circuits, Legos
Age 6: Wii Fit
Age 7: Lego Mindstorms (with his own money he saved for a year, not a gift). We did a smaller Christmas, biggest hit was Blockus.
Age 8: iPod Touch (recycled)

Finn:

Age 1: Haba Walker Wagon
Age 2: trains (recycled from T), Trike
Age 3: Thomas Roundhouse, Leapster Explorer (both at 1/2 or more off)

Trike and bike were both given too soon for Toby. Haba Walker Wagon was nice but short lived. Trains a hit for both.

[buddyleebaby]

We don't really do "big" gifts.
Our "big" gifts are the ones that are most desired. (This year, a telescope (DD1) and an ez bake oven (DD2).)
My grandma gets us a family zoo membership every year.
Other "big" gifts have been a play kitchen, a dollhouse, a train table, and a lego set.

[artvandalay]

Not sure if you mean big, as in size, or big, as in expensive? I'm cutting back on "big in size" gifts.

7 year old DS's big gift this year is a Nintendo 3DS. He's getting a bunch of other stuff, but this is the most expensive.

4 year old DS doesn't really have a "big" Christmas present this year.. He has other "medium" sized gifts, lol... like the Lazer Chaser Car he's been asking for, games for his Leapster Explorer, Camera attachment for Leapster, Super Mario hat/gloves....

They are both getting a bow and arrow that they are to share.

DD doesn't have a big gift this year (18mos) :bag She really doesn't need anything and my house is overflowing with toys. I did buy her a Buckleyboo kitten, I know she's going to love that. We really have everything else. I guess I'll get her some clothes just so she has something more to open, but I know my relatives are all getting her clothes this year. I might get her some Melissa and Doug puzzles.

[ellies mom]

It just depends on the year and what the girls need/want. Some years there isn't one big gift but a few middle size gifts. We've done play kitchens, doll houses, half a bitty twin, Snap Circuits etc.

This year, DD1 is getting a good skateboard which turns out to be pretty spendy and it looks like DD2 is getting more medium gifts.

[smiles33]

What about play furniture? The PBK Anywhere Chair is popular, though I got my girls a P'kolino sofa last year courtesy of a BBB sale and they LOVE it. They flip and unflip it all the time and it's made of better quality foam and fabric than the cheaper TRU version (though I paid about the same price thanks to the great 40% off sale).

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'm not going to remember ages well so here are what I remember:
-play kitchen
-big wheel type tricycle
-easel
-keyboard
-Wii
-digital camera
-$$ Lego sets

Beth

[hillview]

play kitchen
train table
geotrax
imaginext sets
rokenboc
ketler trike
unit blocks

/hillary

[essnce629]

DS1 (8 yrs old)
Kettler Trike
Music Instruments
Thomas stuff
Barclay unit blocks
Kettler balance bike
Step2 outdoor playhouse
Step2 Naturally Playful sandbox
Vtech digital camera and video camera
iPod Touch (grandparents' used one)
Large Lego sets

DS2 (2 1/2 yrs old)
Wooden Haba toys
Wooden Guidecraft kitchen and Plan Toys play food
Melissa & Doug shopping cart
Little Tikes EasyScore Basketball Set
Little Tikes water table
Step2 Naturally Playful big slide
Mini Kick scooter

[Simon]

We don't worry about "big" gifts though there has been one some years. At your kids ages, I doubt they are aware of big vs. small gifts.

Mixing up kids and years, we have done:
play food
trains
easel+supplies
walker wagon
drum set
water table
"camping" gear
cooking supplies (own spatula, measuring cup, mixing bowl, apron, etc)


Other ideas that avoid batteries and characters:
full size wagon (for pulling the kids in)
bikes (balance or pedal or trike)
trips/experiences/tickets to events
classes (swim, soccer, dance)
telescope
books
playdough + supplies
musical instruments

[JoyNChrist]

DS1

1st (9 months) - RF Walker Wagon
2nd (21 months) - Kitchen
3rd (2) - Little Einsteins Pat Pat Rocket and playsets
4th (3) - Leapster
This year (4) - Microscope (his request) and a bicycle from my mom

DS2 & DD

1st (4 months) - Exersaucers
This year (16 months) - DD is getting a doll and stroller, and DS2 is getting the Little People rampway thing

[almostamom]

1st (6 weeks old) - Toy Chest
2nd - Rocking Dog (instead of a rocking horse)
3nd - Kitchen
4rd - New Kitchen (first one didn't last)
5th - Desk
6th - Power Wheels Truck
7th - Bruder Trucks
8th - Basketball Hoop and Bike

I like it when there's that one "WOW" gift. I didn't feel like last year's Bruder trucks had that "wow" factor. In fact, of all his trucks, they were the least played with and I wasn't impressed with their quality at all.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

for Christmas DS (11.5 months) got Fisher Price Laugh & Learn Home (well, the ILs bought it). That was probably the "big" gift..IIRC we mostly got him smaller things like Potsy, Playskool ball popper. We got him the Learning Tower for his 1st birthday 2 weeks after (but he didn't really use it until he was 15 months).

This year, DS the "big" thing will be a train table with lots of Thomas trains, tracks, accessories. We will also deck out one of the playspaces with Thomas wall decals an such.

for DD, i plan to get her My First Purse (the fisher price one that "talks") and the Luv U Zoo crib piano. Those aren't really big gifts but she's only 9mos and has everything under the sun (exersaucer, jumperoo, etc) thanks to handme downs from DS. plus i already got her a tripp trapp and PBK anywhere chair.

[shawnandangel]

DD, turned 3 in October:

2mo - Fisher-Price play gym

14mo - play kitchen - KidKraft - has held up very nicely http://www.amazon.com/KidKraft-53151-Prairie-Kitchen/dp/B0015YPGJA/ref=sr_1_73?ie=UTF8&qid=1323062197&sr=8-73

26mo - Radio Flyer trike that I got for a steal last year on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-Roadster-12-Inch-Trike-Red/dp/B000FH2Y9S/ref=sr_1_20?s=toys-and-games&ie=UTF8&qid=1323062513&sr=1-20

3 yrs - I'm thinking dollhouse. I really don't have a solid idea in mind :bag:

[vonfirmath]

We are not concerned about getting a big present for DC.

1st Christmas? Nothing in particular -- got a big toy chest from the inlaws but it did not get put together until nearly 2 years later
For his 1st birthday, he got a Britax Marathon from us, Rocking Blue Puppy from grandparents
2nd Christmas: Maybe the Little People Nativity set? or the tent/tunnel set from grandma and grandpa (that never got used)
2nd birthday: Already had a balance bike. Little Tikes climbing toy
3rd Christmas: Wedgits? Nothing in particular big
3rd birthday: Imaginext Fire station, definitely (from An Aunt and Uncle)
4th christmas: Leapster (from grandparents)
4th Birthday: a lot of individual gifts. Nothing in particular big (we thought about getting him a toy Toolbench but in the end did not and I do believe that was the right decision)
5th Christmas (this year): digital camera from one set of grandparents, likely another Imaginext set from the other set.

[amldaley]

We don't do a "big" gift yet. I figure that she will start asking for every toy under the sun and responding to peer pressure at school to compete for the best Christmas gifts soon enough, so I am taking advantage of the time when she does not know or care how many gifts and what the cost is for awhile while I can.

Last year, I guess her "big" gift - the gift she was the most in awe over was a $25 play kitchen or perhaps the used FP LP sets I got her off Ebay.

This year, the most expensive gift she is recieving is a $30 custom made teddy bear from Etsy and a Correlle Doll that her Godmother is giving her.

We do plan on getting her a LeapPad or perhaps a netbook in February when her sister is born as her big sister gift.