For the Love of God… What NOT to Get a Kid for Christmas
I never thought I’d be that mother. The one that cringes inside when her child receives a gift she doesn’t approve of and then takes it away later. But I am. 🤷♀️ I’ve learned that certain toys either aren’t good or appropriate for my child or are just too freaking annoying for me to deal with. So, if you want to stay in Mom and Dad’s good graces this year, here’s what NOT to get a kid for Christmas.
For the past couple of years, I’ve made an Amazon list for each of my children and the grandparents have been great about sticking to that. Or getting something I insist my kids NEED, like baby socks that stayed on! But just in case there’s ever any confusion, my online mama friends and I have some advice to well-meaning family members before they gift our child another gift that drives us batty.
Moms of the Internet of What NOT to Get a Kid for Christmas
“Please do not give our kids anything that makes an annoying noise. For example a recorder, whistle, cowbell, megaphone, or a blow horn.” Tiffany from #LifewithBoys
“I don’t want my kids to get anything that involves glitter”. Jennifer of Munchkin Treks
“Please do not buy any lightsabers, pirate swords, or any toy that could be used as a lightsaber or pirate sword.” Dana from 39ishLife
“Anything with small pieces, unless it comes with a container!” Rabia Lieber, The Liebers
“Silly Putty. The last time we put this in our kids’ stockings, we ended up having to throw out 2 sweatshirts, a small rug, and several fabric baby toys.” Shannon Johnson, Joy in the Works
“Legos. Especially if you know the kids are little and already have a hundred they are not using.” Stacey Waltzer, 40 Wishes and Counting
“Nothing from Justice, hate those clothes. Or Monster High Dolls, they are the worst! And Bunchems get stuck in kids’ hair.” Kristin Miller Hewitt, Mommy in Sports
“NO stuff with glitter on it!” Whitney Lang Fleming, Playdates on Fridays
“No more huge toys that don’t fit in regular storage bins. Like giant, awkwardly shaped Nerf guns that just sit in the middle of the room.” Lauri Walker, Mama Needs a Nap
“Please no play piano, lego sets with more than 5 pieces.” Jill Eitnier
“Kinetic sand (because play dough wasn’t bad enough), Baby Alive Dolls – so freaking creepy to hear your 3-year-old having a conversation over the monitor and for her doll to reply back. Even creepier when it happens at 2 am. Marionettes, they get super tangled in 0.2 seconds.” Gina Marie, Stage Too
“Please don’t gift my kids anything that involves a million little plastic pieces that will end up getting thrown out two weeks later as I rage-clean their room.”
– Kierstin Gunsberg, http://hubpages.com/@kierstingunsberg
“Any “toy” actually. My children have more than enough. Exceptions of course are books, legos, and Kapla blocks.” Rina Mae Acosta, Finding Dutchland
“Stuffed animals because we currently don’t have room for the collection our girls already have. And anything with tiny beads. They rarely make it into any form of jewelry, but somehow end up all over the house!” Kristin Whiteside, KnowMom.net
Now that you know what NOT to get a kid for Christmas, we have several helpful suggestions on gifts that you SHOULD consider.
First, a personalized letter from Santa. You can get a letter actually delivered from the real town of North Pole, Alaska! They are beautifully designed, on parchment paper with a very “official” seal. And 10% of all profits go to Toys for Tots. Check out SantaLetters.org.
Or check out our Holiday Gifts that Keep Kids Off Screens video.
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