or other holidays and birthdays. The kids get soooo many toys. In the past I have bought character towel and washcloth sets, character bowl/plate/cup sets. I usually try to do a movie, or a new game to en existing system. I thought buying one of those plastic chuck e cheese drink cups and putting tokens inside would be a good idea. (In the past I have put chuck e cheese tokens inside easter eggs and also stockings) I am looking to get some more gift ideas, an alternative to toys.

Membership to zoo, children's museum, or kids gym. Pay for some class they want to take?

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I've never lied to you. I've always told you some version the of truth.

how old are they?
movie tickets
build a bear gift certificates?
bubble baths
new bedding sets

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Too many people spend money they haven't earned to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. - Will Rogers

My grandchildren are teenagers now. I just give them cash and they get to pick what they want, instead of having to tell Gramma thank you for something they don't like. In fact I give my kids money also. It takes the hassel out of Christmas. I used to stress out so much about what to get that I was a nervouse wreck and didn't enjoy the real meaning of Chrsitmas.

Give to a charity they like in their name. If they are into animals, for example, give to the local humane society.

my parents always spend a bundle on the kids---and it is usually a bunch of cheap stuff that will be forgotten in a few days. So, we have asked, in lieu of the huge pile of crap (sorry mom and dad), to combine all the $$ and buy a family gift. We have gotten season passes to the local amusement and water parks, as well as the museum memberships, or $$$ toward our family vacation. They still buy the kids a few trinkets to unwrap, but where they used to spend about $800 on our family for junk, they are spending it on stuff that we will use and appreciate all through the year. And they love it when we call them after a day at the waterpark and tell them thanks---in August-9mos. after Christmas. Just be creative. Your kids don't need a whole pile of junk....

I would get the kids a gift card from Barnes and Noble or Borders. It's important to encourage kids to love books.

but a rubbermaid box filled with paper, glue sticks, contact paper, magnets, clothes pins, sculpey, stickers, markers, pom poms, etc. usually goes over very well, and keeps them busy.

In a warm climate, a great gift is one of those butterfly kits where they send you the larvae and you watch the butterflies hatch. My son loved this.

For my kids birthday parties I don't allow gifts. My kids don't use what they have. We call the local Ronald McDonald house and see what they need. Then we ask all the guests for donations. When we bring it over they make a big fuss about how great the kids are. They have not missed a thing, and they have both done it 4 years now. (They still get gifts from family members.)

Magazine Subscriptions!! Encourages them to read all year long and they can be very reasonable. last year I got my newly-turned 6 yo one to Big Backyard and my 11 yo has gotten to American Girl and to National Geographic Kids ... something to look forward to in the mail all year long!

Another really great gift ... buy a photo album - it can be really cheap even - and then fill it with some photos of family and friends. Whenever you get your photos printed, give some to the kids for their "album."

I am doing mostly a homemade christmas/holiday gifts this year and one gift I am going to give each of the kids is a package with some dry cookie and brownie baking mix - betty crocker, pillsbury, etc. to make with Mom. I just know they will be thrilled since we do not do a lot of sweets in our house.

My new thing for birthday parties we are invited to is to buy a single hardcover book - a good one. These kids really have more toys than they can ever appreciate and most kids do not have a lot of hardcovers due to the price ... that is my new party gift for my kids' friends. We also go to a local (non-franchise) book store for the book so we are also supporting a local business which is cool

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Trade Paperback Books at this cool site! I've gotten 9 books already and I love it!! Get one free when you list 10 books to trade! No fees!

http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.p...%40hotmail.com

Let 'em know that psflanagan@hotmail.com referred you and I'll get a free one too

I second the National Geographic for Kids. My elderly aunt gave my ds a subscription a couple of years ago and he has enjoyed it as much as anything he's ever gotten. Not to mention, it has come in handy for several school reports.

He also loves movie gift cards, or gift cards to Blockbuster so he can rent movies or games he wants.

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Mom to 3 - one with 2 legs and 2with 4!

I never 'get' the money thing. I feel like we're doing this exchange of cash thing. Dh's birthday he gets a gift card from his sister. Three weeks later, I buy her a gift card in the same amount. It feels senseless. I do like getting money and totally understand how hard it is to buy for some people. I also get upset when family asks "what do you want for Christmas?" If you don't know me well enough to know what I might like, please don't spend money just to have a gift and say you got me a present.

One year I bought the 'ladies' towels & washclothes. I thought that was something you don't run out and get yourself too quickly.

There was an article in our local paper not long ago about a birthday party where each guest brought a bag of pet food and then they took a trip and donated it to the local animal shelter and visited the pets. It seemed to go over big.

This year for Christmas, the kids get to ask Santa for something so they'll get a stocking there and then we are either adopting a less fortunate family or making a donation to the local humane shelter since my girls are such HUGE animal lovers.

My kids don't play with half of their toys either. Now books, movies and video games they do but not toys per say. So, I don't buy them anymore.

How about enrolling them in a cooking class (depending on age). Our local Hy-Vee (grocery store) has tons of cooking classes for ages 5-16 usually with all different skill levels.

Amy