It’s about that time to begin purchasing presents if we want to share these with loved ones for Christmas. This tradition comes from the wise men offering Jesus gifts at His birth. We explain to our daughters that Jesus is generous in His nature and we are celebrating His birthday, yet He allows us to have the presents! He even said it is better to give than receive.
There is absolutely a place for generosity and for us to offer gifts to others, but I also believe there is a time to celebrate and receive with thanksgiving! I hope you are both the gift-giver and receiver this season because I believe both roles point us to gratitude for Jesus! For more ideas about generosity, don’t miss Ideas for Spreading Generosity. And if finances are tight this year, check out the creative and meaningful suggestions for gift-giving in Financially Stress-Free at Christmas.
To have a little guidance for gift-giving, we have generally followed this principle: Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. I will follow the same guideline for my recommendations.
For birthdays, we often aim to buy three presents to follow the model of Jesus receiving three presents from wise men: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. I find boundaries to be helpful and these ideas help me focus intentionally on what to purchase, rather than overdoing the gift-giving.
If you are a gift-giver, I want to share a few easy ideas for kids between the ages of 0-8. Our oldest daughter will turn eight later this month, so I share this from my experience with buying our children presents! Most of these are gifts we have purchased for children over the years or received at baby showers, birthdays, and holidays.
These are My personal favorites from 0-8:
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Newborns – 1 year olds:
Sophie the Giraffe For whatever reason, this is the one teething toy that every single one of our daughters preferred! Sophie brought many smiles over the years! I also have to include this brand for a baby doll. Our youngest daughter still takes hers everywhere and it is so soft, cute, and smells like vanilla.
Changing Pad Waterproof Liners We always keep a changing liner on top of our changing pad. It is so practical and easy to throw in the laundry, rather than the alternative of washing the entire changing station cover.
Mud Pie Socks These socks actually stay on little feet! We used these same socks through all four daughters and even passed them on to a friend! They were durable and adorable . . . a great solution for form and function in something needed frequently!
Baby’s Very First Touchy-Feely Book (Usborne) This book has been read for many years in our home!
2-year olds:
Mega Bloks Building Bag These are large enough that young toddlers can enjoy playing with them while developing better hand-eye coordination, but these have remained in our playroom for as long as we have had children because kids of all ages gravitate toward this toy!
Waterproof Mattress Liner Pad See a theme here? This is another practical way to help parents out . . . we bought multiple waterproof liners so we could switch them out during those inconvenient times when we needed to clean up a mess in the crib and we didn’t want to wait on the laundry. We slip one of these under the crib sheet and it has helped our crib mattress stay clean and dry.
Janie and Jack Swimwear This brand is high quality and so cute! Even if they can’t wear this right at Christmas time, it’s nice to have this checked off the list before a trip to the pool or the beach in the new year!
Disney’s It’s a Small World Furry Friends (Touch and Feel Book) I love sensory books! And our kids loved them even more. This book has a great variety of textures, colors, and animals to enjoy as you read to your little one on your lap.
3-year olds:
Magna-Tiles This may be my number one toy suggestion for any age. This is more of a splurge, as you can see in the price. Maybe grandparents want to join with you to give this gift this year. Over time, we have found the cost to be worthwhile. This is the toy that gets the most mileage in our home. The possibilities for creativity are endless with this toy!
Character-themed Band-Aids This is a simple gift to stick in stockings and children seem to love them! It is a very cost-effective purchase that delivers a lot of excitement!
Carter’s Underwear This is a brand we appreciate for undergarments. They are durable and there are so many options of colors for kids to choose from!
Barnyard Dance or Gossie I love books so much that I couldn’t choose a favorite for this age! Both of these are great for different reasons. Barnyard dance has a fun beat that inspires kids to get up and dance around while you read. Gossie is a sweet story about friendship and kids love the suspense when she goes on a search for her missing red boot. The surprise ending is charming.
4 year olds:
Walkie Talkies for Kids We have purchased these for our daughters (who have endless fun playing with these inside and outside the house) and we have received positive responses from other children we have gifted these to!
Kid’s Umbrella It is so much easier to walk with children in the rain when they have their own umbrella!
Hunter Kid’s Rain Boots These were a bit of a splurge, but they have lasted through multiple girls and they actually get excited for rainy days, especially when they are in charge of their own umbrella and they get to wear bright boots 🙂
Sheep in a Jeep or Little Blue Truck I just read this to our girls at lunch time today! We love both of these books. Sheep in a Jeep is silly and playful and Little Blue Truck is a fun read-aloud with a good story about friendship.
5 year olds:
Playmobil Zoo This is a nostalgic recommendation because I fondly remember this as one of my favorite toys as an early elementary school child!
Blunt Tip Scissors “Need” may be a stretch here, but your 5 year old is either in school or planning to start kindergarten in the upcoming school year. Did you know scissor skills help this age group in a variety of ways? It strengthens their hand muscles, prepares them for writing, improves hand-eye coordination, and requires focus and attention so they can stay safe. Preschool teachers refer to scissors as the multivitamin for preschool-aged kids! *Disclaimer* As always, carry these in a safe way and always supervise children when sharp objects are in the home.
Sports Safety Helmet Is your little one trying sports already, such as riding a bicycle or cruising around on a scooter? If you have to buy them a helmet anyway, it’s fun to wrap it up and present it to them on Christmas morning!
Bible Belles Can you children name any women in the Bible? This book series is a fun way to engage with real women in the Bible. It is a great read aloud series and if your child is about to read on their own, I also recommend this classic: Are You My Mother? It’s just as fun for you to read to them as it is for them to practice reading it to you!
6 year olds:
Storage Clipboard I love these for any age! We pack all sorts of art supplies in this clipboard and keep it in the car at all times. There are a variety of colors available and to see other ideas for what to put inside, check out ways to this article: How to Enjoy Road Trips with Young Kids!
Snow Pants If you live anywhere that gets snow in the winter, these accommodate outdoor fun, even in the colder months!
Rubber Band Hair Ties I bought these when our youngest daughter was one, but her older sisters helped deplete her inventory. These are great hair accessories that allow for many creative hair styles. Even though they are marketed to babies or toddlers, I have found our older girls getting the most use out of these!
Seven Silly Eaters or Sophie’s Squash I couldn’t pick between two favorites in our house for this age group. Both have a great story line with a sense of humor and the first one has some impressive rhyming. For less than ten dollars, these provide a great return on investment. We have spent hours reading these to all our children.
7 year olds:
Sticker by Number A friend brought these as a gift for our girls and they devoured them! We use these at home for quiet time or on road trips to visit family. They are always a hit!
Warm Fleece Lined Hats I like this three-pack that offers variety and gives options to match their outerwear. We have been pleased with the quality and warmth of these hats.
Temporary Bible Verses Tattoos So, we actually haven’t tried this yet, but our friend loves to memorize Scripture through wearing temporary tattoos! It could be a fun way to memorize verses together.
Amelia Bedieia and the Baby This is a book I loved as a child and now our girls giggle every time we read it as well!
8 year olds:
Color Changing Markers I still find these amusing! They can hold attention for a long time. I also recommend these Gel Pens for hours of artwork.
Winter Coats I couldn’t find our exact coat, but black has worked well for our girls and I love the Copper Key brand!
Sunglasses Even in the winter, it can be super bright while driving and these are a fun accessory to brighten up any outfit!
The Penderwicks 5-Book Series This is the beginning of a fun series and series are a great way to keep the excitement going for reading, especially over a long Christmas break from school.
If you are reading this while weather is keeping you and the kids indoors, make sure you read about ideas for indoor play to add some novelty to your day! And for recommendations on Spiritual gifts or books, don’t miss these ten recommendations.
This is not to take away or distract from the true meaning of Christmas, the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! Hopefully it helps and even shortens your shopping time so you can enjoy more time with loved ones. In all we do, even our gift-giving, I hope it teaches us something about the heart of Christ, our generous and gift-giving Savior! I hope these lessons draw out gratitude and praise for God and most of all, His gift of grace: salvation available through Jesus Christ!
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.” Luke 2:11 (KJV)
Merry Christmas season, everyone!!!
Much love,
Laura
Newborns – 1 year olds:
2 year olds
3 year olds
4 year olds:
5 year olds:
6 year olds:
7 year olds:
8-year olds
