The "toy" for Christmas 2011

MBennett · 29 Sep 2011 at 09:56

Lol - Buzz Lightyear is already considered 'back in the day'? I used to love Lego pirates and castles. As I grew older this became technic and mecharno. Got my first taste of computer games at christmas when I was 10 with a megadrive and looking back on it I think that was when my youth was effectively ruined

Nowadays I buy everything for myself, I ask my family and g/f for Pc stuff and Bly rays buy they always refuse to get me anything related to that so I normally end up with a pile of jumpers, socks, slippers and aftershave. Whilst that's nice and all I rather they bought what I asked for!!!!

antijoke · 29 Sep 2011 at 09:57

My 6 year old is getting:

Lego Harbour
Giant Bakugan dragon that combines from lots of Bakugan
Various Ben 10 figures (with disc for his Omnitrix
A new Sonic Duvet set
Various other little presents

My three old is getting:
Deluxe Optimus Prime leader Transformer (I am more excited for this TBH)
Lego lorry with speed boat
Bakugan
Hot wheels
Transformers duvet set
and again various other little presents

I would never buy a child an iPad 2.

indyskyz · 29 Sep 2011 at 09:58

as a child i rarely got what i asked for... although
generally i got something a whole lot better

POB · 29 Sep 2011 at 09:58

I love profiting from the "must have" Christmas toys.

Craig1981 · 29 Sep 2011 at 09:58

Jay794 said:
Unless they have specific hobbies/interests, for example, my mum loves Twilight and my dad likes Real Ale.

Well my mum is into a particular kind of willow ornament. Thats sustained me for a number of birthdays/mothers day/etc. But shes got quite a lot of them now. Hardly any left in the collection she doesnt already own. Plus its getting a little redundant. My dad is even worse to shop for. Hes a boring old git in a lot of ways, hardly into anything. He doesnt even drink anymore cause he was diagnosed borderline diabetic and also has a slight blood pressure issue.

Still usually my mum will basically tell me what to get him and drop enough hints that I know what she wants as well.

RopAyy · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:01

Ive never heard of this Bakugan, maybe i need to invest in new toys for my office desk!

freak2002 · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:01

CARS CARS CARS!!! My 2 year old is obsessed. Getting him a Mac Lorry (2nd Hand off Ebay) with 10 car toys.

Other presents are going to be Happy Land (again ebay 2nd Hand).

Before anyone says cheapass for getting my son pressies 2nd hand off ebay. We have got him a few other bits but you can get some really nice stuff for more than half price. We are going to get it £100 worth for £50 and spread it over his Birthday (Nov) and Xmas.

Jay794 · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:04

Don't you think second hand toys are a little cheap for Christmas?

I've still got about 3 years of Lynx and shower gels left over from previous Christmases (It's not that I don't shower, I just get an absolute load from my girlfriends parents. That and Jack Daniels to add to my collection.

My girlfriends dad is the worst person to buy for, he's diabetic, doesn't drink, doesn't smoke, doesn't wash, doesn't read. All he does is watch football on TV. I tried getting him football trivia books but he doesn't read. He's impossible to buy for

antijoke · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:06

2nd hand toys for christmas?

Wow I've really heard it all now.

RopAyy said:
Ive never heard of this Bakugan, maybe i need to invest in new toys for my office desk!

My boys have quite a few, they don't do a lot but they like rolling them around the floor.

burns · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:07

Jay794 said:
Don't you think second hand toys are a little cheap for Christmas?

For a 2 year old? He wouldn't know the difference. You would be spending the extra £50 for new stuff purely because you didn't want to feel cheap. Your choice I guess.

Craig1981 · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:07

Jay794 said:
Don't you think second hand toys are a little cheap for Christmas?

Unless their rare/hard to get toys that are being sold in good condition?

Morgoth · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:10

At 2 years old I'd give him a cardboard box painted to look like a spaceship.

Jay794 · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:11

Lol definitely agree with that Morgoth, let their imagination do the work.

My neighbours kids are under 10 years old and they both got iPhones for Christmas last year WHY?! Probably not the correct thread for bitching but honestly, would why a kid need a mobile phone at all? Aren't ID chips enough?

I didn't get my first mobile phone till I was about 15. Although looking back now, I have no idea how I used to meet up with friends before I had a mobile phone lol

krooton · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:15

indyskyz said:
You're 30 years old
does your mum ask or do you make a list?

I haven't asked for anything specific for at-least 10 years

My gf forces me to send her a Xmas list, which is difficult as I tend to buy the things I want when I want them.

This year's list:

Shaving kit:
http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk...aving/_STA-SOA-NOR/268168/Starter-Kit----Soap

Black Badger Ivory
Edwin Jagger Aloe Vera
Derby Extra (10x)
Edwin Jagger DE89L - Lined Chrome

If the bundle isn't available (or is too expensive), these individually instead please:

http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk...89L/268139/DE-Razor-Lined-Chrome-Plated-DE89L
http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk...ALO/268139/Aloe-Vera-Traditional-Shaving-Soap
http://www.traditionalshaving.co.uk...-89P17/268139/Pure-Badger-Shaving-Brush-Ivory

Other stuff:

Lenovo Mini Wireless Keyboard N5901A
Pizza Scissor and Serve
Digital meat thermometer
http://www.melburyandappleton.co.uk/whirley-pop-popcorn-maker-63-p.asp
http://www.mobilefun.co.uk/samsung-galaxy-s2-desktop-sync-and-charge-cradle-with-hdmi-out-p31477.htm
Any of the Sinfest paperbacks

Syph · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:19

Our neighbours often buy 2nd hand for their kids, because they don't have a lot of money and had some serious debt in the past. But then at least they're being responsible etc and their kids actually get something.

Last year was the only time we've had to search and search for something for our daughter (who was 5 at the time). She is big into Toy Story and that pink bear from TS3 was the only one we hadn't got for her. We eventually found some stock in Tesco and went to collect.

They bought the package out, but because we'd had stuff wrong before I asked to check the package. It looked a little large - had 4 of the bears in the box. I saved them £150 by not just walking out but you could have made a killing off them on Ebay. I was tempted to buy a couple there and then.

DBT85 · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:20

anticonscience said:
2nd hand toys for christmas?

Why on earth should it matter? Especially for a 2 year old.

Even for adults where is the problem for most stuff? CDs and dvds and blu rays are going to fill a lot of stockings and so long as the case isn't battered and the disk doesn't look like an ice rink then the content is identical. I couldn't get a new copy of F1 on the PS3 last December for love nor money but ebay came to the rescue with a used but perfect condition copy for half the price which means I could get my dad something else too.

Instead of getting a single cd you might want form your great aunt marge you might get 3. How dare she be a skinflint and get it used when you have to tolerate having more presents to open. Also think of it from a kids point of view. If you asked them if they wanted a new whatever and nothing else or a second hand one that wasn't in manky condition but they could also have other stuff too they'd take the used one.

back to the main question though

Even at 26 I still make a list, however its one I update throughout the year on Amazon so that my family who always insist of buying something never run out of ideas. I always try and make the list about 3x bigger than I could ever get to give me some element of surprise.

Having just bought myself Star Wars and Firefly on bluray though my list has only got a few PS3 games on it at the moment.

Why anyone would buy a child an iPad I don't know. Probably the same people who get an iPhone for a 10 year old though.

Morgoth said:
At 2 years old I'd give him a cardboard box painted to look like a spaceship.

And it would be glorious!

antijoke · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:24

Because the whole thing about Christmas is opening the box of your new toy as well, it's just my opinion of course but just getting the actual toy in wrapping paper wouldn't be how I would want my child to experience Christmas.

If money is tight (by no means are me or my partner rolling in money) then surely the responsible thing to do is, just moderate how much you buy your child?

Spikey Willow · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:27

As a kid, I'd rather have had 5 second-hand presents that I could play with than 1 or 2 new things.

The boxes go in the bin/loft after Christmas Day anyay.

krooton · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:28

anticonscience said:
Because the whole thing about Christmas is opening the box of your new toy as well

Capitalism 1 : Religion 0

DJMK4 · 29 Sep 2011 at 10:29

I don't really get a lot being a 27 year old from people these days, only about £120 between people, I do have some birthday money still and my savings, I think I am going to put some money in myself aswel this year as I don't treat myself enough and have hardly bought any fun stuff this year

Don't know what to get though at the moment

Might treat myself to a new HTPC set-up.