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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Need Help with Christmas Gift Idea
This year will be our Nephew's first Christmas.
I want to get him something every year that will eventually make a collection (Ex: SIL gets a single pearl from her Godmother every Christmas and is making a necklace, my Cousin gets a handmade ornament from my Mom each Christmas...).
I can't seem to think of anything for a little boy except a train set...but those are quite expensive and you can only take that so far.
I was also thinking of a college/savings bond...but that's so boring.
Re: Need Help with Christmas Gift Idea
DH's grandmother did this for all 28 of her grandkids, and it's a really sweet idea, because the collections have grown into something each kid treasures (just about). That being said, with so many grandkids, there have been some repeats in terms of gifts. And, each kid's collection stopped after they graduated from high school, so everyone has at least 18 of their collection.
DH has a coin bank collection. For each Christmas, his grandparents found a bank to give him, and depending on his age, they vary. He has a series of "animal" banks, and a large Mickey Mouse from the summer they all went to Orlando. He also has a bank from Holland that his grandfather gave him after a long trip.
His brother and cousins have cars. They got a model car for each Christmas. Some of them were cars they could build, others were collector cars. They got "special" cars for big years, like 10, 13, 16, and 18. Another cousin has coins from all over the world that their grandpa picked up in his travels, but they're nice, not junk change.
My SIL gets a Christmas ornament to hang on the tree. They're all angels, so it looks really nice. She got cute cherubic ones when she was younger, and they've gotten more sophisticated as she aged.
My Mom has gotten me the special release Disney movie every year for Christmas since I was a kid. I've amassed quite a collection, except the early part of it is on VHS. My brother and I also got Hallmark ornaments every year to hang on the tree. I got figurines every year and my brother got model cars.
What are his parents' interests? Sometimes playing off of their interests is a good place to start since your nephew will be introduced to their hobbies soon enough.
Maybe buy a set of baseball cards from this year, and every year thereafter? They could be worth something someday. Or an autographed ball every year? Collectible books that are age appropriate for him so they grow as he grows?
I like the piggy bank and coin ideas, too.
This is a sweet idea you're doing for him, btw. Hope you find the just right gift.
Thanks for the help, girls. I really appreciate it!
The Disney movie idea is really clever...I would never have thought about that.
I am loving the Hallmark ornament idea too. They have a lot that aren't too girlie - which is what I was afraid of with ornaments.
The bank idea is cute too, but he already has at least 3 from other people, so I think it might be overkill.
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My aunt did the Disney movie for us (all 3 kids got one movie together).
Don't get anything that will take up too much space. I gasped in horror (ok not really) at the PP's H's bank collection. I am so glad my H doesn't have 18piggy banks! Something small if it needs shelf space, please!
We do get DS a ornament every year- either one that is personalizable with the year/his age, or I add it myself with a permanent marker.
I second the baseball card set idea. My brother has collected sets for years and I buy him one every year for Christmas (he's 38!)
I know my nephew's other grandparents buy him and their other grandson the Hess truck/vehicle that comes out every year.
This is a really neat idea!
I know it sounds boring but I love the savings bond idea. My great grandmother (who has since passed) gave us savings bonds for holidays, birthdays, christening, etc. and my grandparents did the same thing. My mom held on to them and gave them to my DH and I right before our wedding...we cashed them all in (some were from 1980s) and we were able to use the $1500 to help fund our honeymoon. It was really special because I felt like she was with us on that trip and helped us make it happen.
...also, just a thought, when they're that little they don't really know what you're getting them and they'll never know you bought them a specific train, etc...with savings bonds, years from now you'll help them fund a big event in their life (i.e. first home, first car, honeymoon, wedding, etc) and that's so special. Just make sure to tell his parents that they have to hold on to it for him until he's old enough to make a smart purchase with it. That's what my parents did and it was so special...I was able to thank my grandparents prior to our honeymoon and explain how I honored I felt that my great grandmother had done that for me.
This. I was able to use savings bonds from my birth/baptism/early birthdays for my wedding. It was great, and I knew that my family had truly helped me have the wedding of my dreams.
I'm going to add support to the bonds also. I had to pay for college on my own and I would have loved to have a bit of a financial boost.
And some of these suggestions, as clever as they are, how many adults really want to pack up and store these items when they grow up? There is a period in time when they live in college dorms, small apartments with roommates and it stays packed up. Especially like the train set stuff. I guess if the parents are willing to keep it at their house, it works, but I think you have to keep that kind of thing in mind.
I would keep collections small, like coins or trading cards.