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Post by charlotte on Oct 12, 2021 5:56:50 GMT -6
I know, it’s October.
I want to shop from small businesses and a lot of small businesses I follow recommend shopping now.
Let’s share ideas, purchases, etc for our own families and the other loved ones in our lives.
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Post by charlotte on Oct 12, 2021 5:58:26 GMT -6
I got some cool 3D puzzles and board games for my nephews.
For my niece, I ordered some wooden play sets (cash register, kitchen, etc)
I need ideas for girls in their late teens/early twenties! I did scrunchies and personalized tumblers last year.
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snowmoon
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Post by snowmoon on Oct 12, 2021 7:24:44 GMT -6
I bought a rock tumbler as a gift for the family but mostly for myself. We collect a lot of rocks.
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snowmoon
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Post by snowmoon on Oct 12, 2021 7:30:12 GMT -6
Both kids are big into LEGO. I’ve been keeping my eye on Facebook marketplace and trying to scoop up used bricks and new unopened sets. I did get the Lego Star Wars advent calendar when I saw it at Costco a few weeks ago. A lady in our neighbourhood makes wooden signs and plaques and I’m having her make a display for mini figures.  |
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Post by ovenrack on Oct 12, 2021 7:41:08 GMT -6
Yesterday I bought the kids some sparkle maple syrup, as recommended by mapleme. I’ve got some more magnatiles for them to add to their collection, too. |
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sarenu
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Post by sarenu on Oct 12, 2021 7:45:25 GMT -6
I have no idea. And I’m honestly not sure what is happening with the house during the holidays. So I may just get them all consumable it’s.
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mapleme
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Post by mapleme on Oct 12, 2021 8:45:54 GMT -6
100% to shopping now. The supply chain is bonkers and there is just no more guarantee of anything anymore. A local company that uses the same jars as us just had to switch to a different jar and it kind of shook me. We've been ok for our regular packaging, but it's been very very close a few times.
For shopping, DH has gotten the kids some legos and the first illustrated Harry Potter book. I just bought them some surfer bracelets. Mostly for C, because she's been really into bracelets recently. M was really sad when there were no "toys" last year (just legos, art supplies and other open ended activities), so we'll make sure to include a few more exciting things this year. She is all in on Barbies for her Christmas list, which is a little surprising, since she never plays with the dolls that she has. We'll definitely get her some graphic novels, since those have been her jam recently.
I've been researching new-to-me distilleries to buy DH some whiskey or rum.
I'm not sure what else. I'll have to give it some more thought.
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Post by mintyblueair on Oct 12, 2021 9:12:03 GMT -6
I'll be shopping locally for everything this year. There's a great local bookstore that also sells lots of puzzles and games, and a coffee shop that carries some really cool games as well. L is very into games of all sorts. And I'll be getting books for everyone, of course.
There's a big craft exhibition this weekend and I looked through the vendors online. It looks like there will be a ton of great vendors so I'm hoping to get things for MH (condiments, chocolate, kitchen stuff) and the kids (PJs, toques, hopefully a toy for C). I'm going to look for something for myself, too. There will be lots of pottery, art, and jewelry, etc.
I'm going to get cider for MH from a local "cidery".
I need Lego for both big kids but I'll get it at either the Lego store or Chapters. And N is into all things Elsa so I need to figure out what exactly to get her that will fulfil that wish.
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Speedy
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Post by Speedy on Oct 12, 2021 9:24:03 GMT -6
The main gifts for the kids are a doorway swing (it's so cool!), Mr Potato heads, and hobby horses since they both like to steal and "ride" on my broom lol.
Hubby's gifts are mainly going to be for his computer. I got him a foot rest, and I'm going to get him one of those large mouse pads. He asked mostly for money to go towards his new computer.
Everyone else pretty much is getting blankets. I'm just feeling blankets this year for some reason. I told hubby this the other day and he looked at me and said "is that a blanket statement". Funny man XD
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Post by charlotte on Oct 12, 2021 9:33:42 GMT -6
mapleme my DS1 is super into graphic novels as well! His favorites so far have been the Max Meow series, Simon & Chester, and the Magic Treehouse series.
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rugger
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Post by rugger on Oct 12, 2021 9:33:50 GMT -6
Oy, I have no idea. We told the girls to start thinking about gift ideas because a lot of places say to order early this year. They wanted to "browse Amazon".. yeah, not happening. R always asks for high prices tech stuff, and A usually asks for like two or three simple things life stuffies.
S gave me a shirt idea for him, but that's it. No idea what I'll send up getting him. He's not really a material possession person, so it's hard to buy for him
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mapleme
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Post by mapleme on Oct 12, 2021 10:16:57 GMT -6
mapleme my DS1 is super into graphic novels as well! His favorites so far have been the Max Meow series, Simon & Chester, and the Magic Treehouse series. I'll check those out! The Lunch Lady series has been really popular with M and her cousins. |
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Post by mintyblueair on Oct 12, 2021 10:35:53 GMT -6
mapleme my DS1 is super into graphic novels as well! His favorites so far have been the Max Meow series, Simon & Chester, and the Magic Treehouse series. I'll check those out! The Lunch Lady series has been really popular with M and her cousins. L is really into to the Hilda graphic novel series. Just in case you need more ideas! I'm going to check out the Lunch Lady. |
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mapleme
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Post by mapleme on Oct 12, 2021 11:47:42 GMT -6
What books would you guys recommend for a 5 year old? When M was 5 we would get a lot of books that I would read to them and then they could look at the pictures on their own. But at this point I read chapter books to both kids, so I don't even know what books C likes to look at. She spends a lot of time with M's old early reader books, but I know that she can't read them yet, so that seems like a random gift (although I'm about 100% sure that C will learn how to read in secret and then one day pop up reading texts over my shoulder - she likes to learn in private).
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piratecat
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Post by piratecat on Oct 12, 2021 12:01:05 GMT -6
What books would you guys recommend for a 5 year old? When M was 5 we would get a lot of books that I would read to them and then they could look at the pictures on their own. But at this point I read chapter books to both kids, so I don't even know what books C likes to look at. She spends a lot of time with M's old early reader books, but I know that she can't read them yet, so that seems like a random gift (although I'm about 100% sure that C will learn how to read in secret and then one day pop up reading texts over my shoulder - she likes to learn in private). Mine's 4.5 but Lonely Planet has a bunch of flap books (How Trains Work, How Cities Work, etc.) that are great with tons of pictures (and too many words but I just don't read all the words). Otherwise, Happy County books, All Around Bustletown (no words), Where's Waldo are all great. Mine also still loves the various Richard Scarry books. |
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piratecat
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Post by piratecat on Oct 12, 2021 12:07:14 GMT -6
mapleme, The Ultimate Book of (Space, Planet Earth, etc.) series is good too.
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Post by mintyblueair on Oct 12, 2021 12:36:41 GMT -6
What books would you guys recommend for a 5 year old? When M was 5 we would get a lot of books that I would read to them and then they could look at the pictures on their own. But at this point I read chapter books to both kids, so I don't even know what books C likes to look at. She spends a lot of time with M's old early reader books, but I know that she can't read them yet, so that seems like a random gift (although I'm about 100% sure that C will learn how to read in secret and then one day pop up reading texts over my shoulder - she likes to learn in private). L is 5 and his favourite books to look at are the free Lego catalogues we get from the store and Lego instructions lol. If M likes Lego, you may want to consider getting a catalogue! He loves these "building blocks of Science" books (pictured). He also likes some of the Richard Scarry books, Where's Waldo and I Spy, any graphic novel, National geographic books about insects or space, and we have an Usborne book about the body that he likes, as well.  |
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Post by mintyblueair on Oct 12, 2021 12:39:19 GMT -6
These are his favourite bug books:  |
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Post by mintyblueair on Oct 12, 2021 15:54:03 GMT -6
Oh mapleme, I just thought of Chickadee magazine. We subscribe to it and there are lots of "I Spy" and counting games, pattern matching, etc., plus comic strips and animal facts. L likes to look at it and do the games/puzzles on his own. It may just be in Canada but there must be something similar in the US. |
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mapleme
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Post by mapleme on Oct 12, 2021 16:37:04 GMT -6
Oh mapleme , I just thought of Chickadee magazine. We subscribe to it and there are lots of "I Spy" and counting games, pattern matching, etc., plus comic strips and animal facts. L likes to look at it and do the games/puzzles on his own. It may just be in Canada but there must be something similar in the US. Oh yeah! We had subscriptions for the kids but let them lapse. That's a really good idea. And M LIVES for the lego catalogue (both girls really do, but M gets to it first). DH is intensely into legos (he has a problem with legos like some people have a problem with cloth diapers), so I just get to absorb the casual knowledge about it. |
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Post by charlotte on Oct 12, 2021 16:44:43 GMT -6
Thanks for sharing, mintyblueair! Those books would be great for my nephews. |
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Post by ovenrack on Oct 12, 2021 20:25:51 GMT -6
Well, now I knew to order a lego catalog.
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milano
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Post by milano on Oct 13, 2021 7:58:34 GMT -6
I'm sitting outside the local toy store now, waiting for it to open. I need to get a kids birthday gift and am going to try and knock out some of my Christmas shopping while I'm at it!
We are doing Legos for both kids this year, M is able to do the 4+ ones now and it's really cute to watch them build together. We are still deciding if we are going to enter the video game world and get a Switch as a family gift. I'm leaning toward yes. I was hoping to go real lite on gifts for the kids this year and do an awesome family vacation instead, but Covid has effed that up for yet another year. Maybe in 2022!
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nikkipal
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Post by nikkipal on Oct 13, 2021 10:14:15 GMT -6
milano, we love the switch. Mario Kart is great, and I LOVED Zelda BOTW. M really likes Animal Crossing too.
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Post by mintyblueair on Oct 13, 2021 11:30:19 GMT -6
I'm sitting outside the local toy store now, waiting for it to open. I need to get a kids birthday gift and am going to try and knock out some of my Christmas shopping while I'm at it! We are doing Legos for both kids this year, M is able to do the 4+ ones now and it's really cute to watch them build together. We are still deciding if we are going to enter the video game world and get a Switch as a family gift. I'm leaning toward yes. I was hoping to go real lite on gifts for the kids this year and do an awesome family vacation instead, but Covid has effed that up for yet another year. Maybe in 2022! I'm debating getting the switch lite, it's just for handheld play. I think it'll be easier to regulate. I love Nintendo games like paper Mario and donkey Kong so I think we would all like to use it. I'm just not sure if I want N, who's only 3.5, to play video games just yet... We don't do tablets so they haven't had any exposure to that type of technology. I know L would absolutely love it! It may end up being a Santa gift for the whole family lol. |
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sarenu
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Post by sarenu on Oct 13, 2021 11:48:55 GMT -6
We live Mario Kart, Just Dance, Zelda, and Animal Crossing
But we have also had ours for a couple years now. Well worth it.
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milano
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Post by milano on Oct 13, 2021 12:16:05 GMT -6
I haven't had a gaming system since Nintendo 64 so I feel very out of the loop as to what I need to buy. I think if I buy the switch package (not lite) and a few games I should be good to go, right? How does it connect to my tv?
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milano
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Post by milano on Oct 13, 2021 12:18:43 GMT -6
Also, if I want Animal Crossing do I get the original or the New Horizons?
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sarenu
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Post by sarenu on Oct 13, 2021 12:51:58 GMT -6
Also, if I want Animal Crossing do I get the original or the New Horizons? New Horizons Get an extra joy con (pair) and grip. It comes with an HDMI cable for the regular ones. Most multiplayer you can use one side of the controller, but Mario cart allows for more than 2 players. |
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sarenu
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Post by sarenu on Oct 13, 2021 12:54:31 GMT -6
If you plan to travel with just the portable unit, get a case.
We download most games so that we don’t need to deal with the little chips and having them not put back in their cases.
These games do hold value sometimes, so if you want to resell get the physical copies.
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