Do your little ones "buy" gifts THEY pick out themselves?

[geomacey]

Both of my kids had "Santa's Workshop" at school where they would shop for family members. If they couldn't find anything they liked there, my parents would take them to the Dollar Store. Some of the most memorable gifts we ever unwrapped were:

1. the headless angel statue (actually an angel robe with wings and a hanger where you would think the angel's head should be) that I got because DD said I would think it was beautiful...

2. the elf hat that DS got my brother because his hair was thinning and DS didn't want his head to get cold.

3. scotch tape that DD bought DH so he wouldn't have to borrow mommy's anymore!

4. the crocheted tie that DS also gave my brother because he was going on job interviews and needed a tie!

DS is now way too old to do this, but DD is still carrying on the tradition. She wraps her own gifts and we all open them at the same time and then she tells us WHY we got what we got. I never want her to grow up!!

Any other memorable gifts out there????

[fairydustcrissy]

My grandma takes my kids to the dollar store and lets them pick out gifts for everyone. I think its really cute. No matter how crappy the gift, its cool knowing that they thought about me when they picked t out, and wanted to make me happy.

[gisellerol]

that is so cute i am going to let my kids go to the dollar store this year for their shopping!

[Mommie2one]

My daughter's school has that. Its call the Secret Santa Shop. I give her $30 every year to buy gifts for her grandparetns, my husband, and myself. She usually finds something for herself too. Its great. They wrap and tag everything. Its a nice thing they do. This year they needed volunteers to run it this year so I will help out.

[shopping mom]

When the older kids were little they did get us gifts from the dollar tree. My favorite was a ball so I could have one to play outside with them. Now they all do a little bit more. My oldest daughter (17) waits to shop on BF. i am going to take the 2 year old to the dollar tree this year. No telling what she will pick out.

[sunprincess831]

I did that Santa's Workshop thingy when I was in elementary school....my parents always loved it and I loved being able to shop all by myself!

[brynnfromtheblock]

My grandmother used to put a dollar a week away for each kid, and at the end of the year we'd have close to 50 bucks to shop with... We had so much fun!!

[WELUVKDS79]

Actually my first 3 kids do ages 9,7 & 3. The 3 year old is the toughest because we have to remind our shopaholic in training she is buying for everyone else but, once she gets rolling she does good. The older two are wonderful at it.

[Kandy]

My DD and DS shop at the Secret Santa Shop at school. They love it. They take about $15-$20 each. They spend about 1/2 on Mom, Dad, & Grandparents then the other half on themselves. LOL.

 

MY DD is now in the middle school and I dont think they offer that anymore.

[Mommie2one]

From what I understand, I am working the registers. Thankfully they will have calculators. LOL. Im not the smartest one adding up stuff in my head.

[treasure60]

I take my grandchildren out to get gifts for their mommy and daddy after the Chester Greenwood Day Parade (the town where I grew up he is known for inventing the earmuffs~also a distant relative), I take them out shopping for gifts and then take them out to eat at McDonald's.

[Guest all2tired]

My kids have a Christmas store at school where they can do their own shopping but I still buy something for them to give too

[cami_reardon]

When they were little, the kids always got 5.00 each to go to the "Christmas Store" at church where wonderful volunteers "sold" them things and helped them wrap up. They were all donated gifts but the kids got a hoot out of it all. Now the grandkids do this.

 

My 16 year old surprised me yesterday with my gift early!! We went to see the Nutcracker Ballet (my treat), just her and I. We usually go somewhere around this time of year, maybe the ballet or symphony or playhouse. Well anyway, she took me to dinner at a very nice restaurant prior to the ballet. It was a wonderful surprise!~!

[WELUVKDS79]

Cool!!

[eve]

i remember doing that in school

[erh12275]

I can't wait til my girls go to school for this very reason.

[BrandyJervas]

haven't gotten there yet but I hope so when they get a little older I used to when I was little I think it's so cute

[Jenniferharrison82]

I think that is really cute, I will definetly take my son this year.

[ShawnainKY02]

My oldest 2 have the Santa shop at their school. DS is a born bargain hunter. Doesn't matter how much I give him, he will get the most for his money. I also take them to the Dollar Store to finish their shopping. They get to pick all gifts themselves.

One year DD got a calculator with large numbers on it for my mother, who wears glasses when she reads, so that she could see the numbers. She also got my mother in law a neon yellow notebook because she never had any paper when the kids would ask her from some to draw on. They have also bought various tools for every male on their shopping list. DD got a ceramic pineapple for a close friend of the family. They have bought toys for their dad. The list just goes on. It is so funny to see what they will pick for people.

The other day, I asked the 3 year old what she wanted to get her daddy for Christmas. She said, "A toy!" Can't wait to see what that will be.

Oh yeah. The best? gift that I ever got from my DS was a pooping reindeer. It was this little plastic statue that "pooped" out brown jellybeans. He thought it was hillarious and knew that I would too since I like to be silly and joke so much. He also got the same thing for his grandfather. He must have thought that that was just the best little thing ever. (I still have it in a box of Christmas decorations. So, I must too. :)