Our Early Holiday Shopping Watch List 2023
It is early October, but it feels like a sprint from now until the holidays. We are also expecting baby number 4 shortly after Christmas, so that is definitely ramping up my desire to plan and shop ahead. I’ve compiled a list of gift ideas that would be great for kids of all ages. Here is we have our eyes on so far.
How We Organize Christmas Gifts
We stick to Want, Need, Wear, Read, Make, Do, and Something Just For You categories for each of the kids on Christmas. Everyone gets 7 presents and the simplicity is just right for me! Although we don’t make the dollar amount for each category equal for everyone, the total amount spent on each child ends up being nearly the same. I’ll share ideas for each category, plus some extras that the kids have on their wish lists so far. I’ll also include some items that we already own, but I would 100% purchase again if they broke or got lost.
Here is a breakdown of the gift categories:
Want- this includes anything the kids have been eyeing or mentioned as wanting in the months leading up to Christmas.
Need- this category always cracks me up! Sometimes the kids need new socks or pants, but last year when Ellette was 1 and starting to use silverware we found we were always running out during the day. So, her Need gift was a box of forks! And that sums up being a third child in our house.
Wear- anything the kids could put on their body counts here. Shoes, socks, clothes, sunglasses, hats, jewelry, bathrobe, etc.
Read- we love books at our house, so we pick one out for each child every year and write a message in it.
Make- this is usually a craft, activity, building material, or art supplies.
Do- activity, game, class, etc.
Something Just For You- we plan a trip, outing, or other special activity for each child and spend quality time together as parents with one kid at a time.
Want
Toniebox- I’ve heard great things about this and am very intrigued!
Solly Dolly wrap- I’ve had this item on my list for 2 years, but think I’m going to finally hit purchase! I love my Solly wrap and I know the kids are going to want to match when I wear our new baby shortly after Christmas!
Crystal growing kit- I might also include this in the “Do” category depending on what other gifts I purchased
Little People Disney Princesses and Mickey and Friends pack, or this Playhouse
Barbie Dreamhouse- we already have a big dollhouse, but this looks amazing!
Tonka dump truck- we love construction vehicles and the kids would get a kick out of this!
Spider Man web car launcher- a perfect fit for the Spider Man loving child in your life!
Barbie remote controlled Corvette! The truck opens for storage, it fits 2 Barbies, it is absolutely darling, and maybe it’s me that wants this toy!
Need
Hooded towel- this size still covers my fairly tall 6 year old. Our oldest version is 5 years old, so we definitely need some new ones.
Silverware- I know this seems like a silly thing to put on a gift list, but when you have 3 kids it gets tough to fill all the categories! We really don’t NEED much at this point besides some practical items.
Umbrella- we actually already have 3 of these umbrellas, but this is a great item to fill the NEED category.
Water bottle- we already have one of these for each child and absolutely love them.
Sophie the Giraffe- all of my kids have loved this teething toy and it definitely felt like a needed item.
Wear
Dresses from Tea- the prints and patterns are adorable and the quality is fantastic. These dresses hold up well to my mud digging and grass rolling children. This plaid print has officially been added to my cart!
Dress up clothes- this mermaid costume or this vet costume would be winners at our house!
Pajamas
These jammies have been catching my eye. The winter prints from Tea are adorable and I know the quality will be outstanding!
This set is a kid favorite in our house. I’ve purchased multiple colors and they wash super well. All of the kids still like to match, so this will be a for sure purchase for us.
Burt’s Bees sets are also a winner at our house.
Watch- this is the 5th kids watch brand we have tried, and it is by far the best. We stick to analog clock faces still and smart watches have been requested to stay at home from Brinley’s school. This is sturdy and I appreciate that the strap isn’t fabric, which gets soggy when washing hands. Vaila had a different brand last year, which ultimately broke, and has requested a new watch this year.
Read
The Story Orchestra: The Nutcracker- I purchased this for Brinley 2 months ago and cannot wait for her to open it!
Little People, BIG DREAMS books- we have several, including Ada Lovelace, and the kids always love the stories
This blog post from 2022 has our favorite Christmas books that we include in our Book Advent.
Make
Clixo 42-piece set- this magnetic toy has had my eye for quite a while. I will definitely be scooping this up if it goes on sale. It looks great for travel!
Tegu magnetic blocks
8-piece pocket pouch- I keep one of these in the stroller and diaper bag- all of the kids have loved a different set we own.
Magna-Tiles
LEGO sets
7 years+ - this set looks so fun and has over 800 pieces!
6 years + (but Vaila has done very well with a few of these sets at 4 years old)- pancake shop, art themed bedroom,
4 years + - this little house is super cute!
2 years + - animals of the ocean set would be well loved by Ellette who is obsessed with her older sister’s LEGOs, this Lightening McQueen car wash set looks like a blast!
PlayTape to make a road for toy cars
Do
Rainmaker rattle- perfect to fill this category for a baby
Something Just For You
This is usually a gift certificate for a trip with Mom and Dad. Fun ideas include:
Movie day
Yoga class
Children’s museum
Cooking class
At home baking day
Spa day (out or at home)
A trip to the park- perfect for the littlest ones in your family
Shopping day
For Older Kids
We aren’t quite there yet, but these toys look awesome!
Muddled- this word game looks so fun!
Stocking Stuffers
Toothbrush and toothpaste- I always include these in stockings and everyone loves it!
Our Favorites- items we already own, but I would 100% purchase again
Guess Who?- I love that my 4- and 6-year-old can play this independently (mostly giving correct answers).
Ice cream cart- ours is a little different, but this toy gets played with all of the time!
Toy sink with running water- our sink is a few years old and got a lot of love! We have already purchased a new one to give Ellette because the old motor just doesn’t work anymore.
Wooden dashboard steering wheel- again, this toy gets played with almost every single day for the last several years
KidKraft dollhouse- this is definitely not a neutral or all wooden toy, but boy do the kids play with this a lot!
Doorbell dollhouse- smaller scale but still cute and the kids absolutely are occupied with this toy for a long time
Little People Barbie set
I hope you found something on this list that spoke to you! Enjoy any holiday shopping you might be getting a head start on.
Looking for other activities? Check these out:
Other Recent Posts…
Here are the books we have up in Ellette’s room this month. As she transitions to being a big sister and stays up a few minutes extra, we selected books she could read quietly when necessary. Read the full post for all of the picks for this month.