Love this thread! I haven't started shopping yet but am getting some ideas together. I downloaded the Santa's Bag app, that should come in handy. The last couple years I just used the Notes app on my phone to keep track of what gifts I'd bought/wanted to buy, but also tracking the amount spent is even better.
We stopped exchanging gifts with extended family a long time ago, so we have a pretty small list of people to buy for: DD8, DD4, my mom, MIL, my sister & BIL, and my godmother. Then there are 2 teacher gifts (usually pool $ as a class and get a GC) and a tip for our building’s super. DW & I don’t exchange gifts with each other, just do a nice date night some time during the holiday week while Mom/MIL are there to watch the kids for us.
My ideas so far are:
DD8 -
LEGO Elves sets (she has some & asked for more), new Wii U games, Wonder Woman Blu-ray, Bop-It or Simon.
DD4 - PJ Mask Catboy’s & Gecko’s vehicles (she has Owlette’s and asked for the other two), Lego set. Someone upthread mentioned getting their DD a ream of white paper and I may steal that idea - DD4 is constantly taking the paper out of our printer and it drives me nuts!
I also like to get them one or two things they can use together. Last year for joint gifts they got Magnatiles and a big 20-color box of Playdoh with a set of classic Playdoh toys. Both of these were big hits but I don’t have any good joint gift ideas so far for this year. Maybe some board games we can play as a family, both of them like games. They will also both get some books. I try not to buy too much because their grandmothers tend to go a little overboard.
No idea what I’m getting for my mom & MIL yet. My mom is moving this week, so I will see if she needs anything for her new place.
My sister & BIL are expecting their first baby next spring, so I may just get them a gift card to Target or somewhere that they can use toward baby stuff or whatever they need, unless they give me any other ideas.
My godmother & I exchange small gifts; I usually get her some fancy tea or candles/wax melts.