Any over-the-top gifts for your kids?

[L.Jane]

The kids I nanny for have a sing-a-ma-jig.. The red one. I didn't get what it was until now. The little girl just plays baby with it. I didn't find it that neat or exciting.

I just googled them, they sing with each other or something? What age group are they good for? I still need a present for my 2.5 yr-old niece.

[alison]

Our Christmas was pretty low-key. Dd got some books from dh and me (a few classics), and I also bought her a clickety-clack alligator that she is supposed to walk. It has a string she's supposed to hold. She doesn't walk, but it's so cute to watch her try to manipulate it across the floor by scooting. She takes the string leash by the very end--so literal!

She also got some nice wooden toys from my German host family and a stacking toy from my brother.

I gave dh a new lens for his camera, and he gave me a wallet.

Dh has had Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off, so I can't complain!

My parents gave dd a new outfit for her Corolle doll.

[alison]

Oops, somehow my paragraph ordering got jumbled in my post!

[v-girl]

My 3.5-year old doesn't get how to make it sing. His sisters do it for him. For a 2.5 year old, I'd go for a LeapFrog Laptop or one of the LeapFrog dogs -- Violet for girls, Spot for boys.

[SuzySunshine]

So the commercial for the sing a mi jigs makes it look like you push it once and they sing, but you have to push the stomach for EVERY note which A really isn't interested in doing. If you pushed it once and it did a song they would be great, but every note is to much IMO.

[Chrisada]

Chrisada: have you used it on hardwood floors? I'm interested that!

I haven't but my father has and swears by it. He has large tile like I'm sure you do in AZ. We have marble in our foyer so I plan on trying it on there. But that machine is unbelievable.

[MissCrabette]

No kids here, but I don't think my gifts were over-the-top. I got a Nook from my parents and a Wusthof Classic santoku knife (to complete my set) from Andrew among other things.

[MrsK]

Love my Wusthof classic santoku knife. Enjoy it!

[Meenah]

We gave Amy the Wusthof set for a shower gift. I'm so jealous of her knives!!!!!

[Meenah]

We gave Oliver an easel for Christmas. Amy picked it and I ordered it and had it sent to her house for Santa to leave for him (and they had to put it together!!!!!). When we went over we gave him "art" supplies to go with the easel and a Moon Dough Pizze set. I LOVE the moon dough. Thanks to all of you, I try to only give him gifts that she wants him to have. It is lot easier for me too. We also gave him a North Face snow bib, jacket, hat, & mittens that we got while in Vancouver (again, thanks to all of you I checked with her first to make sure she liked it, and I got the color she wanted). We gave him those last month because he needed them.

[v-girl]

You're an awesome grandma, Luanne!

I just went through the clothes MIL gave the girls. Each got one item that is wearable. E got a skirt that's too short to go with a top that's too short. M got a hand-wash-only 3-piece short set that's too young and too short. She knows they love Gap and most stuff there is appropriate. But apparently it's trendier to shop Neiman's clearance racks and buy summer clothes in December.

[Meenah]

Gift card!!!!!!!!!!!

[v-girl]

Can I give you her number?

[Meenah]

Absolutely!!!!!!!!!