Gift Ideas for a 6year grl for financially challenged family?

Question

We don't have very much money this year. What can I do for my 6 year old that will still make her christmas special/fun and not be too much money? In years past I have spent $500 on her and loaded her with gifts. This year due to circumstances, we only have $150 to spend. What can I do?

In the past money was never an issue as I was a single mom living with my parents so my paychecks were devoted to my daughter. Now I am married and my new husband is in the military. We are getting ready to move overseas so pets aren't an option. She has a ton of barbies and polly pocket stuff... She really doesn't NEED anything and when you ask what she wants from santa, she says a bouncing castle, again due to the move not an option. Is it bad to radically change tradition? This is only our second Christmas with my husband, but our first alone. Can I use the excuse that we are creating new traditions in honor of our new family and dramatically downplay the holiday in the area of giving?

Yes spending alot in the past was silly but, at the she was my first child, only child... yada yada yada. We learn, we move on. You can't undo what you do, you have to find a new way to do it. Trial by error, it's not like they come with a manual of do's and don'ts. She and I have always contributed to local charities with our time and sponsored a family or group of kids. This year we aren't in a position to do that. In years past, we had family all around, and yes she got tons of gifts, but she was taught and learned that Christmas is about the love of family, life, and giving to those who need it. (We aren't religious). The dollar store is a good idea. The color books too, she loves to draw and goes through my printer paper like water. I think Santa will be getting her a care basket of drawing things and a gift card. and I will most likely get her a few small things, some earrings, and a gift card to rent movies (she loves that). Thank you for such great ideas. That helped immensly.

Answer 1

spending $500 in the past was probably a mistake. Kids have no idea what Christmas is about expect gifts and if you materialize Christmas that much, your children will come to expect these things. I always only spend about 150 on each of my kids...I have 3. You could adopt a puppy from your local pet adoption agency and it doesn't cost anything. Or, you could go to a discount store like Big Lots and you could get a lot of stuff for $150. My favorite place to shop on a budget and they have some great stuff for girls is lillianvernon.com They have some great bags and backpacks that you can personalize for like $20. They have a lot of toys also that you can usually get on sale. check it out. And, next. But, the main thing is to try to talk to your child about the true meaning of Christmas so that she understand that it isn't all about material things. Even if you are not religious, Christmas can still be about family and spending time together and getting together with family that you don't see often. It should be a special family time.

In answer to your othe question, you can absolutly tell her that. You have a new family and you are sharing it together. Christmas is about family, not $, or gifts. I don't believe that God intended for Christmas to be a stressful time in your life. If it is stressing you out a lot about $, then you are overdoing it.

Answer 2

If you make it fun then the gifts have already been given at 6 years old she doesn't know how much things cost or if it is a knockoff go to the dollar store and get her coloring books and crayons and dolls and nick knacks but what you can do to make it fun is free get some news papers even if you have to collect for a little bit and do some paper miche ornaments and different things make a paper miche Santa and snow man and use them year after year and she will never forget this x-mas she will never remember that you were broke kids that age usually don't remember all their gifts anyway three months down the road they forget who gave it to them and when but if you take the time to create something special then that will be remembered for a lifetime

Answer 3

Good thing your daughter is only 6. She won't notice much of a difference if you pack the holidays with fun and lots of attention. I know kids' toys are expensive so I would see what she keeps asking for and then buy one or two of the $30-$50 gifts that she REALLY wants. Then with the left over money you can buy tons of cool things that a 6 year old would like. Flash cards ($4), board games for her age bracket ($3-$8), play-dough, new markers and coloring books. All little things but things you can wrap. Go to the dollar store and buy two or three little bead kits or a "decorate your own journal" kit. A cheap stuffed animal, maybe a generic barbie with a change of clothes...try hitting some yard or garage sales for a few extra items you can get for a dollar. At her age she likely won't notice that a few things are gently used. Maybe wrap up new pajamas or new sweats....just to give her more to open if she is so used to lots and lots from Santa.

And fill up the time with cookie making, giving...teaching her to give to others. Make homemade treats for the birds outside..here are some recipes:

http://www.birdsnways.com/birds/rtreats.htm

Then she can "give" presents to the birds and also watch them eat the treats.

Spend time baking, spend time singing songs, visit the library for free story times, go sledding ifyou have snow. Let her pick a few toys to give to children who don't have toys.

Also, visit Craigslist for your area and you may be able to sell some of her old toys or clothes and use the money for other holiday expenses.

I have to cut back too and had to when my daughter was little. One of her favorite Christmases was when she wanted to be an "office lady" when she grew up. So I bought a cheap ($35) pressboard desk that I had to assemble on Christmas Eve. I bought a pencil cup, a cheap stapler, a pad of paper, a desk calendar ($4), a fake phone, some "office supplies" like paperclips, rubber bands, some stickers. I think I only spent $20 on all the accessories. Oh, I also bought a cheap folding chair for her "office" and I used my computer to print a sign with her name on it. I attached that to the front of the desk. She LOVED it and was so excited for it. She still talks about it, though her tastes have now moved to Ipods, clothes, cell phones, etc.

You will have a wonderful Christmas regardless of how much or little you spend. Enjoy your daughter at this age.

Answer 4

It shouldn't be about the presents. And $150 is a great amount to get her a lot of stuff anyway. We have 4 kids and I'm spending $50 per kid this year. For the stocking stuffers I've been shopping at the dollar stores. They are just toys that will get lost or broken anyway. Why spend a bunch. Just do what you can. And make sure you do family stuff together because that is what she will remember when she grows up. Not the presents.

Answer 5

$150 is way more then enough. $500 is insane. Gift loading does not say "I love you".

I refuse to spend so much money on my kids. I get several items under $20 for each of them. This year I got my 8 year old the Talking Styling barbie head, a few arts and crafts kits, the electronic 20 questions game and a board game she wanted for about $75.00. That's 5 gifts just from her Dad and I. She will also get gifts from relatives.

$150 to spend on gifts is not financially challenging for a minute.

Answer 6

Personally, I think $500 is way too much to spend on a 5 year old at Christmas, but $150 should still buy quite a bit. My parents used to take me to visit the Santa at one of the department stores and after I got off his lap, they asked me what I asked him for. Then they knew what that special gift was. That might be a good place to start. After that, use your imagination and try to remember what being a 6 year old was like. Good luck.

Answer 7

How about some new clothes or shoes? You can shop at discount stores and find gobs of stuff with a very small price tag.

Perhaps this is the year to let her know this holiday is about religion and family, not just gifts?

If you have a camera, take pics of the two of you making cookies together,trimming the tree and so one. Put the pics in a small picture case and label it Xmast 2006. Add other pics from the past too.She will love it.

Answer 8

Maybe get her a few things to open that you know she'll like, and then have a card from Santa that has a gift card to Toys R Us or wherever you think would be good, and "Santa" can write a note saying that because she's been so good all year, she can go to the store and pick out her own special present and then go out to lunch with you. That might make things seem more fun even if you aren't spending as much money.

Answer 9

First of all, spending that much on such a young child will only make her expect even more when she grows older. I have 6 kids and every year is a financially challenged one because I have a total of $150-$200 to spend on all of them. I try to make sure that each one of them gets at least one nice and 2 semi-nice gifts, a total of 3; and everything else is practical and needed. For example, their stockings always have cologne, deodorant, toothbrushes, socks, small little jewelry for the girls, etc. I always make things too. I have made them pillow cases and pillows and ornaments they can hang on the tree. I am working on blankets this year and have already gotten some pillows and little things for my youngest. Honestly my youngest, who is not much younger than yours, is the easiest to buy for because everything, no matter what it costs, makes her happy. She loves the unwrapping part really. I pray it all works out well for you and you can remember the real reason for the season this year. Blessings =)

Answer 10

Since when did christmas become about money? You spent 500$ on her thats just plain nuts. Now you are seeing what its like to be "financially challenged" as you called it. Learn from it. God must be teaching you a lesson. I feel for your daughter, but its about time you teach her what christmas is really about. Buy her cheaper things, plain and simple. You can get alot of things with 150$ of course if you shop at say WAL-MART.....Alot of kids in this world dont get anything for christmas. Why dont you try taking that money and letting your daughter go shopping for a less fortunate child, explain the meaning of christmas and i know you will touch her heart and she will be more than happy to do that. Its a wonderful gift of giving to teach her.....I wish you and your family well and i hope you pull through your "challenge" But i also hope you learn from it.