I've done it again.

Yes, once again I've left everything to the last minute, and this year I've taken it to the highest heights. I have presents to buy for the wee ones  and I haven't a clue what to get them.They have both said they'll let Father Christmas decide this year, because Father Christmas always knows what children would really, really like.

?

( help me Father Christmas I need you ).

If you live in the south west U.K, and you see a woman wandering around a city centre doing a good impersonation of a bewildered chicken - that'll be me no doubt, so take pity, pat me on the head and say there there dear, it'll be ok come the day.

I have ordered a couple of things made by this company which are presents that will make me and the children happy - a carpentry set for Billy and a lovely sewing/knitting case for Molly. And there lies the problem - finding toys that Mummy doesn't mind spending money on.

My kids look at something and think it looks like a great toy.

Mummy looks at the same thing and thinks it's a pile of plastic crap.

Kids should never be allowed to have opinion until they are about 18 and old enough to move out I reckon. Hmmph.

Any ideas on presents for a 9 yr old boy and 7 year old girl ( who hates dollies with a passion) would be most gratefully recieved.

Anyhow, I'll put up some pics from the latest Cotton & Paint for those of you who are far more organised than me to peruse ( and that means probably every other Mum on the planet most probably).

: )

If there's anybody out there as unorganised as me ( unlikely) do tell and I will love you.

Comments

[Missy]

I am so not ready for Christmas it's not even funny! I hate all the plastic crap too, these comments have been really helpful!
I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who's a little late this year! Good luck!!!

[Caroline B]

Haha, there's nothing like playing Christmas Chicken to keep you on your toes!! Having just finished work yesterday (in a school) I now have four days to sort out the house, finish shopping (3 more main gifts, a stocking to fill, Christmas dinner) as well as two painting commissions to get on with - might as well just hit the Bailey's now and admit defeat! Do you have a Hawkins Bazaar near you - great gifts (scientific,messy,constructive) for boys in there, and girls too if they are not 'girly'. Other than that, you are on your own - I need help too!

[Christine]

I think I will immediately start embroidering that cute little table runner from the magazine - just kidding!
I love you, too!

[the creatist]

no worry, sweets, it happens.. so relax, take a deep breath...
for the girl - you can give her a lil purse/bag/basket filled with handmade notebook + colors +clay+stitching kit..and few illustrated books

for the boy - sth to do with carpentry... paper cutting n makinn lil toys..board games..n ofcourse books :)

all the best!!

[Helen]

Hi! You are not the only disorganised one! How about a toy sewing machine for your daughter if she's in to sewing and knitting? The pink toy singer is currently £10 (half price) in hobbycraft if you have one nearby.
Lovely pics - I have a growing wishlist of Japanese craft books!

[carolyn]

Thursday 20th Dec - I still have to buy presents for my kids and husband, going shopping tonight. Don't have a tree yet have to do that at the weekend. And then there is food shopping - help!
As for present suggestions you could give in and buy the plastic crap you never know it might turn out to be a collectors item one day.
Good luck and Merry Christmas!

[+marzipan+]

Yup, that'll be me then, comfused and bewildered and here in S.E. UK! x

[Lesley]

My nearly 7 year old daughter asked for a camera of her own and we got a very good deal on a little Nikon at PCWorld (I think or it may have been Comet). Her brother asked for the entire contents of the Argos catalogue. We settled for a Lego Exoforce kit as he loves constructing anything and although it's plastic it could be worse.
I've got a house to find under piles of dirt and rubbish and need to pack people, clothes and presents as we're away from this Saturday for nine days!!
Good luck and Merry Christmas when it gets here xxxx

[theresa]

GAMES, GAMES, GAMES and more GAMES. My boy is getting a lot of board games this year. Since I am the one coerced into playing 24/7, we have just got to have some new games before I off myself from having to play yet another round of Thomas' tracks and trestles or some other such thing.
We just put up our tree last night or should I say I spend the entire day doing it with the kiddo helping for a little bit. What is it with boys and lack of enthusiasm for Christmas decor? When the tree is up, you're halfway there and the adrenilin starts pumping to get you to the finish line. Good Luck! I am way behind so you are not alone.
HA HA Good Old Molly, I wasn't into Dollies either much to my Momma's chagrin. She tried so hard too to bring me over to the dolly side. I prefered GI joe and often put him in nothing but a loin cloth so he resembled TARZAN. I like my Men wild.
;-)
Merry Christmas Love.

[mariarrosa]

What about "ello"? (http://www.mattel.com/swap_feat/default_ello.asp). My daughter (9 years old) love it.

[Nicole]

Would it make you feel better if I told you that I still have things that need to go in the mail??? Yeah, I am so behind! So what do I do....get online to check blogs! :)

[Jennie]

I was very happy to see that 'Lauren Childs' has done a version of 'Pippi Longstocking' (out of stock at Amazon but in Waterstones I think).
When my daughter was seven I got her a cd/tape player and lots of story tapes (mostly classics like 'The railway children' and 'The phoenix and the carpet'. She is a great reader but she loved listening to tapes while she played. Thats all I can think of at the minute.
I am not organised, I don't think I will ever be organised. I only relax when it is late Christmas Eve and far too late to do anything but relax.
Have a fun Christmas.

[emma]

One idea is to spread the presents out a bit - hide a sweet per present around the house. Put another matching sweet in a bag/hat and get the kids to pull out a sweet. They have to go and find the matching sweet around the house. The third matching sweet is sellotaped to their present. Jam jar with a lovely ribbon for them to put their stash of sweets - aim for toffees, fudge etc avoid colourings on Christmas day they will be hyper enough! Woolworths pick a mix is a good starting point.

Secondly, buy the kids some canvases and a really nice box of paints - water colours or acrylics . Some really cheap ones are available from Wilkinsons or The Works.

A brilliant game for boys and girls is Marble Run. A box of connecting parts that you can rearranged to post marbles down - go down different routes each time.

Hope this helps. If you want to reassure yourself about Christmas just think about all the lovely help the men give us at Christmas time. It always shocks my husband - yet Christmas is on the same date every year! Plonker!

Love and best wishes Emma

[lynnie]

My son asked for almost all books that you have to buy used and I waited so long to order them that he might only have four used books for Christmas! The rest will mosey along later. My daughter also told me she'd let Santa decide and I haven't the foggiest idea what Santa will bring. About the only thing she really likes to do is hang out with other children and Santa is definitely not bringing her a few extra kids to keep around the house.

My family also celebrates Solstice, which is tomorrow. We usually make gifts. I haven't started making anything for the kids yet- and it's almost 7:30pm in the evening. There- I win!

[saraeden]

Im sooo behind i cannot find the Christmas tree , the house is a tip and ive only just finished the last of my Christmas orders and now am on to gifts for family and friends !! My twin boys are 9 and are getting books and binoculars (we live in a pretty rural area and they love to bird watch)and the girls are getting lots of handmade stuff , sewing , cooking etc !!
To add a little bit of a challenge to it all my hubby broke his thumb on Monday :0)

Hope you have a great Christmas
Sara x

[Caterine]

No gift yet (yes we are the 21th), no idea either. Just love me, a lot!

[Nathalie]

Might be a little late but the bok Tilda hus and Tilda Julehus might give you some inspiration ; )

Good Luck and Happy Holidays

Nathalie

[joanie]

My 9 year old boy asked for a baby brother - fed up with having a sister. His 6 year old sister wants a labrador - fed up with having a brother.
Neither child will get what they want but I'm hoping I'll find something to please (when I get to the shopping.) And me - I'm just happy they still believe in Father Christmas

[Lil' d]

That's how I feel about the toys on offer these days - that's why I ended up making my daughter a gift. I'll second (or third?) the recommendation of the Dangerous Book for Boys. Both my nephew and half-brother-in-law are getting one. My other idea was a penknife, but in California people can be a bit weird about that stuff, even for boy scouts.

[Cheryl]

I've got an idea (although it won't help w/the Christmas shopping). Let's all hop on a plane to Japan and try to get a job w/the Cotton & Paint magazine. I mean, really, where in the world do these people come up w/these beautiful ideas. Oh to be that creative, or even to be surrounded by it. Whew what a motivator. Ok, back to the real world. Blessings to you and yours.

[Liz]

Head to the hardware shop for your son. Buy lots of little pulleys and ropes and he'll have great fun rigging up things that go up and down. Things like little plastic bags of water that go up and up, and then comes down, down on some poor sod's head. The possibilities are endless.

[Julie]

Hey, don't be so hard on yourself... you pack so much in to your life and I'm sure you'll have a great Christmas despite your worries! Regards kids pressies.... how about putting together a 'make-things-box' with lots of paper, cloth, some glue, cardboard, buttons, sequins, lolloy sticks, beads, cut-out masks, car/truck , robot...etc shapes (from cereal packs- doesn't take long and they can paint, or stick things on to make a scene or story? May keep them busy, while you put your feet up on Boxing Day :)

[Jennifer]

I do hope you got everything sorted, as a fellow wanderer around various cities in Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire, you have my sympathy! Merry Christmas, Jennifer

[Jennifer]

My daughter is turning 9 tomorrow and wants a working manual typewriter. Maybe your son would like something like that.

[isoinpapu]

I hope this late comment is not too late. But a present my 7 and 8 year olds loved the most was a headlamp.

Yes, get them headlamps, they´ll love it. Not expensive, and if they ever get bored to those lamps, you can have them. Great for crafting in a car (in case youre not driving yourself).

Happy christmas for you all! I enjoy reading this blog very much.