How does everyone feel about giving "necessities" or more practical items as gifts?

**Michelle** · 06-19-2008, 12:45 PM

I often will buy something practical with an impractical twist for the kids for Christmas. For example, I'll include a new toothbrush and toothpaste in their stockings, but these won't be the usual ones that I buy for them during the year. They'll have characters on them, or the toothpaste will be bubble gum flavored.

Or I'll buy them stuff I wouldn't normally buy due to cost. Kathryn is the only one here who eats Nutella (I like it, but it's a "trigger" food for me, and I'll eat too much of it if we have it in the house. So I try to avoid it altogether). Because she's the only one who eats it, it doesn't make much sense to buy a huge container at a wholesale club to save money. Therefore, I'm thinking of buying her the traditional size and sticking it in her stocking. Sure, I'll still be paying more than I'd like to for an item, but it will also count as a gift.

Does anyone else do something similar with gifts?

**tbs727** · 06-19-2008, 01:04 PM

My parents buy my sister (who's 11) cans of cranberry sauce for Christmas because she loves it. lol! Of course she gets a lot of other stuff, too.

**MommyBliss** · 06-19-2008, 01:07 PM

I do that, I include character toothbrushes and toothpaste, lip balms for the girls, scented lotions, candies they like, so they don't have to share.

**Starlight9803** · 06-19-2008, 01:13 PM

I do this too, especially with the kids. They get the toothbrushes, toothpaste, lip balm, bubble bath, character soap/body wash, etc. which are things I either don't buy during the year (ex: they use bar soap usually instead of body wash because they tend to go through the gel too quickly) or have characters/features that I usually don't spring for during the normal year. I also buy a select few family members very practical gifts, at their request. I'd rather buy some humble thing they'll actually get use out of than some really pretty knick-knack they have to store/clean/find a place for.

**Momto2Boyz** · 06-19-2008, 01:27 PM

I wish my family would do this! We get so much junk at Christmas, just becuase it is Christmas! I don't know why our family thinks we need weird stuff that we'd never use, just becuase it was a gift.

This past year they finally got the hint!

I was soooooo happy to receive towels for the bathroom & new cookie sheets! I think they realized that they got a genuine happy reaction from me, instead of a forced one this year, so they will keep up the trend!

There are a lot of practical things that we can use, but I would never buy for myself, like new towels. I had old ones that were worn, but still worked. So I wouldn't have bought them for myself, so I was so happy to get them as a gift!

More power to the practical gift givers!

**suki** · 06-19-2008, 01:39 PM

I've done this for stocking stuffers for years!

Depending upon my budget, the big gifts might be practical as well. A new coat, clothes, items for the dorm room, etc.

I was tickled last Christmas that my oldest was upset when she went on her shopping spree with her grandmother (the shopping spree was her gift). She wanted to pick up practical items for her dorm room, but gramma wanted her to get clothes and fru-fru stuff. She got an electric teapot and took the rest in cash because gramma wouldn't go to the stores she wanted to go to, then, she went shopping for the things she needed. In fairness, gramma had taken about 4 people shopping and my oldest was the only one wanting to go to the stores that had items she wanted... so it was probably difficult to accommodate.

**Lady_V** · 06-19-2008, 01:44 PM

The stockings are usually hygienic 'needs' with a handful of extras as well as one 'wants' bag under the tree...

Things I include --
toothbrush that lights up or plays music, flavored tooth paste, kids mouthwash, shaving cream, razor refills, powder, deodorants, hair gel, brushes/combs, coupon for a Momma haircut, etc. The wants bag has some extras that they want, but I won't get during the year like a certain candy or character slippers

**ravenmaniac** · 06-19-2008, 02:10 PM

I have always done this with our stockings. The stockings are filled with personal care items, and treats they like. I also slip a $25 gift card, for the kids, to itunes or something like that. This year it might be a gift card for gas. My niece and nephew get these things from me too. My nephew is getting older so I gave him an Axe gift set. This year I'll wait and see what he is into when he starts high school. I think gifts can be practical. Why not? I'd rather get something I can use than something that will collect dust. Oh, my niece and nephew also get a gift from us, not just toothpaste or something like that.

**brenda67** · 06-19-2008, 02:27 PM

Yes, I do this often..I buy my kids(on sale w'coupons or end of season sale items) bodywash,deoderants,body sprays,electric toothbrushes and clothes...I've given (family members) handmade hot & cold packs..on clearance slippers,robes,picture's of my kids that we took w/our digital camera and printed out on our computer(it probably doesn't sound practical or a necessities but family love pictures of their loved ones)I tend to buy gifts that are something that someone needs or could use verses buying something that they could careless about and it sits in there closet..

**rsbs** · 06-19-2008, 02:32 PM

I do the toothbrush, lip balm, lotions, etc in stockings too! I'd never thought of the flavored toothpaste, but I'm going to add it now

thanks!
Last christmas, DD got a backpack for school too. It was her big gift. The one I bought before school started began to give her trouble zipping it... so her big gift was a nice (expensive - it WAS her big gift after all) LL Bean backpack. I had her initials monogrammed on it & everything. The good news is - it's still in great shape - she'll be able to use it again next year!!!

**rsbs** · 06-19-2008, 02:36 PM

Oh yeah - I had to add -
I have a friend who uses the following gift giving strategy that I think is REALLY cool! For each immediate family member they do
1 want
1 need
1 wear
1 read!

Keeps the craziness to a minimum & covers all the bases!

**McD** · 06-19-2008, 02:50 PM

I do this with hubby and Wesley..deoderant, toothbrush, bubble bath, etc. They don't seem to mind. Hubby gave me ziploc bags one year b/c he wanted me to stop washing ours out.

**Jayne** · 06-19-2008, 03:00 PM

Since our girls are adults and on their own struggling to make it, they ask for neccesities.....We have bought them grocery gift cards, clothing gift cards, home center cards and one year we bought our dd a tank of heating oil

**Darlene** · 06-19-2008, 03:06 PM

If our dd didn't get q-tips in her stocking I think she'd be shocked. Stockings have always been for more practical stuff with some goodies thrown in.

**iida** · 06-19-2008, 03:20 PM

I do this too. We don´t have stockings here, but my kids always get practical gifts for x-mas. They get games and books and stuff like that (toys when they were younger) but also socks, sheets, towels, soaps, deodorants etc. One year they got electric toothbrushes. Last year my mother gave my son two new pillows with nice pillowcases.