Christmas will be here before we know it

[SpoonBread]

(sorry this turned into a lil bit of a rant, so bare with me!)

I've always had an issue with the modern mentality that Christmas is all about getting new shiny PILES of stuff, exspecially for kids. Even as I was growing up it always meant more to me when someone made the gift, or when I was able to be the one giving.
Well now I have a child of my own, she's turning two this year. Her grandparents are already loading up on the store bought presents that they INSIST on giving her, which is fine, but I'm wary to go down the same path of buying my children's love and affection. I refuse to believe that love has a dollar amount and that you have to spend hundreds of dollars to show the world how much you love your family.

So I guess my question is, what are some gift/toy ideas for a 2yr old girl? I've already made a couple of dolls, and her great grandma is making her a sock monkey(anyone else love those?)
I'm also interesting in hearing others experiences with giving/reciving homespun gifts, Thanks!

[annabella1]

This isn't exactly an old timey gift, but for my sons and nieces and nephews I give them a boxfull of various legnths (1', 2', 3' etc) of pvc pipes and connectors. Then the first time they open it you show them how to put them together then let them use their own imaginations. It's amazing what they come up with. You can add wheels and axles and stuff and they have hours of fun.

[SpoonBread]

That's a really cool Idea, like an over sized erector set or somethin' lol.

[Gibbonboy]

How about a "dress-up" box? Fill an old trunk or container with funky old clothes, hats, etc. Maybe add a box of costume jewelry. It all depends on what she likes to do, and anything you make and give is better than just running down to the local megamart and spending just to buy a shiny box of plastic.

[remington]

Love the PVC idea.

[Saoirse]

How about a girl sized colorful quilt and throw pillows for her bed? I have seen little homemade purses and backpacks that are so cute. You could fill a photo album with pictures of animals, birds, flowers or whatever she likes. My grandson had one with dinosaurs and read it for hours.

[msta999]

Just a plain big box, was good with our daughter at that age. It was a box we took her little tikes swing out of and she loved the box. She made a little fort out of it and play'd with it until it wouldn't stand up any more, then she play'd with the swing. ???

[MYellowRose]

If you crochet you might want to make her a doll blanket or even one for her bed.
My granddaughters are 2, 4, and 6, and last year I gave them two necklaces each that I had made with hemp cord and plastic beads that I had purchased in a box a few years ago at Hobby Lobby. I think there were something like 1200 beads in the box. I started with several large beads for the center then gradually reduced the sizes until I had the necklaces matched on each side. On some of them I put clear beads between one or more colored beads. They've managed to lose all but one of the necklaces but they now fight over who the last one belongs to! The beads can present a choking hazard so if she tends to chew on things a lot you might want to wait a few years before making her something similar. Good luck. I'll probably hit either the dollar store or a couple of thrift stores for gifts since I've got three to buy or make for.

[Trapperswife]

Just to add a note to 2 other posts...my youngest daughter was given by one of her older sisters a dress up bag filled with dressup clothes. My older daughter sewed the bag, a big drawstring bag of bright fabric, and then went off to the second hand clothing stores and gathered dresses, skirts, scarves, shoes, necklaces, hats and other dressup items and filled up the bag. My youngest loved it! She is now 10 and still fits some of the clothes her sister gave her then. She was also given a really neat photo album made by a family with 7 kids, and not much extra money to spend. they purchased a phot album with slots for each photo, then cut out of magazines pictures of animals, flowers, scenery, toys etc. and inserted them into the photo slots. Each slot held 1, 2 or more pictures, depending on how large the picture was. She spent hours looking at the pictures and asking about them. It was a wonderful gift to receive and we have since made them for many friends with small children.

[MYellowRose]

I'm about 2/3 the way through with a small crocheted blanket. I promised the three year old to make one for one of her dolls, this one's a little large, more along the size good for a new born baby so I'll have to make her a smaller one. Ex-SIL brought over 3 or 4 kitchen trash bags of clothes and the like that my DD had stored in my niece's storace shed today and in one I saw a pink and black crocheted blanket that I made years ago for my DD when she was into wrestling. I think her favorite wrestler wore those colors or something, don't remember for sure. Since it's been kinda cool at night it will be something for one of the girls to use on their bed until I check our things in the storage trailer for blankets. I know I've got one in it and I can pass on the one on my bed to one of the girls and if necessary I can also use my quilt.

[cinok]

Im sure she's already got some but crayons, fingerpaints, put together a little art kit with fabrics and socks to make her sock puppets. We have 2 boys 10 and 11 and still dont have a video games or anything else I love the idea of the pvc but my oldest has already found my stash of extra fittings he has a box of my cutofs nails i drop wire and other left over stuff from building our own house. My I also suggest Dangerous book for boys and their is one for girls but I cant remember the name it my neice loved it,gives parents extra ideas for simple things to do

[TNDadx4]

I second "The Dangerous Book for Boys". One of our boys' grandfathers gave us the book with pocket knives for each boy.