Simple/Frugal Wish List for Santa, What to ask for politely ideas

[bae]

In our family, we mostly ask for:

- gifts to our favorite charities
- interesting and readily-consumable foods

Nothing that needs stored, or clutters up shelves :-)

[pony mom]

For a young baby, there isn't much they could enjoy now. But maybe a GC to visit a zoo or or kids' amusement park to use next summer when a bit older.

I think diapers and food and usable things are still the best if money is tight.

[kib]

I hear you. Last year one of my relatives gave everyone a Fitbit for Christmas. I like this person and I know she thought it was the grooviest idea ever, but $100 we felt obliged to reciprocate, great. Then of course everyone in the family was wearing these stupid trendy things, so in addition to the ugliest piece of freaks-me-out Big Brother junk jewelry I can imagine, I got the choice of either participating in the craze with everyone - how many steps, how many steps, is it charged up, why isn't my app working, please shoot me now - or being the unsporting outcast. Call me Scrooge, I'd much rather receive nothing than a "good spirited" gift that feels like a millstone around my neck. Or my wrist, as the case may be.

I agree with what's been said here, consumables or a product that supports a local business you admire, maybe both.

[Williamsmith]

I like the idea of giving with the understanding that the receiver is free to pass the gift on to someone else later and the giver does not have to feel offended. That way you don't clutter your life with unecessary things but can truthfully accept stuff that only enhances your life for a short time. This ownership and possession of things is the root problem of much angst in gift giving.

[freshstart]

maybe, only if asked, you could say, "I know you really want to spend a lot on cute outfits for the baby. How about one outfit and a pack of diapers instead." When I had little ones, no one wanted to get what we needed (besides the shower registry), they wanted to shop and pick out cute things they normally did not get to buy. The whole thing Steve said. Keep the tags on at least, maybe you can exchange for something more practical. AFTER you take the pic of the baby in the outfit and send it to them, lol. By year 2, I let it get around how badly I wanted to increase our children's library and would like people to donate their fav book. They wrote nice messages to the kids inside, I still have many of them.

starting with babyhood, I kept gifts that we would never use in a closet to regift when appropriate, I still do this. Or if I find something too good to pass up. So lots of my gifts come out of that closet. Well, it was a closet in my old house. Now the Rubbermaid tubs have been removed from my safe zone corner of the basement and dragged into the hoard. Good luck finding them this year!

[Miss Cellane]

For the baby, if you don't have a stock of clothes on hand, could you ask for clothes that will fit the baby next summer? Guessing on the size? Or an appropriate toy/play item that the baby could use within the next year? Think ahead to something that you will need or really, really want for the baby in the next 5-8 months and ask for that. "There's nothing she really needs right now, but for next summer, we were thinking it would be great to have a SuperBabyGizmo. So a gift card to help with that would be great."

[Teacher Terry]

I vote for gift cards & clothes for the future. I also like experiences like cards to restaurants, etc. If a person really wants to buy something they could buy a small toy & a gift card. I always have had a gift closet full of nice items that were not right for me or things I bought on sale that were great items that I knew someone would want. Now that I knit I also make items for people.