Christmas gifts for the grandsons.

[Idaho45guy]

I pride myself on not being like my grandparents, who bought me gifts that were completely awful.

I remember back in 1980 or so, all I wanted was a black leather jacket like Fonzi from Happy Days. They got me a brown pleather jacket that went down past my waist. I looked like a white pimp.

So, I take great care to get my grandkids cool gifts and consult my daughter before any purchase. They are only 6 and 4 and 4 (twins) so not to that age yet where they would be disappointed and/or embarrassed by a grandparent gift, but still, I'm trying to avoid it.

So, I asked my daughter what the boys are into now, and she said they want geodes and are into cool rocks.

I went down to the only gem shop in the area and buy two geodes for each boy. I am driving over to Seattle to spend Christmas with them and am bringing my tile saw to cut them in half for them. So today, I'm trying to figure out how to gift wrap rocks, when I get the bright idea of buying them tackle boxes to keep their cool rocks in. And, I have a tub full of cool rocks I picked up in Arizona this past February, so will put some pieces of petrified wood and quartz along with the geodes in the tackle boxes before wrapping them.

Genius.

What are the best gifts you've given your grand kids?

[buckwheatpaul]

That is a great idea....we tried to do the same thing when our grandchildren were young....moms are a great source of information and we tapped that source....it made Christmas good for them....I salute you sir!

[Wayne Smith]

If you haven't test cut one of those geodes. I think you will find them a lot harder than you think and it will take a long time and lots of liquid to cut one of those geodes.

[contender1]

An excellent effort on your part. Trying to get gifts a kid likes can be easy,, or hard. The key to it,, is actually caring & applying some thought into it.

I started LONG ago when it came to gift giving,, as I too felt that some gifts were just not what I wanted. So, I too decided to make sure I put some serious thinking and study into any gifts I give someone.
It has served me well, to where,, if I'm out & about,, no matter what time of year,, & I see something that I know a person I'll be gifting something would like,, I get it,, put it away, and await the B-day or Xmas etc. I once was able to buy (3) things at once,, about 2 weeks after Xmas for my wife,, that allowed me to have a gifts for Valentines, B-day & Xmas. All at one swipe. I was ahead of the game just after Xmas for an entire year. And yes,, she loved each & every one of those (3) things.

Another thing I've gone to doing,, (now that I'm older,) is when I get something for someone,, and put it away,, I also tag it for what it is & whom it's for. Just in case I "forget" or gosh forbid,, I'm gone on from this world. They will know I was always thinking of them.

[country gent]

I bought a couple of the beginners pocket knives when they were advertised in the American Rifleman. They were a nice little pocket knife but with no edge. The oldest grandson is 8 now so I may give him his then about birthday time Ill sharpen it

[gwpercle]

" I looked like a White Pimp " ... Now that's funny ... Yeah , I can see the Fonzi look not happening there .
Problem is I don't know what's cool any more ... My Etch-A-Sketch , which I thought was cool, got a unimpressed reaction ... " But ... It doesn't do anything unless you turn the knobs ... whine "

A Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun will always be cool ... bring out one of them and you a hero ...
Gary

[blackthorn]

When my Granddaughter was young I would take her to the toy store and turn her loose to pick her own gift(s), subject to the amount I had decided to spend. That was a hoot and we both had a great time. Later as she got older, I give her cash so that I am not buying stuff that she either don't want, need or is redundant. My Great Grandson is 9 and when he was younger he was given so much stuff he really did not need more so, I opened a bank account for him and put money in for each birthday and Christmas so as he gets older and wants something of quality he cannot afford, he will have that money to fall back on. Now that he is 9 I stopped that practice and he gets a cheque (along with a small gift) the same as all the other family members. I do the cash gift thing for all those I need to buy for with the exception of my wife. For her I buy things I know she wants/needs and I do that all year at any time. For Christmas we do not buy anything for each other, rather we donate to several causes we deem worthy and just exchange cards between ourselves.

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I got a little snow shovel from an Uncle once and was pretty unhappy about that. Jeez, a spring loaded dart gun would have been just fine. I used to buy knives and even a rifle for my sons. We used to have what we called "socks and underwear" Christmasses once in a while when money was tight.

[country gent]

I remember a lot of those to CC. Cloths boots but also a few boxes of shells for our shotguns and 22s. But then when times were hard they put meat on the table too. Another was tools that could be used on the farm or at work.

When Dad started bringing home leather work gloves in the spring I knew it was time to hide though.

[SSGOldfart]

They might be a little young for the geo's, but that's a good ideal watch out for flying rock's with a 4 year old. Lol hey they got to learn sometime.

[dverna]

Good post Idaho!

[starnbar]

Sounds like the kids are gonna have some fun.

[Buckdane]

My daughter's kids love the outdoors, especially hiking. As each one gets to 5yrs old I gift them a hiking staff. They go on hiking outings with other homeschooled kids and now they are the envy of all. If you spend enough time with them you pick up on things. Lots of grandparents can't, but I am so lucky that my grandkids all live within a mile of my house. Of course a Red Ryder was bought one year but that stays at grandpa's house. They get proper safety instruction when it's time to shoot it at targets.

[Idaho45guy]

My daughter's kids love the outdoors, especially hiking. As each one gets to 5yrs old I gift them a hiking staff. They go on hiking outings with other homeschooled kids and now they are the envy of all. If you spend enough time with them you pick up on things. Lots of grandparents can't, but I am so lucky that my grandkids all live within a mile of my house. Of course a Red Ryder was bought one year but that stays at grandpa's house. They get proper safety instruction when it's time to shoot it at targets.

Hiking sticks are a good idea!

My grandkids are 300 miles away in the Occupied Zone formerly known as Seattle. They are looking at moving even further away to Colorado next year, which would be awful.

[bedbugbilly]

I can her it now . .. . . "What did your grandpa get you for Christmas? Ahhh . . . a box of rocks? LOL

I think it is a very cool and thoughtful gift! When I was a kid, I collected fossils and cool stones and rocks off of the farm. Alway looked for arrowheads after the fields were plowed too, but our farm wasn't in an area to find any. I'm nearly 70 and I still like rocks!

Those grandkids will remember you gift fo years to come and I'll bet that when they are old enough to have grandkids of their own . . maybe they will pass them on.

They have the mineral and gem show up in Tucson every February (except during Covid). My wife and I have gone a few times and I love looking at what there is since the dealers come from all over the world.

[SSGOldfart]

BBB that's what I was thinking too. "A box of Rocks"