Christmas Ideas

So my mom has already been hounding me on ideas for Christmas this year. Mike and I have made a rule, that the kids aren't allowed to accept more than 2 gifts per person this year for Christmas. My mom is known a little for over-doing it in the gift department (C'mon, you know it's true). Although I don't want to deprive grandparents from being able to give the kids gifts, because I know that they enjoy doing that, I really don't want them to grow up thinking that Christmas is all about the presents. Instead, I would like to focus our Christmas on the real reason we celebrate - the birth of Jesus, and to spend our time on helping others. I would like for our family to be able to volunteer somewhere this year for Christmas.

However, I have also been told that our family is "impossible to shop for." So it was suggested that I put up a list of possible suggestions of things that our family could use, want, need, etc. Whenever I think of something, I'll put it under the label "Christmas" so you can search for only Christmas posts. These are just ideas of things that we could use, and hope to purchase sometime, or to have as Christmas ideas for others. Some things are bigger, some are smaller, some are stocking-stuffer type things.

Christmas Ideas: Jackson & Maddie

*Books
*Board Games
*Jackson (Size 6 clothing)
*Maddie (Size 24 month bottoms & 2T tops)
*Doll house
*Wooden swing set for back yard

Christmas Ideas: Mike & Jill

*AA Batteries (We go through these like crazy!!)
*Video camera (Easy to make DVD's and put on computer, and a possible combo that takes digital photos too)
*Sponsor a child at Yezelalem Minch
*Assistance in funding our adoption
*Family games
*Pot holders and oven mitts
*Electric razor to cut hair (ours is getting old)