It’s my birthday, so I’m sharing a list of all my favourite gifts that I’ve ever received or given.
As always, Amazon.co.uk links are affiliate links. I made £26 in 2019 from this and I used that money to buy books for my sons for Christmas. The items listed here are ones we have given or received in the past and loved -or- things under our tree for Christmas this year. If the exact item wasn’t online, I chose the closest equivalent (that only happened for two things though).
Intangibles
Gift certificate to a favourite restaurant or cafe
Babysitting offer
Anything handmade!
Gift certificate for a fun class or experience, like wood working or wine tasting
Gift Sets
For kids: Harry and the Bucketful of Dinosaurs BOOK
For anyone not living with their parents: Duct tape, gorilla tape, and WD40
Books for Toddlers & Kids
Help! My Dinosaurs are Lost in the City!
Elmer by David McKee
Now We Are Six by A.A. Milne
Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
The Secret of the Mansion (Trixie Belden #1) by Julie Campbell
The Clue in the Diary (Nancy Drew, Book 7) by Carolyn Keene
Mandy by Julie Andrews Edwards
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
The World of Peter Rabbit (The Original Peter Rabbit books 1-23) by Beatrix Potter
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel
Alexander & the No Good Very Bad Day
Gifts for Babies & Toddlers
Green Toys tea set (ours is still going strong after seven years)
Shape sorter ball (ours is Tupperware brand)
Interactive Cube (this replaced the one we had)
Universal Buggy Rain Cover (it’s really nice)
Gifts for Kids When You Want to Punish the Parents
Parum Pum Pum – Toy Drum Kit with 7 Musical Instruments for Kids
Funtime PL2870 Jokes in a Tin Playset
Toys for Kids Who Don’t Put Stuff in Their Mouths
Banangrams Game
Schwinn Trike (ages 36 months and older, though our sons started using their one at 24 months)
Melissa & Doug Imaginative Play Baking Set
Skittles Bowling Set (ours is similar but no numbers)
TOMY Screwball Scramble Classic Retro Children’s Game
Transformers Robot Rescue Bot Headquarters
Dinosaurs Top Trumps Card Game
Awesome Animals Top Trumps Card Game
Creative Options Thread Organizer
Playmobil 6081 Summer Fun Summer Jet
Playmobil 6798 Wildlife Safari Truck with Lions
STEM & Building Toys
LEGO Large Creative Brick Set with storage box
Wooden Gears and Cogs Board Set
MagFormers Magnetic Building Set
STEM Books & Tools
Any dinosaur or evolutionary biology book by Dr. Ben Garrod (we have six or seven of them)
The Great Irish Science Book by Luke O’Neill
101 Great Science Experiments by Neil Ardley
Lift the Flap Periodic Table (children’s book)
See Inside Inventions (children’s book)
Mistakes that Worked (children’s book)
Iggy Peck, Architect (children’s book)
Art & Drawing
Rangebow Aqua Magic Water Doodle Drawing Travel Bag Mat and Magic Pens
STAEDTLER Noris Club Colouring Pencils
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
Dog Man, Minecraft & Video Games
Dog Man books by Dav Pilkey
Dog Man: Guide to Creating Comics in 3-D
How To Draw Minecraft For Kids
Microsoft Wireless Controller for Xbox One
Gadgets
Projector (we’ve had three and this is our favourite)
Books & Journals
The Complete Far Side Collection (BEST EVER)
Moleskin recipe journal (there are also ones for weddings and travel)
Brain Rules for Baby (the best book we read as expectant parents)
Rising Strong by Brené Brown
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone by Brené Brown
Cookbooks
Sweet Paul Eat and Make: Charming Recipes and Kitchen Crafts You Will Love
Chapter One
Master it: How to cook today by Rory O’Connell
Apron Strings: Recipes from a Family Kitchen by Nessa Robbins
Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking
Crafts & Photography
Reflectors (I have this one and this one)
Knitting with Rainbows by Carol Feller
This Thing of Paper by Katie Westermann
Beekeeper – leather bangle & stitchmarker set (I have and love this!) by An Caitín Beag
Lacis Metal Jumbo Yarn Ball Winder
Accessories & Clothing
Fingerless gloves (they work with smart phone use and show off manicures)
Cashmere sweaters (I still wear them)
Aran-style sweater (long enough to wear over leggings)
Classic Men’s button-down white shirt
Pendleton National Park Stripe Socks (I love my pair of Great Smokey Mountains and would love to get Rainier, Crater Lake, Badlands, or Glacier)
Home & Practical Things
Amazon Basics Rechargable AA Batteries
Filter-free Ionizing Air Cleaner (loved ours so much, we just got a second one)
Portable Car Jump Starter
Sugru Multi-Colour (Pack of 8)
LEGO Wonder Woman DC LED Key Light
VAX Carpet Cleaner (if you have kids or pets, get this)
Flipper Animal World Toothbrush Holder
Battery-powered camping lights (perfect to hang in that pesky closet without a built-in light)
Quirky PPVP1-WGUK Reclaim Outlets with Pivot Power
Baking & Cooking
Cast Iron Core Dutch Oven (stovetop to oven to table – we don’t have one, I’ve wanted it for YEARS)
Kitchen Craft Sweetly Does It Cake Cutting Wire
Faringdon 25 X 34cm Stackable Cooling Racks – Set of 3
AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat – 2 Pack
Nordic Ware Honeycomb Pull-Apart Dessert Pan
What about you? What was the best gift you’ve given or received?