I was seriously prepared to watch another extravagant and indulgent haul of crap to give kids but this was SO REFRESHING!!!!!!!! While this is more than I'm able to spend on my kids, I don't feel as if I'm failing them after watching this video, in fact, I'm encouraged that what I'm able to give them is just fine! Thank you for reminding me of the true reason for the season, too. And to anyone else out there who's getting gifts for their kids, you're an awesome parent and your kids are lucky to have you, no matter how much you can afford. Thanks Nat for reminding me about what matters in life!
This comment blessed my heart so very much! Thank you for passing along encouragement to other parents and grandparents out there! That made my heart so happy to read! 💕
I have been unemployed for some time now and I was so shocked to recieve a call last week that I had been chosen for a job I wouldve never in a million years thought I would be even considered for! I start on Monday and I am just so humbled and excited. Last month I thought we wouldnt be able to afford a tree let alone gifts. I am just so excited to be able to purchase something this season I can’t even explain how over joyed I am. God is so good and I am so blessed, I can’t wait for Christmas morning, and to see your kiddos open their gifts!
I am so very happy for you! Isn't it crazy how life can just turn around and unexpected things happen? I'm praying for you and wish you all the best as you start this new season!
I love how realistic and "normal" you are. I don't get much for my kiddos because their grandparents and church adopted grandparents go overboard. I got my 2 year old some princess dress up dresses, a backpack, a puzzle and some stocking stuffers. My 9 month twin are only getting new matching cloth diapers and maybe a small toy each.
Aww, the kids will love them!! My husband wanted to over indulge my kiddo at your kiddos ages. I didn't see the reason because they wouldn't remember (sorry if I sounded scroogish) they grow so fast and my daughter is a tween and she doesn't remember a single thing I got her for Xmas at 2 yrs old. Videos do help but she didn't say oh I got a lot of gifts or not enough.
Caitlin Thomas thanks for this comment as we have grandparents that do a lot as well. Sometimes as I mother I feel bad for taking a back seat but this is encouraging. And my desire is to focus more on teaching them the reason for the season then on spoiling them
My husband and I are starting the 4 gift method or 4 category method if you want to stretch it a little bit. It’s basically 1. Something to wear 2. Something to read 3.Something they want 4. Something they need Our daughter just turned 1 so we’re really excited to give Owynn a couple Usborne books. It’s our first time purchasing from Usborne so I can’t wait for her reaction to some newer, more challenging books! :)
@@prokoppartyof4104 id reccomend the dolly parton imagination library books instead! They get a free book sent to them every month up until theyre 5 and its free!
Today is my due date for our first little baby (we don't know the gender!) And honestly, this year the gifts are so off our radar, we cannot wait to be holding our little one Christmas morning!!
Best ultimate lifetime suprise gift ever was waiting to find out the gender on our child! It was the best moment of my life! So exciting! What did you have?!
I do not have kids but I have five younger siblings and I am most excited to give my 14 year old brother golf balls and gloves to go with his golf clubs he is getting from our parents. He is autistic and golfing has become one of those things he uses to help him relax and stay calm. He will be joining to golf team at his high-school in the spring and he cannot wait!
Ok. So first, I'm crying. I wish I was your little girl right now! But I just wanted to say this is the sweetest and most amazing way to approach giving your little ones gifts. I love how you said you and your husband, together, pray about final decisions and what you buy your children. (Imagine how much different the world would be if more of us remembered to this!) And I love how much thought you've put in to each item. But that's why we love you, Natalie! You're an amazing example and I'm so thankful for that! (Also, you're a common name in our household. I have 5 children and we all love your channels!
We got our granddaughter (20 mos.) the Amazon Fire ( parents’ suggestion). They have a 4 hour car ride to visit us. Also (to keep at our house) a shopping cart with an Elmo sitting in the seat. For her stocking: socks, pjs, books. She is the only grand on both sides. 💞
*personalised childrens books* are nice touch for gifting book lovers, which they will surely like, it's basically a learning book but with custom label and cover design and you're able to change the characters to that of the child recipient, giving that "special" feel and a more personalised adventure for the gift recipient
I used to love my American girl dolls so much when I was younger! I had a bitty baby along with multiple regular dolls, they were my favorite ! I still have mine to this day and they still look brand new!!
I am so excited to give my baby boy a huge wooden activity cube I got from Target tonight. It's regular $150, and never thought we would be able to afford it when I first saw it about a month ago. It was on sale for $119, and I had a $20 off $100 coupon which meant I got it for about $100. That was still way more then I had planned to spend, but it's his first Christmas, a toy he will play with for years to come, and my husband received a very generous Christmas bonus today.
My girl will be 10 months at Christmas so we are getting her a crib for Christmas this year! She’s been sleeping in a pack n play for awhile now, but she needs a crib. We know so many people will buy her toys so we figured we would buy more practical this year.
This is by far my favorite gift video! These are well thought out gifts that truly come from the heart and are instilling learning and the true meaning of Christmas! Not just indulgence in plastic throw away toys, which do have their own time and place in kids lives of course.
We've always had a Christmas eve box as kids. So now mine do. Always fresh pj's. Cosy socks. Hot chic. Cookie mix for santa. Dvd. Christmas themed story for bed and maybe a colouring book to keep us busy. Now I save the books up and when our decorations come out, we pop a basket of winter/Christmas books under the tree with blankets for the kids to get cosy.
I don’t have kids, not even close to having them, but I really enjoy your videos. Motherhood is exciting and scary for me. You make me feel calm and reassure me that it’s possible to do it and not get crazy. I’m your huge fan. Wish you and your lovely family all the best for Christmas 🎄 🎉♥️
This has to be my favorite “what I got my kids for Christmas” video ever! You did not go overboard and I absolutely love that! So happy you teach them the real meaning of Christmas! There aren’t many vloggers out there like you Natalie! Awesome job!!
Used this video for ideas for my baby boy now I’m using it for my baby girl ❤️ Thank you for doing what you do ! You’ve been in my life since I became a mom, and I love watching your videos with my babies, and a warm tea (cause you make my babies actually sit still, lol!)
My mum used to read my sister and I the little house on the prairie books before bed each night and I just have the fondest memories of the stories and the beautiful illustrations 😍
I would LOVE to see a budgeting video from you on ways you save/don't waste money! I left the suggestion on a vlog of yours a month or two ago and it got tons of thumbs ups so I thought I would ask again! 😊🤞🏻 Really enjoying your Christmas content!
This year I am so excited to gift my 7 year old son a Nintendo switch (he’s been asking for it all year long) and my 19 month old daughter an American girl doll itty bitty (she is soooo into baby dolls and has one in her arms at all times). I just love giving gifts to everyone and watching their reactions. Every year I ask for everyone to not give me a gift but instead to pay it forward to someone else. Christmas to me is never about receiving I just get a kick out of bringing happiness to everyone else :) Happy Holidays to you and your beautiful family xo
I really loved this video !!! I love that you insert clips from your childhood 🤗 we are also a young Christian family and have a toddler ! I wanted to know if you could share some ways that you intentionally emphasize Jesus during this season 🤗
Millennial Bride I have been trying to find ideas to emphasize Jesus this Christmas too. I have three year old boys and I want them to learn the true meaning of Christmas!
Your videos are so BEAUTIFULLY put together. I’m blown away every single time I watch one. The time and effort you put into editing and filming does not go unnoticed. It’s so amazing that you have clips from your childhood that you are willing to share with us. ❤️
I love how you DONT go over the top! I actually just put up a video about our gift giving philosophy of NO TOY gifts! We like to gift our kids experiences not things!
What Im giving my son for Christmas is a box full of stuff that he loves to play with such as wires, remote controls, phones etc. lol He hardly plays with toys hahaah
Totally agree with you and Weston's philosophy of spending money on a budget! It's rare to see people talking about being thrifty and spending money wisely nowadays. You guys are a wonderful example of being a good steward! ❤
Thank you for this video, I have a 3yo boy and this is the first time he is more aware of things around Christmas. I had no clue what to give him, but now I am inspired :)
I’m excited to get my first baby who is 9 months a collection of books. She absolutely loves books and listening to me read her books. So far she has 3 books and I can’t wait to see her face when she gets to open her new books.
What a lovely video. I loved the Little House books when I was a kid. My 16yr old really wants a couple of specific patches for her varsity jacket, but after looking everywhere for months, she couldn't find what she wanted. She'd find one or the other, but never in matching styles or in the right colors. I had a pair custom designed for her that I'm giving her for Christmas. That's probably the gift I'm most excited about giving her.
I’m most excited to give my mom the RING doorbell I got her for Christmas! It’s a “big gift” in my opinion so I’m so happy I’m able to gift it and I’m hoping she’s going to love it! But otherwise I’m excited really just to see the joy of my son, and nieces & nephews opening gifts. There’s nothing like seeing the magic through their eyes! I’m hoping my son gets into gift opening this year as he’s going to be 16 m by Christmas! But we will see!
My grandmother loved getting us dolls and she loves how the American Girl dolls are made and how they come with a book about the life of the girl. Every year for Christmas she would get us a different doll. I think me and my sis have about 20 dolls all together. I was a bit older when I got them so I took good care of them, some haven’t even come out of the box. I can’t wait to see my own kids play with my dolls that my grandma got me.
My 3 yr old is getting her first big girl bike. I’m so excited to see her face, she already tries to ride her big brothers bike, so she will love it. My son loves LEGO sets, he’s 5 and is a very logical thinker so I’m gettin him a bit of a harder one and I think he’s going to love it. My baby is 9 months old, so I think it’s going to be most fun watching her rip the wrapping paper and play with the boxes.
I’m most excited for my son (2 1/2) to get his train set! I got him a polar express one and he is going to love it! Also his Santa gift, a paw patrol fire truck that he can drive! I’m so excited bc he’s finally old enough to be excited about opening gifts.
this video is so so refreshing i love it so much. i also love how you guys try to get wooden toys!! not only will they last for so long but they are much better for the environment than plastic toys :) Im getting all of my gifts for my family from a thrift store near me (it has everything you can imagine) to get things 2nd hand and spend less money. highly recommend for anyone! it feels so good giving something a 2nd home.
I had the kit American girl doll and still have her they are the best quality! And I had the little house on the prairie book set as well and read it again and again. Great ideas for your kids!
I love that you have home videos from when you were younger! My daughter will be 10.5 months on Christmas. So with her birthday so close, we just got one larger item (the fisher price smart home). I’ll fill her stocking with a few things but mostly will wait until her birthday. The smart home will be used for years I’m sure! Oh and she’s the only grandchild so I just know she’ll be getting a lot of gifts from the grandparents!
I found a kids shopping cart from pottery barn at a second hand store (for $7!!!) and I’m using that theme to gift to my 1.5 yo and 3.5 yo. I found a super great cash register and some play food and shopping basket to play grocery store. It was perfect to buy some new and some second hand gifts to make Christmas affordable.
We are so excited to give my 5 year old a bike. She learned to ride a pedal bike at age 3 but is outgrowing her current bike. I am pumped to see her reaction because it's her favorite color!
If you are looking for a mini kitchen but can’t fit in a fill size on why not get one of the leapfrog educational sets? Leapfrog have a mini oven that also teaches numbers. It’s a mini oven/hob. I’m sure the boys would be thrilled to own that and learn at the same time. It’s called number loving oven.
So we have a very very small Home and I’m using our dining area as a play are for my son (who is only a day older than Hailey 😊) but so far we only have one cube storage unit in there holding his toys. So for Christmas we are finishing his play are with some more storage, nice rug, wall decor and a play kitchen. I am so excited for him to have a nice play area but mostly excited for him to have a play kitchen. He LOVES play kitchens so I know he will love that 😊
My husband lost his job in October and hasn’t been able to find another job. While it has been extremely stressful we are doing whatever we can to keep up with bills. We aren’t able to do Christmas this year for our 2 kids which is absolutely breaking my heart. This haul was AMAZING ❤️
Oh mama. I'm sorry to hear of your hardships. Wes and I have totally been there. I know what you're going through. Wishing you all the best and that you'll be able to have a warm season surrounded by those you love. Hang in there! ♥️
We got our 3 year old twins each a 30 peice set of magnaformers which where on an awesome sale at Sam's and I'm so excited to give them those. We also got them each a puzzle and a color magic book. We got our 6 month old a crawl with me minnie mouse which I would normally never buy a toy like that, but she loved it and she hasn't really gotten any new toys since her brothers are only 2 years older than her. Other tha. That we got the boys some bath bombs and bubble bath for their stockings and that's about it. We try to keep what we get very minimal because they dont play well with too many toy options. I have also been giving away their old toys all month to make sure we aren't overwhelmed with everything they will get from us and family at Christmas.
I am most excited to give the boys (I nanny a 4 year old and an almost 2 year old) Pottery Barn Anywhere Chairs during Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. They love being cozy and I know they will just love having their own little cozy seats!!
I loved this video. I'm kind of obsessed with watching "What I got my kids for Christmas videos" and it doesn't make me feel a certain way about the gifts I got my son. I legitimately LOVE gift giving! I love finding the perfect gift for someone and researching, looking for deals etc. I keep notes in my phone of things they mention or I notice throughout the year. Ah! I recently saw an advetisement on instagram for something called the Giving Manger. Through the month of December you put 1 piece of "straw" on the manger every time you give or participate in an act of kindness & then by Christmas you have a manger full of straw to lay baby Jesus in. So fun! My son also has a piggy bank with a slot for Giving/Donating, Tithe, Save, and Spend. This morning we emptied out the Giving section & are going to the store to purchase a gift to donate to his schools giving tree type fundraiser
Natalie - I think your kids are going to have a great Christmas. I also love how you emphasize the true meaning of it. Hope you and your wonderful family have a happy & blessed holiday.
It’s our 10 month old’s first Christmas this year! A large chunk of her gifts are Disney movies (mostly because mama wanted to start collecting and Christmas is a good excuse to start our stash) but she obviously won’t be watching them for a while. We also got her a Disney bedtime story book, a couple of little ‘older baby’ baby toys, and some Winnie the Pooh figurines to play with. Her grandparents got her the Noah’s Ark Little People play set. She’s definitely getting pretty spoiled for her first Christmas!! Her birthday is in February and I don’t think she’ll mind unwrapping a gift or two again since it’ll be toy overload if we give it all to her on Christmas lol.
I'm just a teen lol but I'm really excited to give my service dog all of the gifts we got her and I hope that my grandma likes the picture frame and pan I got her!! Also you're so right about the American Girl things. It's all still amazing quality. I remember being so happy when I got my first one and I was even happier when they made one like me (the boy doll) so although I don't 'play' anymore I still got him and keep my old ones safe ahah
I'm most excited to give our 13 y/o daughter the gift of my time, this year. We are planning on giving her a pair of Winter boots on Christmas Day. Other than that, her stocking fillers have some fun and interesting items, too :) So nice to see parents who set realistic expectations with their children, and to emphasize the reason for the Season. Thanks for sharing!.
Stocking stuffers for use are always things our girls will need and that’s socks, underwear, toothbrushes and body wash! We’re in the same boat where they get SO much from others that we do more experiences now!
Love seeing a more minimalistic type of christmas! I limited us to 5 gifts for my son plus some stocking stuffers and I'm so glad I did! Less is more and no one wants to waste money when they can find stuff on a bargain. Love this vid!❤
My (almost) 4yo really wants a Paw Patrol sea patroller. Its the BIGGEST gift I have ever gotten at Christmas time.. but I know that he will be so excited to open it ❤
Hi Natalie! I love watching your videos they are so inspiring! I am expecting my first child in January, and she is honestly the best gift I can ever ask for this year! I can't wait till she is here. She is definitely going to be such a bundle of joy to hold and cherish for the new year!
Oh my goodness, I have the same Little House set! My mom gave it to me when I had my first daughter & now it’s my children’s (I have 3 girls now lol). It’s soo good, I thoroughly enjoy reading bits and pieces at a time to them.
Bitty Baby!!! I am so excited to have a little girl to have give her American Girl dolls!! I plan to have my two from my childhood spruced up for my future daughter!
American girl dolls are the best! I still have mine and I got mine over 13 years ago. I can’t wait to have a baby girl someday and be able to get her a doll too!
I’m making homemade vanilla extract for some of my family members. I’m going to make a DIY video for it too and I’m excited about that. Love these videos for ideas although I’m already done shopping these are good ideas for birthdays too.❤️
I’ll be honest, I went into this video thinking I’d probably feel bad about myself once done with it, since it’ll be a tight Christmas with me switching jobs BUT you’ve honestly reminded me that it really doesn’t matter how MUCH they have. I’m so glad you’re actually normal & you show it. Thank you for being you! My 16 month old son is OBSESSED with shape sorting toys so I found a Melissa & dough wooden truck (also obsessed with trucks) but it’s a shape sorter. I didn’t plan on getting it since I didn’t know it was a thing but now I can’t wait to get it! He’s also moving into another room so we’re getting him paw patrol stuff for his room!
Oh, Nicole. You're such a sweet mama! I'd NEVER want to make people feel bad about themselves! We have struggled financially in years past and basically had NO budget for Christmas. We've been blessed in recent years but that doesn't change how much we value living on a budget and encouraging others on this journey! I know your little one will LOVE whatever you get him because he knows you love him!
Natalie Bennett I love that you guys are still the same people with or without CZcams 😭 thank you for reminding me that Christmas isn’t just about stuff. Sometimes it’s hard not to get caught up in the Christmas commercials & catalogues & the constant need to buy kids an abundance of toys!
Ah!! I loved my set of Little House books when I was a kid! I didn’t like to read until I got those, and my American Girl books. They completely changed my life! Haha. It’s exciting that you managed to get it for such a great price!
We would love to get my kids more toys for Christmas, but we just feel overwhelmed with how much stuff is in our house currently. We decided to stick to fun clothing items (my 3 year old is obsessed with dresses) and water bottles. I know that all our extended family will definitely supply our kids with more toys, and it’s a relief to not feel like I’m just adding to more “stuff” in our house
Hey Natalie! I saw a wonderful Melissa and Doug train track set (at the Target I met you at - wearing a charlie brown sweater) on sale for $30! It was in the section with the bikes and wagons on an end cap in case you were interested! I wanted to tell you about it just in case. It was there this morning!
Before even watching I just wanted to tell you that when I see Hailey with her glasses it gives me comfort - I'll explain why: I have had glasses since I was 14 month old, always hated it, and always thought it made it impossible for me to be pretty etc. (esp . as a teenager) Now my 4 year old needs glasses as well and I'm crushed - I know it's silly but I just wanted to spare her the "life with glasses" that I had. Except...looking around, I see that the self-love issues I had were not caused by the glasses and that I find kids with glasses (including yours!) super cute. So actually I think my daughter wearing glasses might actually help heal some of my "glasses-trauma". hope I won't get hate for this comment for making a big deal about glasses, it was just my own personal issue. Thanks Natalie:)
Can't wait to see the reaction of your kids! They are gonna love their presents! My 18 months old son is going to receive very few toys since he already has many and doesn't seem to enjoy them...he prefers playing with my pans and kitchen tools instead!😊 Thanks for sharing and I absolutely love the videos of when you were a child...so sweet memories!
I’m most excited to give my 3 year old son a toy vacuum and my 18 month old daughter a little Barbie guitar! I really wanted to give them a kitchen set but we also live in a small space. The Ikea one seems to be the perfect size but maybe we’ll save it for another time. Love your haul and how relatable you are! 😊
i’m excited to give my older brother a pair of socks. i know that doesn’t sound like much but he has been across the country training for the national guard since the beginning of september and honestly i’m just excited to get to see him for the holidays
WANT TO SEE SOME OF THE KIDS' REACTIONS TO THEIR GIFTS? Stay tuned for our Christmas vlog! Don't forget to subscribe over on our vlog channel! We're enjoying our Holiday season so far and would love it if you'd join the family! ❤️czcams.com/users/natandwesandtherest
We got a gently used baby doll stroller/ car seat set for our 19 month old and I'm so excited to give it to her!! She LOVES the strollers in our church nursery. I'm also thinking of maybe getting her a small kitchen set 🤔
I am SO SO EXCITED to give my 2.5 year old his big gift this year! He is absolutely obsessed with dinosaurs, and we found one online that’s 3’ tall and literally swallows other dinosaurs 😂 he is going to flip out!! We’re also getting him these stretchy dinosaur puppets. Every time we go to the mall he has to sit and play with them in the toy store and I have to drag him away. So he’s going to love having them at home! I anticipate lots of meals eaten with two dinosaur hands 😂
right now at target in the dollar spot there is wood and felt food for 3 bucks each and there is a TON of food my kids have a kitchen and they always loose the food so i have to go buy more but this is so much better
I’m so excited for Christmas this year. Our daughter will be one just 5 days before Christmas so my husband is going to make her a wooden toy box and I’ll paint it or add her name to it somehow but we hope it will last a long time. Plus we are also very mindful about toys and so I hope to use the toy box as a way to measure and limit the amount of toys she’s allowed to have. I’d love a tutorial on that hairstyle and makeup!!
That sounds like such a special gift! Yes! I agree that having a designated storage for toys helps keep them to a set amount and can help when de-cuttering!
Also, Christmas time is a bit tricky for me in regards to my son's birthday being December 21st. I'm also a single mother but determined to keep the two separate. So, I throw his bday party as close to the first weekend of December as I can & reserve his actual bday for a small date just him & I. We'll go get a cupcake or go to the zoo or lunch something like that. This year, his Birthday party is his bday gift from me. He will get a few presents from the guests that I know he will enjoy & I'm having it at a location that forces me to downsize what I would normally do. The local swim center cost $90 to rent out for 30 swimmers & I can only decorate 2 tables. I'm determined to do less gifts for Christmas in exchange for non-junk stocking stuffers & a few well thought out quailty gifts.
I was seriously prepared to watch another extravagant and indulgent haul of crap to give kids but this was SO REFRESHING!!!!!!!! While this is more than I'm able to spend on my kids, I don't feel as if I'm failing them after watching this video, in fact, I'm encouraged that what I'm able to give them is just fine! Thank you for reminding me of the true reason for the season, too. And to anyone else out there who's getting gifts for their kids, you're an awesome parent and your kids are lucky to have you, no matter how much you can afford. Thanks Nat for reminding me about what matters in life!
This comment blessed my heart so very much! Thank you for passing along encouragement to other parents and grandparents out there! That made my heart so happy to read! 💕
So true!
Janet Killinger I couldn’t agree more with this comment!
I have been unemployed for some time now and I was so shocked to recieve a call last week that I had been chosen for a job I wouldve never in a million years thought I would be even considered for! I start on Monday and I am just so humbled and excited. Last month I thought we wouldnt be able to afford a tree let alone gifts. I am just so excited to be able to purchase something this season I can’t even explain how over joyed I am. God is so good and I am so blessed, I can’t wait for Christmas morning, and to see your kiddos open their gifts!
I am so very happy for you! Isn't it crazy how life can just turn around and unexpected things happen? I'm praying for you and wish you all the best as you start this new season!
God luck with your new job! 😃
Bless you this Christmas ❤
I love how realistic and "normal" you are.
I don't get much for my kiddos because their grandparents and church adopted grandparents go overboard. I got my 2 year old some princess dress up dresses, a backpack, a puzzle and some stocking stuffers. My 9 month twin are only getting new matching cloth diapers and maybe a small toy each.
Aww, the kids will love them!! My husband wanted to over indulge my kiddo at your kiddos ages. I didn't see the reason because they wouldn't remember (sorry if I sounded scroogish) they grow so fast and my daughter is a tween and she doesn't remember a single thing I got her for Xmas at 2 yrs old. Videos do help but she didn't say oh I got a lot of gifts or not enough.
Caitlin Thomas thanks for this comment as we have grandparents that do a lot as well. Sometimes as I mother I feel bad for taking a back seat but this is encouraging. And my desire is to focus more on teaching them the reason for the season then on spoiling them
@@Eikiala9 you can also gently tell the grand-parents that 1-2 gifts per kid are enough and that u are still the parents.
My husband and I are starting the 4 gift method or 4 category method if you want to stretch it a little bit. It’s basically
1. Something to wear
2. Something to read
3.Something they want
4. Something they need
Our daughter just turned 1 so we’re really excited to give Owynn a couple Usborne books. It’s our first time purchasing from Usborne so I can’t wait for her reaction to some newer, more challenging books! :)
Hi
. Is this idea from The family fudge?? Tats also one of my fav channel
My daughter just turned one as well. So exciting to pass down Christmas traditions!
Id avoid Usborne as they're a predatory pyramid scheme!
Seema Jain I’m not sure! It was suggested to me from another family member :)
@@prokoppartyof4104 id reccomend the dolly parton imagination library books instead! They get a free book sent to them every month up until theyre 5 and its free!
Today is my due date for our first little baby (we don't know the gender!) And honestly, this year the gifts are so off our radar, we cannot wait to be holding our little one Christmas morning!!
Best ultimate lifetime suprise gift ever was waiting to find out the gender on our child! It was the best moment of my life! So exciting! What did you have?!
I just had my 3rd little one Dec 5th and we will be doing gifts for older kids but not baby.
I do not have kids but I have five younger siblings and I am most excited to give my 14 year old brother golf balls and gloves to go with his golf clubs he is getting from our parents. He is autistic and golfing has become one of those things he uses to help him relax and stay calm. He will be joining to golf team at his high-school in the spring and he cannot wait!
How wonderful you've found something so therapeutic for him! Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS, Meghan! 💕
Wow what a special gift ❤
How special is it that you have YOUR home videos pertaining to the gifts your making into a tradition! 💕
Ok. So first, I'm crying. I wish I was your little girl right now! But I just wanted to say this is the sweetest and most amazing way to approach giving your little ones gifts. I love how you said you and your husband, together, pray about final decisions and what you buy your children. (Imagine how much different the world would be if more of us remembered to this!) And I love how much thought you've put in to each item. But that's why we love you, Natalie! You're an amazing example and I'm so thankful for that! (Also, you're a common name in our household. I have 5 children and we all love your channels!
ok now I'M crying! Love you, Savanna! Thank you so much for your kind words!
We got our granddaughter (20 mos.) the Amazon Fire ( parents’ suggestion).
They have a 4 hour car ride to visit us.
Also (to keep at our house) a shopping cart with an Elmo sitting in the seat.
For her stocking: socks, pjs, books.
She is the only grand on both sides. 💞
*personalised childrens books* are nice touch for gifting book lovers, which they will surely like, it's basically a learning book but with custom label and cover design and you're able to change the characters to that of the child recipient, giving that "special" feel and a more personalised adventure for the gift recipient
Our baby girl is due around Christmas! This year her gift is a loving family that is SO excited to meet her!!!! 😍
I was due December 27th last year and had a December 20 the baby! Best present ever❤️❤️ safe delivery
Your hairstyle with your white sweater are giving me Princess Leia vibes ✨ Great video! 🥰
I used to love my American girl dolls so much when I was younger! I had a bitty baby along with multiple regular dolls, they were my favorite ! I still have mine to this day and they still look brand new!!
I am so excited to give my baby boy a huge wooden activity cube I got from Target tonight. It's regular $150, and never thought we would be able to afford it when I first saw it about a month ago. It was on sale for $119, and I had a $20 off $100 coupon which meant I got it for about $100. That was still way more then I had planned to spend, but it's his first Christmas, a toy he will play with for years to come, and my husband received a very generous Christmas bonus today.
My girl will be 10 months at Christmas so we are getting her a crib for Christmas this year! She’s been sleeping in a pack n play for awhile now, but she needs a crib. We know so many people will buy her toys so we figured we would buy more practical this year.
I'm really really excited to see their reaction when they see all this 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
This is by far my favorite gift video! These are well thought out gifts that truly come from the heart and are instilling learning and the true meaning of Christmas! Not just indulgence in plastic throw away toys, which do have their own time and place in kids lives of course.
I love how relatable your Christmas haul is! Awesome ideas!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 💕
This is the first youtube mom video i saw that gave a normal amount of gifts for Christmas.I can relate to that much more!
We've always had a Christmas eve box as kids. So now mine do. Always fresh pj's. Cosy socks. Hot chic. Cookie mix for santa. Dvd. Christmas themed story for bed and maybe a colouring book to keep us busy. Now I save the books up and when our decorations come out, we pop a basket of winter/Christmas books under the tree with blankets for the kids to get cosy.
Choc not chic 😂
My 15 month old is getting a play kitchen! She loves to "help" me cook and clean so i think she will love it
oh I think you hit the jackpot there! My kids also like to "help" (wink wink) and play food/ kitchen stuff has been such a hit!
I don’t have kids, not even close to having them, but I really enjoy your videos. Motherhood is exciting and scary for me. You make me feel calm and reassure me that it’s possible to do it and not get crazy. I’m your huge fan. Wish you and your lovely family all the best for Christmas 🎄 🎉♥️
This has to be my favorite “what I got my kids for Christmas” video ever! You did not go overboard and I absolutely love that! So happy you teach them the real meaning of Christmas! There aren’t many vloggers out there like you Natalie! Awesome job!!
I got my daughter (she’ll be 15 months at Christmas ) one of the fisher price xylophone and I think she’s gonna really like it
Used this video for ideas for my baby boy now I’m using it for my baby girl ❤️
Thank you for doing what you do ! You’ve been in my life since I became a mom, and I love watching your videos with my babies, and a warm tea (cause you make my babies actually sit still, lol!)
I absolutely LOVE that you do not go crazy with the gifts!!! Also, LOVE that you incorporate the true meaning of Christmas into everything!
My mum used to read my sister and I the little house on the prairie books before bed each night and I just have the fondest memories of the stories and the beautiful illustrations 😍
I would LOVE to see a budgeting video from you on ways you save/don't waste money! I left the suggestion on a vlog of yours a month or two ago and it got tons of thumbs ups so I thought I would ask again! 😊🤞🏻 Really enjoying your Christmas content!
Love the little house books!
This year I am so excited to gift my 7 year old son a Nintendo switch (he’s been asking for it all year long) and my 19 month old daughter an American girl doll itty bitty (she is soooo into baby dolls and has one in her arms at all times). I just love giving gifts to everyone and watching their reactions. Every year I ask for everyone to not give me a gift but instead to pay it forward to someone else. Christmas to me is never about receiving I just get a kick out of bringing happiness to everyone else :)
Happy Holidays to you and your beautiful family xo
I really loved this video !!! I love that you insert clips from your childhood 🤗 we are also a young Christian family and have a toddler ! I wanted to know if you could share some ways that you intentionally emphasize Jesus during this season 🤗
Millennial Bride I have been trying to find ideas to emphasize Jesus this Christmas too. I have three year old boys and I want them to learn the true meaning of Christmas!
Your videos are so BEAUTIFULLY put together. I’m blown away every single time I watch one. The time and effort you put into editing and filming does not go unnoticed. It’s so amazing that you have clips from your childhood that you are willing to share with us. ❤️
I love how you DONT go over the top! I actually just put up a video about our gift giving philosophy of NO TOY gifts! We like to gift our kids experiences not things!
I love little house on the prairie. I would watch those shows all the time and I love them so much
I just had a newborn and my husband and I decorated our Christmas tree just for her
What Im giving my son for Christmas is a box full of stuff that he loves to play with such as wires, remote controls, phones etc. lol He hardly plays with toys hahaah
Mrs Vera sounds like my 10 year old lol
Totally agree with you and Weston's philosophy of spending money on a budget! It's rare to see people talking about being thrifty and spending money wisely nowadays. You guys are a wonderful example of being a good steward! ❤
Thank you for this video, I have a 3yo boy and this is the first time he is more aware of things around Christmas. I had no clue what to give him, but now I am inspired :)
I’m excited to get my first baby who is 9 months a collection of books. She absolutely loves books and listening to me read her books. So far she has 3 books and I can’t wait to see her face when she gets to open her new books.
What a lovely video. I loved the Little House books when I was a kid. My 16yr old really wants a couple of specific patches for her varsity jacket, but after looking everywhere for months, she couldn't find what she wanted. She'd find one or the other, but never in matching styles or in the right colors. I had a pair custom designed for her that I'm giving her for Christmas. That's probably the gift I'm most excited about giving her.
I’m most excited to give my mom the RING doorbell I got her for Christmas! It’s a “big gift” in my opinion so I’m so happy I’m able to gift it and I’m hoping she’s going to love it! But otherwise I’m excited really just to see the joy of my son, and nieces & nephews opening gifts. There’s nothing like seeing the magic through their eyes! I’m hoping my son gets into gift opening this year as he’s going to be 16 m by Christmas! But we will see!
My grandmother loved getting us dolls and she loves how the American Girl dolls are made and how they come with a book about the life of the girl. Every year for Christmas she would get us a different doll. I think me and my sis have about 20 dolls all together. I was a bit older when I got them so I took good care of them, some haven’t even come out of the box. I can’t wait to see my own kids play with my dolls that my grandma got me.
My 3 yr old is getting her first big girl bike. I’m so excited to see her face, she already tries to ride her big brothers bike, so she will love it.
My son loves LEGO sets, he’s 5 and is a very logical thinker so I’m gettin him a bit of a harder one and I think he’s going to love it.
My baby is 9 months old, so I think it’s going to be most fun watching her rip the wrapping paper and play with the boxes.
Hailey LOVED the paper last year!
Awe, I'm reading my 5, 4 and 3 year old the Little House series every day during lunch, they love it.
Melissa and Doug is timeless!! They last so long! I cant wait to see the kids reaction!!
I’m most excited for my son (2 1/2) to get his train set! I got him a polar express one and he is going to love it! Also his Santa gift, a paw patrol fire truck that he can drive! I’m so excited bc he’s finally old enough to be excited about opening gifts.
2 1/2 is such a wonderful age during Christmas time!!! Enjoy! 🎄
this video is so so refreshing i love it so much. i also love how you guys try to get wooden toys!! not only will they last for so long but they are much better for the environment than plastic toys :) Im getting all of my gifts for my family from a thrift store near me (it has everything you can imagine) to get things 2nd hand and spend less money. highly recommend for anyone! it feels so good giving something a 2nd home.
I had the kit American girl doll and still have her they are the best quality! And I had the little house on the prairie book set as well and read it again and again. Great ideas for your kids!
I still have my American girl doll and I treasure my moments of childhood spent with her. I can not wait to pass her on to my children.
I love that you have home videos from when you were younger!
My daughter will be 10.5 months on Christmas. So with her birthday so close, we just got one larger item (the fisher price smart home). I’ll fill her stocking with a few things but mostly will wait until her birthday. The smart home will be used for years I’m sure! Oh and she’s the only grandchild so I just know she’ll be getting a lot of gifts from the grandparents!
I found a kids shopping cart from pottery barn at a second hand store (for $7!!!) and I’m using that theme to gift to my 1.5 yo and 3.5 yo. I found a super great cash register and some play food and shopping basket to play grocery store. It was perfect to buy some new and some second hand gifts to make Christmas affordable.
We are so excited to give my 5 year old a bike. She learned to ride a pedal bike at age 3 but is outgrowing her current bike. I am pumped to see her reaction because it's her favorite color!
If you are looking for a mini kitchen but can’t fit in a fill size on why not get one of the leapfrog educational sets? Leapfrog have a mini oven that also teaches numbers. It’s a mini oven/hob. I’m sure the boys would be thrilled to own that and learn at the same time. It’s called number loving oven.
So we have a very very small Home and I’m using our dining area as a play are for my son (who is only a day older than Hailey 😊) but so far we only have one cube storage unit in there holding his toys. So for Christmas we are finishing his play are with some more storage, nice rug, wall decor and a play kitchen. I am so excited for him to have a nice play area but mostly excited for him to have a play kitchen. He LOVES play kitchens so I know he will love that 😊
My husband lost his job in October and hasn’t been able to find another job. While it has been extremely stressful we are doing whatever we can to keep up with bills. We aren’t able to do Christmas this year for our 2 kids which is absolutely breaking my heart. This haul was AMAZING ❤️
Oh mama. I'm sorry to hear of your hardships. Wes and I have totally been there. I know what you're going through. Wishing you all the best and that you'll be able to have a warm season surrounded by those you love. Hang in there! ♥️
Natalie Bennett thank you. I know things will get better soon. My kids are 10&3. My youngest won’t know the difference but my daughter will be so sad.
We got our 3 year old twins each a 30 peice set of magnaformers which where on an awesome sale at Sam's and I'm so excited to give them those. We also got them each a puzzle and a color magic book. We got our 6 month old a crawl with me minnie mouse which I would normally never buy a toy like that, but she loved it and she hasn't really gotten any new toys since her brothers are only 2 years older than her. Other tha. That we got the boys some bath bombs and bubble bath for their stockings and that's about it. We try to keep what we get very minimal because they dont play well with too many toy options. I have also been giving away their old toys all month to make sure we aren't overwhelmed with everything they will get from us and family at Christmas.
I am SO excited about the American girl doll. Best part of my childhood ❤️
I am most excited to give the boys (I nanny a 4 year old and an almost 2 year old) Pottery Barn Anywhere Chairs during Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. They love being cozy and I know they will just love having their own little cozy seats!!
Aw girl! Totally have my bitty baby and American girl dolls tucked away for when my babe is older! 💖
I loved this video. I'm kind of obsessed with watching "What I got my kids for Christmas videos" and it doesn't make me feel a certain way about the gifts I got my son. I legitimately LOVE gift giving! I love finding the perfect gift for someone and researching, looking for deals etc. I keep notes in my phone of things they mention or I notice throughout the year. Ah! I recently saw an advetisement on instagram for something called the Giving Manger. Through the month of December you put 1 piece of "straw" on the manger every time you give or participate in an act of kindness & then by Christmas you have a manger full of straw to lay baby Jesus in. So fun! My son also has a piggy bank with a slot for Giving/Donating, Tithe, Save, and Spend. This morning we emptied out the Giving section & are going to the store to purchase a gift to donate to his schools giving tree type fundraiser
I will be looking for the Giving Manger! What a neat idea!
Andrew Smith I thought so too!
www.thegivingmanger.com
Natalie - I think your kids are going to have a great Christmas.
I also love how you emphasize the true meaning of it.
Hope you and your wonderful family have a happy & blessed holiday.
It’s our 10 month old’s first Christmas this year! A large chunk of her gifts are Disney movies (mostly because mama wanted to start collecting and Christmas is a good excuse to start our stash) but she obviously won’t be watching them for a while. We also got her a Disney bedtime story book, a couple of little ‘older baby’ baby toys, and some Winnie the Pooh figurines to play with. Her grandparents got her the Noah’s Ark Little People play set. She’s definitely getting pretty spoiled for her first Christmas!! Her birthday is in February and I don’t think she’ll mind unwrapping a gift or two again since it’ll be toy overload if we give it all to her on Christmas lol.
I'm just a teen lol but I'm really excited to give my service dog all of the gifts we got her and I hope that my grandma likes the picture frame and pan I got her!! Also you're so right about the American Girl things. It's all still amazing quality. I remember being so happy when I got my first one and I was even happier when they made one like me (the boy doll) so although I don't 'play' anymore I still got him and keep my old ones safe ahah
I'm most excited to give our 13 y/o daughter the gift of my time, this year. We are planning on giving her a pair of Winter boots on Christmas Day. Other than that, her stocking fillers have some fun and interesting items, too :) So nice to see parents who set realistic expectations with their children, and to emphasize the reason for the Season. Thanks for sharing!.
We do want need wear read surprise because I we go four other places and the kids get so much. Great video.
Thank you, Natalie! Your advice is refreshing, fun, and filled with the Holy Spirit!
Stocking stuffers for use are always things our girls will need and that’s socks, underwear, toothbrushes and body wash! We’re in the same boat where they get SO much from others that we do more experiences now!
Love seeing a more minimalistic type of christmas! I limited us to 5 gifts for my son plus some stocking stuffers and I'm so glad I did! Less is more and no one wants to waste money when they can find stuff on a bargain. Love this vid!❤
Paw patrol toys! 🤗 and I’m rwally excited to give my friends some YL oils ❤️
My (almost) 4yo really wants a Paw Patrol sea patroller. Its the BIGGEST gift I have ever gotten at Christmas time.. but I know that he will be so excited to open it ❤
Hi Natalie! I love watching your videos they are so inspiring! I am expecting my first child in January, and she is honestly the best gift I can ever ask for this year! I can't wait till she is here. She is definitely going to be such a bundle of joy to hold and cherish for the new year!
Thanks for the idea for the "God gave us Christmas" book. My little one needed a book for a book swap and I decided to buy a copy to keep.
Oh my goodness, I have the same Little House set! My mom gave it to me when I had my first daughter & now it’s my children’s (I have 3 girls now lol). It’s soo good, I thoroughly enjoy reading bits and pieces at a time to them.
Bitty Baby!!! I am so excited to have a little girl to have give her American Girl dolls!! I plan to have my two from my childhood spruced up for my future daughter!
American girl dolls are the best! I still have mine and I got mine over 13 years ago. I can’t wait to have a baby girl someday and be able to get her a doll too!
Loved the video. Would love one on how you keep their toys organized. Thanks a bunch
I’m making homemade vanilla extract for some of my family members. I’m going to make a DIY video for it too and I’m excited about that. Love these videos for ideas although I’m already done shopping these are good ideas for birthdays too.❤️
I’ll be honest, I went into this video thinking I’d probably feel bad about myself once done with it, since it’ll be a tight Christmas with me switching jobs BUT you’ve honestly reminded me that it really doesn’t matter how MUCH they have. I’m so glad you’re actually normal & you show it. Thank you for being you! My 16 month old son is OBSESSED with shape sorting toys so I found a Melissa & dough wooden truck (also obsessed with trucks) but it’s a shape sorter. I didn’t plan on getting it since I didn’t know it was a thing but now I can’t wait to get it! He’s also moving into another room so we’re getting him paw patrol stuff for his room!
Oh, Nicole. You're such a sweet mama! I'd NEVER want to make people feel bad about themselves! We have struggled financially in years past and basically had NO budget for Christmas. We've been blessed in recent years but that doesn't change how much we value living on a budget and encouraging others on this journey! I know your little one will LOVE whatever you get him because he knows you love him!
Natalie Bennett I love that you guys are still the same people with or without CZcams 😭 thank you for reminding me that Christmas isn’t just about stuff. Sometimes it’s hard not to get caught up in the Christmas commercials & catalogues & the constant need to buy kids an abundance of toys!
Ah!! I loved my set of Little House books when I was a kid! I didn’t like to read until I got those, and my American Girl books. They completely changed my life! Haha. It’s exciting that you managed to get it for such a great price!
This year we got my little 17m old a slide for Christmas. 💕 Can’t wait for her to see it. I think she will be so excited!!!
We've had a slide for our kids for years and they LOVE it still! 💕
I’m excited to give my two toddlers (M & F) two baby dolls that are babies of color!!
We would love to get my kids more toys for Christmas, but we just feel overwhelmed with how much stuff is in our house currently. We decided to stick to fun clothing items (my 3 year old is obsessed with dresses) and water bottles. I know that all our extended family will definitely supply our kids with more toys, and it’s a relief to not feel like I’m just adding to more “stuff” in our house
My homeschool co-op did a history-based American Girl class too! I had Elizabeth and played with her for a long time.
Hey Natalie! I saw a wonderful Melissa and Doug train track set (at the Target I met you at - wearing a charlie brown sweater) on sale for $30! It was in the section with the bikes and wagons on an end cap in case you were interested! I wanted to tell you about it just in case. It was there this morning!
Before even watching I just wanted to tell you that when I see Hailey with her glasses it gives me comfort - I'll explain why: I have had glasses since I was 14 month old, always hated it, and always thought it made it impossible for me to be pretty etc. (esp . as a teenager) Now my 4 year old needs glasses as well and I'm crushed - I know it's silly but I just wanted to spare her the "life with glasses" that I had. Except...looking around, I see that the self-love issues I had were not caused by the glasses and that I find kids with glasses (including yours!) super cute. So actually I think my daughter wearing glasses might actually help heal some of my "glasses-trauma". hope I won't get hate for this comment for making a big deal about glasses, it was just my own personal issue. Thanks Natalie:)
Can't wait to see the reaction of your kids! They are gonna love their presents! My 18 months old son is going to receive very few toys since he already has many and doesn't seem to enjoy them...he prefers playing with my pans and kitchen tools instead!😊
Thanks for sharing and I absolutely love the videos of when you were a child...so sweet memories!
My daughter is getting that train set also! She will go crazy for it!
I’m most excited to give my 3 year old son a toy vacuum and my 18 month old daughter a little Barbie guitar! I really wanted to give them a kitchen set but we also live in a small space. The Ikea one seems to be the perfect size but maybe we’ll save it for another time. Love your haul and how relatable you are! 😊
My son is about a month older than Hailey and we got him a kitchen set too! I'm so excited to see him play with it!
i’m excited to give my older brother a pair of socks. i know that doesn’t sound like much but he has been across the country training for the national guard since the beginning of september and honestly i’m just excited to get to see him for the holidays
Omg!!! Love this video because I am also genuinely excited for them to open these presents!!!!!!!!!
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I am so excited to give the play kitchen we got for my son to him! He is haileys age and loves to pretend cook!
We got a gently used baby doll stroller/ car seat set for our 19 month old and I'm so excited to give it to her!! She LOVES the strollers in our church nursery. I'm also thinking of maybe getting her a small kitchen set 🤔
Yes! American girl is such good quality. I plan on getting my daughters done as they get older.
I still have both My American Girl dolls. My Molly is one of my prized possessions 😭 I love her so very much, even 15 years later
I am SO SO EXCITED to give my 2.5 year old his big gift this year! He is absolutely obsessed with dinosaurs, and we found one online that’s 3’ tall and literally swallows other dinosaurs 😂 he is going to flip out!! We’re also getting him these stretchy dinosaur puppets. Every time we go to the mall he has to sit and play with them in the toy store and I have to drag him away. So he’s going to love having them at home! I anticipate lots of meals eaten with two dinosaur hands 😂
right now at target in the dollar spot there is wood and felt food for 3 bucks each and there is a TON of food my kids have a kitchen and they always loose the food so i have to go buy more but this is so much better
I’m so excited for Christmas this year. Our daughter will be one just 5 days before Christmas so my husband is going to make her a wooden toy box and I’ll paint it or add her name to it somehow but we hope it will last a long time. Plus we are also very mindful about toys and so I hope to use the toy box as a way to measure and limit the amount of toys she’s allowed to have. I’d love a tutorial on that hairstyle and makeup!!
That sounds like such a special gift! Yes! I agree that having a designated storage for toys helps keep them to a set amount and can help when de-cuttering!
Also, Christmas time is a bit tricky for me in regards to my son's birthday being December 21st. I'm also a single mother but determined to keep the two separate. So, I throw his bday party as close to the first weekend of December as I can & reserve his actual bday for a small date just him & I. We'll go get a cupcake or go to the zoo or lunch something like that. This year, his Birthday party is his bday gift from me. He will get a few presents from the guests that I know he will enjoy & I'm having it at a location that forces me to downsize what I would normally do. The local swim center cost $90 to rent out for 30 swimmers & I can only decorate 2 tables. I'm determined to do less gifts for Christmas in exchange for non-junk stocking stuffers & a few well thought out quailty gifts.
I love what you are doing my birthday is december 22 and i always celebrate the weekend before