What’s on Santa’s List?

Beverly Carter
What I have done was get all of my grandchildren, clothing things that they will be needing. Like coats. sweaters, jeans, pajamas,glove sets, hats, dresses, jogging sets. I said that I would let the parents get what ever toys that they might won't to get for them. My sons and daughters are all grown up now. So I help out with all of the 16 grandchildren that the Lord has Blessed me with. And yes I get them what I fill to get them also. I have to start early in order to get done on time. And do a few layaways whatever works. I enjoy giving that is one of my gifts.

I have two young girls and they are, unfortunately, crazy over Barbie and Dora. I'm probably going to succumb to their commercial whims on some level. (Damn you Target toy wish book...ha!) ;)

Books are on our list as well as possibly a Rainbow Aquadoodle. My mother bought them a nice old-fashioned set of Lincoln Logs. If you have little girls I would also suggest the Woodkins sets, which are great for budding fashion designers! Plus you can add your own fabric to the mix. My girls also love the Crayola Wonder products. You can't go wrong with art supplies.

I'm thinking of getting our son an aquadoodle playset, a digital camera for kids and possibly the smart cycle. He loves to draw and doodle so the mat should be fun with no mess. He likes to pretend to take pictures so the camera will give him a real chance to use his photo skills and the smart cycle will help him learn while also exercising.

I'm hoping that my nieces and nephews still peg me as the cool aunt as I give experiences, not things. They have too many things, but so I don't come off all Bah, Humbug! when I'm with them over Christmas (like I will be with one set this year), we make a date to do something fun. This year it will be to take the Santa train (read: they decorate one of the subway El trains in Chicago) down to the Lincoln Park zoo to see the Christmas lights. They love it, and then I can bore them with stories of how our great aunt used to volunteer at the zoo's nursery and let me pull the baby chimpanzees around in diapers in a wagon when I was their age.

A day of peace, quiet, reading, and writing!

Books! In this P.C., blackberry, ipod, text messaging world, reading a book is becoming a lost art form among the new millennials.

i dont have kids, but I'm giving my best friend's kids an Advent calendar before Xmas.

I'm in the same boat. I think I'm going to get my son an old fashioned set of wood building blocks -- no paint, no plastic, no sketchy materials!