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Christmas is always such an exciting yet expensive time of the year.
I took advantage of the Black Friday sales for once and bought as much as I could afford without breaking the bank. I find Amazon the best option for me because:
I don’t often buy toys for Tate and Levi throughout the year. In Melbourne, I hired all our toys—puzzles, games, slides, and bikes—from our local Toy Library. Sadly, living on the Gold Coast, I don’t have this option now.
As it’s the festive season, I do like to buy a few little things for the kids, so Amazon it was, and I found some fantastic gifts for Christmas. Some are unopened, obviously for Christmas Day, while others I was too eager not to use and are a hit in our household already.
Here are my top toddler purchases for Christmas:
Dr.meter Ear Muffs
Levi has shown signs of noise sensitivity over the past six months, so I invested in ear muffs to test whether they help him with loud noises when we’re out and about.
We haven’t had a chance to use them yet; however, The Star Gold Coast offers a show called The Enchanted Nutcracker Show, which I’d like to take the twins to on Christmas Eve. This will be the perfect opportunity to see if they reduce noise, discomfort and fear for him.
Of course, being twins, I also had to buy Tate a pair!
Buy it here: Dr.meter Ear Muffs on Amazon
LCD Writing Tablet
I discovered these tablets at a local restaurant one night when the waiter gave them to me to distract the twins during dinner (what a Saint!).
The tablets were so fantastic I had to source a pair immediately! These have been a perfect addition to our road trips, dinners, and coffee outings. There’s no mess, they’re extremely light and erase at the touch of a button.
Even I have been using it to write notes when I haven’t had a pen handy.
Buy it here: LCD Tablet on Amazon
Mega Bloks
I’m not a fan of stepping on tiny Lego blocks; plus, they’re still a choking hazard for my young children, so Mega Bloks it is! They’re perfect for the boys’ little hands, help develop their motor skills, and are inexpensive compared to the price of genuine Lego. I can see Daddy building houses and towers with them on Christmas morning.
Buy it here: Mega Bloks on Amazon
Toddler Kitchen Utensils
My little chefs in the making! I’ve seen the Montessori toddler kitchen utensils all over social media, and I found these inexpensive sets on Amazon. The twins always want to help me in the kitchen, and now they can do so safely. Christmas day will be our first time testing them out.
Buy it here: Toddler Tools on Amazon
AirToobz by Fat Brain
Eeeek, yes, it is the most expensive Christmas present this year at $150 USD, but it will be the highlight of what Santa gifts the twins on Christmas morning. There’s a giant version of this at our local play centre, which inspired this purchase. This will be ideal for my energetic little munchkins, as they love the scientific element and encourage learning about ’cause and effect’.
While this toy originates from Fat Brain, I did purchase it through a third-party retailer.
See it in action on Youtube – even I can’t wait to play with it!
Each Christmas, I follow traditions: buying new outfits, stocking up on fairy lights, and shopping too much. This year, I simplified: re-wearing outfits, avoiding buying decorations since we aren’t in our own home, and grocery planning. At the start of the year, I saved Woolies Dollars (an Aussie supermarket rewards program) for Christmas. I made and saved lists, and when the dollars were available, and items were on special, I stocked up and put them away. I also placed an order for my perishable items for Christmas Eve pick-up. This needed weeks of planning for someone who loses her keys and phone daily.
As for gifts for Bryce and I? We’ve decided to forgo major gifting this year. Levi and Tate are all we’ve bought for, and even then, we haven’t gone overboard.
To some, this might all sound a bit “Grinchy.” But let me explain: I haven’t been working, we recently moved our entire lives to another state and this isn’t just about saving money; it’s making thoughtful choices that reflect our current priorities. While this year’s Christmas will be simpler, we’re happy to focus on what truly matters—our children. We want to make the day special for them while highlighting that we don’t need to splurge to create a memorable celebration.
Once again, you can find the items listed above on my Amazon storefront. Since this will be my last post before Christmas (but not the last post of the year), I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.
Stay safe, be kind, and enjoy ♥️
In the spirit of reconciliation, Her Second Shift acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today