I love giving gifts – it’s one of those things that just makes me really happy and part of giving a thoughtful gift is planning.  I have a Gift Giving Notebook in Evernote in the notebook I have a few notes here’s how it works out:

*Gift ideas for specific ages – this note started a few months ago when I started hearing people online talk about Play Kitchens and I decided I would just whip up a little chart with a column for age ranges and another column for gift ideas.  It’s been a pretty awesome note to look to when I was buying Christmas presents this year and for some Birthday presents.  I have a niece who is four – I asked her Mom what she most loved playing with over the last year and I wrote those things down.  I have a birthday party for a very special three year old this weekend and I’m WAY more confident about our present.  I think those age ranges on the toy box can be really off base.

*I’d really love a – This is my favorite note…its like a letter to Santa.  When a person casually mentions something either on their blog, or facebook, or in person I’ll make a little note.  Like a friend of mine mentioned that she’d like a specific necklace and she said it in a “I’ll never get it but boy I’d really love it” way so I wrote it down….I sent the idea on to her husband for an upcoming birthday – it wouldn’t be an appropriate gift for me but this guy is going to look like a rock star and she’s going to LOVE it.  I love this note.  It also helps me with the “What do I get a problem like Maria…” problem – without this list Maria would be getting a variety of Bath & Body Works products she probably wouldn’t love.

*A gift for me – I keep a list of a few things that I’d like or that Lexi would like/need.  I find that when I ask someone if they’d like anything that I actually do want an answer – sure, it’s nice to be surprised but sometimes it’s nice to just get something that you actually would like.

I do have a request of you today….I need to add some gift ideas on this list for a two year old and a three year old.  So, what do I put on the list?