Cheap Presents Are Often The Best

All the best toys and games I had as a child were either home made or second hand. My brother and I had hours of fun with a "go cart" which we made from old pram wheels and bits of wood salvaged from goodness knows where. We even made a smart, streamlined car body for it with the upturned pram body! It was very smart and had steering and even a brake - a bolted on piece of wood which you had to pull HARD against one of the back wheels. We only discovered how ineffective this was when we took the cart to one of the (rare) hills near our village and reached a fine old speed ... at which point, the steering became unstable and the brake came off in someone's hand (I can't remember now which of us was driving at the time). Fortunately, the 'driver' was able to steer into the side of the road before he reached the level crossing at the bottom of the hill and was not seriously hurt, except for some scratches and quite a lot of nettle stings! I actually came across this discussion whilst searching for my surname and was intrigued to see the name of the shop where your mother bought the ping-pong set. It is such an uncommon name that I feel that the owner must have been a relation. Where was the shop, please?

I try to buy my kids what they want for christmas. But they always seem to want to lay with the empty boxes after opening their gifts. It is truly amazing. I don't remember playing with the boxes, I liked playing with my toys. M parents did not have a lot when my and my brother were growing up, but we did enjoy christmas. I know my kids love opening their gifts and I know they like what they get. There is always that one special gift they get. And it usually does not cost a lot. The one thing my son did get last year was an X-Box and that was money well spent. He loves it and plays all his games constantly. My daughter is happiest with a barbie doll. She is such a girl.

No, my kids never seemed overly impressed with gifts that I bought. It's still the same now with my daughters and my oldest granddaughter behaved like a brat last Christmas when she opened her gift. I was embarrassed and wanted to smack her at the same time. It wasn't a cheap present but nor was it expensive. The year before, I gave the granddaughters a $50 gift card to share and they left it too long and it had expired. I was furious. It was like they had no appreciation whatsoever. I wanted them to get something they really wanted. I could have put that $50 to good use. I'm surprised that a reminder finds me still angry.

Or,to put it another way,it's the thought that counts.. Having money to indulge a family at Christmastime can be more difficult than not having enough to go around..Having the ability to top last year's gifts can get old,there's only so many times you can gift a TV or Laptop..You can burn out with the gift giving and receiving,the kids can't appreciate what they've received,let alone show appreciation sometimes..The after Christmas dinner Ping Pong tournament would be an established tradition with My Sister's Family! I don't have kids of my own,but even when I didn't have much money at Christmasses past,I'd still try and make the gifts I could afford relevant and personal..

Ah janey. that brings back memories. I got a table tennis kit one year and my Dad played me with it. We had a pine table with the benches. I have no kids and I know I am missing out on so much

Obviously ,Your recent several discussions relating to sport were inspired by the London Olympic Games,which made your mind travel back to your schooldays.Maybe playing table tennis on dining-table and the like is many people's childhood experiences.I, for one,did do it.Your Mum is really a devoted wife and mother.She loves you so much.

Most of the time we kept it simple and imaginative. Things that could be played with many ways. I think my kids always had a good time.

I never... LoL... Because I don't have kids... When I have kids, if I have kids in future, I'll strive to do my best to give 'em the best... The experience you relate here. I've been through it as a child. Only that me and my brother were always disappoined, initially. Then we both would unanimously decide to make the most of it... It changed as I grew up... My parents could buy me anything... I've often complained of rough childhood, with good reasons too. But they made it up by buying whatever I asked for. :-)... Alas, those expensive gifts could not untwist my mind. I remained with inferior complex for almost all the time... I'm learning now, though; that all of us are gifted with everything. We just need to find it... :-)

last year, i redid our daughter's baby books for them. took time to scrapbook each page. their original baby books were the kind with that nasty sticky paper that did horrible things to pictures, so i took them all out and scrapbooked them. it took me a long time (i started in August!) but my older (extremely picky) daughter said that that was the best present she got for CHristmas last year.

This reminds me of watching the Chinese and Japanese girls playing table tennis in the Olympics the other night. Athletes like that make it look so different to every time I've played! Wonder if they started on their parent's dining table?

I can remember my childhood being a bit like yours.My mum and dad both worked and the main thing to them was keeping a roof over our heads as well as all the other bills paid. I had sindy dolls that I had from some sale and one christmas, I remember her making me a complete series of clothes for my dolls, as well as a wardrobe and hangers for them.Out of all the presents that I got that year they were far the best.

My mom never think of disappointing us, since we are always grateful for her and the things she provided for us. She might not give any tangible things, but a gift of giving birth is the best present we had from her.

A mother's love is the greastest thing in the world. It really is. Money is important, but money can't buy happiness. Mums can often do a lot of things with limited money. I know that because now I am a mom for a 7 year-old daughter. My daughter likes cakes but cakes in the cakeshop is expensive and not clean. So I bought a roaster, learned to bake cakes, and biscuits for her. She was so happy. I learned to roast chicken legs, pizza and hamburger. I satisfied my child's appetite with small amount of money.