I get some presents from the childrens’ Christmas lists and put plenty of thought into the other presents I buy. Despite this, purchasing lots of successful Christmas presents is somewhat of a holy grail. So many times items are used fleetingly over the festive period and then never see the light of day again.
However, Christmas 2019 we nailed it. So many presents are being used very regularly or even daily. I separated the wheat from the chaff on their Christmas lists and came up with some ideas they hadn’t even thought of but love.
Here are some of the most successful Christmas presents from last year…
Successful Christmas presents for my 11-year-old daughter
The make-up case
Sofia is only allowed to wear discreet make-up on special occasions. Nonetheless she has mountains of the stuff. It was no surprise then that she asked for a make-up storage box.
I found this lovely rose gold one from Beautify (£29.99). It’s almost like a toolbox – albeit a very pretty one – and has three tiers, umpteen compartments and loads of room. It folds away nicely and is a feature in her room.
Rose gold make-up storage box – Beautify 
The Armoire Storage Mirror
On the same site I came across an LED Armoire Storage Mirror (£67.99). It’s a beautiful looking white cheval mirror with theatre dressing room-style lights running all around it. The mirror opens to reveal storage for a ton of lotions, potions and jewellery. It also has a handy holder for her hairdryer! She absolutely loves it.
Successful Christmas presents for my 8-year-old twin daughters
Handmade fairy house
When browsing at The Holly and Laurel Emporium in Dorking, Maria found a fairy house. She fell in love with it immediately. It’s handmade from apple wood, uses logs reclaimed from a condemned orchard and is furnished with handmade accessories. It also has small fairly lights wrapped around it.
I wasn’t sure at first about buying it, but it remained a constant on her Christmas list so we got it. I’m glad we did as it’s her favourite present and her sisters love it too. It’s also a great antidote to electronic devices. I think it’s absolutely gorgeous.
Our Generation doll
Another more traditional present, which stood the test of time on the Christmas list, was an Our Generation Anya doll (£35.22). Our Generation is a range of healthy looking, nicely proportioned dolls that are quite tall at about 46cm. Anya has pierced ears and comes with a complete outfit – interchangeable with other dolls – two necklaces, three pairs of earrings and a jewellery stand. I bought a hairbrush and spray bottle set to go with Anya, which keeps her hair in good condition. It’s great to see Gabby playing with her beloved Nintendo and doll in equal measure.
Smart watches
The girls love gadgets, games and taking photos. They are also obsessed with the step count on my FitBit. Therefore a smart watch each seemed like a great idea. I did some research and went with the Vtech Kidizoom Smart Watch (£39.98). Since getting them they’ve got more interested in telling the time and knowing what the date is. The pedometer is a massive hit and they’ve both taken A LOT of photos. I can tell these are going to stand the test of time.
The joint presents
NET1 Portable Netball System
My three have all started netball club this year at their junior school having never played it previously. They’ve developed a real passion for it so I thought a netball post for our garden would be perfect. It is! They’ve been out rain or shine practising with each other or alone. They even keep saying what a great present it is! The NET1 Portable Netball System (£89.99) has great reviews and I can thoroughly recommend. It is completely portable – on wheels – until you fill the base with water or sand.
CRAYOLA Light Up Tracing Pad
This is a lovely simple present that has brought so much enjoyment and is used very frequently. It’s robust as you’d expect from Crayola and comes with one tracing pencil, 12 coloured pencils, six sheets with traceable items (everything from fairies to treasure chests) and 10 blank sheets. I think it’s great value at £24.47.
And let’s not forget dad
My husband loves cooking and baking, and we’re also on a bit of an economy drive. Enter the Panasonic SD2511 Breadmaker (£169.99). He makes several loaves (different styles) a week. He’ll still make bread from scratch, but this can’t be beaten for convenience. It takes just a couple of minutes to load in the ingredients and then away you go. It works out to about 40p a loaf. All of the different breads we’ve had so far are delicious.
