hahah this thread is bad news. I had to google "fingerlings." they look cute and I have not seen them around here at all. I may get them for DD and my niece.
I would like to do away with adult gifts completely. On my husbands side we switch names with a monetary limit. My side we still do everyone because my mom won't give it up. DH and I haven't exchanged gifts in 3-4 years I think? That includes birthdays. We just count whatever big item we had to purchase for our life as the gift so we can purchase it at the best price or when we need it during the year and since we built a house last year... I think we are good for a while. That said, per our early marriage tradition, I try to buy us a new movie to watch on Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve Eve
I also try to buy a new ornament for the tree that has some significance for an event in the year past.
I know there were a few who were going to tiny babies at christmas. My DD was only 5 days old on christmas but she gave her dad a little pink glass elephant ornament. Now I let her pick out one gift for him also (besides her secret santa shopping if she wants). Those can be hilarious. I spent a pile of time looking for a kazoo one year when she was 3 because she wanted to give him one. I think we ended up going with a back scratcher loofah instead.
For DD, Santa brings three gifts. Her choice. The rest of the gifts and stocking come from us. Having only one makes it easy to over buy though, especially now that I like to play with her toys now too. I keep a storage tub going in my basement for pre purchased gifts. I have actually gotten good deals on small legos in the past and kept them here for an emergency birthday gift too. I have done well this year and in the past checking Hollar every once in a while for quality stocking stuffers. We also liked doing the Tsum Tsum advent calender even though we have a really nice homemade advent calender. I grabbed that last year because we were about to move so I was limiting christmas decor, but we had so much fun with it, I may do it again.
Since she is Dec birthday, things get crazy that month. This year she has asked if she could have her party in the summer with a pool party and wait for b-day gifts until then. Since we have never done a "friends" birthday for her because of Dec and the size of our previous home, right now I think that is what we will do.... getting grandparents on board with that may take some convincing.
For christmas, she needs a sleeping bag, some clothes, maybe cute jammies and a robe (but she may also make a robe for a 4-H project next year so that we may skip), and I have gotten her some Tsum Tsum from Hollar and Walmart over the summer. She may also get a new quilt for her bed. She is intent on buying her own american girl doll (we have a target one now) so probably some cute accessories, maybe some vintage barbie furniture off ebay, Cars diecast, or legos.
My nieces and nephews I always buy a book of some sort, and then try to stay in a $30 budget from there. Last year I got my niece 14 a fingernail painting book and tools. My other niece I got art supplies. The older nieces and nephews may just get ski passes if I can find deals. I like the idea of the app for tracking, I usually just keep a sticky note in the back of my planner.