Sorry... I'm not going to make my three year old clearly write out his Christmas list. The biggest problem I have with this is the expectation of the child that they will then receive everything on their list. My dad did that with me one year, told me to write down everything I wanted. I wrongly thought I was going to get everything I wanted. It led to disappointment on Christmas, though I tried hard not to show it. Granted, it only took one Christmas to learn that, but I like the surprise, the mystery. And if you do this, let your child know please, that you will use it for ideas, but will not buy everything on it.
I use the power of Observation, reviews for children that seem into the same stuff as him, and certainly shoutouts throughout the year.
I also take him through the toy store and we play our way through. I watch for items that hold his interest, that are educational, athletic, or just plain old fun. I refuse to buy him something every trip, but I let him know that I'll have a word with Santa.
This year he's getting a Innotab 2 based on his love for my Xoom, and his outgrowing his Leaptop.

I don't believe in gift giving.

We took the toy ads from the major local retailers and had our son go through them and highlight what he most wanted. Things that came up over and over again were given priority. He won't get everything he asked for, because what fun is that, but he got a good portion of it, plus some stuff he doesn't know he wants (but he totally does).

My toddler still has a pretty meager vocabulary, but he does know how to say "ball" and "book" as those are some of his favorite things. Guess what he's getting for Christmas?

I have her list on the computer and add to it year round based on what she mentions she wants. I also hand her toy catalogs and have her circle what she wants in them. Then I also add those to the computer list. I don't really need the list for me to know what to buy her, but I email it to the grandparents and any other relatives that ask.

My six year old has been adorable this year circling everything she wants in every toy magazine she finds. But in the end she's overjoyed with whatever she gets. Very sweet.

funda62 wrote:My six year old has been adorable this year circling everything she wants in every toy magazine she finds. But in the end she's overjoyed with whatever she gets. Very sweet.

That's the best.

Requests from the kids are collected and then I tell the family members who ask what the kids want things from that list.

Gifts from me are things I think the kids would like that I've found and which they may never have even thought about, like a pirate game I found over the summer, and a set of wooden puzzles. My kids would never have asked for these, but I know they will play with them more than the Dinosaur Lego set or the remote control spider.

I chose must be gentle. That's for any formally requested item and/or expensive stuff. Otherwise, Christmas gift ideas are watched for all year long with "I really need..." or "I soooo want...." or "This would be so awesome!" Watching your kids behaviors can lead to better christmas gifts than some of the formally requested items. Like my 3 year old daughter will get a fish tank this year because I know how she obsesses over fish tanks everywhere we go. However, she has repeatedly asked for stompeez (slippers) and will get them. My prediction: the fish will receive year round attention while the stompeez will get a few days attention.