Christmas shopping, the unreigned-in version

So, being a fan of the Waldorf and Montessori-inspired toys myself, I have become addicted to several of the toy catalogs that we've received in the mail for Christmas. Nova and Magic Cabin are favorites and Claire and I look through them going "oooohhhh....look at that sweet doll stroller" or "ooooohhh, Sammy would love that bow and arrow!" (I know, I know...why would I buy him a weapon, right?).

But then I found even another toy-related thing to be addicted to: Gepetto's Toy Box in Oak Park. So many Waldorf toys and such that you see in a catalog can only be found via mail order or online, and I so rarely get to see them in person. So, when I walked into the toy store, I was in love with it. I kept telling the sales guy "oh, I've HEARD of these beeswax crayons but I've never actually seen them!"

All the toys are ridiculously expensive since most of them were hand-crafted by little gnomes in the mountains of switzerland, but I had to get a few things there for Christmas. I also had to feel like a snob for one second and buy something at a toystore that wraps your gifts for you...they don't do that for me at Walmart. Well, anyway, I didn't buy much, but I got some stocking stuffer stuff and a few real things.

This toy was the one I really went for. You may be able to buy it anywhere for all I know, but I think Sammy will really get into it. It has these little 1/2" nails and you can hammer down the shapes to make pictures. According to the nice lady over at My Montessori Journey, this is a favorite in her Montessori classroom. I'm really trying to buy the kids stuff that they will use rather than stuff that's going just sit around. I also really want toys where the kid has to put some effort into it, because otherwise Sammy just walks past it.

While I was there, I picked up a little fairy music box and big book of mazes for Claire, beeswax crayons, a little flute/recorder thing, a die cast convertible car, and a rake for Sam.

At Michael's, the other day, I bought Claire a little spool knitting thing, and then these laptrays that they can use to either eat on when they are sitting in my bed watching Curious George in the morning, or color on when sitting in the car. We are always big on things you can use in the car to avoid Sammy just staring out the window asking 10,000 questions

I also have an apron for Claire from IKEA.

Anyway, that's all I've done so far, but on the wish lists are also...

American Girl clothes for Claire...

and I'd love to get Sammy this fun Plasma Car...

and maybe the bow and arrow he has been begging for lately, (and which he has currently fashioned out of a plastic hanger).

The problem is that I seem to be able to come up with 1,000 things for boys right now, but not for girls. Or maybe it's that the girl stuff seems really dumb to me, like how Claire wants a bathtub for her American Girl doll, (which she never plays with). I can't seem to find as much Waldorfy inspired gifts for a 5 year old girl. Lots of craft stuff is all I can think of.

Anyway, what are you getting your kids?