Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids for 150 Pesos and below

Ok...I did mention that "Where to Eat in Mintal, Davao City" would be my last post of the year but, someone asked me for some gift ideas so, I decided to make a post out of it.

It's Christmas once again, and to be honest, before my son, I acted like Scrooge and would always say, "Lilipas din yan."( It will pass.) All of that has changed; my sour attitude towards Christmas has been replaced by eager anticipation since December is my son Yuri's birth month. I know what you are thinking, I can "kill 2 birds with one stone". Uhm, I never had to prepare for a Christmas Party before I had my son. With Yuri, it's a whole new ballgame. I start preparing as soon as November rolls in.

And since I have to spend for a party, I have to budget the money I can spend for gifts for the kids in my son's inner circle. On my street alone, there are 4 other kids who were born months apart from my son and yes, they are all friends. Then you have the other kids who are just a tad bit younger or older than my son who are also his playmates. All in all, we are talking about 12-15 kids alone (still have to add the cousins) if, I haven't left someone out. That's a lot of gifts I have to prepare. It feels like I'm one of those ninangs (godmothers) who has a whole bunch of inaanaks (godchildren) to get presents for (although ninangs and ninongs have the luxury of just giving cash). I "don't" have to buy ALL these kids gifts but, I feel I should give them a small trinket as a "thank you" for being good friends to my son.  Plus, my son is starting to understand the whole gift-giving concept for special ocassions. Christmas IS the perfect time to teach kids the spirit of giving.

So, I'm on a budget, having to buy at least 20 gifts. But, what can you buy that's under a 150 Pesos ($3 USD), that's of considerable quality and can be used or played with by children who love to break stuff? I know what you are thinking- CLOTHES. Aside from clothes...not too many options. So, I did some window shopping to find some ideas if you need to go Christmas bulk shopping for the kids. Hey, kids like having the same stuff as their peers so buying them the same stuff isn't a problem (plus, one won't get jealous if hers is better than his). Kids aren't like some adults I have encountered who freak out if they catch someone wearing the same shirt.

Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids for under 150 Pesos

For Boys:

1. Matchbox sized Die Cast Metal Cars

One brand that I can really swear on quality is Hot Wheels. You can hit these small toy cars on concrete and they won't break. Of course, they do get dented, scratched, and sometimes the wheels get misaligned from all the roughness but, these small cars are sturdy. I bought one a couple years back and the toy truck is still whole unlike all the other toys Yuri went through. One Hot Wheels toy car costs 129 Php and if there's a sale, you can get one for 109 Php.

If you are looking for matchbox sized die cast metal cars for under 100 Php, I found 2 brands Maisto and Teamsterz at Toy Kingdom. Individually, the toy cars sell at 89 Php. I was able to find a set of 2 assorted Teamsterz toy cars for 139 Php- lucky me! I bought 6 sets and now I have gifts for all my son's male friends.

If you have money to splurge, Takara Tomy from Japan. Yuri saw a model of Ellyvan from Disney's Jungle Junction at Toy Kingdom. I saw the price tag and I said no. Why? I could buy 3 toy cars from Hot Wheels with the price. Sadly to say, Yuri threw a huge fit (first time). I bought it. Takara Tomy toy cars start at 399 Php.

2. Toy Guns and Toy Swords

These babies never go out of style...ask Nerf. Nerf guns are a bit pricey even their cheaper competitors are still expensive. I have seen a deal on Lazada at the Official Toy Kingdom Flagship Store where they are selling 2 Nerf Guns for 599 Php. After the 11.11 sale, that deal is out of stock. Good thing toy stores sell other toy guns with prices starting at 100 Php. Toy guns which are battery operated start around 150 Php. I have bought so many...I really want a Nerf Gun. I am saving up for that.

For Dabawenyos, you can find toy swords that light up and make swooshing sounds at Victoria Plaza for 100 Php.

3. Action Figures

My son is enamored with one Avenger, the Hulk. He's green, mean and a fighting machine with a soft-side that's absolutely funny and adorable. Just like my son, though he isn't green.

Popular action figures are costly most especially if they are deemed as a collector's item. When I recently visited Toy Kingdom, I had my heart set on buying a Hulk action figure. But, the Hulk action figure came with a hefty price tag 599 Php for the 6" Hulk and 999 for the 9" Hulk. Yup, 100 Pesos for each inch more. So, I decided to put that on my wishlist for the meantime. I vowed that I would wait for it to go on sale.

I took a look around Lazada and found that I can get the Avenger's action figures for 121 Pesos each and the Hulk was available. But, the action figure is only 3"tall. Oh well, I hope this will do until I can get a bigger Hulk.

4. Battery-operated or Remote-controlled cars

I was surprised to see that Toy Kingdom has an assortment of battery-operated and remote-controlled cars for under 150 Php. Movements may be limited but, young boys love toy cars that can light up and move on their own.

5. Basketballs

Basketball is the dominant sport in the Philippines. Just go around a neighborhood, any neighborhood in the Philippines, and you'll find a basketball ring/hoop.

I was able to find a kid size basketball at the Sport's Haus at SM City Davao. I got it for 149.95 Php( still under 150 Php). My son doesn't play yet; he uses it as a model for Jupiter.

Another inexpensive gift that you can get for kids is an inflatable hammer with a LED light inside. Sells at 75 Pesos ($1.50 USD).  Here's Yuri with his inflatable hammer at the Mintal Barangay Hall to celebrate the Barangay Fiesta.

For Girls:

1. Dolls

I was a little girl, that is, once upon a time, and I always asked for a doll on Christmas. I had my collection of Barbie Dolls which my father gave away to the less fortunate when we moved to the Philippines. Barbie Dolls are pricey here although you can find a mini-sized Barbie or Ken doll for 150 Php at Toy Kingdom. It's just not the same though. But, the actual Barbie or Ken Doll starts at around 599 Php and I have seen  one Barbie Doll (which had a couple of extra wardrobe changes) priced at 1999 Php.

There are 2 brands of dolls that I found which aren't as popular as the Barbie Doll brand and thus, are priced much lower. There is the Krissy line of dolls and the Kimi line. Each doll sells at 100 Php and comes packaged with their own accessories.

For Frozen Movie fans, dolls of the characters are currently on sale at Toy Kingdom starting at 150 Php. Better do your gift shopping early.

2. Stuffed toys or Plush toys

My Little Pony is back with a vengeance and you have YouTube to thank for that. Even my son watches My Little Pony from time to time. I was surprised to see that it made a comeback. I wonder if the Care Bears will make a comeback.

You can find stuffed toys of My Little Pony on Lazada for under 100 Php each. I also found Peppa the Pig stuffed toys selling for under a 100 Php as well. Trendy, right?

3. Hair Accessories

Most little girls in the Philippines have long flowing hair. I have only seen a few girls who sport a short hair style. Even then, these girls still make use of hair accessories to keep their hair from falling into their eyes.

If you like giving practical gifts, you should look into hair accessories. At the Kid's Accessories section at the SM Department Store, you can find cute, stylish and trendy accessories that even the most picky little girl would want to wear. I was able to find sets that included 2 hair clips and 2 hair ties all matching for 100 Php.

4. Little Girl Purses

When I was a little girl, I had a strapped purse on me every where I went. I never made use of a wallet until I was older. I had a number of purses and even matched one purse to certain pieces of my wardrobe. I saw a niece of my partner who does the same thing I used to do- aside from having a school bag, she also has a purse.

You can find an assortment of purses (make sure it has a long shoulder strap) at the Kid's Accessories section of SM Department Store. Prices start at 120 Php. You may also want to check out online stores for purses. Don't forget to add some money in the purse for luck.

Gift Ideas For Boys or Girls:

1. For the kid who has a smartphone

Virtual Reality (VR) boxes are now affordable. You can find a VR box for under a 150 Php on Lazada and if you are lucky, under 100 Php if it is included during the Flash Sales. Some may even come with a free game controller or LED watch.

For kids who are aged 8 and above, even if I wouldn't give this as a gift (I have seen others that have and the kid was so very happy), a monopod or selfie stick. You can find affordable monopods just under 150 Php on Lazada.

2. For the kid who goes to school

You can never go wrong with a nice tumbler. At Toy Kingdom, Disney Character Printed Drink Tumblers are priced at 100 Php. You can also choose from the assortment of colors and give a tumbler with his/her favorite color.

Another idea is gifting an art supply kit that includes crayons, pastels, drawing paper, water color, and colored pencils. Sets are a bit expensive if bought already packed as a whole. You can just buy all the stuff separately and put everything in a nice colored plastic or mesh envelope. I made a set myself and it only cost me 130 Php.

A LED watch can be nice gift for a child that goes to school although it runs the risk of getting wet. You can find some LED watches with colored straps for under 150 Php on Lazada.

3. For the kid who loves to mold

My son loves modelling clay. Everytime we set foot into a toy store, school supplies/bookstore, or the stationery section of a departmeng store, he makes a beeline to where the clay is displayed. At Toy Kingdom, a 4 Play Dough set costs 139 Php. There are other modelling clay brands that you can buy, my son's favorite comes with 10 sticks of different colored clay and clay molds priced at 118 Php.

4. Pillows, night lights and other room accessories for bed time

Actually night lights and lamps now come in different designs and colors too. Kids love sleeping with some extra lighting. It's not about being afraid of the dark, it's about being able to see your surroundings. I myself hate banging into stuff when I need to use the bathroom at night.

Aside from plush toys, kids do appreciate an extra super soft pillow in bed with them. You can find pillows in an assortment of shapes and sizes and if you're lucky, their favorite cartoon character but, usually those types of pillows are a bit pricey.

If these ideas aren't your style...Yes, a nice T-shirt or blouse will do just fine. It's practical and I know children here in the Philippines always appreciate a new piece of clothing to add to their wardrobe.

This time I mean it...this will be my last post of the year. I have a lot of errands to run and a lot to plan. One thing about Christmas in the Philippines is traffic: off road and on road. How "off road"? The malls, shops, and supermarkets are all packed! So, if you don't want to get yourself stuck in the flurry of customers doing last minute shopping, DO YOUR SHOPPING EARLY! That's what I am trying to do.

So, again, I'd want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and A Prosperous New Year!

Maligayang Pasko and Manigong Bagong Taon sa Inyong Lahat!

'Til next year, 2019!

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