We don't have children and don't understand their world. Would appreciate ideas for a 5 year-old boy. Thanks!
I'll tell you what I got my 6 year old nephew. 1 $5 soft UT football and 1 $5 soft Cowboys football. We also put $50 into his Vanguard college savings account that my parents manage. I would rather do that than blow $50 on some Christmas gift that he doesn't need or will break. I am 33 and I didn't get a remote control car until I was in 8th grade. I won a $50 from a science fair and my parents let me buy what I wanted to with that. Bought a remote control car at Radio Shack for $60 (had another $10 saved up). I was 13 or 14 then. My nephew has like 2 remote control cars before he was 6 and it puzzles me. My sister gave me a list of things he wants for Christmas. Soft football wasn't on there but oh well. I get him something sports for his birthdays and Christmas. Whiffle ball set, soft baseball, ... Plus he should be outside playing. < rant over>
When my nephew Michael was 5, he told my mother that what he wanted for Christmas was a bag of money. This is a kid that, to this day as an adult, has never spent a nickel of his own money. King Midas could take lessons. His brother and sister (aged 7 and 8) each had a list of toys they wanted. So mom put a big pickle jar on the kitchen table and whenever she, daddy or I had extra coins, we'd toss them in the jar. The idea was that whatever amount was collected, she'd spend equal amounts on the older kids for the toys they wanted. Well, by the week of Christmas, there was about $200 in the jar! She bought toys for the older kids and we wrapped them and put them under our tree. And she bought some thick purple velvet and thick gold cord and made a bag -- not unlike a Crown Royal bag, but much higher quality -- for Mike's money. She'd taken the coins and had some of it convered into folding money. All in all, when the money was put in the bag, it was pretty impressive! So on Christmas day, when my brother bought his family over to open presents at our house, the older kids were bragging about how many gifts they had under the tree and hectoring Mike because he had only one. But Mike just sat there smiling When he opened his present and saw the bag, his eyes lit up and he looked up and said, "Thanks, Maw -- it's exactly what I wanted." Needless to say, when the older kids saw all the money, they were mad. But mom told them, "You all got what you asked for. Nobody here got stiffed." So every Christmas after that, everyone asked for money!
I always try to give gifts that are somewhat educational, constructive, or as an introduction into a new hobby. FOr a 5 year old, maybe some easy learn to read type books, or a simple board game like candy land, or one of those "memory" type games. Also boys like things that do stuff, so I might get him one of those rubberband powered airplanes or maybe just a big foam glider.
I agree with those who suggest something that will get them outdoors and active. A baseball mitt and baseball (rubber one probably), NERF football, soccer ball, etc. If they're just not the least bit athletically inclined then something that requires some brain power. Lego sets are popular at that age or anything construction related. Just not a video game.
Just give him the keys to your car. The sooner he starts driving the sooner he can get everyone home from the bar in a pinch.