I decided that this year, gifts would be limited and that I would try to keep from spending more than $100 per kid. I'm going to end up a bit over for each, but I did very well limiting what I would get them to a select number of gifts.
Each one of them gets one "toy" type gift, one Wii game, one/two pairs of jeans, a package of socks, a package of underwear and then a stocking and two Christmas firecrackers (I'll have to post pictures when I get them made!). I figure since they'll also get gifts from other people, there is no need to go overboard with a lot of toys they won't wind up playing with very often.
I had a very hard time with Caleb's "toy" gift this year. He doesn't play a lot with toys. He likes to play pretend here and there with a select few, or he plays video games or he likes cartoons and that's just him. I'm hoping that what I did find for him will not disappoint and will instead provide some more imaginative play and at the same time teach him some responsibility for when he finally is old enough to have his own cell phone. I guess we'll see!
Lorelei, on the other hand, was very easy to shop for! I already know she'll be excited by her gifts and I can't wait to watch her open them on Christmas morning.