Favorite Games for Christmas Presents

I have boys to deal with and I stear clear of the video games. I am big on the skate boards and the basket balls. This year the boys are getting soccer balls and the soccer goals for the back yard. We all need to think about getting the kids outside and doing somthing active. If you are apartment dwellers... not outdoor boys... go for the LEGO. I have lego for all my kids and add to it every year. at first its a puzzle to build, then its a toy... I got the cars that have pull back motors. When they crash they fall apart and need rebuilding so the games last for hours. Months later they can mix the pieces and make different cars from the same sets. New look same game! cool beans!!

A fun "thinking" game for the older kids is Blokus. Another fun one (or two) is Apples to Apples and Uno spin. I have an 11 year old boy and a 9 year old girl and hoping to get new ideas too :)

3 y.o. might enjoy Candyland. No reading required, and it's good practice for colors. She'll probably need some help at first, but she'll want to play with grownups anyway.

The boys might enjoy Battleship or another stragey game. Of course, they'd love video games too ... but that gets expensive really fast :\ And, it's better to have something interactive too.

3 YO girl - Hi Ho Cheerio, Memory. She's probably not quite ready for Candyland and Chutes & Ladders, but those will come soon! My daughter has an alphabet game illustrated by Eric Carsle that we love. He illustrated several different games that all look good. We got ours at Target.

Both of the boys might be into video games of some sort.
Or maybe they are into sports?
I have several neices, no daughters of my own, but for several events I have bought them each a purse that was age appropriate and filled them with flavored chapsticks, nail polish and things of that nature. I am sure that the 3 year old would enjoy dress up clothes.

Last year I had a hard time thinking of gifts for brother and sister inlaws. I finally came up with a movie basket. I got them each a movie that I thought that they would enjoy and placed it into a basket with popcorn and lots of "movie theater" candy. I also included a gift certificate to a local movie theater. Maybe this would be a good gift for the boys?

I wish you the best of luck!

my now 15 yr old got an axis and allies board game last year and he really enjoys it.
all of my boys enjoy Risk (which is great because I hate it and my husband loves it)
Apples to apples is a fun one the whole family can play. I bet the 9 or 12 year old would love Killer Bunnies (we love it here at our house)
and for the 3 yr old, hungry hungry hippos with the marbles was my dd's favorite last year. she still loves it but doesn't play as much as last year.
I am going to get Jenga for her this year.
Electronic Sorry is a fun one, the kids all get a kick out of how it calls them names etc. while directing the play.