My brother and his wife are soon going to be bringing home a 6-year old boy from Guatemala that they have adopted. By Christmastime, he will likely have been in the U.S. for about a month.
So what would be a better idea for a Christmas present: Something fun (toy) or something educational (books).
Toys!
An ornament that says “Baby’s First Christmas.” Some of them are designed to hold a photograph.
You can put it in a personalized Christmas stocking.
Congrats - toys, but don’t overwhelm him.
Books in Spanish? Although my six year old can only sort of read.
I don’t think overwhelming will be a problem since there will be four other small kids at this Christmas celebration. (Ages 4 to 8). They might not have great math skills, but they can definitely tell who got “more” than the others!
Oops, I realized that I meant to put this in IMHO. Could a mod kindly move it?
You know, some of us think books ARE fun. 
How 'bout some Dr. Suess? A good way to learn English. A good way to learn to read. And a necessary American cultural experience.
Bein’ moved from Cafe Society to IMHO, at request of OP.
You can’t start him too soon!
ornament with the tykes name on it is great. he would be able to put it up this year and every year.
and they have those cool books that you can write a story and have it printed up. it would be nifty to have a book about how he became part of your family.
a toy would be good, maybe a stuffed toy, like a llama!
three things are traditional.
What is your relationsip to your brother, and more importantly, do you have or intend to have small children of your own? Depending your answers to these questions, may I sugest that revenge can be a glorious thing, or thing feet as the case may be.
If that doesn’t appeal, Graeme Base’s Animalia Is absolutely wonderful to read to a child, so you will giving him lap time with a grownup, and there isn’t much better than that.
Where is my Cow?
I likely won’t be having kids of my own so I’m living through my nieces and nephews vicariously.
Oh, c’mon.
Books and ornaments?
The kid wants pokemon and YuGiOh.
:rolleyes:
If I could pry them out of my 7 year olds hands, I’d gladly send them your direction.
How about a nice big teddy bear or other kind of lovey?
A soccer ball might be an excellent way to break down barriers too.
Have fun being an Uncle.
This child’s older brother (who is about to turn 9) already has YuGiOh cards, so perhaps with a younger brother now, he will have someone to play the game with. I think that game has no rules known to mankind, so they will easily overcome any language barrier! His brother also already plays soccer.
I do want to bring an L.A. Galaxy jersey out. The game-winning goal in the MLS Cup was scored by a Guatemalan. He likely has no idea who that guy is, but you never know.
Legos! Legos! Legos!
They’re fun and educational. And kids and adults of all ages like to play with them, so it will make it easy for people to play with him and to get to know him, and vice versa, without the language barrier being too much of a problem.
See, you have free range to give presents. I was tempted, but never quite dared to give my nephew bagpipes, because my daughter is three weeks older, and payback is a bitch. My sister has an evil imagination. My daughter is now 12 though, and I think i am safe giving my other sister’s children (4 and 6) a karioke machine. It is a risk though.
I second the Legos. It takes a critical mass for them to be any fun at all though, so you need lots.