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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think that posting pics of massive piles

109 replies

narna · 01/01/2011 18:00

of your children's Christmas presents on facebook is incredibly naff?
I mean why would you do that?
Why would you think that any of your friends are interested?
Dont get me wrong its lovely to see pics of kids opening them all excited on Christmas morning but who the hell wants to see a picture of a massive pile of presents?

OP posts:

compo · 01/01/2011 18:30

Why do you insist your dd only gets two presents?

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 01/01/2011 18:30

they do if you stick them on top of each other >

and besides if you have 3 children 2 presents becomes 6 presents......and then they want to add in their present from FC (PTA) at school, and there's another 2 or 3, and then there's the people you tell not to buy presents and do.

And with one or two careful chosen "big box" presents a pile of not very much can look enormous >>>

stoppinchingthedummy · 01/01/2011 18:31

Shoshe good point actually this will make me think in future- tingletangle can i ask why??

trace2 · 01/01/2011 18:32

i opened the thread who the does this, till i read it i thought was bum piles too[embarrassed]

tingletangle · 01/01/2011 18:32

It is at a stretch a very small pile rather than piles to be pedantic.

We fo not think Christmas is about presents and also do not like pointless consumption .

JemimaMop · 01/01/2011 18:33

Baroquin mine are the same, even if I'd bought my DC a Wii I wouldn't be organised enough to have the camera poised just as they tore open the wrapping paper!

In fact DS2's favourite present probably was his Lego annual...

My DC had a "pile" of presents. They had about 10 each from us, plus 3 each from my parents and 3 each from my PIL, then another 6 family/friends buy them each a present... times this by 3 DC and you have a pretty big pile!

curlymama · 01/01/2011 18:33

Tingletangle, three presents make a pile though wouldn't you say? What if there was another Grandma that wanted to but for you dd. Or a Grandma and Grandad who were separated but both wanted to buy. Or an Aunt? Would you really deprive your dd of a thoughtfully chosen gift from another relative who just wanted to give out of love? Really?

VeronicaCake · 01/01/2011 18:38

I put a photo of DD's massive pile of presents up on Facebook. She is 8 months old and was sitting in front of them gazing with a rapturous expression at a small piece of wrapping paper. Ooh she does love wrapping paper.

We didn't buy DD anything at all, but she still received a pile from friends, extended family and several of our neighbours. Personally I felt very grateful that so many lovely people wanted to buy her a treat and cannot imagine how I could go about suggesting people not do this without hurting their feelings.

tingletangle · 01/01/2011 18:38

If people were very insistent that they wanted to buy her a present I would let it pass . But most people we know are happy to comply. There is no need for anyone to buy more than one present.

If dd was given lots we would just not buy her anything. That is what we do for her birthday.

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 01/01/2011 18:38

I think my DS's each had 10 things under the tree to open this year 2 from me, 1 from "each other". then 5 from the MN secret santa (each!), and then their joint presents from me came in 3 parts so they had a part each to unwrap.

Then of course on Christmas day 2 friends who knew I'd got stuff from MN this year and that the DS's would be getting more than they ever had in their lives decided to get them presents anyhow.

I was hardly going to give them back was I??

Apart from birthdays my DS's don't get stuff sporadically throughout the year - Christmas is the only time that I get to spoil them a little. So I don't think 3 things each from me is excessive.

tingletangle · 01/01/2011 18:44

As far as I know we have nor hurt anyone's feelings. We have said that we do not want Christmas to be about presents and therefore would prefer not to receive presents. Dh and I do not buy for each other . Both dh and I have brothers and sisters and they do not buy presents. My relatives make a point of visiting and taking time to dk something with dd towards Christmas as a present. One of my sisters is am artist and she helped dd make some crafty things . My brother who is a great photographer took dd to London for the day and they took some photos. He has had one made into a print for her.

tingletangle · 01/01/2011 18:46

I never said anyone should return presents.

oldraver · 01/01/2011 18:47

I thought bum piles as well.

Yes people on my Mums Club used to do this. I used to think it was rather 'oh look at me and how wonderfully indulged my child is. We are only a small family, we dont have loads of cousins, aunts etc buying pressies for DS. Its just showing off really

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 01/01/2011 18:49

oldraver - I don't have loads (normally) buying for my DS's either. Even the years when there have been 10 presents under the tree in total for all of us I've still taken photos.

oldraver · 01/01/2011 18:49

Must add, its not a jealousy thing, my DS has enough pressies but any photos of him are just random, nota specific phot of all the presents lined up in tiers like some fairground stall

SarahStrattonsBaubles · 01/01/2011 18:50

Bit mean not letting people who want to give gifts do so. It's perfectly possible to enjoy Christmas without sucking all the joy out of it by banging on about consumerism. It should be a time of joy, love and togetherness and tolerance of how people express that.

What's wrong with graciously accepting a gift in the spirit it was given?

curlymama · 01/01/2011 19:00

Tingle, each to their own if that's how you prefer to do things.

Our family is like Baroquin, the dc's rarely get given anything unless they need it for school except at Birthdays and Christmas, so I don't feel bad about them being given more than one or two presents then. I love looking at everything all wrapped up, I even wrap up new packs of socks and pants just to add to the things they get to unwrap. I'd buy them anyway, so why not? It's part of the fun of Christmas, it makes the things that are important to them even more special because they know it's a treat and they have usually waited ages to get them.

I thought about taking a picture and putting it on fb just for the sake of it, partly because I wanted to take a picture of the left over mince pie crumbs, empty brandy glass and bits of carrot. But I thought it could come across as showy so I didn't. I think it's sad that people worry about being judged like that. It's Christmas, it's just for fun. Good point about the burglarys, but anyone who is feeling that strongly about how others do their Christmas, should probably begin to pay more attention to their own lives.

QODrestyemerrykidneystones · 01/01/2011 19:04

I ADORE these photos, me and one of my American pals positively love posing our kids and posting photos........ we put as much skank and grossness in the background as possible. Ie get DD to pose in new school uniform infront of wheelie bin or trailor of rubbish........ because it cracks us up that people post these photos without looking at their OWN background. It's a bit like looking at property porn. Trying to identify wtf *IS that in the corner. SImple things.....

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 01/01/2011 19:04

actually I love looking at how people Father Christmas has arranged the presents.

Some around the tree, some in piles for each person, some have those big Santa Sacks, do they use mostly the same wrapping paper, or vary it. I find the whole thing rather fascinating (not in a jealous way - just in a "hmm that's interesting - maybe I'll try that" way.

And I think they all look bloody gorgeous - whether they have 50 presents under the tree or 5.

sungirltan · 01/01/2011 19:05

i posted a pic of my xmas tree. no presents shown.

yanbu. its a bit naff

tingletangle · 01/01/2011 19:05

As I said before if someone really wanted to buy my dd a gift they could . We have said to people though that there is no need. Close relatives tend to give a gift in terms of time rather than something that sits under the tree . I think that perfectly fits the bill of Christmas bring about family and togetherness. Our close relatives all do rye same as us . I have a neice who has just left home and she wants to learn how to cook . She came to stay the week before Christmas and I taught her sone basic recipes and spent days collecting together my favourite recipes and put them together in a book I made for her. I am sure that meant much more to her than a 3 for 2 bath set from boots.

The joy is not sucked our of Christmas, just the consumerism .

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 01/01/2011 19:05

haha QOD - your posts reminds me I came >< close to posting a photo of the DS's on boxing day - DS1 and 2 playing with the Karaoke machine............DS3 sat on the potty behind them with his trousers round his ankles.
Thankfully noticed at the last minute and it never went on

TrillianAstra · 01/01/2011 19:06

Posting pictures of massive piles would be unpleasant.

SarahStrattonsBaubles · 01/01/2011 19:07

I luurve Christmas. As much fun and happiness should be screeched from it as possible.

BaroqinAroundTheChristmasTree · 01/01/2011 19:08

hmm well let me see Tingle - who do my DS's have to give them "gifts in kind"......

oh yes - that would be me - except I already do that stuff with them. Not sure DS1 would be that impressed if I told him I was teaching him how to cook for his Christmas or Birthday present.........given that I'm already teaching him to cook.

Does your DD only have 2 toys then? Or does she just get 2 new toys/games/book/DVD/pens/colouring sets a year??

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