agreed a £10 limit for kids presents and just opened about £200 worth

[littlemissmulledwine]

how would you feel?

we agreed a limit as moneys tight for both of us then ds (9month) presents arrive and open them to find over £200 worth.

i feel uncomfortable and have asked to return some as they have tags as we arent in a position to spend that much on their dd's

Surely, as your DS is 6 months older than hers, you could be giving her his clothes etc. maybe asking to "borrow"a coat was a subtle way of saying this.

The large hoard of gifts might be the same. Trying to open a more "giving" attitude from you!

If my SIL and BIL add up what it 'looks' like I've spent on my nephew, it will look like it is over £70 - in reality it is less than £30 as I have used vouchers, offers and sales (The Grab it while you can section on the Money Saving Expert Forum is my best friend). I have a budget for him which I spend up to and by being --stingy- savvy with what I pay for things he gets more stuff, rather than me using the bargains to spend less if you see what I mean.

She may just be a really Savvy shopper or have bought things from eBay / Jumble Sales / Charity shops.

Nappies and formula? What bizarre gifts!

You both sound a little bizarre, tbh; her for ostentatiously leaving the tags on and you for opening presents two weeks before Christmas so your baby won't feel overwhelmed

I agree with flog, very strange behaviour all round, no one leaves the price on presents and I've never heard of anyone opening presents before Christmas Day.

Spread them out, keep some back, have some on Boxing Day but not before Christmas!!

Oh and I've posted my list on another thread of what my 3 will be getting this year and yes it is a lot. I've been shopping in sales only through cash back sites with discount codes since Aug, nothing was paid for at full cost.

We have Christmas Eve hamper, Christmas morning presents and stockings, after dinner presents, tree presents and Boxing Day presents for 3 children who thoroughly enjoy each gift through out the day.

Were the nappies and formula gift wrapped?

Sorry but how is a 9 month old likely to be overwhelmed by gifts? Surely he won't have a clue what's going on? I'm confused.

they were wrapped!

ds loves unwrapping things, he crawls over, sits up n has great fun

if you saw the piles of presents he has been given you'd understand why he's started having a few each day to play with

It's usual to give them a few each day to play with starting on Christmas Day.

tbf i have let mine open presents before christmas day,our families live far away from us so we let them open them early so they can see the kidss open and enjoy them.

its not that unusual,but we wont be doint it this yr as they are old enough to get excited about the actual day itself.

Maybe she has been buying all year and got some stuff in the sales?
I have had lots of bargains this year.

As you say things are strained between the two of you, are you sure this isn't her way of trying to make things better between you?

If it's too much for one day (five sacks?!) it is too much full stop.

What is the obsession with stuff?! Actually I think milk and nappies a more appropriate present for a baby who is completely oblivious than mountains of plastic toys, particularly as his birthday isn't far off.

If you think he has too much, put it in the loft, take it to the charity shop, or give it back.

Or is this one of those MY CHILD HAS SO MUCH STUFF, HE MUST BE THE MOST LOVED CHILD EVAH threads?

most of our friends/family have got him things that we will grow into so im sure he will make use of the things if they can't be returned.

and no it is not a thread for boasting and i haven't been

oh and he isn't oblivious at all

he is learning new things and as im sure you know children learn through play, intact today he's really progressed well with crawling after dps friend bought him a little mickey mouse ball

This whole thing is weird

He is oblivious to the the fact that it is Christmas.

Id be well pissed if my sister let her kids open the presents Id given then for CHRISTMAS!

If the presents are all wrapped, and you've only just started opening a few each day, how can you know that they total £200...presumably you don't know what items are inside the boxes that are still wrapped? They might be empty

You sound a bit bonkers, as do your friends.

Btw it is incredibly rude to allow your kids (especially babies) to open presents before the day they are meant for. Sounds like you just got too excited ad couldn't help yourself.

Still think it's all a bit odd though.

5 sacks full of presents is OTT and I would be having words with the GPs about that for a start.

When mine were young my mum always put a packet of nappies in with their Xmas present, it helps out and is far more useful than plastic tat!

I understand what you mean by the overwhelmed thing. Most of my kids have been dreadful and screamy with tears and everything when people get in there face waving presents around and generally fussing with them when they were little.

But still don't understand exactly why you have opened them so early nor why you would feel embarrassed given that she also agreed with the limit so she knows what you can afford to spend or not.

This whole thread is odd.

Nappies and formula as wrapped presents
Going over an agreed limit by 20 times
Leaving tags on things so the recipient can see how much they were
Opening presents before Xmas
Talking about a 9 month old being overwhelmed

I suspect she is giving you so much as she has interpretted "lets just spend a £10 so it doesn't get to expensive" as "we have no money, no, none at all...we are inches away from starvation" - hence the nappies and the formula and enough clothes toclothe him until he is 13...