To ban plastic tat next year?

[Ifyourawizardwhydouwearglasses]

I genuinely don't know if I'm BU.

DC (both under 3) have got enough plastic tat this year to sink a small ship. Mostly from my parents.
I HATE clutter, they have been totally overwhelmed by it, won't play with most of it, and it's all just a total waste.
I've had words about this before but it doesn't seem to sink in.
It's just giving for the sake of giving and it's all useless stuff. It REALLY winds me up.
Why can't they just give them 1 or 2 nice presents each?

So WIBU to put a ban on plastic tat and a present limit next year?
Or is it controlling and should I just suck it up?

And yes, first world problem I know.

Ah Lucy I don't call that plastic tat I just call it shite. That's fair enough, but just slyly get rid after a while don't make an issue of it.

Lots of plastic is great-Lego, playmobil, happy land wow vehicles, little tykes stuff etc. Even some of the character stuff can be ok-e.g my little ponies, Thomas
I class 'tat' as stuff that breaks wet easily, needs a ridiculous amounts of batteries, doesn't fit together properly etc.
I also include in the 'plastic tat' category: pens that are already dried out, pencils that break when sharpened, fake play dough that is just a sticky mess, crappy nail varnish and lip balm (also sticky mess).
It just disappoints the children-what's the point?

Breaks very easily-not wet!

Totally agree. I also dislike when people give several (small, cheap) gifts, each of which is either: not suitable for the age of the child, not cleanable at all, noisy & requires batteries, potentially with no accessible on/off switch, or secondhand & already broken or missing a bit. Why spend what was probably a fair bit of money on things that won't last or be played with & that we have to maintain (ie buy batteries for) when they could get one or two much better gifts that the child will actually use & have fun with.

It mostly ends up in the bin when DD breaks it anyway as she's too young to understand to be careful with things. 2 presents from PILs have already been broken & binned. Same every year.

It is frustrating when as we know the popular gifts get given multiple times especially with children of a certain age group. It really makes more sense to give vouchers and pre paid gift cards that people can take and decide what to get, it makes a treat out of treat and gives choice opposed to dictating what or what not we can give and receive.

its hard luckily we now get asked for ideas for dd's and thankfully mil only bought a few gifts all of which dd's will use and not fill my house!!

I would class plastic tat as stuff which breaks easily or is just generally crap quality - eg own brand lego that doesn't stick properly, own brand games that never work as they should and generally poundshop or 'reduced' stuff in the entertainer with very overinflated rrp. and peppa pig stuff total tat with an extortionate pricetag it caused many tears here when they wouldnt sit/stand or fit on the furniture as they should!

I think big gifts that take up lots of space should also be discussed with parents as its not really fair. last year we were given a huge rocking ladybug - I exchanged for a CD player and some character figures which got far more use and took up less space

for any others in this position toys r us will exchange for a voucher for any unwanted toys - no receipt required just say it was a gift

We give the GPs a list, generally in October, and request that they buy from the list. This way they know that they'll be buying something that the DCs will appreciate. One GP (there are 4 sets due to divorces/remarriages) always goes off-list and provides something unappreciated by the DCS/really unappreciated by us. This year it was a toy that is at least 2 yrs too old for our eldest DC - it will sit in the attic for at least 2 years and (as we have a tiny attic) may not last that long. The other 3 sets of GPs have all said that they like having the list and it is very helpful for them.

we have some right of veto over what goes on the list vis a vis plastic tat

I too had to 'have words' with my own DM as the first couple of years of having GCs she (very sweetly) did stockings of about 30 toys, each bought for 50p and each one individually wrapped. Totally overwhelming for the child and not practical - we live in a flat and simply don't have the room. Over time we have managed to reduce this crazy tendency and now have a 'one present / one stocking filler' rule.

Ah well this thread proves that it is very subjective. Dd got the peppa pig camper van and figures for her birthday last year and has played with them for hours every day since. Best money we have ever spent (and it was second hand).

I have just spent this morning sorting boxes of wooden fruit, brio train track and jigsaw puzzles that are all mixed up and never played with to make room for the pp house and treehouse! It is hard to predict what will be played with and what won't be and agree that 2 days after Christmas it is hard to judge.

All presents for my two are vetted before being given.
Excessive amounts of gaudy plastic tat are banned as are excessively noisy or irritating presents.
A few family members thought it was hilarious to ignore my (initially) polite requests and proceeds to buy horrible irritating presents deliberately to ind me up. They soon stopped when they realised that said toys were mysteriously going missing while the kids were in bed. Strangley the local charity shop had a good stock of them at the time.

Please think carefully before 'having words' with anyone. My lovely auntie is left a nervous wreck every Xmas because her DIL had the chat and insists gifts be earnest/worthy, and in no uncertain terms is she to buy any Disney/plastic tat.

It's completely taken the joy out of a grandmother buying special gifts for her grandchildren. She's so scared of offending that she often just buys a book and gives money/vouchers, even though the children are only 7 & 5. It should be a pleasurable experience for grandparents-let them buy tat if they like. It's their job (and there are enough meanie grandparents being cited here on MN, so imagine if you we're having to post the reverse; that grandparents didn't care enough to make an effort).

Sorry OP, but you need to suck up the mess and clutter. You sound entitled I'm afraid.

How rude and ungreateful.

My kids have only one surving grandparent now- she is disabled, fragile and elderly.

To have my late father appear on christmas day and give my kids even a cheap plastic toy from the Poundshop would make me the happiest woman on Earth.

Get over yourself OP. Ungrateful.

"All presents for my two are vetted before being given"

Nice.

What got my goat this year was that the whole day was devoted to opening presents - apart from when we were getting dinner on the table and eating it. No playing games, no telly, no sitting around chatting enjoying the company of our nearest and dearest. Just present after bloody present. It is overwhelming for the kids and doesn't bring out the best in them or me.

bigbluestars Really?

This thread isn't about dying grandparents, nor is it about sanctimonious gratitude over toaster crumbs.

It's about getting mountains of crap every year and asking people to tone it down a bit. I already asked family to keep it a bit low key since she's a baby and get her some practical things too. We ended up with some toys she seems to enjoy, some books to read to her, and some clothes. I think that is a pretty good mix.

I wouldn't want mountains of gifts either. As it was, me and DH have learned a lesson from stepping on toys we got her and the fact that Christmas day DD was so overwhelmed she ran to the toys she was most familiar with on Christmas day. For her 1st birthday she'll be getting one or two gifts and that's it.

You don't have to open all the presents on Christmas Day if the children are zoning out. You can save some for Boxing Day, the day after etc. Have a few presents and then play a game, play with the new toys, go for a walk, make Christmas memories.

Now my daughter is an adult I do miss the excitement of present opening and child sitting among wrappings with their own huge stash of new toys to play with. Her presents may cost more now but are a lot smaller and she doesn't shriek with so much excitement over a santa snow globe like she did when she was 3.

Just present after bloody present.

I know what you're trying to say, but just read that back and see how bloody ungrateful it sounds.

bulbasaur- but it matters.

Are your parents alive? You think it is not significant but I can assure you if my father was even able to meet a grandchild and give them as much as a single balloon I would be happy.

I know it sounds ungrateful. It is a bit, tbh, and I certainly wouldn't phrase it that way IRL. But I'm venting - what MN is for, surely? I'm planning to tone down myself next year too.

(And we were going for 3 days, incidentally )

It's just not what Christmas should be about, IMO. It should be about spending time with those we love, not opening endless parcels.

I understand where you're coming from. DD (13 months) had so many toys bought for her we have completely run out of space to store them and they are just sitting there in a big pile while she has been playing with the same three things (mega bloks, a cuddly toy monkey and a Happyland set) constantly since Christmas day. Several toys are still in their boxes because she got a little overhwelmed with opening all the new stuff. I'm thankful that she has so many kind people in her life who want to give her gifts but it seems wrong when there are so many kids who have nothing.

I would be mightily passed off if I knew a present I had bought for one of my neices/nephews had been binned because it didn't meet certain criteria

My kids receive loads of plastic tat, I can't be arsed getting my knickers in a twist over it.

I would love for them to just receive a few naice toys from notonthehighstreet or bigjigs but that isn't going to happen, I'm confused as to how it's possible to ask people to buy non plastic tat presents without looking like an ungrateful area in the process?!

My parents give my DDs
Something to wear (clothing)
Something else to wear (jewelry)
Something to play with or to watch.

MIL gives them about 15 things each. Luckily lots of craft things, pencil cases, toiletries, cushions for their beds etc now they are older, rather than large toys.

We put a bit of a ban on plastic tat this year. DH is a geography and social studies teacher, he teaches the human and environmental consequences of our demand for neverending amounts of plastic stuff, mass produced in countries with dreadful working conditions. It kinda makes you look beyond the first world problem of not having anywhere to store it or children being disappointed because it breaks straight away.

Anyway, all the relatives responded really well and came up with great alternatives to yet more plastic toys - one gave our DS an animal adoption, my parents contributed money for him to join a swimming club next year and buy some equipment for a school ski trip, they got lots of books and some money for their banks. It wasn't a total ban, a fair few superheroes and Angry Birds figures snuck in there, but it feels a lot more positive than the tat fest of previous years.

I think it's a fairly unique situation arm - lots of relatively well off boomer grandparents presented with a far wider choice of affordable stuff for children, which just didn't exist when I was young. So they confuse quality for quantity and buys big heaps of poor quality stuff, thinking its a bargain. PIL fall into this all the time- we have a loft full of broken or just plain rubbish stuff they have bought over the years. The thought is kind though, and the love behind it is clear.

I haven't read every comment in this thread but do chuckle to myself with comments like toys they will appreciate. I can tell you my DS most played with Christmas present last year was a 99p whoppee cushion.

I am sure some of you would be horrified although technically rubber and not plastic.

Sometimes I womder if you want to simply suck the joy out of life. I enjoy Christmas shopping without a shopping list. I have recieved some surprising gifts for my DS..Some I hadn't expected him to love however he did.

Honestly they are kids for such a short time it is ok for them to simply just have fun

It's not ungrateful though - at the moment me, DP, DS (2 months) and DDog live in a one bedroom flat.

All before Christmas I had 'I'm getting him this - I'm getting him that'. I had to say to people 'please don't - we have NOWHERE to put it' I'm bloody stressed at having to move stuff to get to other stuff and about not having a big enough house as it is without it being added to. DS did not know it was Christmas and probably won't really next year. As it was most people were great and added to his DVD collection for when he's older. Only one person bought him a large present I had specifically asked them not to - he won't be able to use it for about 18 months and fuck knows what I'm going to do with it.

I refuse to let the entire flat be turned into a play room with toys lining the walls - he has absolutely everything he needs.

I think if you ask for people not to buy things or give them an alternative it's perfectly reasonable rather than just having to 'suck it up'.

My point exactly whippet. I am grateful for the gifts and thought, but have nowhere to store it all. I am (quite literally) tripping over it because I have nowhere to put it all. My DD is 3 months old! She doesn't need this much stuff!