To wonder why a mum would buy 100 presents each...

[Bananabread123]

... for her children. She says they deserve a great Christmas but wouldn't they be equally as happy with, say, 10 presents?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-38305247

£500 each with 100 is a load of crap gifts.

I think with that budget the DC could have a few decent and meaningful gift, rather than buying for the sake of buying.

I am amazed and quite honestly revolted by the number of people saying 'her money, her choice, why are you bothered?'

If you can't see all the reasons why this is SO wrong, comes from an unhealthy place in the mother and is damaging for her D.C. then I pity you.

Imagine wrapping all that

She's definitely going for quantity over quality.

I saw this yesterday and agree with the lady on loose women that said it makes Christmas meaningless.

My DSis used to overcompensate with her DCs. I remember one Christmas her buying the DCs those expensive jeep things. They were in the garden shed by Easter and never played with again.

Bet present lady's DCs wont play with all the presents either for long.

I'm guessing she feels inadequate in some way, and thinks this is how best to show love to her children. What a pile of tat though it must be at a fiver a parcel. Isn't it better to buy a few well chosen items that your kids actually love? This just looks like so much land fill to me, especially since they are still opening stuff from last year.

I agree glasto. Seeing the daughter's presents from last year still unopened and reading that she didn't have anywhere to put them and they blocked her room made me sad. It inspired me to be more mindful in future, buy less for my dcs and think about the planet.

There are people like this on my Facebook. They are the same ones desperately going on about 'making memories'. They are so unaware of what's important for children and that the best memories can't be fprved. Why not use some of the money to take them on a holiday as she says they don't go on holidays, or trips to places that children are interested in? She could save some in an account for when they're older and actually need the money.

The sad thing is that people like this are patting themselves on the back that they've given their child the best childhood because they've said yes to whatever their child asks for and the parents quietly gettting on with it, not completely obsessing over children having ridiculous piles of presents, could teach people like this so much.

I scroll through the facebook present pile pics.

I nearly died this year so I'm just grateful to be alive this Christmas. I think the kids are happy I am too, depends what day it is!

I would rather buy 10 quality presents that i know my children would use than 100 presents, most of which will probably be cheap tat just to make up the numbers and will be forgotten about with days, or broken.

Miserable- I completely agree with you she could get so many nice presents with that half of that budget and put the rest into a savings account.

I don't think she's some sort of savvy shopper I know we all love a bargain and to save a little money where we can but to find 100 presents your dcs will love in sales would be an impossible task - she's clearly gone for quantity and most of it will be fit for a skip by Boxing Day

I really don't get it this all.

My kids get one or two presents each and about 10/12 stocking fillers. That's it! Am I being mean??

I know a family like this and it is a case of quantity over quality. They wrap up packets of crisps and cartons of juice and those are "presents". Each child gets at least 50 wrapped presents, I don't know how they can be bothered to wrap up so many.

1Angelic totally agree with that regarding the holidays! A 2 week holiday and 10 presents would probably be preferred.

I think this is more about her needs than the DC's. Whilst it is her money to spend as she likes I don't think it is the best thing for her children.

I also agree with PP about making memories. We don't buy as many presents for the DC but do spend quite a lot on trips, tickets etc.

Mine get about 40 each, what is it to you?
I grew up with lots of presents at Xmas and I ever those days so fondly. Lots of family time AND some great toys that I genuinely loved.
We also give money to charity and the kids choose the charity.
I don't want to try to "teach my kids a lesson" at Xmas by only giving them two presents

Genuine question - when you say 40 presents each, are you including stocking fillers in that?

I would wonder whether she has a mental health issue. My DM did similar, one summer she bought DD about 400 presents. There were 2-3 presents arriving every day and she bought doubles of many things, e.g. two little tables and eight chairs. DD was completely overwhelmed and started ignoring the presents after a while.

The mother concerned is just about to be interviewed by Phil & Holly on This Morning...

Yes 40 includes stocking fillers but I don't buy plastic tat to fill them. I just look for smaller Lego sets/pen sets, pyjamas. So about 8 of the 40 are smaller items.
Each to their own. I refuse to do Xmas eve boxes as I think it spoils the magic and it's just diverting cash away from what could be spent on the main day presents

Sad really, it's a competition to see how many presents you can get to be better than everyone else. Just have a look at Facebook from around the 23rd December and some muppets will be showing pictures of a massive pile of presents. My mum used to do it, and with food, to impress the neighbours and it used to embarrass me rotten. Hardly the spirit of Christmas!

I don't understand why she has stacked them against the tree. It's almost hidden. What's the point of having one to use it as a present rest?

That many presents is not healthy behaviour.
The children aren't even opening them all, let alone using and appreciating them.
Buying cheap, disposable tat is a waste of the planet's resources- in manfacturing and disposal costs. The average person in the UK uses 3 times a sustainable level- thank goodness this level isn't normal!
It distorts healthy giving, buying something that you hope someone will appreciate and get joy from using, by just being overwhelming. Will the children learn healthy boundaries on giving?
How is she disposing of the wrapping and packaging? (No Christmas collection here and the tip is always queuing out onto main roads).
Within that budget, she can buy some better lasting quality items that will bring more long term pleasure.
Living with a hoarder is difficult. It's hard to let go and move on. Life is uncomfortable when its constantly obstructed by stuff. Stuff can literally get in the way of positive relationships with other people.

There isn't a "right" amount to give. I give less, but the DCs get their needs met through the year. Last week I had to upsize on pants. They were just given them, some people would save them to wrap- horses for courses.

I look at the toys we already have and what they play with, and how their needs may change through the year, and they don't need much to make them happy. There's also gifts from wider family which adds up. My floors get cluttered enough!

I agree with PPs that there is some emotional issue that she's trying to compensate for.

DS wanted a Nerf gun a while ago. I wrapped the bullets in one pack, the scope in another etc. Got 5 parcels out of that.

I have probably spent more on far far less gifts if I am being brutally honest. I know many don't approve but its how we do things, and 3 of my 4 are getting a laptop this year. I imagine that the vast majority of parcels under her tree are very mundane things to add bulk.
DD had new BB Cream (maybelline) last week but under the tree are pretty Benefit make up treats - I expect that her DDs would have the BB cream all wrapped up rather than just buying them when needed.