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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU amount of Christmas Presents

156 replies

Tryingtostayyoung · 15/12/2016 08:31

Hi all. Just want to gather opinions as me and DH completely disagree.
How many presents have you bought your children for Xmas? Including stocking fillers? We're an average middle class family in a nice area and have a decent amount of money coming in but wouldn't say we're well off but are comfortable.
I think we've bought DD plenty but DH doesn't seem to think it's enough.
My AIBU is the amount I've bought but I don't want to say yet. Thank you!!

OP posts:
Freedom2016 · 15/12/2016 20:24

2.5 year old. 3 wrapped presents under the tree from us - building farm set, matching building bricks, story book and reuseable sticker book wrapped as one.

Stocking will probably end up with 10 things in - little flip animation book, socks, chocolate, satsuma, hair brush, hair clips (only thing she's actually asked for), learner scissors, a new little train engine for her train track if it turns up on time.

DH thinks I've overdone it but I don't care because I'm totally excited.

Juanbablo · 15/12/2016 20:54

Around 20 in their sack from FC from £1 match attax cards to £15 geomag set. Ds2 might have less but he's only 2 so he won't know and the others will be busy with their stuff so won't realise. They also get a present from us and one from each other so they will end up with 23. It feels ridiculous written down but some of the gifts are chocolate, knickers, socks, bath bomb so will get used quickly.

NiceFalafels · 15/12/2016 20:58

Spent about 40 per child

Embra · 15/12/2016 21:17

I would give 1present. I don't have kids yet though. But that 's what was my expectation) ok maybe 1 present a handful of sweets/fruits

BestZebbie · 15/12/2016 21:34

We usually have about 3-5 packages for an adult and 5-10 for a child (prolly 8 for the child on average). But then that is from one set of people, there are usually other family members who would buy 1-5 gifts each as well (depending on closeness to child). "A" package would be one boxed toy but might be a small pile of books, etc.
Stockings might be 15 small objects and 1-2 packages.

dementedma · 15/12/2016 21:48

About 8 each per dc, but they are teens and adults and gifts are expensive. £50 for a bottle of perfume!!
I don't count stocking gifts as they are all small bits and pieces.

SpringerS · 15/12/2016 22:10

I find it hard to add up the presents that DS is getting as I buy most stuff secondhand and usually buy 'bundles.' So while I'm counting Star Wars Playskool stuff as one present, technically it's a playset, various vehicles and figures that would originally have sold separately as a good few toys. The same with his LeapTV, it's a console, an extra controller and a bundle of games, so I'm counting it as one gift though I guess technically it's actually bunch of things. So as far as I'm concerned he's getting 4 gifts and a stocking. (The stocking also contains secondhand bundles, so again I'd count Rescuebots and cars as 2 gifts when there will be a number of each in the stocking.)

minesapintofmulledwine · 15/12/2016 22:27

*NavyandWhite

I don't get the angst regarding the quantity of Christmas presents. If you can afford to buy loads and you want to the do it.*

This. My dts are nearly 5 they have about 40 presents between them, including stocking fillers Xmas Blush.

Also, they have presents from family.

Also, Dh has announced that he has bought a few extra things that I didn't know about but was quite touched to hear as he has had a few rough years and became quite withdrawn from us.

So they are having a lot. Too much? Probably.

I was happy with my decision and very happy with what I bought but the threads I've seen recently have me second guessing myself. I feel ridiculously anxious and tearful that I'm spoiling my kids now Sad and it's put a bit of a dampener on things. I do suffer from anxiety so I know I'm being silly.

NavyandWhite · 15/12/2016 22:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

starsorwater · 15/12/2016 22:32

Under 10 each, and that includes a toblerone ! Main present about £35 each- curling wand and guitar pedal. Then pyjamas, tee shirt, bubble bath, etc.

TwatteryFlowers · 15/12/2016 22:32

To share my dc have:
A tablet with a case
A Lego set, 2 baseboards and a box of random Lego

Ds has:
Some books about space and some Tom & Jerry books
A space projector thing
A chocolate screwdriver, a bar of chocolate and a selection box
A Lego set

Dd has:
splashy the whale
Some toy cars
Some paw patrol books
A chocolate spanner, a bar of chocolate and a selection box

Some are from us and since are from Santa.

TwatteryFlowers · 15/12/2016 22:33

some not since

minesapintofmulledwine · 15/12/2016 22:36

Navy thanks. I know I'm being daft.

ragdoll700 · 15/12/2016 22:37

Mine get 12-15 one big one to share and one big one each the rest can vary from 10-40 in cost they are only allowed to ask for 4 things (this happened organically it was never said by us) though the rest is a bonus because mommy crazy :) they are young yet this amount will prob decrease when they get older and the gifts more expensive I spent roughly 500 each.

Mawsymoo · 15/12/2016 22:39

2 DS's aged 2.5 and 1. They're getting 1 toy each worth approx £25 and then a stocking each with 3 little cars and a book in them. One uncle is giving them an additional toy worth £20 (he's abroad so I've picked on his behalf). All other relatives are giving clothes or money.

I'm hoping to keep things very simple for them as long as possible while they don't have any expectations. I know DS1 will be very excited by what he's got.

minesapintofmulledwine · 15/12/2016 22:42

I absolutely love seeing how excited they get. Whether it's 1 or 300 presents.

Xmas Smile
AndNowItsSeven · 15/12/2016 22:48

My dc have 8 Santa gifts each , stocking have different numbers average about 20 but that's lip balms, choc coins, body spray etc.
Also a gift from myself and one from dh that he picks himself because I pick all the rest

reindeerbitesback · 15/12/2016 22:55

God, I don't know. I just know that each of their gifts almost fill a stocking. Plus one bigger gift that wouldn't fit inside a stocking. I'd say about 10 in the stocking, plus a pyjamas.

SalemSaberhagen · 15/12/2016 23:06

Not counting the stocking, my 2.2yr old DD has

A wooden kitchen (£30)
Happy land cottage (£25, half price)
Toot toot garage (£20 thanks to the sainsburys toy sale)
Pack of cars (£4)
Farm set (£5)
Doctors set (£5)
Baby bath (£5)
Hoppity voosh toy (£8)

So just over £100, on 8 presents. She's got lots coming from other people though. A pram, washing machine etc.

Gatehouse77 · 15/12/2016 23:09

Meh, it's all down to the individual.

DH and I discuss and agree between us. Not interested in anyone else's opinion. Likewise the way we do Father Christmas (definitely not Santa in this house). And how we do Christmas Day.
We're not inflexible and things have been adapted/changed as the kids (and we) have grown. If we have guests they do it our way. If we're out we do it their way.

In fact, like all out parenting choices we're only answerable to each other and our children (and any therapists in the future!).

I did note that you said your DH might be trying to make up for how he saw his childhood but perhaps you can steer him to thinking about activities he could do with your DD which will have far longer lasting memories? Cinema trip? Ice skating? Swimming?

WankersHacksandThieves · 15/12/2016 23:12

teenagers of 16 and 15 - they have about 20 things plus stocking, but the stocking stuff is mainly sweets/crisps etc (which I know all adds up). They each have a main gift which was about £240 and I've spent about £500 on each of them excluding the stocking stuff which has mainly just been chucked in with the shopping every weeks for the last month or so.

They have birthdays in the summer and don't get bought stuff in between and they don't get lavish gifts from relatives. Gifts also include things such as pyjamas, a bin for their bedroom ( :o) t'shirts and a box of cans of juice. They each asked for 2 things (the main gifts and one other). I am not trying to justify what I've bought, simply explaining what we do in our family.

People will come on and say they've bought 4 gifts (following that fucking horrible rhyme) and don't happen to mention that they have large families who lavish gifts or generous grandparents or that they bought and gave all the kids an ipad last month as they were on offer.

People all have different amounts of money available too.

SalemSaberhagen · 15/12/2016 23:15

Highfive on the FC front gatehouse. I cannot STAND Santa.

WankersHacksandThieves · 15/12/2016 23:18

Well Santa loves you Salem, unless you've been naughty of course?

I think it might be a regional thing? I've never heard a Scottish person talk about FC.

SalemSaberhagen · 15/12/2016 23:21

I always thought it was American wankers. It just grates on me!

FYI I'm never naughty Wink

Original poster
Tryingtostayyoung · 15/12/2016 23:23

Wow so many different opinions!! We agreed that we'd buy some more because it just doesn't seem worth arguing over it, I'm choosing my battle.
He tells me that I don't understand what it's like growing up with nothing and only getting presents that were things he needed (school shoes etc) because they couldn't afford anything else and so now he has the opportunity to give DD everything he ever wanted when he was little, IMO after speaking about it I decided there's worse things in life than my DH wanting to buy lots of Xmas presents for our DD!

OP posts: