to want to give my two year old the best Christmas ever

[mancmama1614]

When I was a little girl, growing up my parents were really poor. However they saved all year for Christmas and used to spend up to £1k on each of us so we had loads of Christmas presents to open. We made loads of family Christmas memories too (Disney on ice, Christmas Eve hampers, eve-of-the-eve-of-Christmas-eve presents) and I look back on those Christmases with the fondest of memories.
Now, I am in a similar position to what my mum and dad were in when they were younger; my partner earns a good salary (I am a SAHM) however we are paying off quite hefty debts from our hedonistic twenties 🙄 so we are strictly on a tight budget.
AIBU to still go what some people would class as overboard at Christmas? So far the presents I have bought him are about 35 in total, I have spent about £350-£400 (don't count) but still want to get him all the clangers merchandise which will be another £150.
Added to this there will be visits to the santa train, Christmas parties at all the playgroups we go to and a winter wonderland trip.
His birthday is in January and we would like to have a big party for him and all his friends and also buy about 10-15 presents for that too.
Can I just add we aren't taking out any credit for this because I wouldn't be accepted for any anyway
All I see on Facebook and in the news are people only buying their kids one present, letting the grandparents pick up the slack or following that bloody soulless four gift rule.
Not buying for adults this year and me and my partner aren't buying for each other but we are buying for kids of friends.
Does anyone else do a Christmas like this when they are on a bit of a budget? Or any free trip ideas (ideally in Manchester) to add an extra special touch?

@lunar1 I am soooo doing that this year with my 3yo.

Hi OP. I understand that you’d like to give your child the best christmas ever. We all do! You have bought a lot for a 2 year old already. Remember that your DC will also be given gifts from the family. I remember when my DD was 2, we had to spread gift opening over 3 days because she was really overwhelmed. And I am talking about a stocking of small bits, 2 presents from us and a few gifts from the family!! It really is up to you, but my favourite xmas memories are not of any specific presents. They are about the atmospehere, anticipation, spending time with the family. You may be disappointed as they just won’t appreciate the amount of toys, instead they may just be really overwhelmed.

He's 2 OP - he really won't remember any of it. I think you're being a bit daft to be honest.

Quality not quantity may seem sensible to most of us but doesn’t lend itself to endless instagram or Facebook posts with #blessed and #magical and #lovemykids all over them.

Op - your money so spend it how you want. But in my opinion mountains of presents is the epitome of consumer greed fest and very vulgar.

This attitude is probably why you got into debt in your twenties and you still haven't matured when it comes to money.

You can have fun in your twenties without getting heavily into debt.

You basically want what you can't have. Others usually wait until they can afford things. Oh, and I don't think you have a clue what poverty is. I hope you don't tell anyone that anecdote in real life!!

My DD wouldn’t even bother opening 10 presents at that age. She got bored. I would definitely go for a couple of decent presents and a fun memorable experience max.

The OP seems to have disappeared. Is it deadline time??

I started reading this thread feeling awful I hadn't got my dd enough gifts, now after reading other peoples expiriences I think the four I've got plus one from gp is perfect amount. She's also two.
And £1k is a huge amount for a poor family to. Spend on gifts for one person.

A 2 year old will be happy unwrapping 10 pieces of crap from the £ shop and one nice present. Where are you going to keep all that stuff after Christmas as well as his birthday stuff? Do you have a spare room just for toys??

Haven't RTFT. Your parents weren't 'really poor' if they could save 1K for presents for each of their kids at Christmas. Really poor people just aren't able to save anywhere near that much.

He's 2. He won't remember his first Christmas, so whatever you do, this will automatically be his best Christmas ever.

35 is way too many presents. He'll be overwhelmed, bored and tired before he gets through them. Think about him and what he can cope with and enjoy, and adjust your plans accordingly. When he's a bit older, you can do more if you want.

Hi, I am the OP. I deleted my account because the replies were making me quite anxious and as someone who is still suffering from postnatal depression and anxiety, don't take well to lynch mobs. I never meant to offend anyone or suggest that I was worse off than some people; I know there are some people who can't afford to buy Christmas presents at all and my heart goes out to them. I appreciate we are very lucky in comparison to some; it genuinely did and still does come from a good place and is all about my son, not about me as some helpful people suggested.
I made the post after going into our spare room and seeing that the pile of presents looked quite small, I was worried there wasn't enough and wanted to feel better about not being able to buy any more, I guess. This may seem stupid to some however I just want my son to be able to have the same excitement over coming down on Christmas morning and thinking Father Christmas has really spoiled him (not like I want any credit for it!) because I remember feeling special when it was me.
If I was offensive about people who just buy one gift that certainly wasn't my intention and I do apologise. A lot of my friends are doing this and I wholeheartedly support them; I just meant I don't like how it's all about 'rules' and people who do want to buy a lot of presents are slated.
New to this site and needless to say won't be coming back.
Not that it matters, but we are not paying interest on any debts so will focus more on that in the new year - you can't take it with you after all!!
Also the presumably-meant sarcastic comment about deadline day? Not even sure what that is but guessing derogatory from the other replies.
I hope you all have a lovely Christmas with your children and families xx

OP - think carefully whether you want to say all presents are from santa. Personally I don't because I'd then find it very difficult to explain why santa brings more to some kids than others.

Appalling. 1) he won't remember anyway 2) teach your child that the 'best Christmas ever' is not mountains of presents but thr magic of putting out a stocking, making traditions, waiting for Santa amd leaving a mince pie and carrot out, spending time with family, opening a reasonable amount of gifts, giving gifts etc.

You can make the pile look huge by using large boxes, separating things, buying a few Poundland things and wrapping essentials that you would have bought anyway.

My kids piles were always huge but I never spent more than £100 - £150 and even then I thought I was going OTT, but like you I wanted my kids to be wide eyed with wonder at what Santa had bought.

In our house presents were sent to Santa and he delivered them but only a few were actually from him. He wasn't going to get all the glory...

And they were 3 before they really "got" xmas properly.

I guess when I was younger I just thought we had been extra well behaved (and to be honest we always behaved really well in the run up to Christmas then!)
When I was a bit older, we learnt that santa sent mummy and daddy the bill so the parents chose what they wanted to spend but santa chose / made the presents. I never questioned it once, kids just believe in magic don't they.
We are also making out Christmas Eve bags for the homeless (despite me being an irresponsible materialistic mother, obv) and making it a tradition to give these out - we were always made aware as children that Christmas wasn't all about the presents and were encouraged to make up shoeboxes for operation Christmas child, give money to the homeless. We loved our Christmases for so many reasons other than presents (my dad does a smashing roast) and the build up was nearly as good as the day itself - visiting Santa, Christmas plays at school, Christmas Eve movie night etc.

Ridiculous. How can any pile of 35 presents look small?

1. Your conceptions of poverty from your childhood occupy a different planet.

1. Hedonism is not behind you.

1. Your child is 2.

Do you honestly think the environmental impact is about recycling the empty boxes? If so maybe educating yourself about the world would be a better present for him so he doesn’t grow up in a post apocalyptic wasteland

Baggy It's good to see that you have taken some of the advice on board (and risen above some of the rest! )
I'm sure you were doing this for the best reasons but I do think it was the route to madness as, if you want to give him the best Christmas ever every year, you are putting yourself into a competition you can never win.

My children are grown up now but it surprises me the things they remember and that meant a lot to them. They are often things that passed me by as trivial and the presents we saved for are long forgotten. Enjoy your Christmas and try not to feel you have to excel all the time, relax and enjoy being together

Thank you Ivor 😊

You're simply making a rod for your rather boastful back IMO.
What are you doing to do if your income drops massively and your child at say 8/9 is used to having a grand spent on them at Christmas?

Four soul less present rule? and YOU are the one who feels lynched?

Your child is TWO, you sound extremely immature, even the “help the poor homeless people” doesn’t make you sound any more endearing. Pay off your debts, grow up and stop making Christmas all about plastic crap rather than being with family. You sound pathetic.