Xmas presents for 8 year olds

[Allthenameshavegone1972]

Do you still give a big stash of presents to your dc at Xmas - if you can afford it?
My dgs was born on Xmas Day, so it's double the trouble lol. We all try to separate the day up with separate birthday & Xmas presents.
When did you all stop giving piles of presents to rip open? I think he still believes in Santa. If he doesn't he's not letting on. DD has always given a fairly decent stash, as much as she can afford. Due to the cost of living, & things being more expensive as they get older, his pile from our DD & partner is a lot smaller this year. Plus he wants to go to Legoland, so that's going to be part of his presents too.
However, we can afford to bulk it out, and we always have done; children love a good pile to rip open, but when do you stop?
I was always spoilt as a child at Xmas, & in turn ended up spoiling our dc at Xmas & birthdays. (They are still good people though, with good values before anyone jumps on me for being too indulgent with them!)
I need a kick up the bum into the 21st century. Times have changed. Things are too expensive & it's not good for the environment. Plus, with school, swimming & football there's not a lot of time left for toys tbh

Last year our then 8yo requested a very expensive Lego set instead of a heap. This year both kids have requested one big present instead. They'll still get a small amount of fairly worthy presents from Santa (though I know the eldest doesn't believe) and a few things from friends, but otherwise that's it. They genuinely seem much happier.

I don't really understand, since I always liked a heap. I think it's because they live a different life! Kids today generally get and own an awful lot more stuff, so a big pile of presents isn't quite so exciting.

I'd say ask him though.

I really do hear you with this one. My youngest is 11 and I had the same thoughts about 2 years ago, and I decided the days of plastic tat had to come to a close. We never did 'piles of presents', but when they were very little we had big boxes (doll house or car garage etc.) and it always made the presents look very substantial. As they aged up, I felt I had to add things to make it special but then I realised there was only me forcing this to happen. The kids were just excited it was Christmas, they weren't present counting or box watching.

I wonder if part of it is the social media pressure to put on the 'perfect' Christmas. Now we have a couple of clear favourites on the present list (I get them to make a top 3), and I get some nice choccies and things for them. But I also use Christmas as a time to get them things they need anyway- my son's going on a school trip to Iceland so he's getting thermal underwear this year 😂

I've never done a heap of stuff. I tend to do a few things, spread over Christmas and New Year.
We don't celebrate Christmas like a lot of families, though.
We also don't 'do' Father Christmas.

Mine of similar age will get 5 presents from us (about £50 each but got the big things second hand) and another ~5 from family plus stockings. Not sure if that is heaps or not. Stockings a few very little things (chocolate, sweets, lego mini figure kind of thing). Sometimes wrap up stuff I would have got them anyway (like the thermal underwear for a trip) just so they have more to open but tbh the amount we have lasts lots of the day - we take it in turns to open so it isn't all just ripped open in one go and they usually like to play with each thing (like build the lego set etc) in turn before next present.

I hate piles of presents. I get my kids some things I know they will like. Why spend money just so they can have more to unwrap? Surely the joy is seeing them play with the present you thoughtfully picked out for them.

Never done a pile.

1 or two under the tree and 7-8ish small things in stockings. Neither of us ever got given a pile. Just wasn't a thing.