To think my 2 year old deserves a proper Christmas even if I’m on a budget

[ChooseNight]

So I’m trying to be organised and I’ve nearly done all my Xmas shopping already and I’m honestly quite proud of myself because I’m not made of money and I’ve got everything from charity shops pound stores or Facebook marketplace and I don’t see the point of spending stupid money on toys when you can get loads if you shop smart

So far for my 2 year old I’ve got

big plastic ride on digger from Facebook marketplace 8 pound
12 bath bombs shaped like Xmas trees
4 different tool sets (one has plastic nails and hammers and screws)
huge bag of sweets from Home Bargains
Crayons
Sticker book with 900 stickers
3 soft toys (Cocomelon lion and a random blue bear)
finger paints
playdough set
bubble machine
glow sticks (a whole tub only 3 pound)
one of those microphones that echo REALLY loud
sippy cup with dinosaurs
dinosaur slippers
pack of marbles
face paints
a kids gardening set
plastic tea set
light up bouncy ball
2 stocking fillers full of chocolate coins and candy canes
kids tablet case (I dont have the tablet yet but will get on payday)

All this only cost me about 42 pound altogether which I think is amazing. I still want to get him more for his stocking so maybe some tiny toys from the pound shop, they had bags of bouncy balls for 99p and also small party bag toys which I think he would like

My sister keeps saying I’m over doing it and that he won’t even remember Christmas but that’s not the point is it I want him to have a MASSIVE pile to open so it feels magical. I didn’t have that growing up and I want it to be different for him. I don’t get why people spend like 200 pound on one thing when I can get loads for cheaper

AIBU and should I get MORE or is this enough. I just want Christmas to be proper and special. I don’t think anyone can say I’m being stupid when I’m literally saving money. He will love it.

It’s quite sad that OP thinks this will make her son feel special. That he’ll equate the volume of stuff with how loved and cared for he is.

You don’t need to give him a load of plastic tat to show him he’s special. It makes no difference to a child. They could have one present they really want, and be contented. There are no books on that list - he’d feel more special if you took the time to read some new books with him, rather than buying plastic junk for the sake of having him unwrap it.

Oh and the marbles, are they huge, so not a choking hazard?

Agree.

Please don’t take this to heart OP, I think many of us speak from experience of doing exactly the same!! Apart from the marbles as I mentioned and maybe holding off a tablet for a year I do think with many little ones too much can be overwhelming - my own experience told me it was about the overall day/vibe- not what I/my kids got. My suggestions would be as some said above on a budget

1. A nice book related to Xmas - night before Xmas etc

2.Christingle service- my son loved these

3 a walk round the lights a few nights before Xmas in town when it’s dark followed with a hot chocolate and a McDonald’s ( or similar)

4 buy a bauble and stencil their name on it in glitter - when older they will look for this one every year

5 get a few food treats in that are Xmas themed - Xmas tree shaped crumpets etc ( my son loved these with butter and jam as a treat)

6 some nice new ‘Santa type’ PJs over Xmas period

7 have a dance session in your lounge with lots of Xmas kids songs and a few adult Xmas faves on Xmas day

i would also put back a few things you have bought and bring them out at ‘trying times’ or if they’ve bed. Specially good throughout the year .

you sound a fabulous mum doing their best and I totally get the ‘why’ - I just think your son might remember and get more out of ‘events’ more than piles of bits of things on one day

YABU having a pile of presents does not equal a good Christmas. Imagine if everyone thought like that? We are already drowning in plastic crap. There are tons of studies that show having too many toys is actually detrimental to kids development. You will do you of course but this is not the brag you think it is.

I agree that Christmas doesn't equal presents. I was raised by my grandparents on not much money and while they were generous with presents within their means, I honestly can't remember any particular present looking back. But I remember helping my grandad - a retired baker - mix the Christmas cake ingredients in a big bowl every year and the cheesy Bing Crosby Christmas LP my granny got out every December (still the sound of Christmas to me) and the joyfully hideous 70s Christmas decorations we were still putting up in the 90s and notorious year my grandmother was trying to save money and ended up buying see through wrapping paper and cards that wouldn't stand up. And being read The Night Before Christmas. And watching the annual toy show on the Irish equivalent of the BBC. And getting to stay up for Midnight Mass in the days when it was actually at midnight. And putting lights in the windows every Christmas Eve to welcome the baby Jesus (an Irish tradition - as a very small child I thought Mary & Joseph were literally wandering around our windswept council estate looking for a house to take them in). Basically there are so many little things and memories and traditions that will make Christmas special for your DC as they get older.

Oh and a tablet for a 2yo is unreasonable. Sorry 😂

And I've just remembered The One Year It Actually Snowed and the year we lost the Jesus from the nativity set (Irish Catholic Christmas calamity).

It's quite interesting to look back and see what you really remember about childhood Christmases. I remember the excitement, not being able to get to sleep then waking up and realizing that Santa had been. I remember getting a selection box each year and the year me and my brothers got (second hand) bikes. But although we got plenty of other presents. I can't remember them. I do remember the dinners, having my grandparents there, and playing board games. What you do and who you're with is more important than stuff.

You do what you want, it’s your child.

Personally with a lower budget I would have bought about 4-5 decent size gifts that aren’t going to be a 1 or 2 time use sort of thing. Maybe some tat for stocking but not as main gift x

I would rather have a few decent presents for my child and a stocking full with little bits and chocolate than lots of little gifts

2 year olds don’t really know what’s going on or what Christmas is, but yes it is nice for them to have something to open. On your list I would say bath bombs, sweets, glow sticks, marbles and tablet are not age appropriate. I would save them for another time or give them to an older child. You definitely don’t need to buy anymore though!

Sounds perfect

Get rid of the marbles fgs hes 2 are you nuts..and it definitely says on the packet not for 2 year old.. that's way too much for a 2 yr old..your sister is correct..

That's more than enough. He'll probably get overwhelmed with it all so I'd put some things away for a few weeks time, to spread the novelty. He can't count yet, so has no idea of volume or numbers of presents. You've been very sensible with your budget - some get into silly debt with the annual Christmas spendfest! Well done.

Placemarking for the inevitable 'I had six marbles and now I only have three, which orifice has my DS lodged some marbles in and do I need to take him to A&E' thread.

Too much - he'll get bored opening it all, he'll forget about half of it in minutes and you are going to find out just how fast a small child can disappear a marble.

It's way too much and all just a load of plastic nothingness. You could have got a decent gift for that amount of money. Like a pp said, a balance bike would have been a decent, age appropriate gift.

Kids that age don't even know what Christmas is, aren't going to remember it so basically this is all for you. Can you continue going so overboard every Christmas, because your setting yourself up to have to?!

I'm more concerned about the marbles! Very dangerous for a 2 year old. Please reconsider giving him these.

They start learning to use tech at preschool.

OP clearly wanted a big pat on the back for her amazing present pile.

IME (my ex MIL was obsessed with giving the children a massive pile of presents), children get really bored of opening presents eventually and just want to play with what they've already opened.

I agree with the points on marbles, I'm not sure what a 2 year old would get out of bath bombs or an entire box of glow sticks (also not suitable). So many sweets is not a good idea and as for a tablet at 2, just no.

2 year olds don't need so much 'stuff'.

Marbles might choke him, a tablet will affect his brain for the rest of his life. I'd be equally worried about both!

Definitely! All this performance buying when really some of the things he's bought are dangerous and harmful.

I agree that the quantity will be overwhelming, he will kick off through sensory overstimulation and you will feel shit. Sorry OP, I am team dial it back too.

Unless the bouncy ball is really big, please don’t give him that. My DS very nearly choked on one when he was around the same age, scared the life out of me.

That aside, well done for finishing and getting everything so cheap. Everyone has their own style, I wouldn’t bother with the Poundland stuff because it’ll end up on landfill. Just a few choice gifts you know he’ll love is fine, no need for the extra bits imo but your choice obvs.

Two year olds do not need tablets- they harm their speech and brain development. Do him a favour and don’t give him the tablet or the giant bag of sweets.

There's a huge difference between teaching a child how to use and interact with technology and buying them their own personal tablet.

I have a 3yo and cannot fathom why he would need one.

Educational computer games have been around since the 80s. The only way to get DS 14 to stay on the toilet when potty training when he was 2 was to give him age appropriate games on my phone. The children who have tech at home have an advantage when they start school, because they start using PCs and iPads in nursery. It's not a choice between "give them tech 24/7" and "don't allow tech until they're 18", there's a midway, sensible approach.