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.

The loads for cheaper mindset just leads to buying tonnes of tat though. He won't remember any of that stuff.

This!!

At 2 it honestly is pretty pointless, they tend to get bored with opening or completely overwhelmed and have a meltdown!

3 is the age it starts to make sense for them and the earliest age I'd aim for a big 'wow' moment on Christmas morning

I'd do things like going to see a santa, go and see the Christmas lights, let them help put things on the tree, do Christmas cookie baking/decorating. But a fuck off great pile of things to open might not be as exciting to them as you think!

He doesn’t need a tablet, he’s two. It’s a terrible idea.

No to marbles. No to glow sticks too, they have tiny joining bits, plus if you bite them they leak.

You don’t need anymore.
I understand why you want to do this but he’s only 2. He’ll lose interest very fast in my experience. Toddlers don’t really ‘get’ why piles of presents are magical. They mostly just get overwhelmed and get side tracked.
We used to end up with unopened gifts when they were that little. It’s totally fine for you to do as you choose for your own child though especially as it sounds like you have been very sensible with your money.

He doesn’t need a tablet, he’s two. It’s a terrible idea.

No to marbles. No to glow sticks too, they have tiny joining bits, plus if you bite them they leak.

Also just to add - I wouldn't get the tablet. Tablets just aren't good for two year olds, so there is no benefit to him and it's a lot of money. I would save whatever you would have spent on that and instead pay to do some nice Christmas activities, like a Santa breakfast or Christmas lights show.

My youngest is two and I think the sweets, chocolate, marbles and tablet are mad. I also don’t think they need piles of stuff to find Christmas magical. I’d address your need to get this much, you accept it’s about you rather than your son.

At 2, honestly they will be overwhelmed and stressed by a massive pile of presents. I recall my DD at that age taking almost a week to open her presents, and that was only 1 from us, then gifts from family. Nowhere near as many as you have got. Move some of the list into the stocking and you're already done.

Magical does not mean materialistic. Take them for a walk to see the Christmas lights, go to a children's carol service at the local church, let them eat chocolates for breakfast. Huge piles of presents is only setting you up for stress each year, which your child will pick up on.

If I was buying a bouncy ball for that age- and even for my 5 year old. I buy the extreme bouncy balls- they are like a tennis ball size
But honestly that's plenty. At that age my child opened 2 gifts and screamed the place down.... We opened a present a day for nearly a month ....

That's more than enough, I wouldn't give a tablet, case, bouncy balls or marbles just yet and are the bath bombs suitable for toddlers. The church service is a great idea.

What the hell are you thinking by buying your 2 year old marbles? Do not give him those.

He does not need a tablet. He is 2. At that age, it should be imaginative play. Get him toys he can’t play with and make stories out of and have fun with.

I actually ended up not giving my DC all the presents I bought when they were two - it was too much.

They will overwhelmed.

I don’t get why people spend like 200 pound on one thing when I can get loads for cheaper.

Because it’s much better to receive one or two things that are useful/will last? However, I am not suggesting that a 2 year old needs a present for £200. I think your approach to getting second hand items is sensible. But just buying stuff for the sake of it is not the way to go. E.g. why four sets of tools?

Please don't give him marbles and glow sticks. That's an accident waiting to happen.

I used to be in the camp of big piles of stuff for the sake of it, but it all gets trashed within a week or two and it is far better to have a few well made things, you can often get really good quality stuff from second hand shops, or your local dump shop.

I wouldn’t bother with a tablet at two. Mine got Amazon kindle tablets at 4. By the time your 2 year old is doing anything other than watching cartoons on it, it will be outdated.
what you already have seems so much for a two year old. They do get overwhelmed and it’s all too much.
My daughter is 5 and she will be getting an updated tablet for Xmas, a scooter prob second hand or very reduced one with safety gear. That’s it.
Eldest doesn’t want anything big, she’s having some earrings as she’s had that done this year, plus a labubu as she’s so desperate for one. I’m thinking of getting her a sewing machine because she loves fashion, but she’s a work in progress.
They will have stockings, but I put in stuff like an orange, slime, stickers, notebooks etc

Not really sure what the point of this thread was....?

That’s a huge amount, all individually wrapped will give a sizeable pile. There are things on that list you could put in a stocking.

Another great tradition to start for stockings is tye fun version of normal stuff. Eg. Socks, matey bubble bath, satsuma in the toe etc.

Also keep in mind that wee ones are easily overwhelmed.

This has got to be a wind up

It's a ridiculous quantity of presents for a 2 years old.

It's more about you. You are setting things up for disappointment. You are risking your child focusing on one present only, getting frustrated at being told to open others, feeling overwhelmed and ending up in tantrums.

You are looking forward to Xmas with you 2 years old and that's understandable but it really can fall into disaster.

That’s a ridiculous amount of stuff. Isn’t he getting anything from anyone else? It won’t feel magical at all. He’ll just be surrounded by too much stuff.

Marbles are a crazy idea for a two year old. Use your imagination for gods sake - much too dangerous for a toddler. As bad (in a different way) is a tablet. In fact if you give your toddler a tablet he will ignore all the rest of the plastic shite you’ve got him and become addicted to that. Then you’ll have all the temper tantrums when you have to take it off him.

Also - where are the BOOKS on that list? Picture books and story books to share with your child?

It sounds like more than enough.

Is it all stuff your child will like? Bath bombs seems an odd choice for a small child. Is a 2 year old going to be able to play with marbles, a tablet etc?

It definitely sounds like you've gone for quantity over quality.

How are you "literally saving money"? The options are (a) a bunch of cheap tat that isn't appropriate for a two-year-old boy or (b) expensive presents.

You've got loads for £42 and, tbh, I'd stop there, as it's a lot.
I never experienced a 'huge pile' of presents as a child and I didn't miss out! My 2 have always had a small amount of quality things (some second hand), as I think too much can be overwhelming and they don't really appreciate quantity at any age.

Maybe some nice picture books that you can read together instead of a tablet?