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.

Personally I’d find my 2 year old would be overwhelmed with all that and it sounds like it’s more for you than them.

Ive bought mine one present and we will go for a walk (probs the highlight of her day at this age) and just enjoy the day as she really won’t know what it means.

I personally find all the tat and rubbish at Christmas terrible. People really over do it.

Edit; to echo other posters that some of these items sound dangerous like marbles and glow sticks.

First child. Parents always want to get ahead of the age.
A two year old has no expectations and would be happy with two or three parcels. Definitely not a tablet, please learn from other parents who made that mistake and put off tech until they are teenagers.

When DS1 was two he opened his stocking and was ecstatic. Sat and played with the contents for hours. There was a huge pile of stuff by the tree which he absolutely didn't need.
When DS2 was two weeks didn't make the same mistake. He got some of DS1s outgrown toys and was thrilled to bits.

I'd put away half the stuff and save it for his birthday.

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.

Go for it. Nothing screams festive cheer than piles full of plastic presents, however ethically source. It's your duty as a parent to bring up the next generation of mindless consumers and it sounds like you're doing a great job.

Marbles for a two year old 😱 please don’t do that

Please dont buy your two year old a tablet.

He really, really doesnt need one especially as it sounds like you've already got him some fab presents. There is so much evidence about the issues caused by screen exposure for kids aged 3 and under

The ride on digger is a fab 'main' pressie why does he need a tablet as well!!

OP I think you are getting a rough ride here. It’s so anxiety inducing when things are tight and you want to make it magical. My DC are 6 and 9 and I agree with other poster, they can get VERY overwhelmed on Xmas day. I would maybe consider splitting the items into one every couple of days through Advent. A yoto listening toy may be better than a tablet for his age? I found the cheap Amazon tablets absolutely horrendous to use and was glad to switch to an iPad, but wouldn’t want to buy that for a 2 year old!

A massive pile of presents, however little or much they cost, is not traditional and not in the spirit of Christmas at all. It is a fairly recent social media phenomenon that is teaching kids to be materialistic and greedy. Good look when he is older and understands money and still expects a massive pile of gifts, all of them expensive. You can have a magical Christmas with just a few gifts, and spending time together over the holidays.

I think it’s a lot for a two year old - and I’m unclear why you need multiple tool sets for example.

It’s lovely you want to make sure he has a great Christmas but a 2 yo won’t be able to enjoy such a huge pile of gifts all at once.

I think sometimes when we don’t have as much money as we’d like to, we can overcompensate.

I also don’t think a 2 yo should have their own tablet. I regret getting one for my DS when he was 5.

That is way too much for a 2 year old, and they don't need a tablet at 2!

Why are you buying him so much?

IMO, you need to hold back at least half that for his birthday. No wonder kids expect so much when they're older (and parents end up so stressed, and then broke after Christmas.)

My brother and I would get around 12-13 gifts each - mostly off family, like a colouring book and some crayons, a doll or teddy (tiny tears or barbie or action man,) an annual, something on our favourite film, or film star or pop star, an LP, a selection box, some pyjamas, a board game, and one year we got a stylophone, and a cassette player/recorder, and just general small-ish not very expensive stuff.

I'm not going all Four Yorkshiremen, but the list of what you have got is batshit @ChooseNight And why, just WHY are you getting a tablet for a baby?!

An absolutely ridiculous amount of stuff. Jesus Christ.

Also I think things like Christmas lights and carols are more magical than piles of gifts.

Either save some for birthday etc or at least done add any more.

I'm all for doing whatever makes you happy, which you're obviously doing here. But I do think you might be bombarding a very small child with a lot of things. Save the tablet idea for when they're older - it'll be wasted on a toddler. Spend that money on a day out if you really want to spend no less than £xx.

Personally, I'd say a definite no to marbles, iPad and sweeties.

I think it's all way too much for a two year old... We are only getting two wooden toys, the rest of Christmas excitement will come from other things: Christmas tree, a Christmas movie, etc.

I hadn’t spotted the marbles - defo don’t give those til he’s older.

And there might be too many sweets in there too.

YABU to try get a pat on the back for going overboard for a two year old for Christmas. YABU to think that what makes something 'a proper Christmas' is the volume of gifts you shove at a child, especially one so young. That isn't what they want. They want time with you. A nice Christmas for a 2yr old is their parents getting excited with them putting a carrot out for Rudolph, a few bits to open on the morning, pretty decorations, and spending time with people they love eating nice food. That's it.

You're also getting weird stuff for the sake of volume which isn't thoughtful at all. The bath bombs are probably gonna irritate their skin, marbles are a massive choking hazard for a 2yr old who prob won't have a clue what to do with them except for try eat them, and so much of the stuff just seems overload and overwhelming and prob won't get the reaction from them you're after. Are you really going to give 'a huge bag of sweets' to a 2yr old?

Just think about what you want to show your child about the idea of Christmas and how that's gonna pan out as they get older. You're gonna end up with ungrateful bratty kids that kick up a fuss if they don't have 50 presents to open on the morning, regardless of what's inside the paper, who think this is normal and a given, who will be unimpressed by anything.

This is the weirdest post I think I've seen on here.

You don’t get why people spend more than £200 on 1 item when you get all that for £40. Why are you bragging about that when you then state you are also getting a tablet - nae exactly cheap to get a tablet is it?

And not more specifically @ChooseNight the following are NOT suitable for a 2 year old as they are choking hazards, please be careful as some of second hand things won't have the labels

1. glow sticks (a whole tub only 3 pound) - VERY CAREFUL WITH THESE - if they break and leak can be dangerous
2. pack of marbles - not suitable
3. light up bouncy ball - depends on the size

That's an outrageous amount of stuff and much of it is very age-inappropriate.

It's not what Christmas is about.

Word of caution. It's easy and cheap to create a massive pile when they're little. As they grow up it gets much much harder. If I were you I'd resist the urge to set the standard by how big the pile looks on Christmas morning, because you will inevitably not be able to keep it up when one thing alone that they desperately wants takes nearly your whole budget.
Without wanting to sound like a kill joy, it's far more sensible not to have the quality of Christmas tied to the gifts. You'll be setting yourself up for many years of worry about meeting the standards you've taught your child to expect.

A proper Christmas is having your family around you and enjoying the day together. The rest is just stuff but do whatever makes you happy.

He has plenty for a 2 year old but you do you! Don’t get worked up with doing what every one else is doing. My kids get one 1 present each not because I can’t afford any more. They get overwhelmed with big piles and only want what they actually asked for. I no longer waste money on tat they never asked for. Watching a Christmas film, baking, visiting festive places are all part of Christmas for our family.

Look I’m just going to be honest, all of that sounds like basic Temu stuff. I’m not trying to make you feel bad - There is a lot there and I’m sure he will enjoy but it’s quantity over quality? It’s not going to magical receiving much more than that surely?

Also isn’t the point of receiving gifts, what’s inside the gifts? You seem to think a giant pile of gifts and the illusion of “more”, is the most important thing here.

I wouldn’t get more, young kids can get overwhelmed with big piles of presents and sometimes it’s better to go with a bit less and they can appreciate each present more. Go for things that will grow with them and last, rather than cheap little things that they may play with a few times then that’s it. Things like a wooden toy kitchen, balance bike, wooden train set that you can add to for future Christmases, Tonies box and stories to go with it, colourful books. Then a few of the little things you’ve bought in his stocking. Save the tablet for when he’s a bit older, 2 year olds really don’t need one.

Also I wouldn’t give him bath bombs or face paint, they’re not going to be good for his skin at that age, they’re more for older children, and definitely not the glow sticks as they’re very dangerous for young children.

All that landfill!

I’m on team sister. None of mine would remember what happened at Xmas as 2yo or what they did or didn’t get. No child needs masses of toys at any age. Some of what is listed is really age inappropriate and dangerous as well which is a worry if you are a parent of a 2yo!