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.

My only concern is the marbles really. Tablet is fine if it’s not constant. Lots of 2 year olds will have a bit of TV here and there, a tablet isn’t any different if it’s not for as much as he wants and parental controls properly set up etc.
Sounds like you’re have a great Christmas. Every family does things differently, I know someone who does much more than this!

There is no excuse for giving a two year old a tablet.

I have a sudden memory of DD, a bit older, sitting there crying 'Do I have to open the rest of them? sob,sob.😭

I want him to have a MASSIVE pile to open so it feels magical

If your idea of magic and happiness is how much stuff you can accumulate, I'd start investing in some counselling for self-esteem now for the kid.

I missed the tablet thing!

You're bonkers for wanting to give a 2yr old their own tablet, my god. It's not even a nice present, it's giving them something that will actively be bad for them, cause harm, is likely to lead to screen dependency, robs him of precious time at a crucial age to just play with toys, look at books, chat with you, help around the house. It's like deciding to give him a baby bottle full of Baileys as a nice present because it'll give you 10m of peace, and oh I won't let him have it all the time, it'll just be occasional, etc.

YAB SO U

Whatever.

A 2 year old absolutely does not need a tablet. Id love a study to be done into the effects of them being given them at such young ages, I can't see any of them being good.

You've been really resourceful getting all of those, but as others have said would set some aside for birthday

And save money by not getting the damaging tablet.

You do you but a two year old should not have a tablet

It's nice that you want to give him a magical Christmas. It sounds like you've found some great bargains.

If it were my child I would want them to have a magical Christmas, but also yo have high quality toys that are going to last and be helpful for their development.

With that in mind I would take out the sweets and small, plastic, party-bag toys from this list. I would put the marbles away for next year. They're a potential choking hazard for him, or if you have any of his friends over to play. Everything else sounds great.

I'd get him a big roll of paper and some pens. That's a good parcel to open, easily doable on a budget and useful for his development.

I'd also get a big pile of books. You can get these in great condition from charity shops. Again great to open and really useful to have.

Also, remember that a magical Christmas isn't just about the piles of presents. You can create magic for him in so many other ways. Best of luck to you, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas.

Exactly. Sne must have known the answer and she got it

Exactly.

It's a world away from TV.

The addictiveness, the fact that TV can often mean the family watching together while they chat, whereas a tablet inevitably leads to a small child with their eyes glued to it missing the world around them.

I go out to eat a fair bit, and I can't remember the last time I saw a child in a restaurant with their parents without being neutralised and hypnotised by a tablet or phone screen they stare at the entire meal, in their own world.

Lots of parenting decisions are the type that can go either way depending on your opinions, but a tablet for a 2yr old isn't one of them. If you want to set your child back and hamper his learning and cause behavioural problems that will later be extremely difficult to undo then go for it.

I am a big fan of second hand Christmas, sounds good. But you need to throw away the marbles. NOT safe for a 2 year old. PLEASE don’t give those to him, promise us!

Stockings for our three usually have more practical/consumable bits in, not more toys. A toothbrush, flavoured toothpaste, shampoo or bubble bath, new socks, a lollipop maybe, always a satsuma too.

Yes, at two, DS's main Christmas enthusiasm was those little wind-up Santas that came free with crackers. Honestly, he was at the stage where he was more interested in the boxes stuff came in. I can't remember what we gave him for Christmas that year, but it was probably only a couple of things -- might have been one of those Cosy Coupé pedal cars.

Honestly, a small child will just be overwhelmed by a quarter of that, and you're just generating landfill.

'Proper and special' isn't about some kind of performative pile of presents, it's about fun and relaxation. DS has nice memories of building dens with all the cushions in the house at Christmas, going out to get the tree and stuff like that.

So much plastic.
Nothing to keep and cherish later in life.
Throwaway gifts.
Overstimulating for a 2 year old.
Yes, I'm judging!

Use the stuff you've got for the stocking.

Best now while they are little to set expectations. They don't need loads. Gradually introduce the useful stuff as they get older. (Stationery, deodorant when they need it, to help still give them a bulging stocking without breaking the bank) it's the special free things that can make Christmas. (They need pyjamas every year so you could buy them at Christmas for example)

just use your TV for CBeebies (assuming you have one) and phone for music

I was going to say too I wouldn’t give a 2 year old marbles or bouncy balls. Also be wary of buying plastic toys from Poundland. It can often be plastic tat that breaks easily.

I thought your list was awesome until it came to the tablet. A tablet for a 2 year old is horrific. Do you want him glued to screens for the rest of his childhood? Let him play the old-fashioned way, which he’ll be able to do with all the things on the list. Save the tablet money and take him to a panto or a children’s farm / Santa event.

I think you have done fantastic all that for that budget, i think he will feel very special and spoilt, and that is what you want so you can enjoy it too, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. And what i think is brilliant is there are lots of gifts that will give him and you things to do over the coming days, with the finger paints, tea set , playdough etc. oh do you need some -paper for painting/ drawing on?

I do think you have enough now and you can stop, if you have some more money as you get paid put it aside because you never know what will come up in the days leading up to christmas, many times my kids spotted something just before xmas that they really wanted but had not been on the list- if that happens you can add to stash, or you may see a santa somewhere and get a photo, or xmas pjs with a favourite character, and if nothing extra comes up all to the better he has a lot to unwrap and do already , if you have extra rather than getting more for him you could bring him shopping to a bargain shop and let him pick out a little gift for you, wrap it up , because in my experience the little ones love having gifts to give too.

I'm sorry but that ridiculous. Is it for your kif or for your instagram?

All that tat which will end in a landfil soon.

What happened to having a 2-3 toys for Christmas and for bithdays like before?

Great job!

Honestly, I think you have more than enough considering your child's age. He will likely be just as thrilled with the wrapping paper at this age than the toys. However it is your child, your Christmas and your money so go ahead and get more if you want too but more gifts is not what makes Christmas special.

Plastic tat ✔️
massive pile ✔️
tablet for a toddler ✔️
I mean come on folks the OP is playing with us

There are plenty of these type of parents about. Nothing unbelievable here, just sad.

Divide the things in two and give him the other half next Christmas - and NO tablet, he's far too young.