Do you have to have a big 'pile'

[Pixie83]

We're trying to keep the costs down for Christmas (not easy with a housefull of children..). But I'm worrying that the 'pile' under the tree won't have the wow factor this year - usually it's huge, and I love to see the looks on the children's faces as they walk in and see it every christmas morning.

So am I being horribly materialistic worrying about the size of the pile? And even if I am (!) how can I make it look enormous on a budget??

No you don't have to have a big pile, but what I do is from around Spet time I keep an eye out for things on sale/in charity shops/in 2nd hand shops.

Dd1 currently has two wii games she wanted and they only cost me £25 for both of them as opposed to £35 each. She won't know/care that they are 2nd hand. We also have the Harry Potter dvds (all the ones to date) for £15. Again she won't know/care that they are 2nd hand.

Books are v cheap now too. I buy lots of books from amazon/the book people and things like bobble sets/soap sets etc from poundland.

I wrap things seperatley last year i got my boys a box set of books each and opened it and wrapped them all individually so then one pressie becomes 5, i do the same with slippers aswell! :D

haha, you wrap your sliipers separately??

Put some small things in big boxes and then wrap young children like opening big boxes anyway makes it more fun.

A couple of years ago we wrapped a present for ds in a huge box and put helium balloons in it he loved it when he opened it up :)

Yeah it makes it a bit more fun for the kids i don't go as far as to do individual socks and pants though that would be silly!

Bung a few balloons in amongst the pressies with some random tinsel or streamers. Put a sweet or something in each balloon too :o

You can still have a big pile!

I never forgot one christmas that I had masess and massess of presents, all stuffed into pillowcases. There must have been at least twenty books.

I didn't know until years later when mum told me that most of it had been second-hand. Also the huge doll's house I got that year my dad had spent months making and mum had made all the furnishings. I played with that doll's house for years

We have a tradition of 'joke' presents. One present wrapped up in layers with clues put in along the way. As you unwrap the layers, you get another clue and guess what you think the present is. In our house, you don't get to actually open the present until you've guessed the present.

It keeps Christmas fun and fresh. We did it with our 6 year old for the first time last year, and DD loved it. She has already asked to do it again this year.

I think little things like this makes Christmas more fun and takes the emphasis of 'present opening' as such, but makes it more about enjoying time together.

HTH

We are getting our two a large bean bag each amongst other things. They will look huge and all kids love jumping on them.

Get some things from poundland and put them in big boxes stuffed with tissue!

i usually get my dc loads but dd2 is due on christmas eve so trying to reign it all in abit.

i am planning on getting them 1 main pressie each and getting lots of crafty type stuff and books from home bargains/pound land etc.

i also had a massive pile when i was a child, looking back most of it wasn't expensive. lots of little things.

i have been telling ds not to expect a big pile and tbh when he see's his main pressie he probably wont even care!

We put ours in shaped stacks with the biggest at the bottom, tied up with a big ribbon (we do fabric wrapping) - they look massive because they are stacked up but really there are only a few things there.

Or hide the presents and organise a treasure hunt, then it feels like an activity to actually get one present rather than needing an initial pile. (Keep one back with no clues for when they've done as a last surprise).

We have a big pile and try and spend as little as possible - picking up stuff in charity shops (found some great games).

I also give the children all the stuff they need. Lots of the small stuff goes into stockings, and then I wrap bigger stuff for under the tree from us - so they get loads of clothes, books, craft material.

DD's favourite present last year was a huge bag of collected rubbish for crafting. I saved egg boxes, kitchen roll inners, butter packets, mini cereal boxes and other bits and bobs! SHe loved it and plays with it all the time. COst nothing, and it was a big gift. Maybe if one of yours likes craft you could do something similar?

I like to get as much as possible good quality second hand. Waste really annoys me, so if I can find it second hand I will get it.
The Book People are great too.

There are some great tips here...I am worrried about the pile too because we are moving abrod temporarily and dont want to buy loads of stuff which wont be able to come...and hich they will have grown out of when we get back!

The balloon idea is great! And it's true about the books/ceap soap and hair or crafty sets. Kids don't know usully if something cost a pound or ten! I'm thining felt tip pens...wrap em up....colouring book...wrap em up....crackers might be good too, cheapo ones just flung in there with the balloons!

DD's favourite present last year was a huge bag of collected rubbish for crafting. I saved egg boxes, kitchen roll inners, butter packets, mini cereal boxes and other bits and bobs! SHe loved it and plays with it all the time. COst nothing, and it was a big gift. Maybe if one of yours likes craft you could do something similar?

Thats a great idea Tummy. My one year old would have loved that!!
I have brought her quite a few toys but she is just not interested - always goes for the rubbish bin or pots and pans! Toys are a farce!!

No, dd gets one present and DH and I do not buy for each other. So there is one present. We have our crib under the tree.