How many presents do you give your kids?

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Every year i seem to go over board with the kids presents and i really don't feel that they end up appreciating anything that they recieve because they are so overwhelmed in toys. I just wondered how many is enough for your kids to recieve from you, so i can take a look at just how much i need to cut down this year.

Mine get loads. It is not all expensive though (although this year dd is getting a guitar as her main present which will be expensive). I would say a couple of pressies of around £30- £40 each, plus 10 or so smaller things. I also wrap up clothes, and they get a lot of books and a stocking each.
I do not get them much throughout the year (except books) and we really love Christmas.
Dh and I are both only children, so no pressies from aunts and uncles, and dh's parents are dead, so just from my parents and cousins.
We like to do it, and start early so we can afford it and never, ever get into debt to do it.

I've got DD loads. But it's her birthday in early Jan and so half of them will be birthday. Plus I will farm some of them out to family to give her as they never know what to get her.

maktaitai Really like your idea of a goodnight present!

I don't really buy a set amount of presents or spend a set sum of money each. What we buy depends on what they ask for though we always get them new pj's, an outfit, dressing gown, slippers, a book, a game or jigsaw, and pens and paper.
This year DD is getting an Ipod touch, hair dryer, and a charm for her bracelet, I was about the Ipod at first as I think she is a bit young at 10 but she has been made head girl at school and DH decided she deserves a treat.
DS is getting a Nintendo DS bundle and some lego.

I have a two tier family (12 year age gap in middle). when older ones were little they had a good sized stocking of the usual sort of stuff and a main present, if they had too much they didn't enjoy individual things and presents got overlooked. Now I have little ones again and go mad at xmas even though i know I shouldn't - sneaking things in when dh isn't looking, just keeping thinking ds would love that, but have the feeling I'm buy more for me than them . I think things were a lot harder financially with the older ones so I had to be reasonable, now it's everyone for themselves if I get in a toy shop. Just think you do what you feel comfortable with and can afford, I'm intrigued by what other families do but it doesn't influence me.

I buy a lot - about 15 presents in the sacks, 5 'main' presents, plus small gifts for things like Christmas eve etc..

That said, the 5 main presents usually are the expensive ones - a DS game, a Wii game, the big present and two other reasonable sized presents, such as a new outfit or toys etc.

However, the stocking is made up of cheaper things, and a lot of necessities - such as vests, pants etc will be one present, new pjs or dressing gown or slippers will make up a few more. They also get lots of cheap presents - like luxury cereal (aka frosties), a magazine etc. Things that don't need to be appreciated on the day, this way they get lots of things, they enjoy their huge pile of presents, but they're also getting things they would get anyway and they do not get overwhelmed by their presents, because out of the pile, there'll only be 4 toy presents or so in there.

A stocking and three main presents each (one 'big' one, 2 smaller ones). I don't spend much, though.

Love the goodnight pressie.

When my dcs were younger it was a stocking and 1 main present, now they're abit older they will get a stocking and 4 or 5 small presents.

Santa gets them one big present and the stocking.

We get them 4 or 5 smaller gifts each, eg Annual, good hardback book, DVD, puzzles, this year DS has a pocket microscope too. We get them things we want them to have, good quality, a bit of educational value, a bit of peace for us (DVD ) etc.

I find their birthdays worse, they get far more from other people then, so for birthdays we only ever get them one big thing each.

My ds last year, would of been 18 months old, got bored opening all his pressies, i also go abit mad. This year he has about 8 little pressies and 1 main pressie, will also have new pj's, duvet cover and fleece blanket on xmas eve, but dh doesnt think they should count :)
My dd will be 2 and a half months old and is haveing 3 vtech 3 month + toys and a baby bracelet.
My inlaws always go abit mad too but i think ive stopped caring tbh

Loads, a huge pile!

We're happy with that too, so ner !

Lots! I never intend to. She gets one big present - but then I buy other bits and pieces along the way and they do add up to a fair pile by the time Christmas comes.

Those who only do 1 present and the stocking do they get toys at other points in the year?

DS gets quite a large pile of presents but he only gets toys as christmas and birthday presents.

My DD hasn't asked for much. If I got her what she asked for including a surprise, it wouldn't be much. A neighbour told me what she was getting her children and i was a bit
I know some people like to get kids lots, but I am quite pleased DD not demanding much. I think it's sweet. All DCs got lots last yr, so think we'll take it easy this yr. Even though we can afford, i don't want to spoil them.

Loads I tend to go a bit mad too but some of the presents are small and cheap like DD1 would love a pack of sparkly gel pens.

2 presents from Santa one big one from mum and dad and a loads of wee ones.

I buy far too much for DCs at Christmas. I get carried away with the magic. Trying to stick to 2 big presents and the stocking this year. Probably spent as much as last year though. We have lots of friends who spend less than us but buy for their kids all year round.

I get far too many things for ds and spend half of December trying to decide which things to keep for his birthday. Also, I buy things as I see them throughout the year so I don't realise how much there is until I have a cupboard-full. On the plus side, I don't get into debt as the cost is spread over the year!

He has one big present which is usually from my Mum, my 2 sisters and I. He also has about 6 or 7 smaller things and a stocking - like others, this includes pjs, vests, books etc.

depends on age and how much I can get from car boots

My kids bdays are all near Xmas and they get absolutely nothing else all year so we give them a few as they have to last all year.We also have to think ahead as well as think what they'd like now-a year is a long time.

What about summer toys like trampolines, sandpits, paddling pools, swings, slides etc. Do you get those for Christmas or in the summer when they are needed?

nappyaddict both DC are summer born so we are lucky and get any outdoor stuff then. Although TBH all we have in our garden is a slide.

nappyaddict we generally buy garden toys like trampolines etc in the summer usually look for deals in elc and b&q.

It depends on the price of the presents (lots of little vs one big), but we generally intend to do one or two, and end up doing about five.

At the moment we have a posh jumper and a t-shirt, and we were just going to get a few Thomas trains as DS's birthday was in October so he just got loads of stuff, but we're now considering a fishtank. That will be it though.

Our main issue is that he gets very spoiled by grandparents as he's the only grandchild on both sides (and DH's parents are divorced so there are three sets of grandparents), and we don't want him to have so much stuff he doesn't notice it IYSWIM. He's only two so doesn't really understand Christmas or expect anything yet.

I buy lots too, however the general theme on mumsnet is anything over one present and a stocking with an orange is over indulgent and show offy

I also buy during the year, never personally understood the whole "only birthdays and xmas" thing - if I see something I like I wouldnt like to be told I have to wait 10 months until xmas and hope its still there!!

Usually one main present and a couple of little ones. And a stocking. They do get a lot from friends and family too though.