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Original poster

Anyone else suffer from Irrational Fear Of Small Present Pile Panic?

51 replies

MistletoeAndFlump · 12/12/2011 14:02

Why do I do this every year?

We have three DC. They are all getting plenty for Christmas (without going into ££ spent, which I know isn't the point)...

But every year around now I start to worry that when the presents all get put under the tree on Christmas Eve, the pile won't be quite big enough.

I am always careful to only buy things the DC will actually like/use/keep, and manage to avoid most of the plastic tat. But my IFOSPPP leads me to compulsive crap buying like there's no tomorrow - usually just on the basis of how big a box the crap comes in. Somebody please give a me a stern talking to and hide my credit cards.

Xmas Sad
OP posts:
PresentsRibbonsAndMerrySantas · 12/12/2011 14:16

dc 2,3 and 4 i don't, but dd1 i am abit, because she has asked for expensive items so she has not got many, i have bought things in the sale and tried to bulk it out a bit more, but i know when family presents get mixed up with them as well it will look fine, well i hope so, but i will not be putting into piles just in case, will be under tree all mixed up and i will try and make sure she don't open them all at once, other wise she will be sat there with nothing else so will put some of hers at the back. my sister ds has only got 1 or 2 small ones in total due to everyone putting money in for a present he already has. he knows this is [13] but i think he will be unhappy on xmas day Xmas Hmm

MistletoeAndPinot · 12/12/2011 14:53

am doing this now!!

MistletoeAndPinot · 12/12/2011 14:55

ooh err weirdy beirdy link.,

bagpuss · 12/12/2011 15:02

Yes, I'm awful for panicking about this. Last Christmas eve I happened to look at Facebook and noticed an acquaintance had a picture of their living room with a sea of presents for their three dc. I have five dc and they each had a couple of bits each (which was what they had asked for but still) Xmas Shock. This year I have bulked out the presents with new dressing gowns, slippers, pjs, winter coats etc, which is stuff they all need but will have fun unwrapping too, and have the advantage of being wonderfully bulky.

headfairy · 12/12/2011 15:04

why not just wrap the presents in larger boxes? :o

I have had this worry with dd though. She's only 2 and all we've got her is a little cot for her doll which I know she'll absolutely love, but as it only cost £15 I'm worried I've been a bit tight. Mind you, ds is getting a scooter which only cost a tenner so she's done well really!

leftmymistletoeatthedoor · 12/12/2011 19:15

I am doing this year because ds is getting smaller more expensive presents this year but he's still only 5 and his sister is only a toddler so her presents are bigger and cheaper iyswim.

I keep looking for massive boxes of ANYTHING. I have not bought anymore though and I won't i will.

pinkhebe · 12/12/2011 19:16

I have wrapped things like top trumps in shoe boxes Xmas Grin

Original poster
MistletoeAndFlump · 12/12/2011 20:53

I like the big boxes idea - good for my eldest who wants nothing but xbox games - so his pile is tiny, despite being blardy expensive.... And it disguises them too so not just a sneaky trick Xmas Grin

OP posts:
TysTheSeasonToBeJolly · 12/12/2011 20:56

I also suffer this too, I just ordered dd a 3 years + pram even though she has enough. I have not dared tell dh yet. Xmas Blush

QOD · 12/12/2011 21:03

oh god yes ! Xmas day she only gets gifts from us and a very small token gift-like lip gloss-from cousin. in laws have managed small gift only this year too (pa in law just died and ma in law got dementia) so really feeling. the pressure!
we do boxing day with my side so she'll get some stuff then. stupid isn't it-!

budgieshell · 12/12/2011 21:04

Just been up in the attic (given away hiding place please don't tell).
Tiny pile (shock), I am now wondering around the house looking for things to wrap, do you think My 9 year old DD would like a tin of soup.
Off to the pound shop ASAP.

Original poster
MistletoeAndFlump · 12/12/2011 21:15

Only if you put the soup tin in a big box Xmas Grin

Am so glad I'm not the only one afflicted.

OP posts:
nothingoldcanstay · 12/12/2011 21:19

I have the opposite problem. I buy DS a bit through the year because I think it's cheaper- annuals on offer in October, TK Maxx toys before they go etc. Then we have The Christmas List which never has the same presents I've brought on it. Then it's the 3 for 2 offers where there's two things he's asked for but not the third. Then I think well "he 'll love that extra box of Lego". By Christmas the pile is obscene and I am in shock as to the amount I've spent on more toys.

I managed to get an almost new massive Doctor Who pop up book for 50p and 15 immaculate Beast Quest books for £2 at a charity book sale which now makes me wish I hadn't brought the Beast Quest Annual because it all looks too much. And so it goes on.. It's not a stealth boast either because I really can't afford it. Buying early just doesn't work for me so I am NOT going to be stocking up for next year in the sales.

budgieshell · 12/12/2011 21:23

Ha, I knew it being organised and practical does not pay.

lucysmam · 12/12/2011 21:59

I'm feeling this this year for the first time! DD1 has 2 presents, one a complete surprise to her but she will love, the other a doll she wanted for ages & I found half price (chouchou). dd2's are slightly bigger but yep, cheaper because they are toddler friendly & not innotab's! They both have a stocking crammed with random stuff though, some clothes and some sweets so not too bad. The piles may be smaller but they start getting more expensive as they get older (dreading teen years!)

olibeansmummy · 12/12/2011 22:09

I do this too! Dss is 11 so doesn't believe in Santa and we don't pretend as he's coming to ours in the afternoon in Xmas day so ds will have had his presents from Santa. We put his presents under the tree and he couldn't believe how many he had. There's still 2 more coming but I STILL feel its not enough Blush I feel the same about ds's pile too and it's more than enough in reality!

HattiFattner · 12/12/2011 22:09

urgh I have a teen girl, , an almost teen boy and an under 10 boy. The U10 is easy - lots of his things come in big boxes. Teen grl - has one big pressie and I have resorted to wrapping slippers and shower gel so she has other things to open. Teenish boy is getting a bike, so no wrapping - but then needed to supplement with other bits and bobs so he had some opening stuff...books, a couple of cheapy games, some lynx deo....

OhYouBadBadReindeer · 12/12/2011 22:11

Those beast quest books are an excellent buy so don't fret nothinggold. You cant have too many books....

oreocrumbs · 12/12/2011 22:17

I always have this too! This year though I'm really feeling worried as DSD (14) has a tiny pile of very expensive presents and DD (15mo) has a huge pile of not very expensive presents. It just looks so mismatched Xmas Confused

LadyMontdore · 12/12/2011 22:20

Are we the only people who just give dcs a Christmas present - as in 1 (not including tiny stocking things)?

I had no idea anyone had more than one present from any one person?

Bluestocking · 12/12/2011 22:30

No, Lady Montdore, you're not the only person who does this. We only give one present each to DS, not counting the tat in his stocking which FC gives him.

wizzler · 12/12/2011 22:57

Oh I do it. DS is 7 and his pile is so much smaller than DD at 4.... so I buy more for him ( in big boxes), feel guilty that I have spent more on DS so buy something for DD.... Xmas Hmm. Have resorted to wrapping up socks and pants to make the pile look bigger.

The DC also have some parcels at their DGPs, which they open with their cousins. Same problem there.. now we are all wishing they would get only one small present at DGPs,but we are all desperate to avoid seeing their faces all crestfallen on Xmas morning, as we have unwittingly started a tradition... I know , I know I am a weak woman...

LolaLadybird · 13/12/2011 07:10

Loving the IFOSPP abbreviation - sounds like a clinical diagnosis!

I do this a little bit - like others, I worry about the DC's piles looking even. I think DS' (4) presents look bigger and better than DD's (6) but in actual fact we have spent fractionally more on her. However, I think when it comes to the excitement of Christmas morning, they will be in too much of a hurry to start comparing piles. Also, I know when presents from friends and relatives have arrived, that it will look like plenty under the tree.

If you are still worried on Christmas Eve, go for some clever staging - how you arrange/stack them under the tree can help disguise small piles!

mrsmplus3 · 13/12/2011 07:34

i am feeling disappointed about my 15yr old sons pile. its hard enough anyway getting it right with a teenager but he recently found out that his main present is a kindle (which was supposed to be a total surprise) and last night i got an email from amazon saying the one thing he really wants is now unavailable. and i feel im going to have to tell him so hes not disappointed. so thats his 2 best things out in the open which im gutted about and his other gifts are a dvd boxset, a cd, a book, an xbox game, x box gold and a smelly set. they will make one neat, narrow pile. rubbish!

having said all that, he is getting older and this might just need to be the first year he realises he will get less of a bundle now that his stuff costs much more than his younger siblings. i guess its also important for him to realise christmas is not just about the first hour of the day when they open their presents, its more about the whole day with family, good food and having fun.

better go and wake them up now for school!

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