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Original poster

How many presents are enough?

57 replies

sum04 · 20/09/2012 09:59

Every year I end up going over board on the dcs gifts but this year I want to cut down alot, but I dont want the tree to look too empty. How many gifts do you give your dc and are they all toys or lots of little things like books, dvds etc?

OP posts:
Waitingforastartofall · 20/09/2012 10:06

At our house last year they had 1 main present, then 5-7 smaller toys ect. followed by a gift bag of stuff like books,dvds, smellies,choc ect. probably about 25 presents but only 10 of these were toys ect the rest were part of the gift bag. They get lots of stuff from other family altho last year was abit different as we didnt have sc's till boxing day so split our youngest presents over 2 days. I go totally overboard like yourself but cant help it

WhatWouldVegansDo · 20/09/2012 10:23

Our son was only 1.2 last year, but we have started how I mean to go on:

He gets four gifts from Santa:

  • something he wants
  • something he needs
  • something to wear
  • something to read.

He gets a small stocking from the elves, nothing expensive, just fun stuff to unwrap - bubbles, puzzles, a small festive book, chocolate coins, satsuma etc.

He gets a main present from DH and me, which goes under the tree, as does anything he gets from anyone else. That's it!

shinybaubles · 20/09/2012 10:26

sum04 I am in exactly the same position, and am determined that less is more this year, just not figured out the how and the what.

itsstillgood · 20/09/2012 10:32

Mine get a present of us on Christmas Eve (PJ's, book, soft toy, something I've made).
1 present from Santa under the tree.
Stocking can fit about 10 small to medium things in (books, dvds go in here).
Presents from family under the tree.

All in all there are about 10 presents each under the tree.

Still takes most of the day to unwrap because they open something and play with it before moving on.

milk · 20/09/2012 15:54

WhatWouldVegansDo I love your 4 gifts idea :)

WhatWouldVegansDo · 20/09/2012 20:14

I discovered it a while ago, milk, and it's great - helps focus what to buy, and we'd be buying something for him to wear anyway, as well as a book, so it just leaves something he really wants, and something he needs, and limits us going crazy! There are slight variations on it, I think some people do a treat and something to eat?

hhhhhhh · 21/09/2012 11:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Mosman · 21/09/2012 12:29

4 presents in total ? I hope not, poor mite.

prettypleasewithsugarontop · 22/09/2012 07:43

We give a package on Christmas eve: new pyjamas for santa coming, slipper socks/slippers, a Christmas themed book and a new little mug with biscuits for our Christmas eve hot chocolate :)

Christmas, i have been known to go overboard but won't be happening this year! DD1 (8) is an avid reader and is getting a Kindle, and DD2 (4) is getting a Leapfrog Explorer as main gift, small stocking of bits and pieces from poundland (colouring stuff, sticker sheets, make it craft sets - wilkos do great ones) and maybe 6/7 other presents (likely to be ds games, books that sort of thing) plus whatever comes from family :)

Babyrabbits · 22/09/2012 12:34

We go big on stockings, lots full of stuff that you need, socks, undies, hair ties, straws, stickers, crayons etc. ( saves buying through the year)

We do xmas pjs and movie ( love this a Lot)

We then have three or so presents from us. These are usually second hand as children are under five.
Then they get family gifts.

It always looks massive overkill, every year we think that its too much.

ratbagcatbag · 22/09/2012 12:38

I realised that I was spending a fortune on all my present shopping, not just DSS, so made my DH do me an excel sheet that I put everyone's names into and a value, when I buy something over the year, I add it into the list and what it cost, it takes the total down for me so I know how much I've got left for that person and when I'm at zero it goes bright red :) I think we sorted spending from over £1700 to around £700!
However I'm three months pregnant with my first so you can all laugh at me in 18 months when I'm asking the same again :)

GoldPlatedNineDoors · 22/09/2012 12:39

Dd will be one the week before christmas so may be a little.overwhelmed and probably will just prefer to play with the wrappings.

However I dont like buying toys/gifts throughout the year - they are for birthdays and christmases. So, she may seem like she is getting lots but wont get any other toys throughout the year.

Ill also wrap new pjs and new outfit and a winter coat plus little trinketty type stuff such as toothbrush, hair slides etc.

Her main present is a half price happyland cottage, so we havent spent lots.

Goldpippin · 22/09/2012 14:13

We give the dc 12 presents each from us and then 1 from Father Christmas and then a joint family present. They also have their stockings and a Christmas Eve gift bag. We have a very small family and so they only receive another couple of presents.

vamosbebe · 22/09/2012 14:22

GoldPlatedNineDoors our DS will be one a couple of weeks before Christmas, so will also be a bit overwhelmed and probably only play with the paper and the box. We're just going to buy him one thing for birthday, one thing for Christmas as he hasn't got a clue and he'll get presents from friends and family anyway. As he gets older we'll be doing one big present under the tree (or 'near' the tree depending on it's size!!) such as a bike or whatever, then little presents that I've gathered along my way in a stocking.

WhatWouldVegansDo · 22/09/2012 20:11

Mosman, no, not four presents total - four presents from Santa. My child is not a poor mite! :) We do the hamper on December 1st, with new festive PJs, socks, special hot chocolate, some festive books, etc, as well as a few extra things on Christmas Eve to ramp it up a bit - festive jigsaws, etc, then a stocking in the morning with a few bits and pieces. Most of it is stuff we will have gotten him over the course of the year anyway - though with the 'something to wear' I push the boat out a bit and buy something a bit extra special.
That said, we are conscious of not having our child gift-focussed or materialistic.

I do get MonthlyChange's point about one child getting more/less from Santa and wondering why. Maybe I'll tell my child/ren parents who can afford it send Santa a cheque to upsize the gift. Gets confusing with everyone doing everything slightly differently. Though we are homeschooling so we don't have to worry about what the kids at school get. :)

ratbags, yikes! Wow though, I love the idea of the spreadsheet! It all adds up, doesn't it!

rhondajean · 22/09/2012 20:54

I always over buy.

I get over excited.

W didn't have Xmas when I was a child and I just love the shopping and the build up.

I can't seem to help myself.

TheBonkeyMollocks · 22/09/2012 20:56

Ds got far too much last year.

The child got ..... bored!!!!! Yes bored halfway through opening them.

I learnt my lesson! Blush

frankie76 · 22/09/2012 21:02

I can't believe someone wrote poor mite for 4 presents - so how many is good enough
Really surprised by this comment?
Some children won't get any

I could afford loads of things but why - what does it teach them
I will probably do around 4 too depending what I see and what I feel is appropriate
Last year she got a scooter, a few books, and a doll - as well as a socking with small silly things
What is wrong with that?
She is 3

BizarreLoveTriangle · 22/09/2012 21:15

Mine get Christmas pyjamas on Christmas Eve. Santa gives two presents - one larger and one smaller. We then buy them about eight smaller presents. They get four books in the morning on New Year's Day.

Mosman · 23/09/2012 00:35

Some children won't get an education it doesn't mean you don't send yours to school.
4 presents is fine if its all you can afford, 4 presents on principle is tight if you ask me, we grew up on benefits and my parents managed a nice pile on Christmas morning. Not sure exactly what you'd be trying to achieve my recreating a Victorian Christmas for your child.

Mosman · 23/09/2012 00:37

Oh just read apparently it does mean you don't send yours to school Blush. Wasn't having a dig.

fuzzpig · 23/09/2012 08:07

I'm struggling with this too! I went totally overboard last year - not so much financially as I'm a savvy shopper but the amount of presents was embarrassing. This year we have agreed to cut down. They have a big present (playmobil) to share from Santa, their stockings, and I'm not sure how much to put under the tree...

fuzzpig · 23/09/2012 08:11

RE the Santa thing, in our house Santa brings the stockings and one main present to share (DCs 5 and 3 so still playing together lots) - this year the playmobil, last year a dressing up box). Santa also gives DH and I a present (something that we both want like a DVD box set) - as we have been good all year too :o everything else is from us.

frankie76 · 23/09/2012 20:11

I'm not trying to be Victorian but I know my child as someone else said on here she got bored opening present last year and stopped so we opened the rest on Boxing Day
She also has both our parents and grandparents who spoil her rotten with gifts as she is the only one so not being tight - one present maybe an iPad so how is that tight??
But also not going to fill the house with unwanted toys and spoil her rotten
She will be spoilt enough from the extended family

Pinot · 24/09/2012 17:06

I try really hard to remember that Christmas is a season, not just a single day. It's about memories, family, friends, snuggling up together, winter walks together. It's not about spending £££ on presents.

Less £, more time is our motto for Christmas, the less few years at least, and it's working well so far.

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