How many presents without inc lists have your dc got.

[MincedMuffPies]

Mine have about 35 each 10 of those are stocking fillers of things around a pound nothing more then a fiver.

I haven't spent loads but as they're older and its things like dvds and ps3 games it really doesn't look like much compared to previous years of bikes and large similar presents.

[curiousgeorgie]

Alibabba - I think 35 well thought out gifts will be played with far more than the same volume from the pound shop. (don't get me wrong, I love the pound shop!!)

My DD has an awful lot from us but I know that she'll play with all of it. She also has probably the same amount again to come from my family, DH's family, our friends and various relatives including a Mini Cooper and a Disney doll house.

It takes about an hour and a half to open everything but there are a lot of us. I can't tell you how fantastic it is to walk into my parents living room Christmas morning to see presents not just under the tree, but filling the entire room. I can still remember standing in the doorway as a child shivering because I was so excited.

I want my DD's to have the same

[Luggage16]

but maybe they then put them aside and get them out through the year? Tbh its not for me, we aim for under 10 gifts (year before last was 7 between them) but I pick bits up through the year. Some people have a different approach and go beserk on the 1 day and stock them up with clothing, slippers, books etc and then wont buy through the year. tbh I think 35 can sound far worse than it actually is, couple of computer games, couple of cds, pile of books etc. Actually if i was counting books individually then my sons pile is way more than 35 gifts as he has a bookset with 30 first reader books in. Some people might say that's an excessive amount of books but we home ed so its an educational resource as well as gift. last year my daughter has to have had a similar number of books but she reads non stop and can easily get through 15 chapter books in a week if she is in the mood, I wouldnt count them as individual gifts though. I guess what I'm saying is we cant judge someone elses situation or their reasons for buying. I am happy with my happy medium, some will think its excessive, others might think its a bit stingy but my kids are happy and we aren't in debt so it works well for us. I assume people either end of the spectrum probably feel similar unless they read threads on here and then whatever they have done they will feel judged!

[curiousgeorgie]

(And just to answer some other posters in general...)

We personally keep everything in our spare room from bought until Christmas Eve.

After Christmas presents go in their rooms or their playroom, and I never buy anything if I don't have space for it. We used to live in a much smaller house so DD1 never had a jumperoo because it wouldn't have fit in the living room... That's why DD2 is getting one this year

[Luggage16]

we tend to add to existing sets - so a new train to go in the brio box, new duplo set to go in duplo box, lego to go in lego box, new fairies to go on the shelf with the others etc. Also a fair bit is consumables like craft sets, clothes, sweets, books, bath stuff etc.

[Elsiequadrille]

I'd be interested to hear where the 240+ presents mentioned (for three children), not including stockings, are stored afterwards. They wouldn't fit into our playroom and bedrooms certainly.

[HappyMummyOfOne]

I dont count the number as only have one so dont have to ensure that the spend/number is the same.

Everyone has their own views on xmas spending. Some buy very little or expect their children to contribute to their presents and some like to spend a lot.

We spend a lot on DS and couldnt give a monkeys what anybody else thinks. Our choice, our earnings to spend. We also like nice food and decent presents for others and dont buy essential items or cheaper tat just to bulk out.

[CalamitouslyWrong]

It also depends on how/what you're counting as presents. Some people put the shampoo straight into the bathroom cupboard, others give it as a present. Some put the tub of roses straight into the cupboard, some will give it as a present and some might break it down into individual sweets as presents. Lots of people will see 'craft stuff' as a single present, but others might count all the individual items.

I suspect those with 240 presents are designating more things as presents and counting without grouping much more than those with one or two presents. There will still be variation in how much different people buy, but I think there is also a talking a cross-purposes thing going on here.

[FixItUpChappie]

Its not the amount spent or the number of gifts that makes me pause really but lists full of only technology gadgets and dvds for 10, 11, 12 year olds - we all know kids like video games but I'd like to think we should still be encouraging physical active play at these ages (and for as long as possible).

[HappyMummyOfOne]

Fixit, bar maybe lego and some board games most 12 year olds dont want toys. If they already have a bike or scooter what else do you suggest? Technology is rife nowadays, no different to trends of the past, and children will often have kindles, laptops etc.

[FixItUpChappie]

There is nothing wrong with technology. Nothing at all - tis the future and all that. There are board games, outdoor games, lego (as you say), action figure sets, science kits, puzzles.....there are things out there to round it out that is all I'm saying.

[wonderingsoul]

im quite happy this year and iv only twitched 2..but the twitchs didnt cost me anything.

they have 6 tree presents each 6 stocking stuff, stuffing stuff that will actually be used..like bath crayons. bath letters, i refuse to buy tat that will break with in seconds. then they have 2 presents to share. so they will open say 13 each.
which i do think is deffintly enough with out going ott like have done preiviouse years.

i started moths ago and havnt paid full price for any thing except 2 things (purely be3casue they never go on sale)

i have tried really hard to really think about what they would use and enjoy. and what i know for 100 percent would be played with. instead of buying things that i want them to play with or think they would like to play with liek i have done before.
also last year they had more, half didnt get played with (see reasons above* and they where just overwhlemed by it all.

[msmiggins]

Around 20 gifts each, spent several hundred pounds on each child.

All things they wil use DS has a new graphics card and RAM, DD has dance things - foot thongs, leotard, convertable tights and a mobile phone. Both have clothes, toiletries, books cosmetics, new bags etc. haven't bough any plastic tat, a few novelty items and chocolates, craft items etc.

[CalamitouslyWrong]

Thing is the physical active outside stuff can't be wrapped. It's possible to buy sedentary presents (science kits and books are just as sedentary as videogames and DVDs) and still take your kids out for some exercise. The people buying their 11 year old an ipad mini probably also take him/her swimming and to parks and to beaches and on cycling expeditions and other active/outdoorsy activities. It's not either/or and Christmas presents don't cover every aspect of your family life.

[Bakingtins]

Mine are getting one present each from us (small Playmobil set and remote control train) one gift they asked Santa for (big Lego set and micro machines bus) and a stocking. The stockings have 17/18 small gifts but are things like foam glider, chocolate coins, cookie cutter, finger lights, playing cards.
No doubt they will get loads more from family.
I try and fail to be restrained, it often all seems too much by the time the big day rolls around anyway. But this thread makes us look stingy!

[CalamitouslyWrong]

I just spoke to my mum on the phone and, as usual, she's bought the boys more than we have. She's spent more on DS2 than we have too, and might spend more on DS1 too. Oh well, they'll love it and DH will moan.

[CalamitouslyWrong]

The above is, of course, why I don't buy too much for my children. If you know family members are going to go wild, you don't want to go wild too lest you drown in Lego on Christmas Day.

[msmiggins]

I think it depends on how else you buy things for your children through the year.
I only buy gifts for my kids on birthdays and xmas, apart from essential clothing items.
So if I am to buy them gadgets and toys- phones, PC, tablets, xbox, DS, etc then they have to wait until christmas.
If you never intend to buy these high value things then that's fine, but if you do they are very expensive and ultimately christmas will cost several hundred pounds.

[Lizzylou]

No idea how many presents tbh, definitely not as many as 35, and well within budget.
And one of Ds1's presents is a good solid goalpost/nets Fixitup. No idea how to wrap that up.

[flameprincess]

I must say I am so happy to read this thread and feel normal. A friend at work has 3 sons, of whom one now has a child of his own - she spends £300 on each of them so a total of £900 and that is before stocking fillers. I was absolutely shocked as what we do isn't particularly well paid and neither is her husband so this is a substantial amount of money.

I just do not see the point in such overspending at Xmas, I have one young DS and I have brought him one big present and a few smaller things which I'm sure he'll be chuffed to bits with and I won't be crying over my bank balance in January

[msmiggins]

£300 is a usual amount for me to spend on each child, often more.

[flameprincess]

Can i ask those that spend £300 and over and have more than one child, do you save in the months leading up to Xmas? This spend along with the expenditure on family gifts and Xmas groceries is just shocking to me. Though I do accept it is all relative to income, I am in low paid job therefore what seems excessive to me is normal to others.

[msmiggins]

I don't save particulary for christmas no, but I am a saver, so I always have savings I can dip into if we decide on a last minute summer holiday or to pay for christmas. I do work a bit harder to earn in the run up to christmas to offset the costs though.

As you say it's relative. If I won ten million pounds on the lottery I'd possibly spend a good deal more than £300.

[Thewhingingdefective]

Four children, who each have stockings with about a dozen little things each.
My two youngest kids have six bigger presents each and the older two have again about a dozen. Of those they each have one 'big' item. I'm planning to wrap a couple of massive cardboard boxes filled with balloons for the tinies too.