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Christmas

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Original poster

Is it unusual to buy close family members just one present?

83 replies

TheBiggestDinosaur · 15/11/2014 20:42

I'm just interested, I've been reading lots of the Christmas threads.

I know lots of people buy several/multiple presents for their kids; ours just get one, and a stocking.
But it seems other people buy multiple presents for their parents, partners, siblings etc too.

It would honestly never occur to me to get more than one item for a person (unless it was 2 parts of one gift - a mug and hot chocolate powder, a scarf and gloves, two books). I struggle enough thinking of one thing to get each person, can't imagine having to be doubly thoughtful Grin.

Which do you think is more unusual, giving multiple gifts or just one?

OP posts:
immortalwife · 15/11/2014 20:45

Nope, they get "a Christmas gift". It may be a few small items that have a " theme" or it might be something bigger at the same value, but its always presented as one gift, in one box or bag.

addictedtosugar · 15/11/2014 20:53

DH is getting a present, and a stocking.
Kids getting 2 (small) presents and a stocking.
Parents getting one thing each - tho sometimes this could be a box of "along a theme" - a Hamper, I guess.
I can't imagine more presents than we already have. I've spent the afternoon getting old toys collected together to freecycle to try and free up space. We don't need more stuff!

anyoldname76 · 15/11/2014 20:54

I think it all depends on the person and the gift. For each couple in my close family I get 1 joint gift and something small for each person. I get my dh about 5 gifts, my dc get all get the same amount of presents and I try and make the total amount spent on each dc the same aswell.

minimommymary · 15/11/2014 20:55

im having the same predicament this year. it's my daughters first christmas. usually my H and i would get 4-5 gifts for one another. recently been H's birthday and i bought 6 really small things. HES MOANED! so now i was thinking just buy him one thing (im thinking a new watch) and that way ive spent the money he wants (he's a show off) but it'll b a change from previous years. i say just go with what's normal to you! i find it utterly ungrateful when people moan about a gift- at the end of the day you've put thought in!!!!

clearsommespace · 15/11/2014 20:56

In our circles it's one gift but when we were young adults and lacked many things, the older generation would often buy us more than one gift or we would buy each other more than one but it would be things didn't have (toaster, luggage, winter boots) rather than luxury items/treats.

MrsNuckyThompson · 15/11/2014 20:58

I usually get DH 4 or 5 things (or this year one big thing).

DS will also get several presents.

Everyone else gets one each.

JuniperTisane · 15/11/2014 20:58

1 gift per adult person (which happens to be a gift card. I'm not arsing myself with family members who don't really care that much).

My children get a big thing, a little thing (which might be a couple of related things such as Duplo or Hot Wheels bits) and a stocking full of tat without which no childs christmas is complete.

JuniperTisane · 15/11/2014 20:59

DH and I don't exchange gifts at all, we usually decide to spend a bit on something we both want - dining chairs this year.

GertrudePerkins · 15/11/2014 20:59

I only buy a couple of presents for the DC other than stockings BUT I do put relatively high value items in the stockings (DVDs, books, itunes voucher etc) as I am a humorless old trout and don't like buying lots of disposable shite.

sillymillyb · 15/11/2014 21:00

We are a family of multiple gifters.... I do it for everyone actually, it's just been my friends birthday and I got her 7 little prezzies. I just can't help it, handing over just 1 thing makes me have the heebie jeebies. What if that 1 thing is totally wrong?! I like multiple attempts to get it right Grin

Mintyy · 15/11/2014 21:01

I usually have a budget in mind and buy according to that.

So, on my Mum I might spend about £50 - £70. Whether that's 1 x £70 gift or a number of smaller things depends on what she wants and needs in that particular year.

The dc either get one big present (a bike or similar) or a few smaller ones, again I decide on a budget in advance and stick to it.

This year they are both getting a big present which is great! so much easier to do the shopping.

Naoko · 15/11/2014 21:04

I usually have an amount in my head that I want to spend. If I think of a thing that takes up that budget, they get one thing, if I buy something and there's money left in the budget, they get multiple things. This obviously doesn't work for small children who might compare gift pile size.

I only buy for DP, my parents, DP's parents and DP's brother though. Everyone else gets home made cookies. :)

Mintyy · 15/11/2014 21:04

DH and I always buy something for the house "for each other".

This year I'm getting a Nespresso thingy (at long last). He will get a new desk or maybe a filing cabinet.

We are very much not child-like about Christmas.

tryingtocatchthewind · 15/11/2014 21:05

I also just go for a budget for each person and whether it's one pricier one or several cheaper ones just depends on what I find

unclerory · 15/11/2014 21:05

I only buy one present for siblings nd parents but DH usually gets several small presents unless I have a good idea for one big present. So in a non inspiration year he might a book and a DVD and a jumper but if I had good idea he'd just get that one thing. The kids usually get a few presents at Christmas, always a book plus a toy plus,e.g. clotes. Don't find it hard to think of things for them TBH.

Philoslothy · 15/11/2014 21:06

Everyone gets one present, I think that outside of MN that is the norm

vvviola · 15/11/2014 21:07

I usually buy one "main gift" and then 4 or 5 little things - hand cream for Mum, socks for DH, pencils for the DC, that sort of thing. Usually stuff that they need/want but not particularly festive.

Dinnerfor1 · 15/11/2014 21:11

I also normally have a budget in mind and buy either one present for that price or a few smaller things adding up to that.

Dd will have a stocking of small things and then about four presents. But that's because there was no one BIG present that she needed.

Debs75 · 15/11/2014 21:17

For DC's its about 10 presents each. The two young ones are only 4 and 6 so a lot of toys and games for them then the usual pj's and stocking fillers. DS is 15 and autistic and after a difficult year most of his presents are replacing shredded clothes and adding to his lego collection. DD1 is 18 and at Uni so we are trying to think practical for her.
DM & DSIS I always get 2-3 items and DP probably gets around 10 as well.
I don't spend huge amounts on them just a few well thought things I know they will like with the odd fun thing thrown in. I remember my Gran used to say 'Christmas is a time for giving and giving brings you the most joy' and for me that is very true

PenelopeGarciasCrazyHair · 15/11/2014 21:23

One gift or a couple of smaller bits for DNs, one small gift for DBs and SILs, 6/7 for dp, some handmade, sometimes one will be a ££ thing like tickets but usually £70-80 in total.

His DCs I buy 4-5 things or 1/2 + stocking, given on our fake Xmas a week before so that we can all spend it together. Dp gives similar to mine.

Actual Xmas day I buy my DCs probably 20 things (between XH and me) plus stockings, although eldest ds sometimes gets one big thing (bike, laptop etc) and 2-3 little bits like books, toiletries, shaver etc.

I'm surprised so many people only do one present. We always woke up to a mountain of presents when I was little. My parents would buy everything on our wish list, even if they couldn't afford to buy each other anything Sad

I suppose I've just taken the same approach, I think maybe this year I should try and rein it in a bit.

2kidsintow · 15/11/2014 21:30

I have a budget per person and buy according to that. All people in both sides of my family get more than one gift.

Mil buys all year and we get about 12 things from her every year.

Thurlow · 15/11/2014 21:31

I was going to say 'adults get one present' but then remembered that for my parents, who don't need anything (and could afford to buy themselves a much better version of something we'd buy them anyway, not that that's the point) I probably buy a few little things, chocs and a CD, maybe.

DP and I barely ever by each other presents Blush Mostly it's something for the house, very rarely do we surprise each other with something. But then we seem to be a bit 'bah-humbug' over presents in general!

DD will be nearly 3 this Christmas and I haven't really decided what the standards will be. She has a few smaller presents so far and that's it. I think when she's 4 we'll start the 'one big present and a stocking of tat', which is what I grew up with.

jamtoast12 · 15/11/2014 21:43

Dh and I buy each other approx 5-6 things. From us Kids get a main, 20 tree presents (inc boardgames, craft sets, dolls etc) plus stocking of 10 very small items (toothbrushes, nail polish, felt tips). We also had a big pile at Xmas.

I buy nieces and nephews according to budget but usually 1-3 gifts but up to limit that pre set.

saintsandpoets · 15/11/2014 21:46

Adult family members get one, kids (I don't have any yet, but tend to follow the family way of doing things) get a big present and as many smaller presents/stocking fillers as can be afforded.

This year, DH and I have bought each other a present we both wanted costing £150 - me a handbag and he equipment for his hobby. We are spending another £50 each on a surprise for each other.

Betsy003 · 15/11/2014 21:50

I spend about £5/7 on each adult and £25 on each of my kids. That could be one gift of that value or several amounting to the correct value

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