Does your dp/dh know everything that the children have?

[weaselsquirrel]

Mine doesn't he has not got a clue what they have or what I've spent. If it was down to him he would just buy a few plastic playsets from argos and be done. Would probably spend £50 tops on everything including pjs and stockings. I don't know why it bothers him so much because he doesn't spend a single penny. He is going to have one mighty surprise come Christmas.

Nope, he never has. I started to tell him once a few years ago and he said "don't tell me, you'll spoil the surprise!"

He knew when they had Playmobil because it needed making, he helped choose bikes and he chose their laptops. This year he has ordered something that DS1 really needs as he is in the Army, DH's RAF so he knows more about that than me.

Yes because at the moment they have nothing

The 6yo boys in our family aren't good with surprises, so DH has sat them down with the internet and helped them choose presents within a sensible budget. Last year was too much anxiety and upset for Ds.
I deal with stocking fillers and most other stuff and generally keep track of the kids' clothes.

Dh has zero idea and zero interest regarding what I've bought ds. None at all. I've tried telling him but it's the same every year, ds is 5 and I don't think dh has ever known what he's having for christmas or birthday.

Mine takes little interest and looks pained if I try and include him, like I am insulting him somehow, lots of negative huffing and puffing but the strange thing is of course, he loves christmas morning, he loves seeing the excitement and them opening their presents.

I wonder what he thinks would happen if his annoying wife didnt actually make the effort to get all this stuff and make christmas happen?

The big present normally yes, with a gun to his head DH could muster up "ooh, it's an iPad" or whatever. For the other stuff I show (online) discuss, order then show again (in the flesh which he promptly forgets Stocking fillers- absolutely no clue

My DH doesn't know and when I tried to talk to him about it he obviously didn't care. Meh.

We normally discuss the main presents and then when I've bought everything/most things I tend to get it all out and we have a conflab about whether we need to get anything else and if the piles are even.

Although saying that, I often wonder if he listens because he bought DS some headphones the other day when I'd already bought some and had told him I'd bought some

My DH hates shopping for anything so, no, Christmas present buying does not involve him! I on the other hand love shopping and planning for Christmas and getting the DDs surprises they will love. DH probably thinks I spend too much but I am quite good at orchestrating with the extended family and letting them know any good ideas I have had for presents (so it doesn't always come out of our pocket). THey are all overseas and happy for me to point them in the right direction.

I do tell DH about the bigger gifts of what the DDs are getting/have asked for but there will be a bunch of little/medium size gifts which he knows nothing about (and would bore him senseless if I told him).

Yup
DH & I discuss what we would like the DC to receive from their lists / what ideas we have had. We then make a plan to buy them. He will pick things up as he sees them too ie special offer/ something that he thought they might like.
Its our money & they are our children so WE buy for them.
I wouldn't want it any other way its lovely.

Oobedobe, you have written almost exactly what I was going to write, I love shopping, it brings DH out in a cold sweat so it works if I do the bulk of of it, he does get involved in big items such as lap top/ TV/ bike and sometimes he will pick up something that he thinks dd will like.

DP knows the big stuff, but quite often I get matching presents for everyone, eg this year DP is getting Star Wars magnets, DS1 is getting Thomas magnets and DS2 is getting Scooby Doo magnets, so obviously he doesn't know about those ones!

DH knows about the main stuff. And he has ordered a couple of things for particular people himself.

I tend to have more time and enjoy mooching round the shops more, so I bring little things home over the months. I tell him a lot of them, but I'm sure it does in one ear and out the other.

Our tradition is that I then get everything out on the 23rd and he sees what there is and then helps wrap it.

BeyondRepair- I also have a DP who seems to think Christmas happens on it's own; it's infuriating! He does enjoy the food shopping, but when he does it, I am very appreciative. With the presents however, he has no wish to discuss or shop for them himself beforehand. As another poster said- in one ear, out the other. But he will pass comment on each parcel that drops through the door- "how much have we spent?" "Not another one, are you not finished yet?"

The thing is, I do nearly all our shopping online and have done for a long time so when things are sent separately it does appear to be a lot of parcels.

Then on Christmas morning he watches happily as DC/ family unwraps presents, takes photos of DC playing with their new things etc "yes WE thought you's enjoy that toy" etc etc. grrrrrrrr

Well he helped them send their letters up the chimney so he has a rough idea what to expect.
I won't set foot in a shop with him ever, he's a horrible shopper and it's not something either of us would enjoy.
Winter (particularly this time of year) is his busiest work time and when he makes the most of our income (proportionally) - he's out of the house for 15/16 hours a day 6 days a week at the moment.
During his day off he relaxes and we have a bit of time together. I can't be arsed to waste any of it telling him which Lego sets I've bought and asking him which perfumes I should get for the dds!