Cutting back on gifts for dc?

[SweetCharlotteRose]

Ds will be 6 this year and every other year I've bought him loads of presents. Not all expensive but he's probably had at least 20 under the tree. We are a tiny family and he only receives perhaps about her two or three gifts on top of this so I've always compensated a little I think.

This year I want to halve the number to around ten. I have no more space in my house for tat and I know that he hasn't played much with some of the stuff he had last year and the year before.

I'm also aiming to be finished by October at will be 36 weeks pregnant (hopefully) by Christmas. But will he be disappointed with a much smaller pile of gifts? Particularly as his presents now don't come in such huge boxes like they did a couple of years ago. He's old enough to remember other years and still believes in Santa (probably the last year).

We explained to our DC that as they got older presents usually got smaller. This is because they get more expensive (DS wanted an xbox) he was told if Santa brought him that, thats probably all he would bring him. He was quite happy with that as he was desperate for xbox, but also pleased as we surprised him with a few little extras he wasn't expecting.

Sounds like my plan. They have too much in our house. My parents go crazy despite me asking them not to. Mine are 3 and 5 but both have birthdays before Christmas. I am cutting down too. Feel mean but would rather spend money on doing things ( e.g. Legoland) than stuff they don't need. My house cannot take many more toys either and I do clear out.

I'm in a similar position really, tiny family. Also this year we've started using the money given by the other family members (basically my grandma and my parents) for club fees which works well.

I've just cut back gradually and it hasn't been an issue. As long as the presents are well chosen, they are happy - so in my DCs' case, there needs to be Lego under the tree :o I think also it's important for it to include something that they can play with straight away.

I do a nice stocking which again has well chosen stuff in - this may include a little tat, but mostly things that will last like Lego figures, top trumps etc as well as the legally required character undies and socks. :o

This year again the main present will be Lego, plus one other toy each (some kind of Transformer for DS, who will be 6, not sure about my 8yo DD yet). Other than that there'll be a family board game (tradition - it's always a more grown up game but one they can join in with, rather than Hasbro tat... I hate crappy board games!), a jigsaw to do on Xmas eve (which will arrive from the elves with the new pyjamas, and I'm vaguely considering a pillow pet each as they might persuade them to actually sodding sleep!), DVDs and a couple of nice books.

I am going the other way, I think kids do like the little fun things, just to open. 20 presents is not that many if he will only get 3 other presents. If you had lots of relatives getting him things too it would be different. But I would think carefully about what you choose and make them all either useful things, or something that he can do and then get rid of after. Last year we got some of those crystal growing kits which were fun to do and you could throw away after a week or two.

My dc are only allowed to ask for one thing so they have to really think about what they would like.

If that present is under the tree then it doesn't matter how many other presents they get they'll just be so excited about getting the one thing they wanted.

Last year my dc had 7 presents each under the tree, 1 joint one from Father Christmas, 4 from us and 1 from each off the grandma's.

Ds1 was so thrilled with his Lego set that the other presents didn't even get touched until late afternoon, Ditto the Thomas Avalanche escape that ds2 got.

I really don't think a 6yr old will care that there is only 10 presents under the tree rather than 20. The excitement of the day, the presents he does get etc will keep him more than happy, and anyway, will he really remember how many he got last year?

oh and I agree with fuzzpig about the stockings.

I do really nice ones too, there might be a couple of pieces of fun tat in there but it's mostly small nice toys that add to current collections, small Lego kits, matchbox cars, Shleich dinosaurs, flash cards, small 3d wooden puzzles, craft stuff etc so it does feel like they are getting quite a few presents including what's under the tree.

I always bulk up the presents with stuff that is not tat and he will need/use anyway.

Some ideas - New football every year, football strip/boots/goalie gloves/shin guards etc, t-shirts, hoodie, pj's, pants/socks, bubble bath, posters of current favourite theme for wall, lots of books, good drawing stuff (paper, good felt tips/fine liners), nice water bottle for school, packed lunch bag (buy at Xmas instead of new school year), headphones (always breaking), water balloons for summer, ....etc

Gave up with jokey plastic tat too when ds was around your dc's age as it was a waste of money, don't mind spending money on stuff that will get used or I'd probably end up buying through the year anyway.

Got a couple of funny looks from ds the first year when he asked why santa got him pants and we had a good laugh over it.

Another suggestion - club membership. A couple of years ago I got DD membership of RNLI kid's club, and this year might do a geology club for her. You do get a little bit of random stuff when you join, which makes it more tangible (DD got an RNLI bag which she used constantly) but doesn't take up much space - and it keeps on giving if it includes magazines throughout the year.

I am sure he won't be disappointed, as long as there are some presents that he has asked for or that you know he will be really into. If you did want to bulk it out you could buy things that are used up, such as art supplies, bubble bath, food etc. Also maybe shoes or clothes that you'd buy anyway, he may enjoy them if they have particular characters on them.

I hope you are successful in cutting down. It was dds first Christmas last year and I went overboard as I didn't realise friends and family would also be so generous. I probably already have enough for both dds birthday and Christmas but I am twitching already. I will keep looking on this thread to help me to resist buying much more.