Pics with all your children's presents hurt me at Christmas

[pinklady159]

I know its not anyone's fult but i find Christmas so hard and feel like im failing as a mum last year i could only get my son 2 presents so i wrapped up so cardboard boxes so when i took pics it looked like he had more this Christmas is going to be even harder my ex left me in August and ive had a horrible year i don't think i will be able to get my son anything I know hes only going to be 20 months and wont remember but I used to love Christmas and want to make it so special for my little boy :( xx

Oh and get off fakebook, twatter and any other such crap

My 13 yo DD wants chickens. And her father is giving it serious consideration! . Nothing else, just chickens. We do have a garden so it is a possibility but I don't know how I am going to wrap them!

I've just had a look at netmums. Never bothered with it before. It's different isn't it!

I'm another completely classless caaaah, and I care not one jot, I like to post pile pictures, and also pictures of other stuff I've bought like clothes or whatever.
I like to see what my friends have been buying too so I can plan which of their houses to rob

To be fair, the negative comments weren't aimed at people who choose to have a giant pile of gifts, nor that they take photos of their children happily opening those gifts. It's the posting of those pictures all over social media that posters commented on. With all the family/acquaintance/work groups you can easily do now with a click, the excuse that you're just posting it for distant relatives doesn't quite ring true anymore.

Pebble, I knew it wasnt you that thought that, sorry if it wasnt clear!

Horton, I dont need an excuse of "distant" relatives, whats wrong with posting pictures of my own children with their presents on my own FB just because I want to, it is a social network after all. Or is there a scale now of what is/isnt acceptable to post on your own social media? I know thats what was getting criticised. If anyone on my FB doesnt like that, tough really. I love looking at everyones photos on Christmas.

I feel for you op. & I hate fb & the bragging of perfect lives or envy it can inspire.
As other posters have suggested you can get some really good things on ebay, car boot sales fb selling sites for really cheap.
My ds is Ben 10 obsessed I went on amazon last month & got him a 10 book set for 1p & a full series for 2.00
Most definitely not brand new but in a good condition & he won't care on Xmas day when he unwraps them.
When you go onto amazon look at the other buying options site you can always save money there.
I'm sure your lo doesn't care what other people have got. He has a great mom that loves him that's what matters & that's what he will remember when he gets older

Ok Laguna, if you enjoy seeing pictures of your friends' piles of presents, would you mind explaining what you enjoy about it? Do you like comparing how much stuff friends have? Sharing how much gifts you got is sharing what exactly, if not bragging just how much stuff you have? What I mind is when those posts are coupled with how "blessed" you are.

What I sometimes do is take a photo of DDs opening a particular present or wearing it or playing with it, then text or email it to the relative who has given it to them as a thank you.

Sure, post what you like on Facebook, it's a free country. I am also at liberty to roll my eyes and skip over certain posts and photos!

Will do Mrs DV! I am quite warming to the idea of little jumpers for them

The little jumpers on rescue chickens made me !

Horton, looking at pictures of my friends children with their toys is just the same as looking at pictures of other stuff to me, do I like "comparing gifts?" "Bragging".... Jesus what a nasty mind people must have if they think that's what its about.

I was asking why you enjoy looking at photos of a tree with a pile of presents.

Not children opening presents. Just a tree, with a mountain of wrapped gifts under it.

What exactly does that type of picture "share"?

Your well coordinated wrapping efforts?!

Goodness me! 20 months old!
At a similar age my ED got some second hand duplo, a second hand toy dyson, and a new generic Toys R Us baby doll with soft body/plastic head and hands/feet. This wasn't a cost issue but a need/want issue.
She's 16 now and still has that doll on her bed.
I'm sorry you are feeling low but please remember it really isn't about the amount you spend.

Horton
I like it because I can see my friends have gone to the effort to have a Christmas that they enjoy, they are happy with it and I am happy for them because they are my friends, I share in their joy and anticipation of the day ahead.

I like photos of Christmas trees and presents, whats wrong with that. And if thats a "mountain" of gifts, so what. People can buy what they want for their children any time of the year, not just Christmas, doesnt bother me. And if they want to put pictures on Facebook thats their choice to (as is whether you look at them or not).

I read somewhere ( maybe here) Taylor swift said you shouldn't compare other people's highlights reels with your outtakes. I love that. I think it's so relevant to today's society. I haven't ever posted pictures of present piles but I don't have a problem with it. The people that have posted them may have saved all year and trawled bargin sites and be proud of what they have achieved for Christmas, they may be having a really bad time and that pile of presents is a brief escape. I just think live and let live. I'm turning into a hippy as I get older!!!!

Facebook can be quite braggy, can't it?
People display the best parts of their lives: holidays, new kitchen, luxury foods etc.
I don't do facebook, parly because of how I don't really want to see how peopl's thousand pound holidays are going. etc I think you could easily feel pretty rubbish.

I've done quite well for toys at a couple of charity table sales lately. My DCs often get 2nd hand bits for presents. And like MrsDeVere's DC they don't even know we're poor. The wooden train set bundle of ebay last year was just like getting one brand new to DD.

It's good your thinking about it now OP - you have several weeks to keep an eye on free-cycle/look out for bits in charity shops etc.

You could take a lovely pic of your little one baking or eating the results.
You could take a pic of them opening one present, or out staring in wonder at Xmas lights or at a shopping centre santas grotto.
Why does It have to be a pile of presents? How boring.
Anything can be a Facebook moment.

If people were having such a great Christmas with so much stuff you have to ask how they have the time to post on FB. Step away, enjoy your son and concentrate on making a happy, loving, caring childhood for him.

Also, I do tend to wrap up things I would be getting anyway: new socks, pyjamas, toothbrush, flannel, etc

This is just an example of how a simple thing can make a family happy. When my eldest two dc were little I was taking them to afternoon Playgroup. Pushing the pushchair my DD was dawdling along and she picked up this soft toy, a robin which had clearly fallen off someone's discarded tree. It was in the gutter. We took the little fella home and put him in the washing machine. My DD loves it and he comes out every year and takes pride of place on our Xmas tree along with all the other master pieces that the children have made and bits of Christmas tat. I don't do coordinated but these things are special and I enjoy bringing them out and reminiscing. There's nothing expensive on my tree but it tells a little story of our growing family. It really isn't about what you buy its the memories you make. Apologies for the clichés. But I am sliding, nay skidding into middle age and age makes you sentimental