Same number of presents per child or not?

[IHaveAToiletBrush]

I try and spend roughly the same on each child to make it fair, this year I have failed. One child has 5 presents and the other two children have 10 presents each would you buy a few more cheap presents to make the child which has 5 presents pile up? I am struggling with how small my middle childs pile will be compared to his sisters, we have already spent £80 more on him. So what would you do? Buy more for him or not? If it makes a difference he will be 8 at christmas and his sisters will be 4 and 10.

I tend to do the same number of parcels rather than items if that makes sense. So they will all have the same to unwrap but some parcels will have two or three items inside.

And it would definitely make a difference here if one had more than the other as we open gifts one at a time, taking turns, so it would be obvious.

Yes we do the same number of presents and try and keep budget the same but I wouldn't be too strict eg if I was buying dd something that was £12.99 I wouldn't mill myself finding things for the boys that were £12.99 too.

Depends personally id say he was old enough to realise that hes cost more so he doesnt have as much to open.

We do roughly the same amount for each, although they don't have individual 'piles'; it's all under the tree so doesn't have to be exact.

Am a bit and very that you've done your Christmas shopping already....

Half is a big difference to a child.
I'd get some cheapo things that you know they'll like to build it up a bit.

I don't even think about numbers of presents.

As long as I know they'll love what they're getting I don't worry. And they're too focused on their own goodies to pay much attention to what others get.

We don't take turns - DS's open at the same time and at their own pace, so numbers of presents is less noticeable.

This year it'll be massively different piles as my 11 year old wants a very expensive (to us) present and apart from his stocking it's all he'll get, while my 8 year old has a pile.

I make sure ours have the same amount of parcels but don't worry about spending the same amount of money tbh. I would perhaps add a cheap book, deodorant set etc and maybe bundle a few of the girls gifts together to make the same.

I think pp who said half is a big difference is right, they all have the same number of small gifts in their stocking from santa. We are due to move house just before christmas so think I might add things like a new duvet set and curtains for his room to his pile as he will need these anyway. The girls won't be getting any new room stuff as they had Laura Ashley bits bought for them at Easter by relatives so apart from a few new rolls of the matching wall paper we will be reusing.
Any other ideas for him apart from books would be great. I can't really double up on my youngests presents as they are mostly from the Our Generation range at Smyths and the boxes are massive.

I'd do as you suggest then and get him 5ish bits for his room e.g. Duvet set, curtains, snuggly throw blanket, cushion, even maybe a bean bag. Even things like a lampshade or bin are exciting when they're new and wrappped up!

with my DC i just buy what i think they ill want. We don't have a budget or a number of parcels. If i was you i would buy the bedroom things and possibly things like a football (sports direct have se pretty cheap balls) and dependijg what he likes a smallish toy. My twins ( they are 8) would like star wars figures and argos have lots of them in the sale or stationary as they love drawing and writting.

I have to do exactly the same or my eagle eyed DC get upset and winge!

We always do through same number of parcels.

Can any of his presents be wrapped in parts (eg a set you can open and wrap the ditterent bits?)

DS at 8 loved having an 'iou' for 1 cushion cover of his choice, 1 stool/chair of his choice etc, when we moved house. We had a lot of fun in ikea!