Anyone else not buying their children tonnes this year?

[grinchhusband]

So my husband said he only wants to buy our kids 1 present each which is something they really like and want. He said he's sick of. W house every year piled with crap that either breaks or they get board of quick. He said getting them one thing they have asked for is better. I do agree with him because every year I stress about what to get them and whether it's enough. Also we only have a small Christmas budget too. I feel bad but I hate having loads of plastic they won't play with come March.
I'm getting my 5 and 6 year olds as new bike. My oldest a cheap laptop and second oldest a cheap mobile phone. The toddler will get a car garage but I feel bad.. is here anyone else cutting back this year?

I have cut back but my dc’s are older. I have been able to make it look more by buying them new clothes which they need and wrapping it. I don’t usually give them clothes as presents but now they are older (and clothes is costing more) It makes sense to give them clothes for Christmas. They have one main gift which is something they have asked for and a couple smaller gifts but it’s mainly things they need rather than tat.

Mine have a a stocking full of practical stuff I would of bought them anyway- toothbrush, bath stuff, swimming club items. Then they have 3 gifts each. Last year we had family stay for Xmas and I was embarrassed by the excess once my pile for them had been added to be the rest of the family it was ridiculous. The present they have taken the most pleasure in - a new onsie each. They have been a hit all year.

I’m not, my sons big gifts tend to go by something he wants, something he needs, something to wear and
Something to read. Then I’ll pick bits up if I hear him mentioning them. Twins first Christmas not going overboard either

We're not going overboard either - he gets bits and bobs in his stocking, and I might get him more than one thing for under the tree but it'll be books as well as his main present. He's so intent on examining everything he opens, unboxing it, playing with it that by the time we've got stuff from grandparents, aunties, uncles etc. it takes him all of Christmas day to open his presents anyway.

I have bought stuff that they need, not toys. E.g. towels, pyjamas, duvet sets with pictures of their favourite characters. They will get toys from friends and family.

I would say that I have bought mine nothing, yet, but I did pick up a small gift for each of them, this morning. No big expensive presents for them, this year, though, as we've just moved house and have a ton of stuff to fork out for.

OP 5 snd 6 year olds tend to enjoy opening packages- the excitement of a pile of wrapped presents is a part of the fun! We have never bought plastic crap, but have managed to have nice present piles. I wrap up favourite treats, new clothes, art supplies which I would buy anyway, books, lovely new household things like mugs or a wall hanging. Some of these things can be cheap or second hand as you are trying to save money.

I also hate wasting paper, so I reuse newspapers which I get from neighbours, with a few parcels wrapped in red tissue or reused wrapping paper.

I've bought them a few things each but I've got a lot better at telling them to "wait for Christmas" for stuff they want that I might previously have just bought. DS is getting a cricket bat and trousers, DD is getting a hockey stick and pads- both currently borrowingthis stuff so it's not like they had to wait to play until I buy it. Both are also getting new rash vests. I also pad stockings out with books, water bottles, shower gels, stationary, packs of pants etc.(I just buy nicer design ones than I might have bought mid-year).

I spent quite a bit (teenager) but there are 4 presents and a stocking. Some of the lists on previous threads seem crazy, mounds of large plastic toys (some kids were getting several large playmobil sets plus loads more). I don’t think kids appreciate mounds of stuff, it’s overwhelming, ends up as landfill and seems obscene when they are kids getting bugger all.

Nope four presents here with none costing over £20. I'm sick of the waste that gets shoved under the bed and never used.

As last year, I have decided to go for:
Something they want
Something they need
Something to wear and
Something to read

What you are describing isn't, to me, cutting down. It's normal. One present from parents, plus stocking. Plus one present each from grandparents, aunties etc.

The 'huge piles' simply didn't exist - or just wasn't spoken about - when I was growing up (60s/70s) so it has always seemed pretty alien to me.

Surely it should all be about giving lovely present/s to your DC? Not some sort of display?

We are

I hate likes of crap too and we don't have room for it.

They have all the "expensive stuff" for now so will just be some small token gifts that I'm sure they will like.

There's no need for piles of stuff anyway it's all just extra to break/loose/store etc

Something they want
Something they need
Something to wear and
Something to read

That would quadruple the number of presents from me! I stick at just the first line. Though do put quite a bit in a stocking (about the size of a carrier bag)

That wasn't meant to come across as competitive low-number-of-gifts btw. It was just meant to show that there's a big range of amounts given.

Also, I think the idea that it's not for display is important. The whole range - from big piles to single present. - is fine.

We have never gone overboard but we do buy a few small gifts as well as at least one big gift and a stocking. Other than us, our children only get gifts from my mum so they wouldn't have much at all to open if we only bought one gift. The gifts for the older ones include clothes as they need the clothes and they all get books as books are well loved in our house.

One present from parent should plus a stocking is what we are doing. Then they will get something from grandparents and maybe a couple of other people.

I’m having trouble thinking of something this year. They have all the big things they need already (bikes etc).

Thanks for his responses. I feel bad as all I see is people with massive of lists and all this stuff but then I have to remember every family is different and my children would just get bored of things a few months later so I will just get them one thing then will love and get a lot of use from. Then I will just get them pjs and little things they need

Our problem is the grandparents. They want to spoil their only grandchild with endless amounts of stuff he really doesn’t need. When we say no, they think we’re being mean!

Mine are 5 and 2. We've got more than one present each, but definitely not going overboard with mounds of toys.

I buy one big present and a book and an extra toy surprise and then pad.it out with things I would have to buy anyway - socks, underwear, bubble bath, pyjamas, slippars, toothpaste etc.

If they've asked for other things I give the list to grandparents /.aunts who ask for.ideas.

Amethyst975, we had that too. Made even harder by the fact that we had 3 DC, and were flying to visit, so it caused a lot of stress! We managed to get things a bit calmer by convincing them an over glowing house want fun, and we couldn't transport so much stuff, but also we only have 1 present.

Now they both salt died, and my DC don't have loving go anymore, and I wish in a way they did have a bit of madness from someone, as we don't really have any family now, so m DC get V little. A bit of balance would be nice.

In remember one year, we asked mil to not go overboard. Cue Christmas morning, she rushed out and brought in the most enormous sack of present. My dh es furious. I was shocked. We assumed it was for all 3: DC. Then put it down and said that she was just off to fetch in the others sacks for the other 2. She nearly exploded. I remember being totally shocked and pretty angry and frustrated at the time. Now I look back with fondness, and can laugh at it. I really miss my mil

I do this anyway. One toy and something to wear. DD has clothes, DS2 has a Spiderman costume.

We are doing three small presents around the £20 mark each, a book each, and a stocking.

DS has just had a birthday and DD has a birthday straight after Christmas. Plus due to family circumstances we have a lot more than the standard 4 grandparents and they all tend to go overboard.

We only get DCs (4 and 7) one big present and a stocking each - that was what I grew up with and tbh until I looked on Mumsnet I thought that was normal! I have no idea where people put all the stuff...