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?

Similar to Mamimawr. I bought both DSs (5 and 4) a Lego set, a book, pyjamas, and a game (not plastic though!). In the stocking they'll get some chocolate, socks, art stuff, bath fizz and a hot water bottle. That's quite a bit I think, but we live abroad and DH's family doesn't celebrate Christmas so only my parents will send anything else for the kids. This is what works for us :) They already have tons of stuff! (When DH first witnessed my family Christmas he was shocked by the amount of presents all on one day. It kind of changed my perspective.)

The dc are getting a tablet (Amazon deal) as their main present. Then a box of Lego (£15-£20), a selection box and a stocking.

I go by a rule that it needs to be complete crap but will get used very quickly (ie earring stickers in stockings) or something that is high quality, can be cherished or passed on. I just don't see the point in plastic shite.

We do about $50 per dc. Basically one main present, or a couple to that amount, plus a very small Santa stocking of chocolates.

We’re not trying to save money, we just don’t feel more is necessary.

I’m not on Facebook but I imagine there are heaps of us who are similar but it’s the big piles of presents that people post.

Also, lots of people wrap items which I would just give the dcs (clothes etc).

There are always lots of posts about this. It all depends on your family circumstances. Other present buying relatives, number of children in the family etc. Children need toys to play with in order to learn and develop. If you only ever buy your child 1 present (plus another 1 for birthday) you must either have a lot of buying relatives or buy a lot throughout the year. I don't believe a four year child would only ever have had 8 toys!

I have the urge to go crazy and spend £200 each on them. Their grandparents are abusive so we don't see them and as a result we don't see any extended family. So we're the only people that get them presents. I feel awful about it.

I thought no it does depend how big your family is and how many other gifts they get. I think if mine got more from family then I would buy less, they don’t really get anything from family, the odd selection box and a bit of cash so I tend to buy a bit more.
I have probably spent over £300 each but they are teens and this hasn’t bought much, it also includes clothes which they desperately need and food items that I would have bought for Christmas anyway (I won’t be buying any chocolate in the food shop as they have plenty in their stockings).

Last Christmas was a tough one for me and the dd’s so I kind of feel I need to make it up to them this year, and it’s our first Christmas on our own at home.

I am worried that my DD is getting too much this, again.

She is 18 months and we are getting her an IKEA kitchen and a wobble board. A stocking with consumables, glue stick, a couple of stickers, balloons and some ‘wheaties’ (sweets). PIL are getting some pans and wooden food to go with the kitchen. I have tried to rein in my Parents but I think I should have been more strict. They have bought a hard bodied doll, a bath, a crib and a buggy. Plus millions of books.

I think do whatever you want! Mine usually have 6-8 gifts with none costing over 20, and a little pile of books. But I spend the whole year saying no, using the library,

Posted too soon! And they don’t get a huge amount of stuff from family as our family is not that big. They often get money from relatives that I put into tickets or passes, so I concentrate on getting them a few toys that I know they really want and will enjoy, and books of their own which I think is important. They get much less for birthdays. They also get a stocking with little things they need and some chocolate and sweets, which, again I’m pretty strict on throughout the year.

I think as long as whatever it is is thoughtfully chosen and your children have a nice day that’s all that matters.

Also, we never get big ticket items - we have one cheap family tablet which the kids can use, bikes are handed down, or sold to find new ones when outgrown, games consoles aren’t happening - if we were buying one of those type of things then yeah, it would only be 2 or 3 presents.

I only have a 1 year old but even then the temptation to get loads is there. I’m trying to use xmas as an excuse to buy good quality bits as a treat rather than lots of tat so have bought him some plastic plates and cups (nice ones), a lovely wooden animal and a couple of books, I’m also going to get him a water bottle as he loves ours. My parents have bought him a little wooden kitchen so I’ve tried to be clever with vouchers and other presents from relatives and ask for a few bits for the kitchen. Even though he won’t know I do feel guilty as there are so many beautiful toys out there I’d love to get him everything!

Thanks everyone.

We are trying to save space and money to be honest.

I've got the youngest a bike because they havnt had a new one for years and need one when they play out but now I'm thinking If it's cold on Xmas day or snowing they might not want to play out so I need to get them something else to play with indoors but not sure what to buy that will be meaningful and last. One of my daughters wants the barbie pop up camper that's sold out everywhere apart from amazon which has had the prize bumped up to £87-90 anyone for any ideas ?

We're like you, can't stand the junk. Dcs are getting one Santa gift of reasonable size (a lego/duplo set each) with some chocolate coins in the stockings and were buying a Nintendo Switch as a whole family gift.

*we're

I think that not all plastic is automatically “tat” - Playmobil and Lego make good, lasting things. My kids still play with my old stuff. They have the Playmobil Caravan and Campervan and they get a lot of use over the school holidays throughout the year, as does the Lego. My ds doesn’t go in much for playsets, but will play endlessly with cars - maybe a small hotwheels set? They’re not expensive and pack down small. My ds got a small starter set last year that he’s played with a lot, so we are expanding it this year.

It depends. Sometimes it's a bigger item. Sometimes it's a few smaller presents.

DS never gets a pile of things from parents, though.
He already gets bought things during the year because his birthday is not long after Christmas (great for sales), and I don't think it's great to have loads at one time and not being able to get new things throughout the year.

Not so much cutting back financially but there will be no huge piles of plastic. DD (9) will have some books she has requested and I know for sure she will read, a 2ds game, ice skating bits as she does lessons. DS (6) has a little bit of plastic tat as he's still into playing with figures and whatnot, a 2ds game and probably some books/clothes.

Don't feel bad.We never get ours loads. A stocking and one or two presents, mostly second hand, one new toy each and probably 50/50 new and second hand in stocking.

Just make Christmas fun in other ways, with food, drink and games egc

We cut back last year for financial reasons and I will be doing a trimmed down Christmas forever more. I have a 2 year old and a 5 year old and our house is cluttered with their toys already. Much more than I had as a child. I'm not a materialistic person myself and I've no idea why I have bought my children so much. I've been giving them the message that stuff will make you happy and it really won't.

I also cut down on the decorations, food and other gifts. It sounds miserable but it wasn't at all - it was just like any other Christmas except I didn't spend a fortune. I think I had been spending mindlessly that time of year - some panic buying going on too. I will concentrate instead on trying to build nice traditions for our family - playing games, doing a park run on Christmas morning - that kind of thing.

I've kept the budget the same, but have cut back the stuff. It is easier now they're slightly older, 11 & 9 but this year they each have a few things to unwrap but I've booked them a couple of 'experiences' which I know they'll love. Grandparents are on board with this and have booked ballet for my DD, and a football match for my DS. I'm really hoping the sheer amount of stuff is lessened this year.

I haven't read the whole thread OP but I think there is more thought into the amount of presents being received recently and you won't be alone in your decision!

We're having a more pared down Christmas this year. More modest gifts and a few useful things along with usual books and stocking. We got to the point last year where my daughter didn't know what she wanted for Christmas and she was saying 'well maybe another one of those" those being something she already had but in another colour. We have the very expensive dolls, doll houses, puppet theatre and other toys rarely played with after initial excitement in receiving ( she has very little in the way of 'plastic tat' either, though I agree plastic isn't necessarily tat).
She has an expensive hobby year round, and has just been fitted for a new competition tutu, so I don't feel very guilty.

Yes I think you’re right not to buy things for the sake of it croise if really she’s content with what she has, that’s a good thing to encourage. The things I’ve got mine are things they have consistently wanted for a period of time without wavering, or things that I think will add to the play value of the things they currently play with a lot. Sometimes when I get it all out if I feel I’ve overbought by a couple of things due to sales or whatever I save it for a birthday rather than making a bigger pile. I have Lego I bought my daughter last year that she is only just getting now.

I'm with the previous posters - you can still feel very lots of presents, whilst not spending any extra / cutting back if you give practical stuff.

My DDs get 4 decent presents under the tree from us, but even this includes practical stuff (such as new gym leos - they're expensive!)

In their sacks, they get a mixture of nice foods we don't normally buy, stuff they need for school, new clothes and just a few novelty bits for fun.

This year, their Christmas sacks include: (this is for a 14 year old girl)

Bubble gum (I never buy this!)
Coco pops (big treat as we don't normally buy this)
Bin for bedroom
New jeans and leggings
A couple of new tops
Some make up
Impulse
Bath bomb
Ballet tights
New pants and tights
Tippex
Diary for 2018
Dried mango
Chocolate selection box
Books

Not a single thing on there won't be used / will be wasted. It's a decent amount of presents, and as they've always had practical stuff from FC it's what they expect to see - they're happy with what they get.

There's a few nice things (when they were little, there were a few toys, but that's now replaced with bath bombs and make up). But most of it would have been bought anyway, so it's not like I'm spending any extra. I just keep them back until Xmas and the others are inexpensive treats that will be used (impulse, make up, bath bombs). I also fund the Xmas sacks from all the points I save up all year round (top cashback, bank account, Tesco points etc). I can save about £300 in points over the year, and I pick up bits throughout the year if I see items reduced.

Having lots of presents does not have to be extravagant. I'm against buying for the sake of it, I'm against buying tat, I'm against wasting money. But this doesn't mean that children have to have just one or two presents. They enjoy unwrapping, so let them unwrap!

Oh and, this is pretty much what I got in the 70s. A pillow case from Father Christmas with all the things I needed and a few extra treats. And I always loved my sacks too, it never even occurred to me to think that I was getting boring stuff / necessities, just like my children have never questioned it either.