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Original poster

Oh no. I’ve gone overboard haven’t I?

63 replies

Breadfoam · 25/10/2018 20:51

Dd is 3 on Christmas Eve and despite promising myself I wouldn’t go ott between Christmas and her birthday I think I have. Do I hold some back or just give them to her? The problem with holding some back is that ds will be annoyed if she gets random gifts in the year and he doesn’t (his birthday is pretty much halfway through the year) and will see it as unfair.
Partly why she’s got so much is I feel like it has to last her through the twelve months as she will have to wait that long for the next chance to ask for anything. Also no one else buys for my dc. But still. Gone overboard. Between Christmas and birthday she now has:

Large playmobil stables
Hatchimal playset and small pack hatchimals
Washimals
Play doh oven
Barbie farm vet
Yellies spider
Shopkins happy places small house
Shimmer and shine unicorns x 2 and some figures
Sylvanian large treehouse with a new family
Fairy craft set
Disney fairies perfume
Shopkins birthday cake
Lumiluv unicorn
LOL under wraps doll
Large jungle playset and safari animals
Wrapple
Baby Annabell with pram and highchair

In my defence Blush a fair bit has been second hand - the sylvanians, the playmobil, the shopkins, the baby Annabell stuff and the jungle playset have all been bought second hand from eBay / fb.
But still - too much? Overwhelming? If it wasn’t for ds I’d keep some of it back and let her have it in the summer or gradually during the year.

OP posts:
70isaLimitNotaTarget · 25/10/2018 21:10

I only recognise a tiny % of those toys , my DC are late teens Xmas Grin

OK, what is suitable for older DC- I'd say the Barbie Vet and the Sylvanians could easily go in the attic till next year when she's 4yo.

I have a December DS and a June DD so I know the perils of doubling up for the December birthday.

My DD had Sylvanians when she was far older , there are a lot of pesky small parts , so might be better hanging onto that.

Isadora2007 · 25/10/2018 21:12

Could you offer relatives some of the stuff to be from them? Then the gifts would be spread out and she wouldn’t get too much all in one go?

In future years would you consider a half birthday in June? I hated my start of January birthday and would have loved a half birthday instead. Birthday would have been ideally a cake and cards and maybe one gift from my parents. Then half birthday would be a party and friends and family gifts. And a small pile of gifts from parents.

Abouttime1978 · 25/10/2018 21:19

Way too much, she'll be fed up by the time she opens it all. Definitely put some of the older toys away until next year.

We've ended up saying one big toy for Christmas and 2-3 small ones. Then any other presents are practical like bike helmets and clothes.

I ended up taking 80% of our toys to the charity shop because they weren't playing with anything because they couldn't see the wood for the trees.

They still have too much, but most of it is regularly played with.

I'm not being judgy- what you choose to spend is up to you, but I found I was disappointed when they got bored of everything so quickly

cheeseandcrackers · 25/10/2018 21:19

Eek - my 3yo will be getting something along the lines of one or maybe two at most from that list, and another one for bday (January). That much would be far too overwhelming. Some of it will definitely keep for next year. Can you not return some of the new stuff?
On the other hand, if you can afford it, and will be buying your ds a similar amount, and your dd will like it, just give it to her

Original poster
Breadfoam · 25/10/2018 21:20

No one else buys for my dc.

She loves sylvanians! They are on her list. Because they are second hand a lot of tiny parts have already been lost. She has the baby windmill and a bus and house already and they see a lot of play. Barbie farm vet is also something she has asked for quite a lot. She saw it in the toy shop about two months ago and has talked about it since.
She is very different to my ds who never played really and did not get excited by many toys. Dd is excited by most toys and she plays and plays and plays.

OP posts:
Original poster
Breadfoam · 25/10/2018 21:22

Yes my worry is that I am spoiling it for her by just giving her too much. She is the sort of child that if she opens something and is engrossed by it she won’t be bothered about opening anything else so we may end up just saving things by default!

Ds has had a similar amount spent on him but his gifts will look less - he’s having a digital camera for example.

OP posts:
melissasummerfield · 25/10/2018 21:23

I dont think thats excessive but most posters on here will disagree, they are all usually in a competion as to who can buy the least and most sensible christmas gifts Hmm

AJPTaylor · 25/10/2018 21:24

I would keep some back.

Isadora2007 · 25/10/2018 21:25

How old is your son? If he is old enough for a digital camera I think he is old enough to understand that you might spread her gifts over a period of time... I do think it’s a bit wasteful giving them all at once as she won’t be able to appreciate them all at once. I’d hold some back and treat her over the year.

Original poster
Breadfoam · 25/10/2018 21:28

He is 9 but he is on the autistic spectrum. He would think it was unfair. Although he will have no issue with using a digital camera and has asked for one, in other ways he’s a lot younger than his age.

OP posts:
SillySallySingsSongs · 25/10/2018 21:29

I dont think thats excessive but most posters on here will disagree, they are all usually in a competion as to who can buy the least and most sensible christmas gifts

Actually no. I think it's excessive because it is a lot for a 3 year old. They will get fed up wading through it all and find it overwhelming.

PrincessHairyMclary · 25/10/2018 21:38

I would give her the what she asked for at birthday and Christmas and keep some of the others back. She will get overwhelmed, half the stuff will either not get opened or will get opened and forgotten about. I learnt from experience, I also found that I gave DD some toys to early Playmobil and similar toys and then she never played with them because they've always just been here whereas had I spread them out or waited until she was a bit older she would have played with them more.

I'd give her something at the start of Feb half term, Easter hols etc so she has new things to entertain herself with then and doesn't get over powered. You could buy your son something small then too maybe a trip to the works with a fiver to spend or whatever he's into.

Oblomov18 · 25/10/2018 21:38

It's too much. You know that. 2 or 3 big presents are more than enough.

Dandybelle · 25/10/2018 21:39

I don't think that's too much. It's probably about the same as what my DD (4) would get from her birthday and Christmas combined, but her birthday is August. I think it's ok, especially if nobody else buys for her.

Woffulu · 25/10/2018 21:42

Waaaay too much. She will get bored opening them. She will also expect that amount of gifts each year, which does become difficult as they get older...

GreenTulips · 25/10/2018 21:43

Save some for next year
Have a friend 'gift' her something in the summer .... he can't complain then

MarcieBluebell · 25/10/2018 21:48

At such a young age she won't enjoy it.

It will be all too much for her.

Honestly keep somw for next year. She will be happy playing if you give half that.

melissasummerfield · 25/10/2018 21:54

@sillysallysingssongs

Maybe in your experience, but in mine, mother to a 5 and 4 yo ‘actually’ they didnt get bored opening presents Hmm

Let me guess, you are want, need, wear, read type of parent or whatever that nonsense phrase is Confused

SillySallySingsSongs · 25/10/2018 22:02

Let me guess, you are want, need, wear, read type of parent or whatever that nonsense phrase is

Errr nope. Try again.

Plus I am not the only one that have said they will find it overwhelming or get bored.

HTH

MarcieBluebell · 25/10/2018 22:38

*melissa' even if they don't get bored opening them it can become a race to open them.

Rather than taking the time to actually appreciate and play with the gifts it's 'what's next'. And many kids do get overwhelmed. Even grotty.

womenmatter · 25/10/2018 23:24

Nah that’s fine. Pack away all the old toys and set the new ones around her room. You will lose her for a few hours 😂

PodgeBod · 26/10/2018 07:27

Mine wouldn't get overwhelmed or bored they would just be thrilled, so I don't think it's too much but go with your gut.

BlueOooChristmas · 26/10/2018 07:29

I don’t think it’s too much either, especially spread between Birthday and Christmas. Would you still think that was too much if her Birthday was in June?

Newkitchenideas1 · 26/10/2018 07:33

I think its fine toow....my youngest sounds a bit like yours as in he will enjoy opening one and playing with it, where as my oldest will open them all first. If they take a few days to open them all then so be it, we had birthday presents left over that was opened when they were ready.
Those gifts are for birthday and christmas so i dont feel they are excessive.

SoyDora · 26/10/2018 07:39

It sounds a lot to me but I realise all people do it differently.
Mine ended up with a similar amount last year at 4 and 2.5 as more people bought them gifts than we expected, and to be honest it made me feel a bit sick looking round at all the plastic and wrapping paper round the room! This year they will be 5 and 3, they’re getting a Sylvanian families school between the 2 of them then my 3 year old will get some craft bits, a baby Annabell that wees with the potty/nappy set (this is what she’s asked for), some Frozen Lego and a Minnie Mouse cuddly toy (she gets one every Christmas and loves them).