Oh no. I’ve gone overboard haven’t I?

[Breadfoam]

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 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.

I think that it's far too much for a three year old. For Christmas I would give one large present like the Sylvanian tree house and then maybe four or five smaller presents to open. I'd do the same for a birthday too.

It would certainly be too much for my kids. They would get overwhelmed and would not get as much joy out of each single toy when there's suddenly an entire mountain to play with.
For example when I got DD sylvanians, they appeared in stages and she was so excited when we got another bunny or piece of furniture. The excitement would not have lasted as long if she got the fully furnished house and several families all at the same time.

Present vouchers is a great idea, might use it myself.

Yes ds has other things than just his camera - but they aren’t toys anymore really. He has some books and a craft set, an animation set, an electronic atm money box, a mini pick n mix stand, and some sports stuff (team kit, cricket set etc). He will have about 8-9 things to open.

As someone with a birthday v close to Christmas, I would look at it as whether she gets equal to DS over birthday and Christmas not over the Christmas period.
As a pp suggested could you have a mid year half birthday and give her some of the toys for older children then? Or let her open them and play with them for a bit then tidy them away for a few months? How is your DS understanding? Could you talk to him about what presents he got for his birthday and how you are going to do the same for DD birthday - maybe even tell him what are her birthday presents but explain that she is too little too have so much at the same time so you are going to make her a half birthday?

My brothers birthday is Xmas day, we celebrate his birthday 2 weeks before so he has 2 days.

My son has his birthday two days after Christmas so I know where you're coming from. It can be very overwhelming for them. And then you struggle in the year when they could do with things. If you feel it'll be too much for her can you spread it out a bit? Give some to open boxing day? I find it really can get too much for my dc so if they're given a present before the occasion they are allowed to open it so the person giving can see them enjoy it and they can thank them. If you've got the space I don't think that amount of toys is too bad. We are scaling back this year as we just haven't got much space left and they have so many toys that go Un played with. It's just a waste of money.

I would give the presents.

We don't pressure our dc to open everything straight away. When they were 3 some of the presents might not get opened until boxing day, but they still enjoyed them.

I would find a way to get DS onboard with the mid year Birthday for DD.

I wouldn’t go for the vouchers because I think that will complicate things for DD and I wouldn’t give her things throughout the year, they really do come to expect it and I think it spoils the excitement of birthdays and Christmas.

I’d give her the baby doll and related stuff for her birthday (it’s bulky!) and the Sylvanian bits off her list and the much coveted Barrie farm vet for Christmas. Then kind of even up the look of presents between them for Christmas and put the rest a away for her ‘mid year’ birthday...getting DS in on the act. But I wouldn’t tell her I’d done it.

You’ve bought things she’ll love, they don’t get presents off other people and you haven’t got yourself in a lot of debt - so stop worrying 😊

Presents don't always have to be toys.

If DS is not into toys, but you have other presents for him that he will like, then point out the fact that he is also getting presents, not the difference between his presents (more practical things) and his DSis's presents (toys) - they are both getting presents.

I think its fine, ive always gave mine alot from the age of 3 thats when they start to kinda know whats going on. Children love gifts ,as a mum of 5 all mine have never gotten bored ,i have a sn child too & she loves it x

A friend with a Christmas birthday has always held a 2nd birthday on 21st June (longest day) since she was a small child and she's now in her 40's but still celebrates both days.

If she was born at another time of year would you would you question the amount you have bought her?

My DD’s birthday is on the 28th December, she will be 9 this year. As it happens she loves having a Christmas birthday, which is a bit of a releaf for me. I was thinking about doing half birthdays or moving the presents around but didn’t. I guess it’s down to personal choice and some do like having a half birthday etc but my DD doesn’t.

We tend to buy more at Christmas for both of our DD’s than for their birthdays, that’s simply because thats how it was for both me and DH growing up.

We have always let the DD’s open presents at their own pace and tbh they have never been overwhelmed. We do have a cupboard that they store bits in and they are free to help themselves throughout the year, some presents do get put on there - eg if they have more than one craft set or new paints etc.

I feel a little better reading the ‘how many presents do your children have’ thread. Most seem to have at least as many as mine - when taking into account that others buy for them lots of dc actually have more.
My parents and dh’s mum give them money for their accounts for Christmas / birthday. It means they’ve got a fair bit saved but obviously isn’t a gift to physically open even though we appreciate it.