How many gifts do your children have to open on Xmas day?

[PennyPeach]

Not how much have you spent, but how many gifts do you think is enough?

I am so envious of those of you who have bought only a few gifts for your children.

We have very little extended family, so if we didn’t buy a lot of presents ourselves, it really would be quite sparse. It’s incredibly expensive and actually quite hard to think of ideas.

I think mine get a total of about 15-20 each if you count stocking fillers. That’s 30-40 ideas I have to come up with...😳

My MIL is the only relative. Every year she asks me to tell her what to buy, so there’s another two ideas I have to come up with. One year she didn’t ask me, which was odd. Turned out she’d seen the children’s letters to Santa lying on the kitchen table and merrily picked stuff off that, by which point I’d done the same and they were wrapped up in the attic. No communication at all until she told DH what she had bought 😫

Well, my daughter got a Switch game, a toy rabbit, a selection box, a jigsaw puzzle and a doll, plus her stocking. I also have four kids, but I don't think it's a huge amount. It depends on what you are buying. My other daughter got a polaroid camera, a Switch game, a toy cat, a board game and a selection box, plus stocking.

@DCIRozHuntley I think you probably know on some level that 4 gifts on top of a stocking isn't a 'massive amount.'

@PennyPeach depends what they are, for us it would be because 4 x 4 would be 16 plus stockings. That said, if it includes clothes mine probably do have the equivalent over December but we buy new clothes in November so they can wear them on non-uniform days. I wasn't being disingenuous - as I said mine are still young so get overwhelmed and still have small world toys and massive Lego sets which take up lots of room. I really love Christmas and love giving presents and it was a genuine post kindly meant.

I'm sure a lot of people who do loads of presents aren't posting because tbh most of these posts don't seem to do many. All the kids I know seem to get loads more.
How can 6 presents be overwhelming?

@DCIRozHuntley no I can understand that now. I shouldn't have jumped like that is what I need!!

Having 4, I get that that adds up massively especially
When they're little and it's all about the large raking up space stuff

I have real issue with young children getting piles of presents but even though we don’t get much (1 main present and a stocking with a few bits) it gets ridiculous once you factor in gifts from relatives etc. Mine are under 5 and after opening one or two things they are already distracted! Just not a big fan of promoting rampant materialism; for me what makes Christmas special is all the traditions and being together as a family bit feel like I’ve got to accept the present onslaught!

Oh and that is not meant as a judgement on how much other people buy/don’t buy. Just my personal feelings for my children.

It's so interesting reading how different families do things, last year I was that people wrap up stuff in stockings but actually tried wrapping up the socks, pants and toothbrushes and the DC were delighted! Enjoy your

Mine have 18 each; one main gift, a couple of things they've specifically asked for, the bulk is books they've asked for/clothes/a bag for one and backpack for the other, and a few things just because I thought they'd like them.

Stockings have quite a bit in - socks, knickers, fancier than usual toiletries, earrings but again are a mixture of useful & things each will like.

One DC has 30 the other 35 but this does include stocking because I like to fill our stockings up with Xbox games, phone grips and vouchers etc. Then massive piles from family and friends as we have a huge family and especially my DGPs like to fill big sacks up for all the children in the family. However these sacks are not all toys and will consist of money, pjs, pants, socks, arts and crafts, chocolates and board games.

It’s nice to read how people do things different, I don’t judge anyone for how they chose to do Christmas, wether it’s 2 gifts or 50 I’m sure our children will enjoy their gifts and still enjoy the other things linked to Christmas, visiting family, spending time doing things together and sitting down to Christmas dinner.

My dd's do get a lot of gifts from me, they don’t get much from relatives, both my dad’s have ASD and the people that do buy for them often buy them things that are not suitable (both are Tom boys and don’t like typical girly age related things) so I kind of compensate for that by buying things I know will get used and will last. This year they are getting a lot of clothes which is needed but I have bought slightly better than what I would buy during the year (a few labelled hoodies and T-shirt’s). They do have a pile but it’s mixed up under the tree, they used to get a lot more and have never been overwhelmed, we open gifts throughout the day, there’s no frantic tearing of paper and then can stop to look at each item if they like (or play with them/try them on).

I have great respect for those who only do a couple gifts, I wish I had more control but I love to buy gifts, love wrapping them and love seeing them being unwrapped. I don’t buy plastic tat though, they are all carefully thought out gifts that will be used or worn for at least the year.

I’m particularly excited about dd1’s gift as she is getting a preying mantis (well the set up, we will get the mantis after Christmas), she has wanted one for ages but I always say no, she has no idea she’s getting it and it will be her best gift and her least expensive gift.

I have probably spent around £200-£250 on each dd but that includes lots of clothes which I would have had to buy anyway (dressing gowns, onesies, hoodies, t-shirts) and dd2 has a large Lego set as her main gift (£100). It is a lot of money but it’s my choice to spend it and I can afford too.

Haven't RTT but the answer is loads. I'm thoroughly working class

Mine probably have around 10-12 to open with my family . Then when they go their dads prob around 20 as him and his wife both have large families .

The ones who are old enough to actually care are getting 12 stocking fillers (small,

I would never do more than 8, I can't justify the waste of money when they get loads all year. Not that I'm judging those who get loads as I used to have massive piles as a kid. I just think it's a bit ridiculous now I'm older, dinner is 100s so looking at a few grand for one day if you don't reign it in.

Mine are teens off to uni - so a decent laptop each. Plus DD17 a friends lego set, DD19 hair straighteners.

"stocking" - A scarf, hat, gloves, socks, sweets, eyeshadow, lipbalm.

Grans and uncle will give cash.

(It is the most we have spent on Christmas ever! Not many gifts, but they have asked for quality over quantity, so there we go)

My boys are 3 and 17 months and they have around 5-6 gifts and a stocking. This might change through the years though.

Ours have 10-13 small gifts in stockings (to include chocolate coins etc).

Then 8-10 gifts under the tree, the older ones have fewer because theirs cost more. They each have a gift from each set of grandparents too, but no other extended family so it doesn’t feel over the top IMO.

This year they will have 5 or 6 - one from us, one from each other, and probably their aunts, uncles and grandparents will bring presents when they come. They also have stockings with around 14 things in ranging from candy cane to DVD.

DS has 9 from me.
But that includes 2 pairs trousers wrapped separately and 4 pack of t shorts wrapped separately!
I'm not a tight arse but he asked for 2 compute things that cost me £200 for both (and I never spend that much!).
Also has stocking fillers.

He'll then get 5 or so from my parents and another 5/6 from my siblings and aunts etc.

In total he probably has 40 things in total to open including stocking stuff. Most of it is smellies, chocolates, clothing, socks and card games!

I’m sure having teenagers is very expensive at Christmas- they extol is what they want 😂

*certainly know

17yo DS1 has 11 (7 from us, 3 from grandparents, one from his girlfriend)
12yo DD has 15 (7 from us, 4 from grandparents, 4 from friends)
10yo DS2 has 14 (7 from us, 4 from grandparents, 3 from friends)

Should say we don't always make sure they have the same amount to open from us, we have a budget for each and sometimes DS1 might get 3 things while DS2 gets 9, it just worked out that they all ended up with 7 this year!