Is 10 presents still considered awful?

[CloudyVanilla]

Just wanting some perspective as I'm already planning Christmas!

So I googled "10 Christmas presents" and the most popular results all seem to say this is cruel/stingy/a let down...

I have 3 DC, ages this Christmas will be 5, just turned 3 and nearly 1. I'm wondering if 10 presents each from us, plus a stocking, plus about 4 - 5 presents each from family is enough, or would you consider this a disappointment?

I'm not overly concerned about money, as in I am low income but I can budget and save enough to buy more, I'm just wondering what the general mindset is these days especially once DC have started school...

I'm mainly doing the math, 30 presents in total, averaging a about £30 per present is £1200 already!! That's an awful lot of money and that's not even including the stocking.

I try not to think of pile size but I do want it to be magical, exciting and relatively normal, as in not dramatically different from what the average child in their class is going to get.

I'm so sorry for totalling rambling, basically I'm asking if 10 presents from parents is generally considered possibly average, way below average or plenty! I have a feeling it is I adequate but I also have quite a small house and there is just so much stuff. They all have autumn/winter birthdays too so will be getting presents then as well!

[MojoJojo71]

£1200 on a 5yo, 3yo and a baby is much more than I would think of spending. At that age about £100-150 each would be more than enough to buy a decent pile of presents surely

[stackthecats]

I have one 7 y o DD and we normally spend about £120-150 on her at Christmas. We tend to get her a "big" present from FC (which may not be massively expensive, say £30-40, but in a big box); a stocking which costs me £20-30 and several things from DH and me. These might end being about 10 presents, but some of them are really small or inexpensive (book, notepad and pencils, hair things, puzzle) and some might be clothes (which DD is unexcited by but I still include them :D).

I do tend to plan and buy things right the way through the year, very reduced in sales and on offers, so often the £150 stretches reasonably far. Stocking gifts in particular can be picked up really cheap here and there if you keep your eyes out! (I love doing stockings...)

I don't think kids need huge piles of stuff at Christmas, and actually no-one I know apart from my sister-in-law buys tons of stuff. I worry each year that we've got too little then that we've got too much and actually even though DD could probably do with a present less or so tbh, I think we get it largely right. I think spending the kind of amounts some people do hundreds of pounds per child (SIL spends at least £300 per child) is a bit unsettling - do they really enjoy that amount of stuff? DNephew and DNiece don't even look at their presents after a certain number.

[GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER]

It never occurred to me that the OP would mean ‘awful’ as in too few!
Glad I’m not the only one to be bemused at what some people think is normal.

[Barbararara]

I was curious whether your question would be that ten gifts are too many or too few.

There will always be people who judge your Christmas choices. You can’t please everyone so you may as well please yourself.

[Blackbear19]

For pp talking about £30 being a lot for a small gift, my girls are into dolls that are £30 a time

I don't think people are saying £30 is a lot for a small gift. People are saying kids don't need that many small gifts.

If Op feels she wants the kids to have 10 things to open each it might be better to vary the budget including some small token things, packets of crayons, selection box, and a book could all be bought for about a tenner for each child. Therefore cuts the Ops budget from about £900 down to about £600 and saves trying to find storage for about 9, £30 toys.

I'd actually have a good look at what each child needs, bigger bike, new scooter etc. Then add a bits too it. I also wouldn't get excited about spending the same amount on each child, baby needs less than the 5yo.

[Greenpop21]

*earnt more

[Greenpop21]

Mine are teens now. I never set a budget but we probably spent about £100 each. The number of gifts didn’t matter and they arrived on Christmas Eve from Santa. Out of that £100, we would take one main present to put under the tree from us. In recent years, we’ve aren’t more, they’ve had up to £200 each but fewer items as a jacket might be £80 for example.

[DownADirtRoad]

That’s a weird measure. Presents for my DD don’t sit under the tree prior to Christmas Day. ( usually because they’re not wrapped at that point )

We don’t put many of the kids presents under the tree either, maybe a few but lots are hidden until we get them out on Xmas Eve so that the kids don’t see them til Xmas morning. The ones under the tree are ones from family and friends who have visited and dropped off presents in the run up to Xmas. On Xmas morning, the kids each have presents on one side each of the living room floor and a sofa each. 🤣 Then me and their dad put each other’s gifts on the other sofa. Maybe we are weird. 😬

[caringcarer]

If you don't have lots of storage room a season ticket is a good treat for all the year. I got my grandkids a season ticket for Bristol Zoo and Wild Place, clothing, two books each, craft materials to share, plaonilr to share, little torch for one, bath toy got other and little chocolate reindeer each.

My dd says they all love going to zoo and remember Nanny bought them pass. The year before I got them Sealife pass.

[namechangeonehundred]

I never have a set number in my head. I tend to buy a big present then some smaller ones and a stocking. I do spoil my DC but always buy things I think they'd like rather than buying stuff just to make up numbers. 10 presents for my DC and friends DC from what I'v seen does seem quite low but if they're well chosen then no I don't think it's an awful thing.
For pp talking about £30 being a lot for a small gift, my girls are into dolls that are £30 a time. This day and age lots of 'must have' toys retail for around £30 or even more.

[caringcarer]

That would be far too much. My children get gift for £100 each which they choose themselves. Then about £50 for there stocking. They also get a stocking from grandparents and five or six gifts from aunties/uncles. I could easily afford to give them more but just think that is enough and we spend a lot on their activities and family days out.

Your children are much younger than mine. I would only be buying them one larger gift from you but put extra in their stockings.

Save your money for days out with them.

[ParkheadParadise]

I'm one of 6. I can clearly remember getting connect 4 for my main present from Santa. That year we all got a game. I played with that game for years🤣. As I was the youngest through time I inherited all my siblings games.
Imagine now giving dd that as her main present.

[Blackbear19]

user3274826
Makes very good points about what other people buy. Some buy everything as a birthday / Christmas gift others buy throughout the year. Some kids seperated parents get double one for each house. Some a Grandparents gift is £30 or clothes others its £300 bikes etc.

Personally I've bought big items when I've seen a need, including a second hand bike, an xbox and a tablet.
Partly it's a winter birthday thing it can be a really long time from birthday to Christmas. And I guess unforeseen events has forced my hand too.

However I think 10 things at £30 is nuts. That's 30 big bits of kit you need to find space for.
Christmas I usually do one bigger thing and a handful of little things. Selection box, usually a character t-shirt or something.

[Divebar]

Well it would be a dull place if we all did it the same way

[antisocialdistance]

Guess things are different around me then?

Seems to be traditional to have presents wrapped and under tree early in the Christmas period but that may well be a habit common to my social group. I don’t think I’m mistaken about the norms among the group of people I know, so maybe we do live in a different world!

[Divebar]

That’s a weird measure. Presents for my DD don’t sit under the tree prior to Christmas Day. ( usually because they’re not wrapped at that point )

[antisocialdistance]

@user3274826

I don’t know the details of every family in the area but in the lead-up to Christmas there is always lots of talk in my fairly large friendship group around what we’re giving the kids. Paired with going to lots of Christmas parties where it would be obvious if there were multiples of 10 presents for kids under the tree, it’s not hard to have a pretty good idea of the local “average”.

[OnNaturesCourse]

Yes I should add... We are a lower income family, and our DDs birthday is right next to Christmas so she does get odds and sods throughout the year too. For example she got a bike at Easter time, but no chocolate from us.

[Divebar]

Oh and I would say we’re reasonable comfortable finance wise if that matters... but we don’t buy toys etc in between birthday and Christmas. My friend who is considerably wealthier than our combined income only buys 2 or 3 presents at Christmas but buys a shit load throughout the year ( practically every weekend). She went out and bought her DD a new bike on a non occasion day whereas I would only have given it for a birthday or Christmas. So horses for courses.

[Divebar]

Whenever I talk about buying books as presents on here I always get a smug arse saying “ ohh books aren’t gifts they’re daily essentials in our house”

Anyway - personally I don’t think 10 presents is a lot. I think 10 presents at £30 each for 3 children is a lot. There’s all sorts of things you can buy that is not plastic crap from China that costs less than £30. The baby certainly does not need tons surely? Things like new felt tip pens ( which I would love), colouring books, play doh, Dressing up outfits or accessories and god forbid books ( and a gazillion other ideas ) can be bought to create whatever size pile. I would set your budget rather than a number of gifts and don’t be afraid to buy second hand. My daughter got a second hand bike for Christmas - it was a really good make and in great condition and she didn’t even notice. People sell big bundles of toys like Sylvanian Families or Lego or whatever so keep your eyes peeled.

[DownADirtRoad]

he's done it before. Asked for one present for ages, I brought it without his knowledge, he immediately asked for something else and didn't mention the first present. He was sooo excited to get first present but it was like he KNEW that was secured so onto the next.

Smart lad. 🤣

[OnNaturesCourse]

I don't set a present amount, I set a budget amount for my DC

She gets (as a only child) £50 spent on Xmas eve box and elf stuff, £100 on toys, £50-100 on clothes and/or books. That's £200-£250, and to me that is a lot of money but to be honest it only gets about 4 big toys, a outfit or two and some books so roughly 7 or 8 presents. If I am able to I buy second hand so she gets more out of the budget.

She's 2, and all the Xmas presents are from us and we put one of the big toys from Santa. (we tell her we buy the gifts and Santa checks the list to see if she has been good enough, if she's extra good she may just get a present from Santa himself.) We do this as its family tradition and helps her understand she can't get everything.

[user3274826]

But also @antisocialdistance how on earth do you know the exact details of gifts exchanged by all the other financially comfortable families you are surrounded by? No one other than immediate family members know the exact items I've bought my own children. If someone did ask, I wouldn't list every single thing. It's not really something that people discuss, which is why it's asked so much on forums like this.

[user3274826]

It's really hard to judge if 10 is over the top. I very often see people's small lists shared on here and see there are no books listed, I highly doubt all these parents never buy their kids books? My kids get most of their books at birthdays and Christmas, so several of their 10 presents includes books. It also includes some needed things I would buy anyway, but that they will really love to open, such as branded trainers, sparkly wellies, rucksack or stationery for school, rainbow umbrella, character bedding, lamps or decoration for their bedroom. I think many parents would just buy these things year round and feel judgy about spoiled children getting ten presents, but maybe they give their children pocket money and don't think twice about buying branded shoes and clothes through the year or buy them phones/bikes/instruments/books/console games/garden toys as and when.

[SleepingStandingUp]

DownADirtRoad he's done it before. Asked for one present for ages, I brought it without his knowledge, he immediately asked for something else and didn't mention the first present. He was sooo excited to get first present but it was like he KNEW that was secured so onto the next.

I have to say we poetically do now than 10 presents, just lower value so books, smaller toys as well as 1 bigger thing. He was an incredibly poorly baby /infant and I don't disagree he's spoilt but with 3 it won't all fit under a tree so I'm going to have to reign it in. And he def got present fatigue in the early years when all sorts of random people brought him presents for basically surviving.