Help with dcs presents please (list included)

[Haveahollyjollychristmas]

Just after a bit of inspiration. My dcs presents don't feel very equal this year. We have spent the same on them.

Ds1 12 years old is getting

Full football kit
Hoodie from JD (expensive but what he asked for)
T shirt from JD
Lynx set
Football team calendar
Selection box
New gaming headset

In his stocking he is getting:
A marvel phone holder
A book
Bath bombs
X box live gold membership
Chocolate coins

Ds2 5 years old is getting

Batmobil car
Imaginext batman robot
Batman figures
Spiderman mask
A transformer
Books
A onesie
Bath slime gift set
Police dress up costume
Selection box

In his stocking he is having:
Felt pens
Bath bombs
Chocolate coins
A dinosaur that roars which he really wanted
Toothbrush
A slinky

They are both getting some nice things from grandparents too for example ds1 is getting Xbox games and a football he asked for ds2 is getting Lego and a science kit.

Ds1 list just seems a bit rubbish. It's mostly clothes, albeit expensive ones that he wanted. The headset was a last minute buy to bulk it up a bit as he doesn't actually need a new one but wanted a different brand.

Finding it very hard to buy for him these days, all he's into is gaming and playing football. We might have got him tickets for a football match but that can't happen now.

The football kit cost a small fortune because he's in men's sizes now.

What do you think to the presents?

12 year olds (should) know that football kits, branded clothes etc cost money. And that toys for young children are massive but can be relatively cheap.

The lists sound fine.

I think it’s fine. My ds 15 stack of presents doesn’t look much but each present is relatively high in value.
Gone are the days you can make a big pile look good out of plastic cheap presents 😂

A football is big and cheap

Honestly I think it looks great. Get another food gift if you want a large parcel. Maybe one of the pringle crackers or something. Or the big tube of jaffa cakes

They look like lovely presents

I have a 12 yo too and he’s getting fewer presents than his 10 yo sister, despite spending roughly the same on each of them. He knows the value of what he wants and they’ll both be over the moon on Christmas day.

I have a similar age gap and to keep things equal looking on Christmas morning - I would wrap the older one in big boxes to keep size equal, and group younger one’s together to keep the number of opening the same.

My two like to alternate gift opening so better to have same number than anything else.

I think it looks fine. I was much older than my brother and when my quality got lower the quality went up and I was never jealous or felt hard done by.

I wouldn't worry too much. I've got an 11yr old DS who's also football and gaming mad. He only asked for 3 things but that has cost me £155. I've got him a stocking and his grandparents have got him some lovely presents

Looks like absolutely loads to me. We don’t spend the same amount on each child because of different ages, but do get the same number of things so it feels equal (as per another post up thread).

I need to up my game ☹️

Thanks so much that's reassuring.

He understands the cost of things and I know he will be grateful and pleased. It just doesn't look like a very fun list.

Was going to get a football but his grandparents have got him a new football and some Xbox games, also a drone too. So he has got some fun presents from other people.

I try to keep number of presents roughly equal rather than equal budget. So I'd try to get 2-3 more gifts for ds1. What he's got is great, but you are worrying about it and you'd probably feel better getting a couple of less grown up things. I don't know if they do appreciate the value as much at 12, maybe more so at 15.

Some ideas: lava lamp, neon light for room, colour changing WiFi light bulb, led light strips, slippers, popcorn maker, toastie machine, magic 8 ball, pin art, gyroscopic fitness ball, a small Lego set, board game, disco light, slinky, poster. Or I'd wrap up a couple more food presents like a big tub of jellybeans or yard of Jaffa cakes or something.

The older you get, the less presents you get because each one costs more.

My dd has one expensive gift (£170) it's what she wanted. Once they are 10 or so they can understand money

You think it's not fun because it's all football, gaming and boring clothes.

But from his point of view it's brilliant because it's all football, gaming and great clothes!

How about an xbox light or mug. B and m had them. A rc car, pringles or footlong oreo/jaffa cakes box. Mine is getting ps5 so loads spent but tiny pile this year

@merryhouse this is what my husband said. when I was saying it doesn't look like much. I know my boy will be chuffed xmas morning as he's got exactly what he wants

I actually thought you were going to say the issue was DS2s list.

Not that there’s anything wrong with it, I think they’ll both absolutely love what they get, but DS1 has more obvious ‘main’ gifts.

It sounds like DS2 will absolutely love all of his gifts and he has lots of them. And DS1 has some very key and expensive main gifts that he’s specifically asked for and will be happy with.
He’s old enough to understand some things cost more, and it’s important that he learns about the value of money too, not to be super boring, but they can’t have everything can they!

I 100% have the same panic myself every year too, but I honestly think both lists are great

I honestly think those gift lists are perfect, a 12 year old doesn’t want toys and knows how much things cost. If you need an extra few parcels for him to open buy a chocolate Father Christmas or something similar.i really wouldn’t worry.

Thanks for all the reassurance and ideas. Some really good ideas.

@Baileysoncereal I'm not entirely happy with ds2 presents either tbh. I agree he hasn't really got a main present. He's got so many nice toys already it's been hard to know what to do. He's got all of ds1s old toys, puzzles, games as well as his own. He's got quite a few big toys already. He's getting an outdoor remote control car, a science kit and a Lego set from grandparents.

STOP.

Don't go spending more money for the sake of it. They're lovely gifts based on what your children like.

And they're getting BIG gifts from grandparents too.