How many gifts per child?

[Smarshian]

I am just starting writing out my lists for the kids.
so far I have a Xmas Eve box each (I know these aren’t universally loved!) with hot choc, new pjs, a mug, a bath bomb and a book. Total cost £10 each.
then stockings with sweets, fidget spinners, small toy (Gu jitzu dinosaur for him, uno for her), oodies (fake £10 ones), selection box and cans of pop. Total cost approx £25-30 each.
then under the tree maybe 4 gifts each. The cost will be quite different for these I imagine as he doesn’t want much and she is after a switch, so will get that and 3 very small other gifts, he might get 2-3 medium gifts and 1-2 smaller.
what is everyone else doing?

We don't get same qty of gifts as long as the pile looks similar i guess.

Around 20 presents each.

They 3-5 wee silly thing in their stockings.

I have 3 dcs

Our boys are 2 and 4.

They will each get a stocking stuffed with small gifts like Schleich animals, bath bombs, chocolate coins etc.

They will then get 2 decent/big presents each as they get loads of presents from others and they get overwhelmed at their age. It's also their birthdays not long after.

Will also be buying Hungry Hippos and snakes and ladders as shared Xmas games.

Mine get:
Xmas Eve pjs
Stocking, a present and an annual from Santa on their beds
A main present, a book and new clothes from us under the tree.

They also get a present from two sets of grandparents and three sets of aunties/uncles, so always seem to have plenty.

I count each wrapped thing as 1 gift. So if they are wrapped separately it would be 4 gifts under the tree.

It's splitting hairs really and I just use those numbers to keep track both to make it feel even and also to limit myself a bit!

So a big stand alone thing (the doll) would be a main gift. I would only want to have a certain number of gifts that size, and same with medium gifts, stocking fillers..

I count every single present from the stocking fillers to the main event but I would don't really think in terms of the total being the total if that makes sense? Like they might have 25 presents but 15 of those would be stocking fillers from small toys all the way down to a chocolate orange!

It's more of a visual/numerical aid in order to feel like I've got an amount and spread that I am happy with

I know that might all sound like a huge overthink but I do often see this question come up around what counts as a present and I always find it fascinating.

I definitely try to stick to same number of parcels so they open them together. We seem to have far too much stuff and few ideas that I'm thinking stocking with sweets, and bath bombs, and 4/5 things under the tree.

Mine are 6 and 4. I think about 10 each under the tree, then a stocking each with little bits, chocolate, bath stuff etc. I don't do a Christmas Eve box, but we have an advent box on December 1st which contains mainly the same stuff every year (books, puzzle, Xmas pjs etc) plus an advent calender each.

4 Dc, will be 8 & 7 just before Christmas & younger two 5 & 3.5.
They all get a stocking with small things suited to them. Then 1 big, higher value item and 4-5 other presents varying in size or value. Grandma brings them 2-3 presents.

Anymore and it gets chaotic. I try and have the same amount per child.

Just returning to this thread having (almost) completed my shopping.
I have ended up with around 8 tree presents each for the kids:

DS(4) presents:
hot wheels track
Basketball set
Kids camera
Transporter
book
Dinosaur egg
Water bottle
builders hat/ hi vis

DD (6):
Switch and Mario kart (waiting for Black Friday sales)
Water bottle
dinosaur egg
craft kit
harry Potter wand pen
potter cushion
Potter keyring
bop it
Book

plus the original plan for Christmas Eve box and stocking each.

My girls will usually get between 8-12 wrapped presents. We also do stockings but they are only small so would only have maybe 3 small things and some chocolate.

We have a small family so they don’t get much more than what we buy.

Mine are same age and will end up with 15 each wrapped - but not especially big, includes a water bottle, books, playdough etc.

Then a stocking each with little things including chocolate, bath bomb, socks, a couple of toys, games, a book.
No Christmas eve box but a chocolate advent calendar.

I've finished now (bar some stocking chocolate).

DS3 has ended up with 13 gifts plus a small stocking.He has 1 main present, 4 smaller toys, 2 jigsaws, 3 books and 3 practical gifts. His stocking will contain 2 small toys, bubbles, socks and chocolate.

DD 10 months has 9 gifts plus stocking. If I get her any more it will be clothes. She only has 4 toys. The rest are practical.

They have one shared present (playmobil zoo)

Christmas Eve box will have PJs, a book, some bath stuff and some chocolate, as well as santa plate and stockings. Nothing earth shattering!

Quantity of gifts varies, but I set a budget for each child ( 2 DC ). Budget is £150 each this year (reduced from £200 each previously as I’ve had to cut back). That will cover the stockings from Father Christmas and the main gifts from us. No Christmas Eve boxes, but we do have a nice collection of Christmas stories and cuddly toys from previous years that will come out on 1st December.

Youngest DC will probably end up with more gifts than eldest as toys for young children are generally cheaper than the things that older children want, but eldest understands this and is happy with the arrangement. They know that the budget is the same for each of them, so if they pick something expensive then there will be less other bits.

Mine get one main present each from us, and we take them to choose something to buy their siblings (from a pre-approved range!) as I think it’s important that they understand Christmas is not just about getting presents but also giving them.

They also have stockings, although we put in the stockings things like wooden trains, books, jigsaws, water bottles, new hats etc. that some people give as “tree presents” as well as cheaper things like chocolate coins and stickers. That’s it! DC1’s birthday is near Christmas, and they get plenty of gifts from family and friends as well as from us, so I have always gone for quality over quantity.

Do people actually count how many gifts they give? Never even thought to count how many Iv bought …

I do partly because I use a lined pad with the two lists and keep track of what ideas I've given to whom.

My kids don't have huge piles from us / Santa so it would be noticeable if one had 5 presents and the other 4.

They get 4 things from GPs / Auntie.

Yes some of us are poor oiks who cant just live cash to the wind.

Its litrally impossible to track and budget without recording these things so I would say its the norm for most given the current finacial climate.

Just being nosey … In those 4/5 presents from you does that include stuff like a tube of chocolate, selection box etc or is that on top of the 4-5 presents?

I probably buy 4 chocolate items or Xmas novelty treats for each kid.

Iv got my daughter some posh popcorn, a huge box of salted caramel lindors, a big box of guylians so far already.

My sons got a Oreo selection box, a huge box of lindors and il grab some other bits too.

Budgets don’t really have anything to do with it.

Your budget may be £200 per child but that could be 2 presents for 1 child and 15 for another

I always used to keep track of how many things I bought because I like them to have the same amount of things to unwrap.
Like a PP they might only get 4/5 things so would notice if one got more.

This year they will probably have 2 each. Well, DS2 will have 2 things, i might wrap them up together. DS1 only has one but he's aware his was more expensive.

They are only getting 1 or 2 presents in total under the tree?

Yup. Well from me anyway. There will be some from other people/ at others houses when we visit at Christmas.

I've never counted them either. And not because I’m loaded and ‘live cash to the wind’ (I spend far; far less than many people on this thread), but because the number of presents is irrelevant. I buy things that they want, will appreciate and that I can afford. That might be 3 presents or it might be 15, depending on what they’ve asked for and how much money I’ve saved.

Maybe it’s just because my kids are little but they would certainly be disappointed if they came down to 1 or 2 presents and their sibling had 10.
I think it’s been more important than price this year, but that might change as they get bigger.

I think I’d be pretty disappointed if my children came down and counted how many presents they had so they could compare it to their siblings. They’re 9, 7 and 3 and so far none of them have ever commented on the number of presents they have. They’re usually just excited to have things that they want.