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Original poster

Reducing the amount of gifts for kids

14 replies

Whatsleftnow · 03/11/2022 21:09

Has anyone pared back the amount of gifts they give their kids? I feel it’s got a bit out of hand over the last couple of years in particular but it feels hard to pull it back in.

OP posts:
Alittlebitofthis · 03/11/2022 21:45

I feel the same! Every year I worry ds doesn't have enough and when it comes to the day, I've went completely overboard again! He still has things not played with from last year. Or played with for a day then forgotten about.

Cherryrainbow · 03/11/2022 22:11

I'm trying to be strong and not go overboard this year.

SaintVal · 04/11/2022 11:32

I think I will have to. I only have the one DS but his birthday is at the end of December so it's always a tight month for me. I've been looking at gifts for a while so at least I have a plan in place. I will spend less on his Santa sack than usual, that's for sure.

reluctantbrit · 04/11/2022 11:44

DD always wrote a list and we normally added maybe 3-4 extra gifts for her stocking.

We then knew she would like what she got and we didn't go overboard.

AlwaysFoldingWashing · 04/11/2022 11:47

It's only our second Xmas with a child but we've kept it to a small amount and have asked family to cut down- as kind and well meaning as they were last year, we ended up with so much stuff that's we had to buy more storage and really couldn't do that again

emmathedilemma · 04/11/2022 13:14

I'm honestly shocked at the amount of stuff some people are buying on these threads! Particularly "stocking fillers" which would have been our main presents list, and i've concluded that most under-10's own more tech than I do!

Reluctantadult · 04/11/2022 13:18

I trrrrry to do the thing, something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. Inevitably they get more toys though. But I might try harder this year as Dd age 8 doesn't really play, and ds age 5 has a list of toys he wants as long as his arm, but they're essentially more of what he's already got?! We are thinking of getting a Nintendo switch, to play as a family. But I'm wondering whether to delay that purchase until Jan sales... Difficult isn't it as I don't want them to be disappointed, but equally why should a smaller pile be disappointing...

Liorae · 04/11/2022 13:21

Reluctantadult · 04/11/2022 13:18

I trrrrry to do the thing, something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read. Inevitably they get more toys though. But I might try harder this year as Dd age 8 doesn't really play, and ds age 5 has a list of toys he wants as long as his arm, but they're essentially more of what he's already got?! We are thinking of getting a Nintendo switch, to play as a family. But I'm wondering whether to delay that purchase until Jan sales... Difficult isn't it as I don't want them to be disappointed, but equally why should a smaller pile be disappointing...

I think part of the solution is getting out of the mindset of needing a pile.

ChakaKhanfan · 04/11/2022 15:05

My kids have had less this year, they get a lot through the year and they don’t really need anything, my eldest will be getting clothes vouchers as she likes to shop now and my youngest has had some lidl middle aisle toys.

Pootles34 · 04/11/2022 15:08

I honestly think we (and I do include myself here) do it more because we think they will want it, they aren't actually that bothered. It's been shown that kids with less toys play with them more - as a huge pile of toys leads to overwhelm.

Easier said than done I know! I'm trying to keep my DS away from commercial tv because he just sits there saying he wants this or that - it's all crap!

PlantDoctor · 04/11/2022 15:31

I've invented a new rule. One 'big' present (she wants a bike, but they're less than £100 for her size) and two 'medium' presents (£15-20, Duplo set and kinetic sand probably). She also gets a stocking from Santa, which has a couple of cheap fidgety toys, hair clips and a chocolate snowman. That sort of thing.

Admittedly my DD will only be three at Christmas, so she's not too expensive just yet!

CoffeeChocolateWine · 04/11/2022 17:11

I think it naturally reins in as they get older and become more particular about what they like. But not cost-wise - that goes up! There is definitely less wasted though, less left to collect dust.
For instance my DS is 14 and his entire list for birthday (this month) and Christmas is just a small number of items to do with gaming and football. There's no point me getting anything else - it won't get a look-in.
Whereas my 4yo still gets a bigger variety of things as she doesn't have specific hobbies or interests yet. I don't go overboard, but I do try and do the want, need, wear, read plus a couple of other small bits.
My 10yo is sort of in between - her main gift is quite particular and more expensive than what we have usually spent, but she still loves a couple of surprises. Again, not overboard though. I've never been one for 'big piles'...just a few nice, well thought out presents.

mam0918 · 04/11/2022 18:05

I am this year, Im cutting back on amount but not size or cost.

I use to buy loads of little and quite cheap things (like 60 items) but dispite being a huge number it never looked good (would lay it all out and it would still be a tiny pile because everything was small/unimpressive) and a lot of the craft things and kits etc... never got used.

This year Im cutting it back to about 20 items but much bigger better quality stuff and no random craft stuff (finally accepting non of my kids are remotely crafty), hopefully it will have more 'wow factor' although I do keep paniking about numbers (Im very OCD about numbers).

It always felt like I got hundreds of things for xmas as a kid and I loved xmas so always wanted to replicate that but really 100 £2 stocking fillers probably isnt as impressive as 20 £10 toys and while I do remember big xmases it was hundreds of small cheap items (ok thats over simplified but I hope it makes the point).

mam0918 · 04/11/2022 18:07

mam0918 · 04/11/2022 18:05

I am this year, Im cutting back on amount but not size or cost.

I use to buy loads of little and quite cheap things (like 60 items) but dispite being a huge number it never looked good (would lay it all out and it would still be a tiny pile because everything was small/unimpressive) and a lot of the craft things and kits etc... never got used.

This year Im cutting it back to about 20 items but much bigger better quality stuff and no random craft stuff (finally accepting non of my kids are remotely crafty), hopefully it will have more 'wow factor' although I do keep paniking about numbers (Im very OCD about numbers).

It always felt like I got hundreds of things for xmas as a kid and I loved xmas so always wanted to replicate that but really 100 £2 stocking fillers probably isnt as impressive as 20 £10 toys and while I do remember big xmases it was hundreds of small cheap items (ok thats over simplified but I hope it makes the point).

  • it wasn't 100s of cheap presents (we really need an edit button)
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