No toys on DS6 list

[QuackWoof]

Hello, my budget for Xmas is £400 for my DS6. He wanted a Nintendo switch which eats up most of that. I’ve bought it tho as it’s what he wanted. His other gifts are pants, Pjs and a new toothbrush (he needs these), and then bath bombs, chocolates, a hair gel, a book, a puzzle, 1 small selection box, colouring in book, new felt tip pens and a football strip (top only, and got it on sale).

We don’t do gifts in our families so he doesn’t get other gifts other than what we give him.

I’ve just realised he basically isn’t getting any toys for Xmas, and I’m worried this is a bit sad at only age 6? But he doesn’t need new toys, as he has plenty, and he doesn’t need a bike or a scooter as he has these.

Please ignore all the criticism @QuackWoof your list is absolutely fine. If a switch is what he wants then you’ve done exactly what you needed to to get it for him. One of my DDs has barely played with toys since she was about 5, so wasting money on toys she won’t play with is completely illogical to me.

I would absolutely fill the pile out with necessities rather that buy things for the sake of it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with gifting clothes & toothbrushes. My DDs will be getting a number of clothes this year, just like other years I bulk out their piles with “necessities” like clothes & pjs.

As for the hair gel, I know plenty of boys who are obsessed with their hair, you should see the boys in my DDs school, their hair are far tidier than most of the girls.

It depends on their interests in this case probably the switch and some appropriate games for it . Then I’d add to that some books , a jigsaw , a family board game and in the case of my kids when they were small a cuddly toy . That is ample IMO .

@QuackWoof sorry we’ve derailed your thread btw

That’s ungrateful

I can't get over £28 for 10 pairs of kids pants 😳

Switches are ace! And you can play some of the games with him. Maybe a cuddly to go with one of the games such as a Mario or an animal crossing character or a fleece blanket or cushion ? He is gonna love his switch

@Winterfires , I’d politely say thank you , I do have manners . It would be a shame if we were all the same .

Whats that got to do with anything?

I dont have a £400 budget, thats nearly 3x my budget per child and my kids are getting plenty of toys they wan't. However this wasn't/isn't about about whats spent (£400 is a big budget and switch is an expensive gift) OP was worried theres no toys.

I certainly wouldnt buy £28 worth of underwear as a gift (or at all, thats a lot of money for pants).

I have however made several suggestions of thing that OP could add, she could add pretty much all of them for £20-£25 or just the cheaper ones are £1 or so and they pretty much all apply to whats she listed is her childs interests and would provide other activities to do do than just play on a console constantly.

Maybe just manage his expectations? If last year he got 20 presents because they were all lower in price, he might be a little disappointed to only get 5 presents this time. You could explain to him that because the Switch is such a big and exciting present, he won't be getting as many other things, and is he sure that's what he wants.

If I got those things I would be utterly baffled because I think its all overpriced tat.

I dont wear watches (and apple is MASSIVELY over prices)
I dont like tablets (I disabled and they are massively impractical)
I dont wear oodies (also really overprices)
I dont have a kindle (and never had any desire to have one)

I do think the poem can work for adults (but the above would be ridiculous for me) but the point is adults are responsible for themselves, theres needs are different from a child is is required to be supplied for by parents.

If someone bought me a new handbag because mines snapped and I need one thats entirely different from buying your kid a new school book bag because theres is getting tatty and they need one.

One year I did toffee apples instead of chocolate oranges and fell fowl of this... never using fresh fruit again lol.

I think a switch is fine for a 6 year old mine has one and plays it. I am also struggling what to hit my 6 year old this year he has so much lego and doesn't need anymore even though he wants more. I'm sick of the sight of it and trying to have a less lots of presents Christmas. I am massively struggling though it's just been his birthday he literally needs nothing. I save all year for Xmas other wise I wouldn't afford it but this year so far he has a switch game, footy gloves, socks pjs monster truck. He has two sisters so it's not like I just give him that it wouldn't be fair. The problem is his sisters have a new tv ( older) each and about four other present they are done.
I used to enjoy Christmas shopping now I see it as headache 🎄

I must have missed the day when they added 'Scooter' to the list of things children need to not be deemed neglected.

Theres a MASSIVE difference between a scooter (which is purely a toy) and clothes, hygene products, food etc... which by law a parent HAS to supply.

Oh dear there is quite a divide here!! thanks for all the ideas folks, I’ll be adding in a few books and a quality board game.

def not buying cheap plastic tat for the sake of it!!

yes I did think the boxer shorts were expensive, but once I bought him supermarket boxers and they didn’t wash well, binned them before he outgrew and had to buy again, so it was a false economy.

i try to buy less things, but good quality.

No if that was what I wanted I would like that. But that's 4 things I want.

The actual saying is just such a depressing way looking at gifting. It makes something fun into something boring, it sucks the fun out christmas. Gifts should be things you want and will enjoy, they may also be something to wear or something to read if that's what you like but equally they could be 4 toys.

Whenever anyone says it I imagine an uptight grey person, in a grey room telling children they should be seen and not heard. Like the next door neighbour in Paddington.

Oh and the tooth brush has caused a bit of a disagreement on here it seems!! I see no issue with it. The reason I do it is it’s hard to think of stocking sized things that aren’t plastic crap or things that will fall apart by February, I try to buy useful things. So I get a fancy one for Xmas for the stocking, then during the year plain kids ones from the supermarket. Or sometimes in our house the Easter bunny brings a light up toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste and a chocolate egg 😂 it’s all about balance right?

Well, it helps some people rein in spending, or think about the gifts they're buying etc.

And you can follow the "rules" and still give nice thoughtful gifts.

I don't follow it personally, but can see how it might help.

I'm just saying that people police other people's gift giving too much, it has zero impact on their lives, yet still feel the need to tell parents they're "wrong".

It's absolutely fine to put toiletries, underwear, clothes etc in stockings/as gifts.

I agree with you @CarPoor i hate the saying too. When I buy for Christmas, for my children anyway, it’s about what they want, want & want. Although there will be things they need, wear and read I have not based my shopping on this saying, these things either also fall into the want category, accompany the want category or are extras I’ve bought on top of what they want.

It’s more of a shame to feel anger over a gift but yes thankfully we aren’t the same 😅

I don’t think saying something annoys me is the same as being angry about it - it’s a passing annoyance .

The problem with 'need/want/read/wear' is that people have quite different ideas about 'need'! Is it 'item needed to avoid child neglect charges' or 'desired object of practical use'? E.g. my DD has outgrown her scooter, she uses it to travel to school, I've got her a new one for Christmas. More of a 'need' than the unicorn painting kit but enough to satisfy MN? Who knows!

Anyway OP the Switch sounds like a fab present which will bring lots of enjoyment and I reckon your son is young enough to enjoy opening pretty much anything else. And even if he is nonplussed by the boxers etc it really doesn't matter. He will have a great Christmas.

My 6 year old is getting a skipping rope, secondhand lego, house of marbles marble games and her request (a backpack with her favourite animal on it.).
In her stocking she's getting sweets/ chocolate, fluffy socks, milkshake straws, mini colouring book, fun plasters, multicolour pen and I think that's everything.
It is a bit disingenuous to say that's all I'm getting her because her siblings have picked out things I'm funding... watercolour pencils and a dressing up dolls sticker book.
She'll be absolutely chuffed with what she's getting and comes under thr budget you think is insane for a child of 6.

Sorry ‘One of the many things that really annoy’ you to be specific 🤭

Ok I would probably buy them some kind of age appropriate toy from somewhere like the Range for around £20 as the main gift, a few £1 books, a selection box and a fiver in an envelope. I used to find getting notes wildly exciting 😆