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Christmas

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Original poster

Argh piles are so mismatched!

40 replies

Twitchywitit · 22/12/2022 12:36

I have two children 12 and 2. I’ve been wrapping today and I’ve spent around the same but my oldest has about 8 presents to unwrap and the youngest has 17!

She has this year
A new phone
An oodie
Fenty Skincare
Pyjamas she requested
Throw Throw Burrito
a Toastie maker she requested
and I made a huge American sweet hamper

She has little bits in a stocking, and I feel like what she has is okay. But I feel bad looking at the piles, should I buy some little bits? And if so what?

OP posts:
HannahDefoesTrenchcoat · 22/12/2022 12:41

Stick to your plans! You have years of this ahead. I’ve got a big gap between oldest and youngest. I some times wrapped a tiny present in a big box or a series of boxes to throw them off.

it will be fine. They sound like really lovely growing up presents for a 12 year old and they definitely won’t want the 2 year old’s gifts.

have a great day

Newwardrobe · 22/12/2022 12:41

I thought you were talking about haemorrhoids 🤣🤣

Namechanger965 · 22/12/2022 12:42

12 is old enough to understand that her phone costs a lot more than a 2 year olds toy. I would just chat to her about this before hand, just explain that hers cost more but are smaller and won’t look as impressive. Or if anything I’d hold some of the 2 year olds presents back (if things like clothes/books) and just give at another time. But I don’t think that is necessary.

sheepdogdelight · 22/12/2022 12:42

A 12 year old surely understands the value of things and that a phone alone is an expensive gift.
If she doesn't, then I'd suggest explaining to her know that her pile will be smaller than her sibling's for this reason. With a large age gap, this is going to be an issue for several years. You shouldn't feel you need to buy stuff "just because".

LosingTheWill2022 · 22/12/2022 12:43

I would expect a 12 year old to understand the difference between value and quantity.

FlatWhiteExtraHot · 22/12/2022 12:43

Rather than buying even more stuff, put away some of your younger child’s presents.

Seventeen gifts is just overwhelming for a toddler, and she won’t end up playing with any of it.

Notonyournellykelly · 22/12/2022 12:44

At that age you just need to explain that you spent the same on her, but since she's got expensive items, she's got a few less.

PuttingDownRoots · 22/12/2022 12:45

A 12yo is old enough to appreciate size and cost differences.

Notonyournellykelly · 22/12/2022 12:45

Also think 17 might be too many for a toddler. I'd put a few aside for another time maybe as suggested by the pp^^

stealthninjamum · 22/12/2022 12:45

That sounds like a lot for a toddler, can you hold some back for their birthday?

DisforDarkChocolate · 22/12/2022 12:46

Another one baffled by 17 presents for 2 year old. Put some away or they will be overwhelmed.

If not, I'm sure your 12 year old know a new phone equals half a dozen presents for a toddler.

Original poster
Twitchywitit · 22/12/2022 12:47

I think I’ve just been picking little bits up for the younger one in sales etc whereas I knew my daughter needed a phone. I have decided to put three of the ‘big’ presents away for her birthday

OP posts:
sheepdogdelight · 22/12/2022 12:47

DisforDarkChocolate · 22/12/2022 12:46

Another one baffled by 17 presents for 2 year old. Put some away or they will be overwhelmed.

If not, I'm sure your 12 year old know a new phone equals half a dozen presents for a toddler.

Wonder if OP has tried to spend the same on both children? I'd suggest that's a false idea of fairness - things that a pre-teen will appreciate are inevitably much more expensive than toys for a toddler!

PeekAtYou · 22/12/2022 12:49

You older dd realises that a phone alone probably costs the same as like 10 of her sibling's gifts (especially if it's an iPhone )
Don't buy anything extra. She will love her 8 gifts rather than her sibling's 18 which is a massive number imo

Afterfire · 22/12/2022 12:53

Newwardrobe · 22/12/2022 12:41

I thought you were talking about haemorrhoids 🤣🤣

Same 😆🎄🙈❤️

Original poster
Twitchywitit · 22/12/2022 12:54

Haha I didn’t even realise! This thread is strictly about piles under the Christmas tree. 😂

OP posts:
SweetPetrichor · 22/12/2022 12:57

I wouldn’t fret about it. I was an only child so this never came up but DP is the eldest of 5 children and he remembers having smaller piles than his younger siblings when he was older but knowing it was cause he had more expensive things than they had. By 12 they can understand the value of their gifts and appreciate that it’s not just about numbers.

Xiaoxiong · 22/12/2022 13:03

I would put half the 2 year old's presents away for their birthday, by present 5 they will be massively overstimulated and by present 8 they will have a screaming melt down as they want to play with presents 1-7!

Honestly I would save your money and reduce the presents, 17 presents is mad.

OrpingtonWings · 22/12/2022 13:04

I always make sure my kids have the same number of parcels to unwrap. Just in case any of them notice. I use things like pyjamas for the older kids to give them bigger parcels that fill their stockings out! I agree Keith your approach of keeping some presents for toddler’s birthday. Maybe some socks and pjs in your 12 needs anything like that to even up the parcel numbers?

Xiaoxiong · 22/12/2022 13:04

We cross posted, good to put some presents away. And saves you money too!

(I also thought you were talking about piles from having your kids Xmas Blush delightful little gifts from pregnancy...)

theemmadilemma · 22/12/2022 13:06

Absolutely no. I learned much younger than 12 that if I asked for something 'big' my pile would be small. She has expensive items on that list. She can't expect the same size pile.

Rudolphscarrot · 22/12/2022 13:08

I wouldn't worry about buying anything else for the 12 year old.

Why not put them in sacks rather than piles? Might be less obvious that way?

Don't worry about giving so many gifts to the 2 year old. My 3 year old has roughly the same number, although they're not all toys. He might not play with or even open them all on christmas day but he will over the year.

yorkshirepudsx · 22/12/2022 13:12

Newwardrobe · 22/12/2022 12:41

I thought you were talking about haemorrhoids 🤣🤣

I did too at first🙈🤣

But OP - I think she will be happy!! Don't pressure yourself ❤️❤️❤️

Chances are the youngest will open them super fast & whilst your eldest will be happy messing on her new phone etc!

yorkshirepudsx · 22/12/2022 13:16

And just to add 🙈 I've got my toddler quite a number of presents, just toys he needed (ones the health visitor suggested for development!) and some fun ones, I don't think 17 will be too many - my friends little one also just turned 2 and she got soooo many presents for her birthday, she just took her time opening them throughout the day & some the day after, she thoroughly enjoyed herself 🥰
But again, I think your eldest will be more than happy and understanding xx

Sugarfree23 · 22/12/2022 13:36

I thought you were talking about the wrapping paper. 😂

But I'd agree take a few things away from the 2 yo.
Not as big a gap as you but I do try to match piles and as a result I count them. The kids wouldn't dream of counting them but we tend to open one at a time so would be obvious if one had loads more to open than the other.