Does anyone actually do the 3/4 gift rule?

[ToddlerMama27]

I just can’t imagine it being exciting to wake up to 3 or 4 gifts 🤷‍♀️

Something to read, something to wear, something they want, something they need?

Nah, too boring. I get my friends and family presents that will make them happy.

Nope not at all. You can get your children lots of nice gifts without spoiling them or spending too much money. Presents are to make them happy and I personally don't think that's much fun for a small kid at least. I don't judge people who do do that though, it's a fair enough idea.

On Mumsnet they all get a lump of damp wood that their mams found in the shed and drew some eyes on and they're ever so grateful.
In real life less batshit things happen.

I think it seems to be a base rule to make sure they have a nice mix of gifts rather than an absolute, in most cases. I've realised I actually do it to a certain degree myself with the gifts I get my kids, only without the aggravating little poem.
If it's fun stuff it's fine, but pretending a book for practicing sums and multipack of pants from Asda are fabulous gifts is not on IMO.

😂😂😂😂

Yup we do. 3 boys now 22, 18, 13. They get something to wear, read, need and want. As a stocking from Santa and then a present under the tree from us. It works really well. Girlfriends also get stocking gifts. They can expensive or Inexpensive or a mixture.

Not for children or my husband. It's the kind of thing I may do for a friend - bottle of wine, perfume and chocs in a gift bag maybe .

When I was a child (2960s), we got one main gift (like a doll), and a couple smaller gifts.
Now I give my kids a couple more expensive gifts and several cheaper ones - a book, t shirt etc. certainly do not keep to such a strict rule.
When my husband was alive we did put a £50 limit on each other and bought one or two gifts.

Oooh, I used to DREAM about getting a lump of wood.
I got a beating and a used hankie on my birthday.

😄😄

Stocking are quite big in this house (but nothing in there worth more than about £5 each, but yes, we don't buy more than 3 or 4 things to unwrap - but don't follow the read/wear/nead/want thing.

I agree. So boring in my opinion.

Lol, starting the poor bashing early this year OP? Feliz navidad

I think it's quite a good guideline for very small children (too young to understand what's going on) and older teens/adults.

I wouldn't follow it for kids between 3 and 16 ish.

😂

Stockings I used to do something to eat, (chocolate, sweets) something to read, (book or comic) something to wear, (socks), something to do (colouring book, stickers, little Lego kit) and something to cuddle (little soft toy etc). Selection box under tree. Presents whatever they've asked for depending on cost etc.

No, we’ve always just bought them what they’ve asked for and some extras.

Each to their own though.

We usually do 3 x main presents each and then stockings. Depends if you count stocking fillers individually I suppose!

I get my kids what I think they'd like, not following a rule, but I don't go crazy in terms of volume or presents. I consider books and games good presents and will also buy secondhand if I see something. DH would spend a lot more than me. But anyway, in answer to your original question. Firstly, they wake up to a bulging stocking full of little treats (as well as some useful stuff like underwear, shower gel, packs of tissues...) and presents from 'us' are later in the day. Secondly, they get presents from family and friends too, so it would never just be 3 items under the tree, even if that's what I gave them.

3 - 4 just from us as parents, yes. Plus a stocking. But that's not waking up to 3 presents.
Our DDs are lucky to have a big family, they have 5 sets of great grandparents (due to divorce and remarriage of DH's grandparents) who all buy 2-3 presents, then their grandparents buy similar, so it's 15-20 presents just from them. Then they have aunts and uncles who get them presents.
We may not even get them as many as 4 as we tend to get a bigger gift, and we know they'll get quite a lot from great grandparents/grandparents.

We do this without realising.

Something to wear (usually something from a group of urban designers he likes).

Something to read (he enjoys biographies about sports people).

Something he wants (he guides us on this).

Something he needs (socks, undies and smelly stuff).

Not at all...

Everything they get is something they would like... I definately don't categorise it.

They get gifts I know they will love, otherwise what's the point.

Doing the want, need, wear and read from niw on. Using need loosely, help develop imaginative play, good for fine motor skills, puzzle solving etc.

• a stocking. And a few gifts from grandparents

No, not at all. I don’t have much money at all. You can get lots of lovely little things from places like home bargains and charity shops if you pick up things as you see them (when you can afford them)