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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Is this enough for a three year old

42 replies

salKeen5 · 02/09/2025 20:24

Tonie box and a couple of tonnes
Dinosaur big jigs railway
Remote control car

I feel like that will probably be enough. I think this might be the first year he understands Santa but he will also get gifts from other people.

OP posts:
SummerFrog25 · 02/09/2025 23:09

CrownCoats · 02/09/2025 22:00

It’s september - why are you thinking about this now?

That’s a lot to spend on a 3 year old. Christmas isn’t all about competitive present buying.

liots If people start thinking about the upcoming Christmas on Boxing day of the previous one.

This is why the Christmas Topic exits.

you might have picked it up through 'Active Threads! But you need to temper your replies & check which topic you're posting in.

Lots of people like getting organised & lots like spreading the cost. It's not for me, I can't even think about Autumn yet 🤣🤣

But they can and want it need to, so leave them in peace

TheBirdintheCave · 02/09/2025 23:14

Sounds about right to me! Our son gets one big toy from us, one from ‘Father Christmas’, then other smaller things from aunts, uncles and grandparents plus clothes, books and chocolate etc.

Cinnabonswirl · 03/09/2025 00:20

CrownCoats · 02/09/2025 22:00

It’s september - why are you thinking about this now?

That’s a lot to spend on a 3 year old. Christmas isn’t all about competitive present buying.

It’s the Christmas board
some people find spreading the cost helps them afford Christmas and to budget
id hardly say this is competitive parenting, normally when people post ‘is this enough’ it’s reams and reams of gifts. Ops gifts sound thoughtful and well planned out. What part of this is competitive?

notthatoldchestnut · 03/09/2025 00:25

it sounds like plenty to me too.

you’re right that kids do get massively overwhelmed with so many presents.

we’ve always done, a big and a small pressie from Santa (ie big in terms of size, plus a book, or something small) and then all other presents are from us.

this way we get recognition for the big stuff (last year they had a Switxh and no way was Santa getting credit for that!)

they also know that Santa doesn’t bring tech, and anything asked for gets run past mummy first 😆😆

NJLX2021 · 03/09/2025 05:27

being 100% honest (knowing it goes against the popular line of thought on here)

For me, that alone isn't enough for me. I did, and still do give my son more things.

That doesn't mean your son won't be happy. it is 100% correct that at 3, he won't be comparing, and basically anything that is wrapped and roughly what he likes will lead to excitement + happiness. It is too young for potential disappointment.

It also doesn't mean you should do more. Gift giving/treats/presents etc. are one part of a larger equation that can foster generosity, kindness, gratefulness or materialism, greed, selfishness, jealousy etc. in children. I'm 100% aware that my family's tradition of doing a lot of presents, in isolation, isn't great, and is on the side of materialism/greed... so for me it has to be counter-balanced by a whole lot of other positive actions/expectations. The result is that we have a dynamic of - you get a lot, but you have to give a lot. It balances, and non of us have ended up horrible ungrateful adults.

I had an ex, whose family were also balanced, but in the opposite manner.. they gave little to each other, but they expected little back, and were all happy. It worked well for them.

The parents that end up having trouble are the ones who give a lot, and have little expectation back from their children. They don't set standards early, no thank you cards/notes, no handmade presents for family, no encouraging the children to plan to do nice things for older relatives, no watching people open presents and letting the child see the joy they have given someone etc. Just a massive mound of presents, and all Me me me me.

So, my point is - figure out the balance of your family. Any 3 year old would be happy with your gifts.. if you do want to do more great, but at 3 - they are old enough to start positive habits to counter the overly-greedy/materialistic aspect of Christmas.

TruthOutWeighsLies · 03/09/2025 05:53

CrownCoats · 02/09/2025 22:00

It’s september - why are you thinking about this now?

That’s a lot to spend on a 3 year old. Christmas isn’t all about competitive present buying.

Its the Christmas Board.
If you dont want to think about Christmas then dont.
But stay off the Christmas Board

GingerKombucha · 03/09/2025 06:07

I would say more than enough - sounds lovely. We do one big present and stocking fillers. I buy a couple of new Christmas books to put out in a box on the 1st December with the advent calendars (I think this is better than Christmas Eve boxes as we read them through December to get excited). Although Tonie is a big present financially, if he/she is young they may not be initially excited about, it's more a slow burn they'll grow to love based on experience so nice that there is at least one other toy for Christmas day playing.

lighteningthequeen · 03/09/2025 06:45

Agree with PP who said their DC became unhinged at Christmas at that age - mine did too. I think what you’ve listed sounds perfect OP!

I do mine a little stocking too - stickers, “magic” character flannel (the ones that swell in water), chocolate coins, an orange, a little book, a little slinky.. stuff like that. Max 10 little things.

YourOliveScroller · 03/09/2025 11:55

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

modernvillaco · 03/09/2025 11:57

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

SereneCoralDog · 03/09/2025 12:17

NJLX2021 · 03/09/2025 05:27

being 100% honest (knowing it goes against the popular line of thought on here)

For me, that alone isn't enough for me. I did, and still do give my son more things.

That doesn't mean your son won't be happy. it is 100% correct that at 3, he won't be comparing, and basically anything that is wrapped and roughly what he likes will lead to excitement + happiness. It is too young for potential disappointment.

It also doesn't mean you should do more. Gift giving/treats/presents etc. are one part of a larger equation that can foster generosity, kindness, gratefulness or materialism, greed, selfishness, jealousy etc. in children. I'm 100% aware that my family's tradition of doing a lot of presents, in isolation, isn't great, and is on the side of materialism/greed... so for me it has to be counter-balanced by a whole lot of other positive actions/expectations. The result is that we have a dynamic of - you get a lot, but you have to give a lot. It balances, and non of us have ended up horrible ungrateful adults.

I had an ex, whose family were also balanced, but in the opposite manner.. they gave little to each other, but they expected little back, and were all happy. It worked well for them.

The parents that end up having trouble are the ones who give a lot, and have little expectation back from their children. They don't set standards early, no thank you cards/notes, no handmade presents for family, no encouraging the children to plan to do nice things for older relatives, no watching people open presents and letting the child see the joy they have given someone etc. Just a massive mound of presents, and all Me me me me.

So, my point is - figure out the balance of your family. Any 3 year old would be happy with your gifts.. if you do want to do more great, but at 3 - they are old enough to start positive habits to counter the overly-greedy/materialistic aspect of Christmas.

I'm the same as this.

Realistically, no, I wouldn't just have those 3. They'd certainly be the bulk but mine would have also had a stocking plus a few other items like - a hoody or tshirt with favourite character, several books, an interesting looking board game etc.

TruthOutWeighsLies · 03/09/2025 20:59

I personally would buy some smaller things too...
Whats his interests? A paint set, colouring book and pens, A little car. Some figures of a show he likes?
Some treat gifts, like chocolate or his favourite sweets.
Some books

TeddyBeans · 03/09/2025 22:02

My kids get the Santa present they write in their letter, 4 other gifts from Santa in their sacks and 7 or 8 gifts from us. My little one will be 2y 10m at Christmas and she's getting a tonie box too. Your other gifts sound lovely 🥰 I agree with PPs about books and other little toys you would normally get. My kids spend all day opening and playing with presents, spreading it out definitely helps reduce the overwhelming feeling for them!

Hayley1256 · 03/09/2025 22:27

KittyPup · 02/09/2025 23:01

The years they are truly excited by Christmas and running down to see what Santa brought them is so short. Why would you not want to splash out and indulge them? Mine have never been overwhelmed by piles of presents - they’re just excited. 3 things is really not a lot at all. If it’s cost you’re worried about, bulk it out with cheap things like pjs, books, chocolate, cards, games etc. It’s meant to be magical - what is magical and exciting about the description “I feel like it would probably be enough”?

Edited

I agree with this. My DD always gets a sack of presents from Santa and then gifts from us and others. Her face when she comes down in the morning is priceless. As she gets into more expensive things the sacks/piles will get smaller

youalright · 03/09/2025 22:36

I think thats plenty for big presents but I would do some cheap presents/ stocking presents that you would buy anyway so he has more to unwrap like pyjamas, clothes, books, arts and crafts, chocolate,

Girliefriendlikespuppies · 03/09/2025 22:46

At age 3 I would get him something to build like duplo, I personally think remote control cars tend to be played with for 5 mins then the attraction wears off.

If he likes cars just buy him a selection of small cars and a garage?

Has he got a scooter? My dd got a scooter around this age which she absolutely loved.

What about a teddy or soft toy? New pjs or a t.shirt etc.

Merrow · 04/09/2025 11:03

It might be worth waiting until he's written to Santa - when Christmas clocked for DS1 at a similar age he was only really focused on the one thing he'd asked for, and ignored all the other carefully chosen gifts! Which was only tricky as family were trying to get him interested in what they had bought him. Definitely no interest in the idea of a pile of presents, although probably more at that stage now he's 6.

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