Does anyone else not hate the big present pile?

[Christmasiscoming2025]

My 4 year olds favourite part of getting presents is opening them so I get him loads of things but it’s not all big gifts/toys. I have got him clothes with his favourite characters on, books, games and puzzles from charity shops, sweets ect.

A lot of people don’t seem to like the big piles of presents on here and say they only get a few presents for their kids and I just don’t really get it as the magic/wow moment is the big pile for kids 🤷‍♀️

I couldn’t tell you how many presents I used to get growing up and probably only remember a few really special things over the years (a bmx, a doll, a money box) but I do remember the excitement, the food, the decorations, the playing, the people.

Sounds cheesy but we don’t focus on the gifts, we focus on the magic!

Only child here and I used to think a stocking with bits n bobs, ten ish presents and one 'big' one (like a Speak and Spell, pogo stick or cassette player) was loads!! It was never tat bought just to make up the numbers, I absolutely loved it all.

Big piles in my house, I love seeing a big pile of presents under the tree. Not everything needs to be expensive or MNs favourite word “tat”. I love the look on my DCs faces and the wow factor. They get given lots of useful everyday items, clothes, trainers, toiletries etc..

of course I don’t expect them to remember that when they were 8 they got a fluffy pink dressing gown and matching slippers, they are more likely to remember I got them much sought after K-Pop demon hunters plush and Funko, but that dosnt negate from the fact I know she’s going to love the dressing gown and slippers when she opens them.

I hate the absolutely obscene amount of gifts that are ok FB reels and tik tok. It just seems ridiculous.

But saying that, I don't scrimp. I am worried my eldest has become to used to a sackful so this yr I'm going to lay it all out and decide to keep some stuff back for his birthday instead.

I’d say growing up my parents earned decently but they only did the huge present pile thing once. I’m in my 20s and by the time I was a teenager birthdays and Christmas usually revolved around getting new (expensive) tech, so overall I was fine with like 1-3 presents. Usually my parents would get me say a new iphone, makeup/perfume, chocolates and PJs. I’d be totally happy with that.

So just thinking to my own kids, I think huge present piles seem a bit naff if its quantity over quality. But like fair enough, if thats what you do. I’d probably feel more comfortable with just doing what my parents did, one big present, something token like chocolates and a couple of nice to haves. But there’s nothing wrong with either approach!

We always only had about 4 things (a couple of nicer ones and a couple of smaller ones), and I've followed along with my DC.
The magic for them is that they get a big thing at Christmas that I'd rarely or never buy the rest of the year.

But you will have received the rest of the stuff or more expensive lifestyle throughout the year.

Just because you where privileged to have 'decently earning' parents who could drop cash on what you wanted and needed all year round does not make those who have to save annually for the same stuff 'quantity over quality'. Is it maybe cheaper than the stuff you got? yes because not everyone had a 'decent income' but its still the same amount of stuff needed just not spread out because most people can't drop money on a whim.

Whats 'naff' is a lack of awareness.

The PP didn’t say they got bought loads of stuff all year round though?
We have a good income. We neither do massive presents piles at Christmas nor buy them whatever they want whenever they want it throughout the year. I don’t know why people think it’s one or the other.

Ive been trying to cut back for years but I can't do it. Eldest is 16 this year and her pile is smaller than her younger siblings but there's still plenty pressies just rhey have got littler.

Agree with most of this. Growing up poor it was very common for big piles of presents, long before social media, I’m a 70s child and it was definitely common. It was the time of year many of us got new clothes, shoes and other necessities others would get all year round. A very common thing would be warm dressing gowns, thick socks, new water bottles, things we’d need in winter as heating cost money we didn’t have. Part of it was that many parents felt guilty they couldn’t provide expensive things all year round so would make Christmas extra special with big piles of gifts. I can assure there was definitely no (drum roll Mens favourite word) “tat”!

I do something similar with my children, however it’s usually a nicer version of a necessity.

Agree with previous posters - in real life, the people i know who sneer at the "big pile" had a childhood full of music lessons, ponies, home PCs and were given house deposits and financial help into adulthood. But they think children will be spoilt by parents saving to give them as much as they can buy for £100, one day per year.

They have no idea how it feels to always know the answer to "can I get that" is no - except one day a year, when you have a pile of treasure beyond your wildest dreams.

Growing up Xmas has always been big and gift giving is definitely my love language. I love researching and picking out things to people's tastes and interests.

Each of our kids has an initial sack and a stocking of presents and then the few things too big to go in the sack go to one side. I wouldn't say obscene but definitely not minimalist.

But I would also add I buy throughout the year, in sales etc my son is 12 and has very specific interests and my daughter is 5 so pretty easy age to buy for. Because their birthdays are close to Xmas sometimes presents bought for birthdays then get pushed to the Xmas pile instead.

I'm very much for do whatever works for your budget, family, style of Xmas etc x

Thank you for explaining a confusing divide in my marriage!

Just got told I’m weird for wrapping boxes of cereal at Christmas and birthdays - but it’s for the same reason. I’m saying no to that stuff nonstop (half price, half health), so then it’s magic that they get all of it all at once AND other gifts. But I guess if I threw my favourite biscuits in the shopping every week I wouldn’t be as excited opening them Christmas day.

We never have big piles cos we don't have kids and rarely host. My MiL will insist on coming and doing 'the exchange' a couple of weeks before but unless they post, (which tbf they have this year,) we have to wait for my parents gifts. One year we had to wait til March for them. My Mum's cantankerous bf doesn't like coming to my house and I don't like him so don't really want him here. I did invite my brother this year but he's already agreed to go to Mum's, so will book him early for next year. We are a little low on presents this year as we are adjusting to having less money since I had to stop working and he went part-time to care for me. I did have a little giggle at a post i saw on Facebook one year of a women whose gift pile for her 2 year-old daughter spilled out from under the tree and spanned the entire length of her living room.

It took my DH a minute to understand my way of doing things, it was only when we had children and a few unplanned financial issues he understood that things he took for granted as a child were not easily provided when money is tight.