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Christmas

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Original poster

Am I being stingy with kids presents?

183 replies

MunsterMumm · 21/12/2025 12:11

Got three DC - DS6, DD4 and DD who is 2 months old.

We have bought DS a toy he really wanted and books and DD a bike. These are the "Santa" presents. And from us a board game each. In stockings they'll get a bath bomb and chocolate coins. Baby is getting some socks just to have something under the tree.

They will get presents from both grandparents after Christmas, and grandparents usually shower them with gifts so I didn't want to get them too much because the get overwhelmed and I cannot cope with too much stuff. DS is also a bit more difficult to buy for as he has things like a bike already a wants a tablet which we have already said no to. They have thibgs like magnetic tiles and Lego so I'm at a loss as to what else to get. Grandparents are getting Lego, remote control car and toys etc

I've just seen on a different thread someone worried that three presents each for the kids won't be enough and now I'm worried we've not got them enough! I don't want to buy little cheap bits like slime, small toys etc because they'll get opened and tossed to one side after 5 mins never to be played with again. I also really want the kids to learn early on it's not about quantity. But I also want them to be happy at Christmas.

Is what we have enough or should I get some more? If so, any suggestions on meaningful presents for a 6 and 4 year old that aren't clothes?

thank you

OP posts:
cariadlet · 21/12/2025 12:16

If they weren't getting presents from anyone else and you could afford to buy more, a couple more things would be nice.

But you have chosen things that they will really like and they will get presents from their grandparents so I think it's perfect.

They will enjoy playing with what they have rather than being overwhelmed by too many gifts.

HangingStars · 21/12/2025 12:18

Personally I wouldn’t be able to buy just one thing under the tree for mine - at that age I used to have about 5 parcels each for them. Obviously depends on your budget, and what you mean by meaningful, and what they like!

Mine liked art and craft things that would be used throughout the year, toys related to current favourite tv shows, things like hot wheels set or train set, books, a stomp rocket went down really well at that age, and so did a bean bag!

HangingStars · 21/12/2025 12:20

Also my DD at that age was obsessed with dolls and played with them daily

Pineapplewaves · 21/12/2025 12:20

Personally I would give the bike and the toy that is much wanted as the main present from Mum and Dad and the board games and the other bits from Santa. At those ages they will be showered with gifts from relatives and the boxes are usually big (as they get older the boxes and the toys get smaller and it’s then that the pile starts to look less). Your 6 year old might be aware about what came from who (my six year old would be) but your 4 year won’t notice and all the baby wants is milk! I think what you have is enough.

Hollyjollynights · 21/12/2025 12:23

If you can’t afford more it’s absolutely fine, if you’re happy with the amount of gifts it’s absolutely fine
But if you can afford more and you aren’t sure if you should be doing more then you could get a few bits, they don’t need to be tat

I personally would add some more books, maybe colouring books and some pencils/pens/crayons. I’d also add some consumables like fun shower gels.
I’d definitely add a bit more to the baby’s things, even if you wrap up the older kid’s old stuff. You could talk to them about gift giving and have them pick out some of ‘their’ old things that they may want to give to the baby, if you still have it. Or take them to a charity shop to pick something out for each other or if you have time help them each make something for each other like some cookies. They’ll be so excited to give their gifts to each other and I think that’s a good lesson too.

Coconutter24 · 21/12/2025 12:25

Were you happy with the amount of presents you had got them before reading another persons post about ‘only’ having 3 presents each?

Rowen32 · 21/12/2025 12:27

That's more than enough. I dont understand the craziness with presents. We just give a few and then more throughout the year as they grow/develop new interests. Its far better in my eyes than a big heap at Christmas. Its well known too many toys curbs proper play development, they dont need more, they really want love, attention, experiences in my eyes

tinyspiny · 21/12/2025 12:28

Just do what you want to do or can afford to do and stop worrying about what other people are doing .

arethereanyleftatall · 21/12/2025 12:29

‘I don’t want to get presents that get tossed aside after 5 minutes’
I think you’ve not learnt the joy of Santa’s sack for your children’s ages. One of my absolutely best memories, and I cannot describe it anywhere near well enough in words, was my dds little voice when she was 4 dragging her little sack in to our room ‘he’s actually come, in real life he’s actually come’ her joy was palpable, immense and magical. The joy and value from the sack had already been had with the size of it, and the opening of the presents. It didn’t matter if any present was tossed aside after opening, the joy had been had.

YellowCherry · 21/12/2025 12:30

That sounds absolutely fine OP.

TheNightingalesStarling · 21/12/2025 12:30

Won't you 6yo and 4yo worry that baby has been naughty if they only get some socks?

The volume is fine combined with family gifts. The issue is they get family gifts a few days later!

Is there anything they need? New helmet or dressing gown or bag etc.

KitsyWitsy · 21/12/2025 12:34

It doesn’t sound much to me but it’s not worth getting into debt over if money is tight.

Original poster
MunsterMumm · 21/12/2025 12:36

Thanks all, I might get a few craft bits as I know they like glittery pens and stickers so can use that to pad it out.

@arethereanyleftatall thanks for that perspective as I don't think I've been thinking about that at all and have just been worried about where we are going to store all this stuff. I was also hoping they would be just as full of joy when they see the presents we have got them.

Also, I've seen a few posts mention Santa's sack - is this different to a stocking and the presents under the tree?! When I was little I just got one or two presents and we didn't have stockings or sacks!

We usually do Christmas with both sets of grandparents and have generally bought less presents but this is the first year we are seeing grandparents after Christmas hence the worry about the lack of presents.

OP posts:
usethedata · 21/12/2025 12:39

I think that sounds absolutely fine. If you really want to make the pile bigger you could add functional items that they need. Like new jammies, undies etc.

Original poster
MunsterMumm · 21/12/2025 12:41

@TheNightingalesStarling hahaha naughty baby - no we haven't really talked about the naughty or nice thing. If they ask why baby only has socks we'll just say she really wanted socks this year lol

OP posts:
awrbc81 · 21/12/2025 12:44

I’d probably do a little more added to their stocking, fun things they’ll use or crayons, colouring books, etc.
Also would probably do a little stocking for the baby more for the sake of the other two really - even if you just fill it with some vests and baby toiletries.
I’d also probably give the board games as Santa presents with their stockings and the bigger things from you

Stoufer · 21/12/2025 12:45

We always did stockings from Santa, and the proper presents under the tree from us. It makes it so much easier!

ronnip · 21/12/2025 12:47

Bath bombs, foamy spray soap, paper, sweets.
What you have is fine though

OneWorthyTiger · 21/12/2025 12:47

Your DC will grow up with what you do as a family.

The OP in the other thread you mentioned was expecting other family members to top up the presents under the tree on Xmas day and thinking without that, their DC didn't have enough presents.

So they felt they were being stingy themselves. If you don't feel like that, there's no reason for you to buy more.

arethereanyleftatall · 21/12/2025 12:51

I’ve always done a sack, like the ones you use for sack races, but I got them personalised and used them every year.

I tend to fill it with stuff I’d buy anyway eventually, but one step up nicer wise. So crafts, maybe a fancy milkshake glass, maybe silly bubble bath etc etc
now that they’re teenagers it’ll be filled with stationary, chocolate, fancier face/hair products etc

OttersMayHaveShifted · 21/12/2025 12:53

There is no measure of whats 'enough' when it comes to Christmas presents. However many you buy, some people will think it's loads, some will think it's perfect and some will think it's not very much. You need to decide what you think is enough. My (teen) dc are just getting a couple of clothes items each. That's normal for us. I think yours sound like plenty.

Superhansrantowindsor · 21/12/2025 12:54

Think back to when you were a kid. What did you like about Christmas? What do you remember? I remember the ‘big’ presents but mostly I remember the food and games and seeing family. What you have got your dc is absolutely fine. Quality is better than quantity.

WhatWouldTheDoctorDo · 21/12/2025 12:58

In all honesty, it would be light for our house, but different people do things differently, so all that matters is what works for you. We’re a ‘big pile under the tree’ house, but we didn’t buy toys etc. through the year, and grandparents didn’t buy piles of stuff or ‘big’ presents. I’ve always been anti-tat, but things were always padded out with consumables, new pj’s, outfit for Christmas Day, lots of books, bathbombs, things being ‘collected’ like minifigures etc.

Overthebow · 21/12/2025 12:59

We do stockings and then presents under the tree, no sacks. Our Dc are 5 and 2, and have 8 tree presents each from us and then lots of little bits in their stockings, as well as presents from grandparents and other relatives.

MeetTheBoss · 21/12/2025 12:59

People will have different ideas on what is the right amount and also different budgets.

For my kids, when they were the ages of your 2 oldest, they did get a lot of presents from us because they had certain things they really liked so got lots of toys to do with that, like Spiderman, Toy Story, Transformers, My little pony etc. They didn’t get overwhelmed though and they really did play with them all. We tended to not bother with a lot of the stocking fillers, smaller things, as they wouldn’t have been used for long, whereas bigger toys and figures were played with for years.

When one of our children was only a few weeks old for Xmas, we didn’t buy anything, not even socks!

We weren’t influenced by others though, we just bought what our children wanted and what we thought was right. Just do what you think is right.