Am I being stingy with kids presents?

[MunsterMumm]

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

Exactly. I find it strange that people are happy to spend £15 on an often disappointing meet Santa experience but have an issue with spending £15 to fill a stocking. You can include chocolate, toothbrush , socks, and the obligatory satsuma - stuff that will be used.
You are essentially 'wasting' £15 on giving a child pure joy in the moment, and memories that will last both them and you a lifetime. That's pretty good value in my opinion.

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.

Yes, same. This to me makes more sense, and also helps kids to gradually understand as they get older that big gifts are something their parents work hard for and go to a lot of trouble to buy them.

If he really wants a tablet, I’d get a tablet 🤷🏻‍♀️

Whatever you do will be normal to your dc so if it’s about the same as usual, they aren’t going to question it. If you want to get a few extra useful things could you wrap up things like a helmet, knee pads, a novelty bell to go with the bike?

agree With what others have said about most people having family traditions/modelling what their parents did (assuming you have happy memories of that, I know that sadly not everyone had a happy childhood).

My parents always tried to make the stockings fun and surprising, in those days (80s) it was things like finger puppets, magnetic ladybirds, jumping beans, mouth organ, kaleidoscope etc as well as sweets and apple/orange in the toe. We would be delighted with these little bits and bobs. We then got 2-3 presents from them (1main one like Lego set/barbie which were expensive in those days) and gifts from family members.

I try to emulate this, though have a tendency to pick things up through the year and get to December and find there’s too much for the stocking.

I’d get him the tablet he wants for a start. Unless money is the object here

honestly, you don’t need to go overboard on trying to teach them life lessons regarding Christmas and how they should only have ‘useful’ things when they’re kids. A decent stack of presents under the tree is what it’s all about surely? (Excepting if you are utterly skint like I said)

The gifts you've got your children sound thoughtful, things the kids will enjoy and cherish, and the restraint you have shown reflects care and consideration for your children and the planet.

At the risk of having all of MN jump down my throat, I find the obsession with the number/quantity of presents deeply troubling, There were threads about kids getting 28 and 35 presents each. Each to their own ofcourse, but personally I never went down this route of excess because it seems materialistic/consumerist and willfully ignorant of the harsh realities that most folks in the world are facing this winter. What are we teaching our kids by flooding them with dozens of presents, most of which are made in countries with poor labour standards, so by underpaid workers, and that create mountains of waste that will pollute our oceans and end up in landfills? I personally would not go down the MN present-competitiveness route and would care about the values being imparted to our children and the impact we are having on the planet.

As children we had sacks at the end of our bed from Father Christmas. Never a stocking unless you count the chocolate selection stocking of the 1970s. All my relatives delivered presents before Christmas so the sack was full, particularly when we were very young as the presents are usually larger.

I carried on sacks with my own children but did add a stocking with a tube of sweets/chocolate. Everything was left downstairs near the Christmas tree rather than in their bedrooms.

I would do this for stocking items, just get things you would get anyway but will be exciting to discover in a stocking. So socks, underwear, paper, pens, stickers, stuff for crafts, bubble bath, shampoo, books etc. So not really costing you anything but still fun for them to open. Or the same but wrap up for under the tree.

Its plenty and obviously chosen with thought and love which is all that matters 🎄😊 what I hate are the social media posts with the obscene piles of presents; you are doing it right!

Ignore the daft and pointless spending

Craft stuff is a great idea. A new book or two each would be good too.

I know what you mean about not wanting to buy stuff for the sake of it but I probably would get a couple more things.

Pj's with their favourite characters on could be good too.

The context is really relevant here though. Maybe one kid has a handful of presents, all brand new, that will just end up in landfill. Maybe another has a big stash that were all second hand and will be passed on when finished with.

Maybe one kid only gets a couple of things for Christmas but constantly gets bought things throughout the year. Maybe another has lots of Christmas presents but nothing else until their birthday.

A lot of people that might be holier than thou about not having much for their children around the tree might be very consumerist or materialistic in other ways. You just don't know, so it seems weird to pick on this one thing to pass judgment about.

Not passing judgement, just encouraging the OP not to feel pressured by the present-competitiveness spirit. I also wanted to flag the environmental costs of all the consumerism/materialism (of Christmas and otherwise) that no one seems to even bring up or factor in. And, of course context matters. In any case, as I said, each to their own!

What you’ve got them is more than adequate. They’re all very young so save your money at this stage.

Kids get very expensive once they start secondary school. That’s when you’ll need to dip into your savings!

If I wanted to bulk it out a bit I'd get books. Supermarkets are good for that. If money is tight try the charity shop. There are often lots of new ones in there.

Craft supplies are also good idea. Again easy to find in supermarkets

Things to play with in the garden. Balls , frisbee , skipping rope etc. I appreciate it's not really the weather for it but one of mine has a January birthday, so it's never the weather for it at gift giving time!

They’re soooo young! They will be so happy with one or two lovely things that they can immediately play with

If affordable, I would be tempted to get a couple of little things for their stockings, like little craft sets or a snow globe, and maybe a book each. I think kids love stockings even more than main presents as it's the first thing they open.

The issue on the other thread is that both DGMs and DUs presents are usually under the tree too so it made it a big pile for Xmas morning, and this year the pile of extras expected won't be there, rather than the issue being the number of presents Santa/parents have brought iykwim.
I think your presents are fine, I did pad out the stockings with stuff they need/use up eg toothbrush, underwear with favourite characters, bubble bath etc

… Are we meant to be teaching our children about the perils of plastic and sweatshops while we’re teaching them about Santa?

I have missed that memo.

Most people have stockings, not sacks.

Mumsnet is a different world sometimes. Three presents for a six and four year old on Christmas morning?

We have about 4 or 5 things under the tree and a stocking.

DD has absolutely nothing to play with on Christmas day. You can take her on a bike ride and then shw will have nothing new for the rest of the day.

@Fryth it’s eye opening to see what others do.

Can you add a jigsaw each as well as craft things?