WWYD - DS getting tiny present DD getting huge box - how to handle the possible fallout.

[theITgirl]

DS who is 8, is getting a Nintendo DSi (preowned) and a game.
DD who is 5, is getting a load of Go Go Hamsters and accessories.
We have spent about the same on each child.

BUT DS is going to see this tiny parcel or two under the tree, while DD is either going to see a huge box or 8 parcels (all bigger than DS's).
Christmas will be at my parents and what we have always done is handed out the presents so we have one each (this is now the responsibility of DS & DD), open the present, admire and say thank you. So the size/number of presents cannot easily be hidden.

I obviously cannot prepare DS in advance so that he knows that DD's are cheaper so that is why it looks like she has more. He will not have a strop about it, but it is that wobbly bottom lip I am worried about.

Any bright ideas how I can make DS's present look more exciting.

Just to make things worse DH's present will also be in a huge box. No idea how we will fit everything into the car!

Any suggestions welcome - but not ones that involve spending lots of money

I'm not sure but you could have some kind of chat/game in advance where the smallest surprise or prize or whatever is the best one...kind of prepare him like that. Although you would have to leave dd out of that one I think!

...there must be a book with this kind of premise mustn't there? It must be a common scenario.

Thanks Julliet. There must be something,

Put DS's pressie in a bigger box and stick in a few little surprises like a couple of comics or some sweets. That might distract him till he realises what the deal is?

DD1 age 6 asked for a DS too and although i got it a bit cheaper by getting 2nd hand on Ebay i have told her that if she does get a DS she will get less because it is more expensive. She has been fine with that.

Can you put the small stuff in a bigger box?

I think they are both old enough to realise that small things can cost a lot and big things can be cheaper.

We had that scenario when DD got her DS.

She wasn't bothered that her prezzie was small, she was so pleased with the DS!

you can prepare in advance by being non-specific - 'Sometimes the best presents are the smallest ones, aren't they DS?' You can tie it to him being older as well - 'Little kids like to have big boxes but as we get older we understand that size and value aren't always the same'....
Honestly, if he's 8 I don't see why there should be a problem!

can you do it like pass the parcel with inexpensive things inbetween layers ... chocolate santa, cheap toy car, comic (good idea RockBird) etc

Can't you make it into a game, pack the DSi into a small box, then that into a bigger box, then a bigger one etc.?

At least it will make him smile, and make the opening of his main present last as long as the opening of your DDs.

Before you wrap it,don't forget to charge the new ds (takes ages) so atleast he can start playing on it when he opens it !

ooh admylin, great tip - thanks!

I think the pass the parcel idea is great.

Could you have a little something in each layer as suggested and he opens a layer after each present that your dd opens?

Could you get some accesories like spare stylus' (ds has some light saber ones which he loves!), a bag. Or would that give the game away?

Maybe your parents could buy him lots of little things too.

Hopefully you are right and DS will be so pleased to get a DS that he will not think twice about it.

Though I might try the lots of layers in bigger and bigger boxes

would definitely buy at least two or three very inexpensive/secondhand, but bulky presents for DS to open - just a bit of fun like a big box of paints/chocs/soft toy or whatever turns him on - to even it up a bit. nothing worse than having to wait while your siblings open present after present and you have nothing left! i had terrible present envy as a child (was the youngest tho) doesn't speak well for my character but there you go!

I always resort to clothes/edible things when I need to build up numbers of presents.

So far, I haven't really bothered too much about spending the same amount on them both as I know they will be much more aware of this in the future

I also have terrible present envy and want to have the biggest parcel under the tree the most presents etc. I am 43 so I should know better - I am better at hiding my greedy nature. But it is because of this, I am worried about my DS. Might hit the charity shops this weekend.

Don't forget Adrian Mole. His heart fell when he saw his big present 'which obviously didn't have a microchip in it' and it turned out to be a sheepskin coat.

Boys know the small presents are the best.

(and he was so bored with the sheepskin coat he took it off at lunchtime )

My Dad once put some helium balloons in a box for the grandkids - got the biggest wow and smiles ?

Plus comics - with plastic tat on thr fron and I think you'll be fine. Could you wrap all the bits ??

I know the feeling - my DD1 is always stoic and it breaks my heart. No one ever seems to get her what she wants.

ummmm....put it in a big box? Easy innit?!

Instead of trying to make DSs bigger, make DDs smaller. Take all the go go hamsters out of their boxes and put them in one box so she only has one present with lots of accessories rather than lots of boxes every where. No matter how understanding kids are they will always compare by counting boxes.

Im sure your DS does not want go go hamsters so he wont mind if his sister got one present with loads of go go hamster toys in, but he might if she has lots of presents to open

Teamcullen - I like your thinking. It also solves the problem of how I am going to fit everything in the car.

Fab thinking teamcullen! (I've got this problem too and you've just solved it!) Thank you!

There is a wonderful benefit to teamcullens idea. I will be able to play with test the hamsters before the big day