I’ve already donated most of my kids (early) Christmas presents

[Anonymous]

I'm wondering what kind of 'experience' an almost-three-year old should receive as a gift in lieu of a plastic toy from Target.. A sky-diving certificate? Tickets to the opera? All-expenses paid vacation in Europe?

[Anonymous]

Experiences? What are you asking for a trip to Disney for the kids? Do you put out a list of experiences your kids will want? Can't even fathom that given any experience that creates a lifetime memory may cost more than 25 or 50 bucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here back again.

I completely acknowledge that my post is from a place of privilege. I know how lucky we are to have family and gifts.

THAT ASIDE...because this post was meant to be a discussion.

The gifts were not from the amazon list. They were random gifts. And they were much more expensive than experiences.

When the boys opened them, I encouraged them to say thank you and be excited. We played with the toys and were very grateful. We’ll send thank you cards.

At home, I put the toys in the corner with the other toys. My boys never touched them. So, I’ve donated them.

I don’t get how that makes me terrible. I’m just trying to talk to other parents about gifts.

How long ago did they get these gifts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what kind of 'experience' an almost-three-year old should receive as a gift in lieu of a plastic toy from Target.. A sky-diving certificate? Tickets to the opera? All-expenses paid vacation in Europe?

Exactly. Or like my SIL’s baby registry. I can buy a spoon or $200 piece of equipment. Anything in between that range can be a donation to a bigger item they are buying.

I hate that gift giving is so specific otherwise don’t bother.

OP is a jerk.

[Anonymous]

You only gave it a couple of days? My kid forgets about toys for weeks at a time and then rediscovers them. You have sad and unrealistic expectations for your kids.

[Anonymous]

We haven't opened any gifts yet at our house - so no, we are not yet frustrated with the gifts. We'll see how we feel after Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You only gave it a couple of days? My kid forgets about toys for weeks at a time and then rediscovers them. You have sad and unrealistic expectations for your kids.

And in another couple weeks or months, they'll wonder where those new toys went. Unless they've already learned that fun toys will vanish without warning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what kind of 'experience' an almost-three-year old should receive as a gift in lieu of a plastic toy from Target.. A sky-diving certificate? Tickets to the opera? All-expenses paid vacation in Europe?

Movie tickets? Gift card to a play area / museum near their house? Ballet or tumbling lessons? Swimming pass for parent and toddler? Money to take the while family to Brookside gardens to see the lights, or to Gaylord National? Books?

[Anonymous]

OP here.

I mentioned “experiences” because I thought other people would: “why didn’t you ask for experiences?” They want to gift toys, and ask for a list. So I provide one.

My boys don’t have interest in the gifts because they were items from a show they don’t know or watch (no, we aren’t “screen free”) and the other toy was several years younger than their level.

We opened them because we were visiting family in another state for Christmas.

I was asking...has anyone else opened and donated gifts, and it’s not even Christmas?!

[Anonymous]

OP, what I have realized with my parents is they don't want to order things online. They are mistrustful of that whole process...putting your credit card in, etc.

Just a thought why maybe your Amazon list is getting ignored.

At the very least, stop bothering with the list I guess if they're going to ignore it.

But to relate to you, yes my parents have gotten my kids many gifts that bear no relation to who they are, their age, or what they are interested in. They've gotten them clothes that are wildly the wrong size. They show zero thought and my kids don't play with the gifts.

What can you do. Say thanks and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

I mentioned “experiences” because I thought other people would: “why didn’t you ask for experiences?” They want to gift toys, and ask for a list. So I provide one.

My boys don’t have interest in the gifts because they were items from a show they don’t know or watch (no, we aren’t “screen free”) and the other toy was several years younger than their level.

We opened them because we were visiting family in another state for Christmas.

I was asking...has anyone else opened and donated gifts, and it’s not even Christmas?!

And are they as amazing a parent as I am, alienating caring grandparents at every turn?

FTFY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids that age almost never remember or ask for things that they don’t see. Why did they open them already? You know it’s not Christmas right? You sound nasty.

Agree, why have they already opened them? You sound like someone with the perfect house and with nothing askew in it. You could not give the gifts 6 weeks before you
donated them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what kind of 'experience' an almost-three-year old should receive as a gift in lieu of a plastic toy from Target.. A sky-diving certificate? Tickets to the opera? All-expenses paid vacation in Europe?

Movie tickets? Gift card to a play area / museum near their house? Ballet or tumbling lessons? Swimming pass for parent and toddler? Money to take the while family to Brookside gardens to see the lights, or to Gaylord National? Books?

I thought the presents were supposed to be for the kids. Can't OP do these things with her kids if she wants to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm wondering what kind of 'experience' an almost-three-year old should receive as a gift in lieu of a plastic toy from Target.. A sky-diving certificate? Tickets to the opera? All-expenses paid vacation in Europe?

Movie tickets? Gift card to a play area / museum near their house? Ballet or tumbling lessons? Swimming pass for parent and toddler? Money to take the while family to Brookside gardens to see the lights, or to Gaylord National? Books?

Most of these sound like things the parents would be paying for anyway, so it sounds like less of a gift for the child and more for the parents. Kids are pretty concrete, so an experience in the future is a little difficult for them to picture as a gift. Especially when it is something that their parents would take them to anyway.

[Anonymous]

Amazon sells a lot of counterfeit crap. I try not to buy on
Amazon now due to the risks of low quality counterfeit crap.

Be aware it is tougher to "buy local experiences" if the grandparents live out of state.