S/O: How many gifts do your kids get for Christmas?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:4 kids

2 books from Santa
One outfit from each set of grandparents
Stockings with school supplies
Siblings’ gifts are household chore exchange

That's pretty stingy. School supplies. Shouldn't they have that already?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids

2 books from Santa
One outfit from each set of grandparents
Stockings with school supplies
Siblings’ gifts are household chore exchange

So sad

Is this real?

When do your kids get toys?

[Anonymous]

My mom was horrible about buying so much stuff just to buy it. Once my DD mentioned in passing that one of those $10 plastic gumball machines was cool. She ended up with 3 different gumball machines, tons of refills, gumball earrings, sock & a shirt. Such a waste of money because she wasn't really into it. She just wanted a cheap gumball machine. And that was in addition to all of her other presents.

I don't set limits really, but I spend a lot of time thinking about what they will really love and use. Of course, I do buy some silly things I know they won't be interested in about a week later, but I pride myself on getting good gifts and not wasting money on crap.

[Anonymous]

Want, need, wear, read is so depressing. If you don't want to purchase a lot of gifts, then don't. But why stick to something so strict? Just buy a few fun gifts and some clothes if needed. If you have a child that's going through a phase where they have slowed down on reading for fun and don't enjoy clothes, do you think they're going to enjoy christmas morning? Stop being scrooges. Or get your kid some socks, a book & a toothbrush, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids

2 books from Santa
One outfit from each set of grandparents
Stockings with school supplies
Siblings’ gifts are household chore exchange

That's pretty stingy. School supplies. Shouldn't they have that already?

I do put a few items like fun post it or smelly pens in the stocking, but that's not all that is in there. How boring to fill it full of supplies only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids

2 books from Santa
One outfit from each set of grandparents
Stockings with school supplies
Siblings’ gifts are household chore exchange

That's pretty stingy. School supplies. Shouldn't they have that already?

I do put a few items like fun post it or smelly pens in the stocking, but that's not all that is in there. How boring to fill it full of supplies only.

Post its are not fun and wasteful. Thats pretty boring and if you do it yearly, don't they have enough. We have drawers full and I rarely buy. With 4 kids, thats a lot of unnecessary crap. Just get a toy or something nicer for all that money.

[Anonymous]

I really hate the idea that grandparents are buying so many toys that parents are doing one gift from Santa and 2 from themselves. The grandparents already had their turn to load the tree with toys. My kids get to wake up to the magic of a bunch of presents under the tree. I don't care what anyone else gets them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really hate the idea that grandparents are buying so many toys that parents are doing one gift from Santa and 2 from themselves. The grandparents already had their turn to load the tree with toys. My kids get to wake up to the magic of a bunch of presents under the tree. I don't care what anyone else gets them.

Must be nice to have grandparents like that. Mine don't get mine anything and tell me what great grandparents they are. They've got plenty of money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really hate the idea that grandparents are buying so many toys that parents are doing one gift from Santa and 2 from themselves. The grandparents already had their turn to load the tree with toys. My kids get to wake up to the magic of a bunch of presents under the tree. I don't care what anyone else gets them.

Kids do Christmas at grandparents’ homes, so that’s where the magic happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hate the idea that grandparents are buying so many toys that parents are doing one gift from Santa and 2 from themselves. The grandparents already had their turn to load the tree with toys. My kids get to wake up to the magic of a bunch of presents under the tree. I don't care what anyone else gets them.

Must be nice to have grandparents like that. Mine don't get mine anything and tell me what great grandparents they are. They've got plenty of money.

Kids have fabulous grandparents. We are fortunate. I am sorry you don’t have the same experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hate the idea that grandparents are buying so many toys that parents are doing one gift from Santa and 2 from themselves. The grandparents already had their turn to load the tree with toys. My kids get to wake up to the magic of a bunch of presents under the tree. I don't care what anyone else gets them.

Must be nice to have grandparents like that. Mine don't get mine anything and tell me what great grandparents they are. They've got plenty of money.

Screw 'em. Make the best christmas morning you are able to with your children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hate the idea that grandparents are buying so many toys that parents are doing one gift from Santa and 2 from themselves. The grandparents already had their turn to load the tree with toys. My kids get to wake up to the magic of a bunch of presents under the tree. I don't care what anyone else gets them.

Kids do Christmas at grandparents’ homes, so that’s where the magic happens.

Well that stinks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 kids

2 books from Santa
One outfit from each set of grandparents
Stockings with school supplies
Siblings’ gifts are household chore exchange

That's pretty stingy. School supplies. Shouldn't they have that already?

I do put a few items like fun post it or smelly pens in the stocking, but that's not all that is in there. How boring to fill it full of supplies only.

Post its are not fun and wasteful. Thats pretty boring and if you do it yearly, don't they have enough. We have drawers full and I rarely buy. With 4 kids, thats a lot of unnecessary crap. Just get a toy or something nicer for all that money.

Who said I did it yearly? Those were just examples. All that money? lol Like $5 out of the thousand we spend. I'm not the PP filling a stocking with only school supplies. And yes, the kids use post its for lists or in school. That's not really the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Want, need, wear, read is so depressing. If you don't want to purchase a lot of gifts, then don't. But why stick to something so strict? Just buy a few fun gifts and some clothes if needed. If you have a child that's going through a phase where they have slowed down on reading for fun and don't enjoy clothes, do you think they're going to enjoy christmas morning? Stop being scrooges. Or get your kid some socks, a book & a toothbrush, I guess.

I hate the want/need/wear thing too! And year after year?!! What a bummer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I really hate the idea that grandparents are buying so many toys that parents are doing one gift from Santa and 2 from themselves. The grandparents already had their turn to load the tree with toys. My kids get to wake up to the magic of a bunch of presents under the tree. I don't care what anyone else gets them.

Kids do Christmas at grandparents’ homes, so that’s where the magic happens.

Well that stinks.

Why?
1. They won’t be around forever, and we’d like to maximize the time spent with family.
2. Their houses are much larger, with more storage space for Christmas decorations
3. more adults means more eyes to watch the baby, and keep him away from the tree, etc.
4. We’re there, too. We give them presents, but not too many.
5. We actually like our parents.