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

[Anonymous]

The thread about how many gifts kids get for Christmas has me wondering how many gifts kids typically get from Grandparents/Extended Family.

My MIL is a piles of presents under the tree, 30+ gifts to unwrap each, kind of person. I didn't grow up that way so it has always made me uncomfortable. In the past for ourselves we've tried giving her a list of just a few items we want but she inevitably just buys lots of random gifts so that everyone has mountains to unwrap. Now that we have a child I'm wondering if this is just something we have to deal with. Last year DD was barely 7 months and MIL was clearly disappointed that DD was not more excited about opening all of the presents and seeing all of the toys/things she got her. DD will be 1.5 this Christmas, and I am dreading the mountains of stuff that we will be driving home with. It would be great if she would listen to our suggestions of things that we/DD needs or bought things that were age appropriate but that is not the case, and we live in a small apartment so storage is at a premium.

Do most grandparents do this? Has anyone had success in curbing this?

[Anonymous]

Gifts worth $200 from each grandparent and then $50 each from our one sibling. It's still kind of a lot.

[Anonymous]

Zero from my parents since my mom passed away. Dad’s not much of a shopper. 1-2 gifts from in-laws. Nothing over the top... stuff like books, clothes or Legos. I’m so thankful they don’t do more.

Kids are 3 and 4.

[Anonymous]

We had a lot of luck curbing this by making up an amazon wishlist. We fill it with fun things that my toddlers still need/want. Like a new bike helmet, fun water bottles, backpacks, fire tablet, annual tickets to the zoo, swim suits, tubing tickets, magnatiles, kinetic sand, nugget couch and melissa and doug food kits It cuts down significantly on junk and my kids get more what they actually are interested in. I tried giving them a link to my kid's 529 plans but they had no interest (I don't really blame them, but that's what I would get my grandkids).

[Anonymous]

My kids are teens and their grandparents all live far away.

Paternal grandfather (MIL died many years ago and he has since remarried) gives the family a gift (usually along the lines of a food item from Harry and David type of store)

Maternal grandparents give $100 check to each kid.

[Anonymous]

My mother is the same way. She likes mountains of presents (cheap presents). Nothing I have done has curbed it. Amazon wish lists resulted in that stuff plus the aforementioned mountain of presents. I've left some stuff at her house (e.g., lip gloss set for a toddler, no thanks! dolls when they already have tons that they don't play with, etc.), but that doesn't go over well with her or my kids. My parents aren't local so leaving stuff there means we won't see it again.

[Anonymous]

My MIL isn't quite that over the top, but she definitely shares the trait of really wanting the kids to LOVE what she got them. She wants to see them open everything and then she wants immediate praise and thanks for giving them such a great toy. Last year she kept barking at my 2 year old to "SHOW GRANDMA WHAT YOU GOT! LET ME SEE IT! HOLD IT UP!!" and after 15 minutes of this he was over it. He didn't even want to open anything else.

I just bite my tongue and drink some extra wine and try to give my kids some quieter breaks in the day when they need it.

And as soon as we get home, I tuck stuff away. The thing I know they will enjoy, but maybe not with the toy overload, I just wait until a snow day or rainy day in March to pull out to play with. Some stuff I save until next year and donate to Toys for Tots. Some I re-gift and some I just give away.

[Anonymous]

Both grandparents usually spend $150 on each grandkid. It’s usually like an American Girl doll or tablet. Maybe one “big” gift with a couple smaller things.

My mom has six grandkids and spends the same on each.

[Anonymous]

One to one and a half. Sometimes it's an experience (like a museum membership) and something will go with it. One time it was gymnastics lessons for the season and each girl got a leotard in her favorite color.

[Anonymous]

One from my parents (sometimes a family gift)

None from my in-laws

[Anonymous]

A few, when they can afford it from one set.

My parents can afford it and much more and its very rare they get them anything. They don't do it to spite me, which is fine.

[Anonymous]

They get a set dollar amount from both my parents and my ILs. Now that they're teens that usually comes in the form of cash/check but once in a while there's a gift or two (MIL, particularly, likes to see people open gifts so if my kids are planning to buy something specific with their money we'll just get it in advance and they'll repay us with the cash).

[Anonymous]

Zero. Both our families are selfish, have no part of our life. and our little one is none the wiser. Appreciate what you have.

[Anonymous]

Before my mom died she used to load them up with gifts. My in laws usually get them between 4-5 gifts. I feel like eventually it will naturally curb since toys for younger kids can be found very cheap compared to the things that older kids like.

[Anonymous]

1 or 2 from my parents. 273592845983745 from my MIL (mostly total junk he doesn't want but she wants him to want). I try giving a list of 3-4 things, and she'll buy one and then add her 203549875 things to it. Lots of wine on Christmas.