Sick of HUGE Christmas presents

[Anonymous]

I’ve had it with the HUGE Christmas presents. Last year it was the Our Generation schoolroom, the year before that, the camper and Jeep, the Barbie dream house. This year, all she wants is the LOL ski resort. It’s $250! Enough is enough. While our DD isn’t spoiled—we don’t do gifts outside of holidays—she loves big ticket items that are expensive and take up a lot of space. She still plays with the aforementioned HUGE play sets. Even if she was to downsize, I am not spending $250 on a dollhouse. She doesn’t believe in Santa. Do I warn her ahead of time that she won’t be getting this toy? Have her make an alternate list? Do we just move to the “want/wear/read/need” method of gift giving without warning?

[Anonymous]

You created this monster. Set some boundaries this time.

[Anonymous]

The cost doesn't decrease as they get older but the size of the object does

[Anonymous]

How does she know about this stuff? How old is your DD?

I guess mine is still pretty young, but she doesn't even know these things exist yet...she's in K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You created this monster. Set some boundaries this time.

What’s with the unhelpful post? I’m literally posting that I’m fully aware of everything you mention, and asking for tips on the best way to break it to DD and segue into the new method. Do you have any advice or just criticism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve had it with the HUGE Christmas presents. Last year it was the Our Generation schoolroom, the year before that, the camper and Jeep, the Barbie dream house. This year, all she wants is the LOL ski resort. It’s $250! Enough is enough. While our DD isn’t spoiled—we don’t do gifts outside of holidays—she loves big ticket items that are expensive and take up a lot of space. She still plays with the aforementioned HUGE play sets. Even if she was to downsize, I am not spending $250 on a dollhouse. She doesn’t believe in Santa. Do I warn her ahead of time that she won’t be getting this toy? Have her make an alternate list? Do we just move to the “want/wear/read/need” method of gift giving without warning?

If it's the only thing she wants, then it's still part of the want/wear/read/need list.

Can you not afford it or you don't like the way it looks? If you cannot afford it, then warn her ahead of time. If you can afford it, let her have it. It's just a short period of time, and she still plays with the other stuff.

[Anonymous]

How old is she?

Is your objection the cost or the size of the item? It's not clear to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does she know about this stuff? How old is your DD?

I guess mine is still pretty young, but she doesn't even know these things exist yet...she's in K.

She’s 8. I’m not really sure. Girl talk at school and play dates? Gifts she sees at birthday parties?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve had it with the HUGE Christmas presents. Last year it was the Our Generation schoolroom, the year before that, the camper and Jeep, the Barbie dream house. This year, all she wants is the LOL ski resort. It’s $250! Enough is enough. While our DD isn’t spoiled—we don’t do gifts outside of holidays—she loves big ticket items that are expensive and take up a lot of space. She still plays with the aforementioned HUGE play sets. Even if she was to downsize, I am not spending $250 on a dollhouse. She doesn’t believe in Santa. Do I warn her ahead of time that she won’t be getting this toy? Have her make an alternate list? Do we just move to the “want/wear/read/need” method of gift giving without warning?

If it's the only thing she wants, then it's still part of the want/wear/read/need list.

Can you not afford it or you don't like the way it looks? If you cannot afford it, then warn her ahead of time. If you can afford it, let her have it. It's just a short period of time, and she still plays with the other stuff.

We can afford it but it seems like a total waste of $250! She’s 8 so how much is she really going to get out of this toy. Not only that, it’s huge and we have no good place to put it amongst all of her other playsets.

[Anonymous]

Just say "I don't think the LOL ski resort is going to happen this year. What smaller item would you like instead?"

My guess is she'll be just as happy with a smaller, less expensive item.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You created this monster. Set some boundaries this time.

What’s with the unhelpful post? I’m literally posting that I’m fully aware of everything you mention, and asking for tips on the best way to break it to DD and segue into the new method. Do you have any advice or just criticism?

Did you read the bolded part?

It seems weird that you would say you are sick of huge presents when in fact you are the one that set that standard. So change the standard. Give her a budget, or suggest some alternative options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does she know about this stuff? How old is your DD?

I guess mine is still pretty young, but she doesn't even know these things exist yet...she's in K.

She’s 8. I’m not really sure. Girl talk at school and play dates? Gifts she sees at birthday parties?

At 8, I think you can have a conversation about space and size and cost of toys. Also that you don't always get the "hot new thing". I'd prep her now that the ski resort won't be happening for whatever reason. Ask her to choose smaller/less expensive gifts she'd like and DO NOT get her all of them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve had it with the HUGE Christmas presents. Last year it was the Our Generation schoolroom, the year before that, the camper and Jeep, the Barbie dream house. This year, all she wants is the LOL ski resort. It’s $250! Enough is enough. While our DD isn’t spoiled—we don’t do gifts outside of holidays—she loves big ticket items that are expensive and take up a lot of space. She still plays with the aforementioned HUGE play sets. Even if she was to downsize, I am not spending $250 on a dollhouse. She doesn’t believe in Santa. Do I warn her ahead of time that she won’t be getting this toy? Have her make an alternate list? Do we just move to the “want/wear/read/need” method of gift giving without warning?

If it's the only thing she wants, then it's still part of the want/wear/read/need list.

Can you not afford it or you don't like the way it looks? If you cannot afford it, then warn her ahead of time. If you can afford it, let her have it. It's just a short period of time, and she still plays with the other stuff.

We can afford it but it seems like a total waste of $250! She’s 8 so how much is she really going to get out of this toy. Not only that, it’s huge and we have no good place to put it amongst all of her other playsets.

Do you need a "good" place? It's for what, a year or two, maybe? If she plays with it for 20 hours than that's $12.50/hour. Sell it in a year for half-price. Whatever. If you refuse to do it then yes, warn her beforehand. Still think you should do it, but it's your choice, obviously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does she know about this stuff? How old is your DD?

I guess mine is still pretty young, but she doesn't even know these things exist yet...she's in K.

She’s 8. I’m not really sure. Girl talk at school and play dates? Gifts she sees at birthday parties?

I wondered the same, OP. Our 8yo was only recently introduced to LOL dolls by a friend who gave her a present at her bday party (even though we said no gifts please, although that's another thread, lol). However, she doesn't know about any other LOL toys. She's really never even had a specific ask for Christmas--she doesn't get exposed to a lot of product marketing.

Curious, does your kid watch a lot of TV, with commercials? Ours gets limited screens, and only Netflix on the weekends with no commercials--so that may explain how your kid is getting wind of so many toys.

If I were in your shoes and didn't want to limit TV consumption, I might just set specific limits with the price of large presents.

[Anonymous]

She is the child, you are the parent. If you don't want her to have something, she doesn't get it. Period.
When you were a kid, did you get EVERY toy you ever wanted?