If anyone gives my kids toys for Christmas, I might scream.
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Anonymous
+1. Kids are always “borrowing” and never returning toys to our school, so replacements would be great. |
Anonymous
Not OP, but that's not my issue. Unlike OP, my parents (really my mom) buy my kids lots of cheap-o toys. The PP who said grandma with the TJ Maxx haul nailed it. We don't have space for it, and my kids don't play with them. If she were buying Lego sets or Magnatiles or sports equipment or any of the other suggestions on this thread, that would be great! But she resists all attempts at wish lists, gift suggestions, etc. She likes them to open a lot of gifts without a lot of rhyme or reason on whether the gifts are appropriate (one example: a 1000-piece puzzle that is basically all one color that she gave them last year). Yes, I donate and give away on Buy Nothing, but it does take time and effort, and it would be so much better not to receive it in the first place. |
Anonymous
That particular thing drives me nuts because then you end up with your kids saying “why did Santa bring cousin larlo an x box plus a lower ranger set plus a drum set plus a robot plus 4 new Xbox games plus a bike and all Santa brought me was one thing? Does Santa love larlo more? Was larlo better than me this year?” I have a sibling that goes waaaaay overboard on Santa presents and there were very uncomfortable years trying to explain to my kids the disparity. I would have skipped Christmas there but it would have chased WwIii (and eventually did cause a mini world war when I put my foot down and stopped going.). I feel like with Santa and the tooth fairy there is an unstated social contract not to go too overboard. |
Anonymous
“Poor OP?” Please. If only you had real problems… |
Anonymous
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Anonymous
It’s not. Thrift stores will take used toys that aren’t broken. Many you can even use a drop box and never have to deal with a person. But it’s sooooo hard to put them in a box or a trash bag and take them to the drop off point. Poor, pitiful OP, |
Anonymous
Giving kids gifts on Christmas is not about giving them what's needed. That's YOUR job, all year. That's why kids HATE gifts like socks and pajamas, or don't you realize that is a standard joke? |
Anonymous
The post said "the holidays," not Christmas. I'm guessing you don't realize those things are standard Hanukkah gifts. Now you know! |
Anonymous
No way! My kids got a Disney trip last year from the grandparents and they were over the top excited on Christmas morning. It was all they talked about. My son also got a train trip one year that he was thrilled with. |
Anonymous
This is the type of thing where the gift giver is making it about *them*, which is rude. Giving a gift should be about the recipient and whether it’s something they would enjoy and could use. Sure a gracious recipient will say thank you with a smile. But let’s not pretend that disrespecting boundaries and buying age-inappropriate/junky stuff so the gift giver can pat themselves on the back isn’t selfish. And so many grandparents (mine included) specifically say they want to gift lots of (or really big) items so they can see the kids’ eyes light up or whatever. Let’s be real … they are doing it for their own benefit in some backwards attempt to be fawned over by the kids. They want to be adored and told how amazing they are for buying it. And I’ve seen it backfire where a kid doesn’t act appropriately excited about the gift and the grandparent gets upset. I think if a relative is told that your child isn’t into XYZ, or that something is age-inappropriate, or that your house is too small to store it, or even that something is not in line with your family’s values (such as some families not wanting their kids to have toy weapons) and the family member continues to gift the child that type of gift, it is manipulative and disrespectful to the parents. |
Anonymous
| You have to just accept gifts graciously and then deal with them. If you don’t have time to deal with donations, put them in the trash and never think about it again. Some of you people just love the drama. |
Anonymous
That is exactly what they do. We suggest ninja courses, slack lines, climbing dome, soccer balls and goals…nope. They want to give multiple, small gifts (that easily equal $200). More trucks, legos, and other small toys that we truly do not need. |
Anonymous
Yup. They still had most of it when we moved them out of their house last year. |
Anonymous
A Disney trip is not comparable whatsoever to a museum or zoo membership — but then, you already knew that. |
Anonymous
Get on the local buy nothing or free cycle and offer them up. People will probably take them especially in this season. |