Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All of the gifts come from Santa. The kids get the same amount of gifts. This year, they each got ten plus stockings.

Do your kids not give others gifts? That's a big thing for us - the giving.

My children are still young and believe in Santa.

I work in the homeless advocacy arena, so my children are exposed to giving 365 days a year through other avenues. Not to be snarky, but having your child buy or even a make a gift for their parents/siblings/grandparents won't yield the result you are hoping for; your methods merely promote commercialism (bankrolled by you).

Too many! We start reasonable. Perhaps 4-5 per kid. Then DH inevitably decides on like the 22nd that we need more... and that's another (random) 2-3 gifts. Our nanny goes nuts this time of year so that's another 2-4 presents each. Neighbors/friends add another couple. Two sets of grandparents - another 3-4. In town aunts/uncles - another 2. Can you add all that up? I can't. My kids were OD'ing on gifts by the end of the day. And I feel like unless I buy nothing... or am a Grinch about outside gifts, it will continue to spiral out of control.

Santa- some chocolates and maybe a Christmas mug, a book, and a small toy
Parents- 4: something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read
Grandparents: experience gift plus something small to open

Anonymous wrote:All of the gifts come from Santa. The kids get the same amount of gifts. This year, they each got ten plus stockings.

Do your kids not give others gifts? That's a big thing for us - the giving.

All of the gifts come from Santa. The kids get the same amount of gifts. This year, they each got ten plus stockings.

Anonymous wrote:I think a good solution to this dilemma for older Santa-believing kids (who are already comparing with others and asking questions) is to say that Santa doesn't like to upset anyone, including parents, so the number/type of gifts he brings depends on how the kids' parents feel about toys.

In my experience, kids who are at the point cognitively where they're questioning this and comparing numbers, are cognitively at the point where they are detecting other holes in the Santa story. They might choose to hold on to the belief for several more years, but only because they choose not to look too closely at the whole thing.

5 for each kid and stocking stuff. Nothing from parents.

My two kids got 9 each from Santa plus 2 joint gifts from him. They each had fairly small stacks. Our tree was pretty tame compared to many of the trees I saw posted on FB. Some of the gifts were high quality, and some were simple things like markers and nice coloring books.

I think a good solution to this dilemma for older Santa-believing kids (who are already comparing with others and asking questions) is to say that Santa doesn't like to upset anyone, including parents, so the number/type of gifts he brings depends on how the kids' parents feel about toys.

10-15 per kid, plus stockings.

Santa is the only one who brings presents in our house. No extended family. Mom and dad give PJs, ornaments, a Christmas book and Christmas lego set on Christmas Eve. All the other gifts come from Santa.

We don't do toys or video games throughout tue year. Fun stuff happens at Chrsitmas and Bdays.

I did a lot of breaking things up into smaller packages so they fit in the stocking. So a packet of hot wheels might become 3 presents.

My kid generally gets maybe a dozen things in and around his stocking, some small in price (e.g. A favorite candy bar or a hot wheels) and some more expensive (e.g. New ski goggles, a board game, the Thomas engine that takes batteries).

Big presents under the tree and were from parents or other relatives.

I realize that is backwards from most families.

Santa - 7ish
Parents - 5
Relatives - 10ish

A lot. But we're cleaning out the playroom after today to make space for these toys - old ones go to storage, charity, friends, etc.

We did maybe 4 from Santa, a few from mom and dad, plus presents from grandparents, etc. Too many for my taste really but...

Anonymous wrote:7 each for two kids. I dont understand the parents that give one present on Christmas, but spoil the kids the other 364 days. If you want to teach your kids not to be materialistic, you have to do it year round. We teach our kids to be careful with what they spend money on year round , but we give a lot on Christmas.

I don't get why Christmas is such a big deal and why you wouldn't spread out gifts all year round. Kids can have a good concept of money buy understanding spending all year. Makes no sense to do a huge amount at Christmas and little all year.

4 each from santa

6 each from parents