[richard plumb]

I have this 'discussion' every year with my wife.

me: 'we need a couple more presents for the kids'
her: 'what, we have plenty, stop wasting money'
me: 'hmmph'


this year although I'm having trouble thinking of stuff for my 9-year-old son, it still feels like we don't have that many. I think we have about four presents each, including <£10 stocking fillers and the most expensive being about £20 (Jessie doll from disney store). I remember coming down to a table full of stuff when I was little. Its not how much we spend, more about the number of things to unwrap.

So, how many presents roughly do you get your kids? Any issues finding a balance with your other half?

[sniffer66]

We do a stocking (felt sack with their name on) at the end of their bed, left by Father Christmas. That usually has about 10 small presents in it - annual, small game, satsuma, sweets, comic, footy cards etc they open that upstairs in our room and then we all go downstairs to see what Father Christmas has also left under the tree

This is usually 3 or 4 bigger presents - i.e dolls house, bike, pushchair, PS3 game

We always did it this way ourselves a kids and draws the whole process out a bit. Otherwise its over in a few minutes. We also have a stocking each ourselves as we are big kids

The other thing i do to make it special is make "magic father Christmas snow prints " on the carpet with a boot as a template and shaking icing sugar from a sieve. I have them leading from the fireplace to the tree

[danmc_82]

We wont be getting our little boy loads this christmas as he's still only 13 months old. 4/5 presents max.

When I was younger like you I'd come down to an armchair FULL of presents. Now we were no where near well off back then (my mum was a single parent) but she always found a way to get us loads of presents.

They weren't expensive, around £5 - £15 each but then we'd have a main present which was normally big and expensive.

This is how I'd like my little boy to remember christmas.

[Steven]

I think eight presents for one child is more than enough. If you don't feel they are adequate surely it'd be better to go for one big one rather than under-compensate in your mind with lots of fillers? This is just the impression I get from your post, feel free to correct

I remember one year, could have been 5, where it was made clear enough my birthday present was to cover xmas as well How times have changed. I was speaking to my work supervisor the other week and we agreed kids these days expect nothing less than the fanciest games consoles and whatnot, and they know about that stuff. Her grandson has a full on mini-quad bike thing (with safety lead that cuts the engine if he falls off)

[danmc_82]

Originally Posted by sniffer66

I have them leading from the fireplace to the tree

Thats a really good idea

If you dont have a fire, lead it to one of your radiators

[sniffer66]

Originally Posted by danmc_82

Thats a really good idea

If you dont have a fire, lead it to one of your radiators

The look on my 4 and 6 year olds faces the first year was fantastic and I've done it ever since. My son is 9 this year though so I'll need to get the vacuum out sharpish so he doesnt cotton on

I also make sure to take a bite out of the carrot and leave some mince pie crumbs scattered about

[rickinyorkshire]

I don't think you can put a number on it really, for my boy this year who's 4 in march i've got him a bike as his main and then prob 2 - 3 smaller ones.

[DJT75]

Originally Posted by sniffer66

The other thing i do to make it special is make "magic father Christmas snow prints " on the carpet with a boot as a template and shaking icing sugar from a sieve. I have them leading from the fireplace to the tree

Genius

[ldoodle]

Originally Posted by sniffer66

The other thing i do to make it special is make "magic father Christmas snow prints " on the carpet with a boot as a template and shaking icing sugar from a sieve. I have them leading from the fireplace to the tree

As genius as that sounds, I would be following you round hoovering it up; can't stand mess like that

But I might pass this idea on to my brother

[Jenn]

In France most people celebrate Xmas on the 24th evening. We put on a good meal, presents under the tree and if there are children in the family, Santa (a man of the family shhhh!) comes with a bag full of more presents for everyone.
In my family, everyone would get together so we're talking 8 adults and 6 children.

That means there were A LOT of presents under the tree without even trying and I think parents bought one main good present for their child plus 2-3 smaller ones but because there were gifts from uncles, aunts and grand parents you would have plenty to open.

With the english way parents are kind of forced to buy more to make it more "spectacular" in the morning but I think one main present and some smaller ones (2-3?) + a few stocking fillers are plenty enough.
I'd just stick to buying what the child has specifically asked for or shown interest in rather than buy loads of stuff they might like but never play with.

[sniffer66]

Originally Posted by Jenn

In France most people celebrate Xmas on the 24th evening. We put on a good meal, presents under the tree and if there are children in the family, Santa (a man of the family shhhh!) comes with a bag full of more presents for everyone.
In my family, everyone would get together so we're talking 8 adults and 6 children.

That means there were A LOT of presents under the tree without even trying and I think parents bought one main good present for their child plus 2-3 smaller ones but because there were gifts from uncles, aunts and grand parents you would have plenty to open.

With the english way parents are kind of forced to buy more to make it more "spectacular" in the morning but I think one main present and some smaller ones (2-3?) + a few stocking fillers are plenty enough.
I'd just stick to buying what the child has specifically asked for or shown interest in rather than buy loads of stuff they might like but never play with.

I'm not sure everyone follows the "English" way all around the country

As kids we had a pillowcase at the end of our beds, then a few presents under the tree. Then On Christmas afternoon we'd go to my nans for present handing out from every relation to each other - the pile under the tree was huge. We'd have about 25 of us so that would last about 2 hours with one of the older men dressed up as father Christmas and everyone opening individually. We'd then play party games, bingo and cards until the early hours.
Then on Boxing day we'd do lunch and the same thing all over again with the other side of the family and another 25 relos and presents each. None of the presents were huge but you always had tons. As kids we also had to buy for everyone

We still do the above every Xmas and Boxing day and have always thought it was odd that people had all their presents in a few minutes on Xmas morning and that was it !

[Mr Noble]

I'd buy things just for the fun of it if i had the cash

I've already gave him 2 presents to play with

Our parents have got him spoilt rotten though , and i told them they have to stop as there won't be enough room to fit it all in his room , he still has one of those Ride in cars Porshe boxster from last christmas sat in it's box as there is no room for it

[NooBish AbbZ 92]

Originally Posted by sniffer66

The other thing i do to make it special is make "magic father Christmas snow prints " on the carpet with a boot as a template and shaking icing sugar from a sieve. I have them leading from the fireplace to the tree

I don't care I'm 18. That's AWESOME!!

[Jenn]

Originally Posted by Mr Noble

Our parents have got him spoilt rotten though , and i told them they have to stop as there won't be enough room to fit it all in his room , he still has one of those Ride in cars Porshe boxster from last christmas sat in it's box as there is no room for it

I know the feeling!

[TheTrancelator]

Originally Posted by sniffer66

The other thing i do to make it special is make "magic father Christmas snow prints " on the carpet with a boot as a template and shaking icing sugar from a sieve. I have them leading from the fireplace to the tree

My parents did this

But don't forget to leave the milk and mince pies out for santa

[jassco]

Originally Posted by sniffer66

The other thing i do to make it special is make "magic father Christmas snow prints " on the carpet with a boot as a template and shaking icing sugar from a sieve. I have them leading from the fireplace to the tree

what a cracking thing to do, I'm actually going to do this for my other half this year

[sniffer66]

Originally Posted by jassco

what a cracking thing to do, I'm actually going to do this for my other half this year

Thanks. I'll see if I can dig out a pic. I do it before we go to bed so its there in the morning

[Rog69]

Originally Posted by +Jamie+

My parents did this

But don't forget to leave the milk and mince pies out for santa

Milk? Last year he polished off four bottles of beer at our place

I am so pinching the footprints idea this year though.

We have an open fireplace in our dining room and Father Christmas keeps knocking the basket of logs over when he visits us every year, much to the annoyance of my four year old who will now give bemused looking santas a telling off every time she meets one. Last year he snagged his jacket on the edge of the fireplace and left a long read thread of cotton all through the downstairs of the house.

[Hopalong]

Me and the missis used to argue about this all the time.when I was a kid me and my sister got one present or money for our birthday but at Christmas we got loads of presents not all big stuff but generally we got one big thing which was known as the main gift then lots of little stuff like CDs games we where by no means spoilt. My wife on the other hand didn't generally get much at Xmas and it wasn't celebrated the same way as we did she had a crappy childhood to be honest but I'm not going into that now and it took me a long time to get her to enjoy Xmas and get into the idea of it being a fun occasion.
When we first had the kids she used to go mad saying you've giving them to much they won't appreciate it but to be honest that what makes my Xmas giving them the feeling that the presents never end and it doesn't have to be expensive stuff I even wrapped up sweets for them. It's mainly for my benefit than the kids if I'm honest I love the look of joy and expectation on there faces. Especially when I hide the one gift I know they want the most and they have to go find it
This Xmas we had to sit them down though and explain to them that this year Santa won't be as generous and to be honest they didn't seem to bothered they just asked if our friends where still coming round to play games like they do every year.
Kids are resilient little things personally I think as long as you make it a fun and exciting day for them they won't be getting the calculator out to work out how much they got this year IMHO .
From experience my mum told me that back in the 80s my dad was out of work for 2 years and we didn't get much for those Christmases or birthdays but I carnt remember that at all I just remember the fun stuff

[bjarvis2785]

this year we're getting the little one kitchen as her main present (a toy one of course )
Last weekend we went and got 5 or 6 medium presents.
I've set a limit this year of £250 for the little one, and so we've got approx £50 left to get little things.

Last year was absolutely rediculous... we filled (and i do mean filled) our 4 seater sofa right the way across with present for the little one... it was her first xmas, and she won't remember any of it, but it was just a good feeling when we were opening them all with her

[THE AMATUER]

I'd say setting a limit to how much you spend is better (£100, £150 or whatever you can afford), not the quantity of presents. Maybe one or two big presents and then what is left over buy a few little ones. Some parents go way over the top at xmas. There is someone in my family who buys so many presents they are literally stacked up waist high (seriously no exaggeration). I was round there a few xmas's ago and their kids where just ripping the paper off chucking the toy to the side and then opening the next one in such excitement they weren't even looking at what they got. I thought it was pretty obscene to be honest. They never played with most of the stuff. One of the kids got 10 PS3 games amongst his pile of presents, thats just stupid in my opinion.

[gken74]

We're wondering what to get our 2 year old twins for Xmas as they do get presents throughout the year (hotdeals has a lot to answer for)

They are at the stage where they still don't understand Xmas so it's a bit lost on them still. We'll not go daft though as the grandparents do go OTT

[sniffer66]

This was my first effort in 2005 - I've gotten a little more artistic since then (and we've gotten rid of the blue carpet, and the sofas, and the plasma, stand and light painted walls)

Still got the kids sacks with their names embroidered on though

[Adams0211]

If I'm honest, we go completely overboard at Xmas. My wife's family have never celebrated Xmas so her first experience of Xmas was when she started seeing me when she was seventeen. Since we've had the kids (four of them) she wants them to enjoy Xmas like she never did - whatever the cost.

Thankfully the youngest two (both under 18 months) haven't got a clue what it's all about. It's a different story with the older two though. Last year they both had PSP's plus games, the year before it was DS's, and that's before the all the rest of the presents.

This year they've got a PS3 (for the whole family really) and kinect as "main" presents plus Lego, dvd's, board games, video games, books, Toy Story stuff, clothes.

All in all, I guess-timate that Xmas has set me back around £1200. Expensive but more than worth it.

I sound like I'm complaining - I'm not at all. I absolutely love it.

[quarry2006]

I've gone a bit OTT this year to compensate for the fact that my kids now only have grandparents on the wife's side. I've looked on the money that's been left to me in the will as something with which I can use to treat my family to a really special Christmas.

Both my kids write a letter to Santa and they never get everything that's on the list but they always get a "main" present each. Most importantly, though, they also write a thank you letter to Santa in January.

[richard plumb]

I'm having a crisis this year. Daughter is sorted, but all we have is a couple of books for my son (which he'll love) but nothing else. No hints from the kids or anything to help steer us.

aaargh!

[quarry2006]

And only a month to go. I feel your pain.

So, the boy is 9. What's he into? If he's into Star Wars then that's easy as there's loads of stuff and if you spend £50 at Smyths you get a free lightsabre wall light

[Desmo]

Originally Posted by richard plumb

I'm having a crisis this year. Daughter is sorted, but all we have is a couple of books for my son (which he'll love) but nothing else. No hints from the kids or anything to help steer us.

aaargh!

You mean no demands? No long list of "I want this, I want that"? Sounds like a nice son compared to some of things I hear about Christmas lists

[richard plumb]

he's fantastic. Doesn't spend his pocket money, doesn't ask for much. But he could throw us a bone!

[quarry2006]

Originally Posted by Desmo

You mean no demands? No long list of "I want this, I want that"? Sounds like a nice son compared to some of things I hear about Christmas lists

My sister's daughter - I suppose I should say "niece" but we're not especially close - is materialistic to the nth. She will say "I'm getting..." as opposed to "I have asked for..." or "I would like...". But then, her mother is a benefit cheat so I suppose the child is brought up with a very skewed version of the world