Christmas presents

[ailbhe]

When I look at what other people are buying / have bought for their children, I feel like we're being really stingy and mean, but when I look at what we actually have bought for our children, I feel like they're getting a ton of stuff.

This would all be so much easier with actual rules.

Comments

[iuil.livejournal.com]

My problem is that I forget what I've already bought and buy more. In theory, it would be a lot less :-/

[jentifred.livejournal.com]

My kids have a lot to open, but that's really only because from October onward I save a lot of things that I would buy anyway and wrap them as gifts. Pajamas, art supplies, and books are all going under the tree as gifts. Besides that, they're getting one toy each, a little bit of Lego, and a couple of board games.

[kateaw]

I've bought Beth very little (financial constraints and being away for the festivities), but I know she will have plenty to open on the day as her paternal grandmother doesn't know when to stop buying ;)

She also has three aunts, an uncle, two cousins and friends who will give her something.

I also feel a little stingy but am living with it :)

[tiggsybabes.livejournal.com]

Kate & Holly get far less than most of their friends, but we only have 1 income. It also seems natural, as my parents never went overboard, so that to me is the way it's done. One of Kate's best friends (& her 5 year old brother) are each getting a laptop & a DSi! I thought it was a joke when their mum told me!

Then again, we had lunch at McDonalds yesterday & then spent £33 on tickets to see Up in 3d, so we spend money on family outings through the year.

[schmoomom.livejournal.com]

I'm with you! I feel like we don't have much, but they're going to get showered by relations (being the only grandchildren on B's side of the family). 3 things from Santa, 1 thing from us. Oh, did I mention the birthdays coming up? Yeah, this Friday and the 23rd. We throw more presents at them for bdays than Xmas.

[kelvix.livejournal.com]

I'm not actually sure there will be much of a Christmas here *at all* - but I don't think B will notice - he's got no friends here to compare with, and no build up to Christmas to excite him. It's probably the last year that this is possible. He doesn't seem to notice new *things* - rather he notices happy people, people who talk to him and people who play with him.

I'm terrified of being without money. And he seems to get a lot of enjoyment out of the things he has.

But I do feel slightly worried and guilty at being so careful with money that we get new toys so rarely.

[ailbhe]

We only ever got new toys at Christmas or when my aunt from America visited. We got new clothes and new underwear at Christmas too. The last year we were at home for it, a lot of my children's Christmas presents came from Freecycle.

[kelvix.livejournal.com]

I remember clothes being part of Birthday and Christmas presents when I was a child too - and it seems, through force of circumstances, that I am relearning how to live in the 70s - no TV on tap, hardly any toys, and learning what to do with yourself when you get bored. In my son's case, this means foraging for food. Because he has not eaten in an hour or so...

[ailbhe]

There are worse ways to live. The clothes were less gender-segregated back then too.

[(Anonymous)]

The rule is probably something like "do what is right for your family and don't compare yourselves to other people" :)

We did a Little House on the Prairie Christmas one year after reading it to the big girls - the kids were 8, 6, 4 and 2 - and from us they only got stockings (with a tin cup, a little cake, etc) (though I drew the line at swimming rivers!), and we gave the money we would have spent on 'tree' presents to charity. That was good :) Now I should read it to the younger two this year ;-)

Alison

[flybabydizzy.livejournal.com]

I don't think children particularly remember the gifts at Christmas, because those items become part of their everyday lives. They do remember the people, family rituals and events.
My 20 year old daughter commented last week about our practice of opening presents gradually over several days, rather than having one big tearing session, followed by days of anticlimax. We remember going to the Nativity service at church, the year x ate too many crisps, and was sick, the year the oven element blew up, etc.
Kelvix - a child having 'happy people, people who talk to him and people who play with him' is giving your son much much more than many children will get this Christmas, even some of those who do get a DSwhatever'. A couple of hours making cakes with mummy is more precious than most toys.

[(Anonymous)]

"I don't think children particularly remember the gifts at Christmas, because those items become part of their everyday lives. They do remember the people, family rituals and events."

So true :)

Often I find no one can remember what was received last year for Christmas or birthdays. Two years ago we were with family in Canada - there weren't many presents, but they all remember the fantastic holiday and the 24 people along a long trestle table for Christmas dinner :)

We probably have more fun thinking about what presents to give them!

Alison

[ailbhe]

I do remember a lot of what we got - not just my own things but my sister's also - but that could be because Christmas *was* when we got things (new clothes, new underwear, books, toys). Perhaps for children who get stuff all year round it's less of a big deal. Must think about that.

[micheinnz.livejournal.com]

We have a spending limit for presents, and it's quite a low one comparing with some other people.

What gets me is the co-worker who spends hundreds of dollars on each of his two kids at Christmas and is constantly whining about not having enough money. Wonder when he'll put two and two together.

[ailbhe]

We don't have a limit per se, it's just that what seems to me like an AWFUL LOT looks like an awful lot less than most people seem to get. However, it only actually matters if Linnea is old enough to notice that other children have a lot more (she does remark on it sometimes, most of her friends have a lot more than she has in terms of Plastic Stuff).

[(Anonymous)]

I know you've said before that she thinks we have more stuff than she does. But of course we've had 40 child-years in which to acquire it all, and you've had about 9. It makes a difference :)

Alison

[ailbhe]

I am aware that I am carrying a lot of baggage from my own childhood here. It's difficult to see what is my baggage and what is me actually being stingy.