Gift Giving Survey

In our family, the grandparents just give one bigger gift $50-100 and sometimes 1-2 smaller items. He used to receive gifts from all his cousins but this year the cousins are picking names and only exchanging with one person to cut down on the insane number of toys. In our immediate family we have a tradition where we give our son one gift each night for seven nights. That way he can enjoy each one without just being overwhelmed by a pile of gifts. Santa brings a stocking full of a few smaller toys, some favorite snacks, and some fruit.

Since I'm a pretty obnoxious budgeter (think spreadsheets), we set a price for everyone--including our kids. We aim for between $50-100 each, depending on what the gifts are. $50 goes a lot further for our 7 month-old than for the 4 year-old! This year we are trying to cut w-a-y back because a) we have not been able to convince the relatives not to go overboard and b) we're trying to limit the amount of "junk" we accumulate, especially with all the cheap imports and recalls. Some things to consider are gifts that may not *seem* like gifts. For example, we are giving my son a nightstand for Christmas. The idea is that it will be our way of presenting him with the privelege to stay up in bed reading for a few minutes after we tuck him in. It will be a place to keep his lamp and a few books, maybe a sip of water. So that's the real gift, and we'd have to buy him a nightstand anyway. Win-win! As for the baby, he loves anything for the mouth, so we're thinking Gerber puffs and biter buscuits make the perfect stocking stuffers! :)

We have 1 daughter, so we splurge a little more than others I suppose. We get her one big ticket item from Santa (This year, a dollhouse bigger than her, last year, it was a Kitchen) Approx $150, plus a few other items from Santa including stocking stuffers, so round it up to about 200.00 from Santa. Then, we give her a few smallish gifts from mom and dad, things I know she needs, but am picky about those items...Hat/Mittens, shoes she wants, a board game we can play as a family, etc.) So, we probably spend 50-75 from us. It seems excessive, but we only have one and will probably only have one so we spoil her a bit. She does end up getting alot at once, because she also has a december birthday, so some of the gifts she's gotten from x-mas, we have saved for later (secretly) or have donated a few of her less favorite items, or ones that are too young for her to get the full enjoyment of the gift.

We have a 2 year old and a 6 month old. For the 2 year old he's getting a couple wiggles videos, a couple books, a manipulative toy and we're buying a children's folding table...the folding table is for his crafts downstairs...we figured we need one, so since we're spending the $ it's for christmas. Our youngest will get 2 or 3 gifts. He's only 6 months so he really doesn't need anything, but we're doing it so our 2 year old, starts to understand that everyone, not just him gets stuff.

Currently we buy for our nephews, but there's only 2. As the family expands on both sides, I think we'll have to revaluate the situation.

We don't have a set amount to spend as they get older, but I thin, the more expensive gifts will come from mom and dad and the less expensive things will come from Santa. We currently don't put $ asside for Christmas, but that's something we'll start doing in a couple years.

CT,

My experience is that the "less is more" principle definately applies to Christmas. We have always done a comparitively modest Christmas ($25-50 per kid) from mom and dad. Santa always gives fun but practical gifts that fit in a stocking like toothbrushes, toothpaste and shampoo with favorite cartoon characters on it. The kids love this.

My kids also get gifts from grandparents (also $25-50 per kid) so they are getting more than from just us. Last year I did a little more ($60-75 per kid) plus an aunt came with presents and I really regretted it. The kids were so unappreciative of the abundance of gifts they had - even fought over stuff and complained about what they got. They couldn't even play with it all - just sat in piles.

This year they will still get toys from grandparents but we are giving them just boots, coats and snow pants as we are moving from a warm climate. The kids know that is what is coming and they are so excited about their boots. I think in the future we will just buy a family pass to the zoo or children's museum as their presents from mom and dad.

For birthdays we usually just have cake & friends at home. Because our house is on the market I didn't want kids in it and opted to do my son's birthday at Chick-Fil-A. I explained that this WAS the birthday present from us and he could open presents from his friends. He got so many presents from friends I doubt he would have even noticed if we did buy him a gift. He was totally happy with what he got.

Merry Christmas,
S.

I usually go by the kid I spend the most on, but not over $100 per child. I spend as close to the same as I can on each child. Then after I have spent all the money I figure out what will be from mom & dad and what will be from Santa. Have fun!

We have alway done one bigger gift from santa and stocking stuffers. The rest of the gifts come from mom and dad (us). We just really want our kids to focus on the true meaning of what Christmas is all about, the birthday of Jesus. Although santa is a fun thing to look forward to and celebrate we make it more about family fun and our faith!

We don't give much to our kids, since they get gifts from 2 sets of grandparents, aunties and uncles, too! They just don't need so much stuff. Consider that into your planning, if you have extended family gifts, too.

This year, it will be 3 gifts each - one larger item and 2 smaller ones. My kids are 4-1/2 and 1-1/2. Also, I sometimes wrap up things they need anyway - they just love to open things when they are little. Things like a new toothbrush, socks, fancy undies, new mittens and hat, etc. That way, you aren't spending more on toys, but rather things you have to buy anyway. I always try to think of just a few gifts that they really want, or I know they would really enjoy. Definitely quality over quantity!

My husband and I decided to give the kids one bigger or cool toy that they really wanted, maybe some little stuff on the side, but not very much. I'm talking toothbrushes, clothing, bath soap, basic things. We always make the one really cool thing that was a special request be the thing we got for them. Santa and his reindeer take care of the rest. Their favorite part is that they can't figure out how Santa knows they need new pants or a new toothbrush, because those aren't things they told him about.

We just like the idea of letting our kids know where the cool stuff comes from, because as they get older, I think it's important to know that Mom and Dad do a lot.

Have a great holiday weekend!

My daughter(6)

GreatGrandparents $200.00 cash
Grandpa/his girlfriend 6-10 gifts(clothes,few toys)
Uncle 1 gift
Mommy/Santa roughly 5-8 gifts each
Stocking,I do things like new socks,lipgloss,little toys, candy etc...

My daughter's father's side no longer see's her and therfore no longer give gifts... But she used to get a ton from that side of the family as well.

It works out where she opens a bunch at our house xmas morning enough to work out great then goes to Grandpa's house and opens a bunch there. It was overwhelming when she was little but now that she's older and wants more exspensive things therefore might not get as many it's just right.

I do let her open something Christmas Eve.. but try and contain myself from only letting her open 1 thing.

I know alot of families let their kids open a gift on xmas eve and it's always a nice pair of red pajamas they can wear immediately. I always thought that was a nice idea.

This year I'm not talking to my dad or brother so I'm guessing we won't be spending the holidays with them so I may get her a few more gifts since she won't be getting anything from them.(they skipped my daughter's b-day too) nothing like taking it out on the innocent child.

I am also thinking of paying for gymnastics for my daughter and possibly not giving as many presents because she doesn't really need anything. Her room is already a zoo of toys.

I just concentrate on making xmas morning magical just enough presents to make it exciting and I try very hard to not over do it.

I have never really added up the $$ spent on each child, we just try to give an equal amount of gifts. I buy everything and as I wrap them I decide if they are from us or Santa.
My daughter just turned 10 last month, so she may get less presents, because she would get an expensive one. However, she is old enough to understand that.
My 4 yr old doesn't really care how many toys he gets at this time. However, this year he wants a train table, so if that is what we decide to get him, he wouldn't be getting anything else from us, only santa. I am not sure how that will work this year.
Now with my 3 1/2wk old, we may buy her a few presents, but nothing huge. I think the other kids would wonder why she didn't get anything from us or Santa if we didn't get anything.
This year will be hard since I have not been working for over a month because of having the baby so we don't have as much money to spend. However, we don't want that to affect the kids Christmas, but luckly for us the kids just had their Birthdays last month so they don't need or want much....

We don't get our still young children much for Christmas. I fill their stockings with little things, and they will probably each get one or two gifts from us and one from Santa. We get so much from aunties and Grandma's that I think that we will go into greed/gift overload if we give much more.

Plus I like to think that we are setting expectations for not too many gifts at Christmas. My parents didn't have much and we always had a great holiday without a ton of stuff. We always just had one gift from Santa. I like that tradition, that with a full stocking.

I really believe that kids have SO MUCH more than we ever had when I was a kid... it is a bit crazy. I have to constantly remind myself that they have more than enough all ready... I do think that we have much more stuff (toys, clothes, furniture, etc.) than my parents did when we were young. I think it partly comes from having kids later and that we just have more cash available than if we had started our family in our early 20's instead of 30's.

J.
SAHM to 2 1/2 Charlie and 11 month Joey

we have a 5 yr and 2 1/2yr...we spend about $100-$125 on each. Some of the toys we now buy they can both play with. Also, we know the toys get passed down and we have two girls, so the 5 yr old may get a more expensive toy. We are very careful about what we get and read reviews so we are not buying junk. Also, we save a few things for aunts/uncles to buy so we are not buying duplicates.