What do you think?

On another forum I go to, one woman posted a pic of the presents she'd bought her kids, there was a HUGE stash of them.. said she'd spend about 400 pounds all together (3 kids) which is around $1200 NZD..

My question is: Do you think Christmas is about giving your kids lots of presents? Why/why not? Just curious..

I am a very D.I.Y kinda girl, always have been.. so I am not buying lots of toys for Ella. I've made her some clothes and have a few other things, but I see no reason to buy her loads of toys.. she does not need them, not to mention most of them are only played with a few times then disregarded!

So what do you think?

Yes I forgot to mention that lol.. It is about the giving, and I want Ella to grow up and realise that. Also that putting thought into a present or even better, making it yourself - *most* people will appreciate that more than a really expensive present.

Next year and the years following we wont buy our child lots of presents. I think that its a waste of money, young children generally get present from grandparents etc as well. I think it's cool to get kids something really special to them (doesn't have to cost lots) and i like the idea that my aunt came up with which was a small stocking full of lots of funky little things like paints, play doh and creative things like that.

I think some peope are insane with what they buy their kids for presents. My mother is one of them. It is embarrassing to see what she gets my sisters kids - to the extent where there is atually nothing left for my sister and her DP to buy their own kids.

I do a small gift for each one at Christmas, and I take them out for their birthdays. To me memories are made by experiences, not by material objects.

For my own kids, I will do similar - a nice gift for the birthday and an event of some sort (zoo/kelly tarltons etc), for Christmas, something I know they will get a lot out of that year and a few little things.

Maya has been spoilt absolutely rotten every Xmas and birthday, mostly by my Dad, but the end result is that I have a house full of toys she never even plays with. Seriously, this kids has so many toys, she has a whole Little People world including castle, school, discovery village etc., a full set of baby doll accessories (change table, 2 prams, cot, portacot, high chair plus clothes, bottles, baby lotions and potions etc.) plus about 10 dolls to go with it), 2 bikes... the list goes on. And she spends 90% of her time at home drawing, so she doesn't even use all the stuff she has.

So this year I have put my foot down. No more clutter for my house. She is getting a Leap Pad, books and puzzles from me,and thats it. And my Dad better behave himself too! I don't want her to grow up to be a spoilt brat, and I want her to learn that Xmas is as muchabout spending time with family as it is about getting 'stuff'.

Ha! So on the other forum that woman obviously wanted support in spending so much, so she started another thread.. wanting to know how much everyone was spending on their kids.. and not surprisingly, everyone apart from me said they would spend lots.. I don't get it? Why do some people think money=love??

Emma, my girls are the same as Maya.. we have such a big family.. i'm one of 6, and mikes got all his aunts and uncles etc, and with the other 3 granddaughters on my side being at the "too cool for barbies give me make-up" stage my girls get a heap.. especially from my older sis in Hamilton.. which i don't mind at all except we are running out of room and getting alot of double ups, we do buy a few things.. but then we also get rid of alot too.. we use them while they are educational for the kids - which i tend to buy stuff that actually is worth it, not just cos it looks cool or is in fad.. i like the educational stuff too, then get rid of them.. hence we are a bit of trade-me freaks, but i'm not one for having stacks of toys around too much (am thinking that toy box in the corner needs to go actually right now).. i think for me it feels bad to get rid of something they were given last xmas.. but i mean Ayja was only just 6 or 7 months last year.. she has well and truely grown out of all the bubba stuff.. so it might go.


The things my girls like best are the arty stuff.. we got one of the those plastic sets of drawers with 4 drawers and in the top i put the bubbles and paints (adult assistance required stuff) the next is playdough, the next has collage stuff, magazines, paper and colouring books and the next is all the crayons, pens felts chalk etc.. and that is the first place they tend to go when they are home. it keeps it all organised and they know that the top drawer is stuff they have to ask for and have help with.

this year we have gone for shared pressies.. and we did that last year too.. with the cubby house. this year its a swing and slide as we finally have a yard.. and it's those things that will get the most use for the next few years. That said, you buy Paris a new book or puzzle and you'll be her best friend ever.

This is our first year without being on a student income too, and surpsingly, it's this year we have gottten less.. because for the first year i think we did go overboard as we had not had much as kids and thought that this was the way to compensate.. but you finally realise after a while that you are compensating for your own lost childhood.. you kid doesn't know the difference.

I'm just looking forward to the small amount of time i get with my girls on xmas day befor ie have to work. ick

Ah, the playcenter xmas party... we just had our creche one.

All the kids got great toys from Santa... Thomas the Tank Engine, Bob the Builder etc... Poor little Hannah got a $1 box of chalk. Deprived child. I'm so mean!

I didn't think much of it until she started going after all the other kids stuff. I might make a bit more of an effort next year (maybe the $2 shop? )

My Mum is so sick of the amount of toys her grandkids have that she now puts $25.00 into there bank account for Christmas and Birthday. Mine are to young to understand that but they still get presents from uncles and aunties so they don't notice. Mum struggled to know what was good amount to give but I told them $25 was plenty...she has 4 grandkids and it adds up esp when you have retired

We have so many kids in our family that mostly we don't buy for the older ones now anyway.. just the littlies under five, which consist of 3 boys including bailey, and then just my girls. I always buy for my big sister in Hamilton's kids.. I am thinking this year of doing some vouchers.. as my niece is very much into clothes shopping now, and her big brother usually gets lots of vouchers from people so puts them all together.

Busymum.. we got the drawers cos we had the art stuff stored everywhere, and this way its all together, and in groups so it's easy for paris to find what she wants and Paris was much more likely to use it rather than being stored away in some cupboard and having to ask us to get it all the time.. but it was still not too easily accesible for the small-and-mischeivious kind of inhabitants in our house. Paris is the only one that can open the drawers easily. and it takes up very little space.