What do you think?
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Topic: What do you think?
Posted By: meow
Subject: What do you think?
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 7:13pm
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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? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Replies:
Posted By: linda
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 7:55pm
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It is so not about giving lots of presents.
I remember going to my sisters once for Christmas. She gave her girls so many presents I was almost embarrassed for her. She'd been buying things through the year and putting them aside for Christmas so I think she just didn't realise what she got. I make sure each of the boys get something for each other and then santa gives some presents but it will be clothes, books and some toys. To me, the day is about being together with my family and having fun (and eating!) |
Posted By: meow
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 7:57pm
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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. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 8:01pm
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Absolutely not!!
I liked an idea I read in a Christian mag once...that you give your children based on the Frankencense, Myurr(sp?) and Gold given when Jesus was born. So you give your child one really nice present, it might be something big or expensive that they want. Then you give them something practical. Finally you give them something that smells nice ie bubble bath etc. I really liked this idea because I thought it bought back a more meaningful Christmas than making it all about presents and expensive toys for children. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 8:02pm
| 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. |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 8:09pm
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I usually procrastinate so long that I have to get pressies on the run!
Han was extremely happy with her $4.95 plastic tea party set for her birthday! (And that makes me feel even better when skimping on xmas pressie hehehe) Last year she got cloth nappies for xmas. Yay Hannah! |
Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 8:46pm
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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. -------------  
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Posted By: Bombshell
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 9:19pm
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we will hopefully repeat how i grew up - a santa sack, plenty of books, and loads of stuff but i know it did not cost my (solo) mother a lot at all but did i care then - no!
We will do pressies, and probably lots of them but that doesnt mean they will cost heaps. More often is less. Having said that we now are off to buy Dhs niece (9) a psp game for her for xmas as she is going overseas prior and that is what she wants.... We are however meant to be in usa next xmas so am sure bubs will be totally spoilt by rellies over there but the sacrifice for that will be having to go to at least one xmas church service with them (so much nicer when it is snowing tho!)... 
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Posted By: Maya
Date Posted: 13 November 2006 at 9:22pm
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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'. -------------  Maya Grace (28/02/03)
 (02/01/06)
The Gremlins:Sienna Marie & Mercedes Kailah (14/10/06)
Lil miss:Chiara Louise Chloe (09/07/08)
Her ladyship:Rosalia Sophie Anais (18/06/12)
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:21am
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I like to get a couple of special things that will mean something or are right for her/their learning level (like a puzzle or something). This year I really want to get some giant lego for putting together and taking apart, and I'll probably get Hannah a doll with clothes to take on and off (fine motor skills) for her birthday (2 days after).
We don't spend much. It started with (me) being brought up in a big and very frugal family, and then DH started studying full-time when we got married - a year before Hannah was born. So this coming Christmas will actually be the first year that we won't be on student income. As for lots of extra toys, after all the rush just quietly pack some away and bring them out again in a couple of months (especially when the rain starts). I always do this with our girls' toys now, we continually have a box in the lounge and a spare box packed away. It's better for play, they're not so overwhelmed, and it's sooooo much easier to keep tidy too. Wow another novel  ------------- |
Posted By: meow
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:40am
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?? ------------- http://lilypie.com">
http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Paws
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:42am
Because often the message that comes across is that it is the material things that matter. Sad huh?  ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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meow wrote:Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 3:50pm
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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  ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja 
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 7:55pm
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i am chronic with buying stuff for the kids. it's getting so that i have hardly anything new, but the kids have loads of stuff. that said, we only get the kids one big thing each - Jake has a soccer set, and Taine has a incrediblok thing (being brought over from Aus), PLUS Jake gets a bob the builder duplo set ($44-95 - down to $19-95!!!), some socks and a few bits and piece. Taine is giving him a tool box. oh, and he gets a dvd.
Taine gets his incrediblok thing, plus a wooden trolley, some blocks, and a tiger thing from Jake. I am also planning to get them some stuff to use in their playdough - rolling pins and cutters. And santa is giving them a playtent ($29-95 from countdown) and a slippery slide. Lewis thinks it is overboard and given that they have two nanas for thwich they are the ONLY grand and great-grand children, plus another who will go overboard, it may be a little too much. We are planning to buy a present to put under the KMart xmas tree. Oh, and have to get the boys something for the playcentre xmas party too. Maybe that will be the playdough stuff... |
Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:00pm
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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? )
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:09pm
That would be doubling your efforts Nikki 
Janine I love the idea of the crafts drawers, Hannah is really getting into those things now but I haven't figured out exactly where to store them, especially in a "new" house.... my biggest problem is that Briona still likes to chew on crayons/chalk, or draw them in the wrong places, so they are still rather supervised activities. ------------- |
Posted By: linda
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 8:41pm
| 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 |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 9:59pm
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Lewis' nana gives all her greats $10. Most of them are still young enough to think it's a million dollars. I give my nephew a $10 gift voncher rom the warehouse and apparently he gets really excited about it.
BTW Nikki, I got Jake and taine some chalk and they love it...well, Jake loves to draw with it and Taine likes to have a bit of a chew. |
Posted By: mum2paris
Date Posted: 14 November 2006 at 10:24pm
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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. ------------- Janine and her 2 cool chicks, Paris & Ayja
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Posted By: 11111
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 9:14am
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Ok so my friend is the same she goes way over board plus they have a huge family. Iwas feeling really stink when I saw how much she got her boy's compared to what we have for our's, but the way I see it like you Paws I want it t6o be about the real meaning of christmas and I want my children gorwing to really look after what they do have. I really think birthday's are far more important anyway. And because I want a big family there is no weay I can spend heap's on each child for christmas. ------------- Deborah Mum to:   
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Posted By: daikini
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 9:42am
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We spend (about) $100 on each kid (less when they are younger) for Christmas - and that includes their stockings. We all have stockings, and in those goes the junk type stuff - a bottle of drink, some lollies, a small pack of chips, a chocolate bar, an orange (family tradition) and two or three small ($2 shop) fun things. Everybody gets the same sort of bits and pieces.
For our kids, we get them one big present from us (last year Kiya got http://www.hasbro.com/default.cfm?page=browse&product_id=15746 - Good Morning Sunshine and Josiah got two or three age appropriate toys as he was only 7.5 months old). We also get them a bunch of smaller things as they are still at an age where quantity is what counts. Nikki - Kiya gets a box of chalk just about every year! She loves it! Xavier isn't going to get much from us this year... he's not going to be more than 5 weeks old, and doesn't really need much! We're going to get him a nice outfit to wear on the day, and maybe something else. He will be grandchild #3 for my parents and #8 for Nat's parents... and all my aunts and uncles (and some of Nat's) buy for our kids too - their choice - so he'll get lots anyway. ------------- Becca, mum of 2 girls & 3 boys |
Posted By: aimeejoy
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 10:34am
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I am planning on getting Hannah something big (not necessarily expensive tho) for outside - either a paddling pool or swing or slide... And some books (just got 4 board books at the warehouse for $10). Will probably get her a few summer clothes and a World Animals baby einstein dvd. She just had her birthday and got heaps of toys, so doesnt need any more at the moment. Am going to put some away and rotate them actually. She is more happy to play with her books than toys anyway, so I would rather spend lots of money of those. ------------- Aimee Hannah 22/10/05 Greer 11/02/08 |
Posted By: Leish
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 10:34am
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We're kinda bad. We spend quite a bit on Christopher (9 years old) for Christmas and birthdays. At least $500 - probably closer to $800. And I don't really know how it happened. It just kinda evolved in to. In saying that though, he is not a spoilt brat and is incredibly grateful for even the smallest gift he gets from anyone. We have strived to make sure that he appreciates what he is given and understands that no matter what - someone went out shopping one day with him in mind and bought something that they thought he would like. He gets incredibly spoilt by everyone else on both sides of our families too. I know that its a lot of money but I think it depends on how its done and how you as a parent manage it. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 12:10pm
| I agree with the shopping thing - we buy stuff through the year and then at the end we go "woah, maybe we got a teensy bit carried away". Now I keep a list of all the pressies we have to buy during the year and just tick things off |
Posted By: my2angels
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 2:10pm
| Well I have to admit we go overboard but its mainly cos my hubby is a big kid himself. We buy one big present and supposedly lots of smaller ones but more often than not the smaller ones are about $30-50 each. Last year Kobe got a play house oops sorry I mean a work shed. THis year he is getting a leapfrog learning table which we got on sale for $100 and Ive spent the same on addison cos I figure she will be the right age for her present way before next christmas even if it is a bit big for her now. Then they both have other little things, addison has a learning puppy and some books and Kobe has a swing ball set, a truck and a few other wee things. so yeah we probably go over board but this will be the last year cos we sooooo cant afford it, specially now there are so many neices and nephews. I kind of figure birthdays are a bit more important cos thats thier day and also we arent at all religous so I have to say for our kids its all about the presents, sorry if that sounds very un PC but we arent religous and dont want to pretend we are just for one day. |
Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 7:07pm
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I think even for "religious people" Christmas actually has a lot more to do with family gatherings than anything. And who ever said it's not about the presents? Just imagine their faces if they got nothing! lol ------------- |
Posted By: lizzle
Date Posted: 15 November 2006 at 7:11pm
| Imagine their faces? imagine MY face! Although I must admit I am soooooo excited about seeing the boys open their preesnts. Don't really care about mine at all (my nana still gives me a big xmas parcel!!) |