The children in my family are still pretty young (toddlers for the most part), so during this holiday season the adults are definitely more excited about giving gifts to the kids than the kids are about receiving them. When we're at the mall or Target, we get so excited playing in the toy section or checking out cute outfits for our young ones.
However, because we realize that the kids are still so young we're trying not to go overboard with the gift giving.
We don't want the focus of this season to be about presents and new things, but instead on family, traditions, thanksgiving and love. So, this year we've decided to set a limit to 3 gifts per child and adult.
We've heard how some families only do one gift per person and think that's eventually what we'd like to do as well (we would have done that this year, but when we made the rule we had already bought too many gifts
).
What about you all? Do you have limits on how many gifts each person in your family receives? Do you have a holiday gift-giving plan?
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Comments (24)
I bought my daughter a few small things and wrapped everything so it seemed like a lot for her to open. Shes 19 months old. I bought her one big gift- and the rest is little things.
We have never set a limit to the number of gifts.
When I was young, my mom always made sure my one sister and I had the same number - because that matters to many young children. They understand numbers not value.
Now, we help a family in need. But we still exchange some gifts. We exchange names - so that each person only recieves gifts from one other person. (We do it as couples so that if the couple wants a bigger gift, it is just to both of them.) We set a monetary limit. It works out well. Everyone gives ideas for what they want. That way you get something you want, but we are still able to help others in need.
We've never done a set number. I have no idea what the boys will be getting while they're at their father's either, but on this end they will easily have a couple dozen to open between two grandmothers and Tim and I...as well as buying for each other. I shopped a lot of sales starting in August and re-gifted a barely used digital camera, that I still had the box and everything for so that it literally appears new, to the 9 year old so that we didn't over spend and didn't go into debt to do so...that's the most important part for me. This may not always be the standard in the household; one day we may go to some sort of cap; this is our first Christmas buying presents for three kids. (Last year we didn't really even buy for Megan since she was barely a month old.)
My wife and I are getting each of our boys about 7 presents. then they're also getting stuff from each other, grandparents, and other family members, not to mention stockings and something from Santa.
I like them to have at least 5. It may seem like a bit much, but I justify it because we really don't buy them any toys except for birthdays and christmas.
In the past I have done three per child since that is what Jesus got. However, this year, I was making a few gifts, and there were just more things that we bought. So, essentially, my kids are getting six gifts each from me (not including stocking stuffers) and then of course there will be the various gifts from grandparents, aunts and uncles, etc. I know it will probably be too much, but some years are just like that.
However, for my 18 month old, I wanted her to have the same amount of gifts to open as her siblings, but knew she didn't really need that many new things so I bought/made four gifts for her and then had her 2 siblings pick out one of their old toys and they are going to gift those to her. That way she will have something to open each time they do without having to buy extra items!
We don't do a limit for my husband, the boys & I- but since they are still little, they don't get a whole lot either. This year they are nearly 2 and nearly 3, so they got some cars, a little basketball hoop, some Toy Story action figures, clothes, puzzles & a few other things I can't think of. One of my xanga friends pointed out that her kids will be getting plenty of gifts from other people, so why go overboard at home. TRUE TRUE! We also have Chrismas at my mom & dad's, my grandma's & my husbands dad's & his mom's (the husbands parents are divorced). SO plenty to go around.
I always and actually still do get a ton of gifts and I am 24! At this point I wish my parents' wouldn't buy so much but if the kids are little have fun! One of the best things my mom did was hide a couple of presents so after the excitement of Christmas started to wear off I would get a few bonus gifts later on. I know a lot of mom's do that and I think it is a fun idea.
This year I think there's 12 between our three boys, most will be shared like the Wii and all that we got to go with it. We don't have a gift limit, more of a budget limit. We had a set amount we were going to spend for our family, regardless of how may presents would come from it.
I am 26 (male) my sister is 24 and what my parents do is like one of us may have more presents but my parents spend the same on us. I got the problem of my birthday being in December as well
The same rules applies for us presents from our uncles and aunties and Nan and Granddad etc their set amount on how much to spend on us.
No limits, for my family, everyone's usually lucky to get more than two (because we handmake a portion of our presents every year)...and if we do, it's usually something we REALLY wanted (no present is ever over twenty five dollars, and we try not to spend more than five dollars per present as it is), or else needed. Not to mention, some years, the gifts are shared between the whole family.
For my family, it's quality, frugalness, fun, and sentimental value that matters most.However, for the last few years, there's been an issue over the greediest of us actually being given the most and spent the most on.
I'm not sure if it'll be resolved, or how if it should be resolved...but yeah.
My girls are getting way too many. I always end up with way more presents than I thought I bought... and this year I have 2 kids to shop for.. I'm not sure exactly how many gifts they each will be getting from just my husband and I... but it's atleast 15 each (bigger things) plus stocking stuffers and a little tikes cottage for the backyard that's to both of them from Santa. I think my husband and I need to calm down with the Christmas presents. lol.
We don't exchange gifts with extended family, so all the Christmas presents come from my husband and me. We also buy presents year round as we see things on sale or clearance or have rewards cards from Toys R Us or Target or as we find stuff on Craigslist. We don't give them new toys other than birthdays and Christmas so we kind of go a little overboard on Christmas. This year my girls are getting a dollhouse to share (with all the furniture and stuff), a tricycle for each of them (found on clearance for $25 for both), a new doll each, plus books and puzzles and coloring books and a movie each and a couple Barbies each and...yeah. They're getting spoiled. We did go overboard with the number of presents but in terms of how much we spent, it's not too bad. Especially since we spread it out over the whole year.
My baby's birthday is Christmas Eve so we are very careful that she gets specific birthday gifts on her birthday and Christmas gifts on Christmas. From that, she gets uber spoiled around this time of year, but her sister gets a lot in June on her birthday so overall it's fair.
We dont set numbers, just a spending limit. We decide how much money to spend on each kid, then however many presents that buys that they want then thats good.
Celebrating Hanukkah made it easy growing up. We got 1 gift each night, but the big one was the first night, everything else was smaller. For example, a bike, dollhouse or video game system on night 1.
I heard of a great tradition where you give and receive "something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read."
I think it's a fantastic idea and hope to use it some day.
@flowerspushthrudirt@xanga - I love that one.. although they all got each of thoes we went over boad next year we might try not to go nuts.
Growing up my sister and I always had a ton of presents under the tree. Some things were smaller and my parents would wrap them individually, to make them seem like more. (like each book would be wrapped individually). We'd usually each get one fairly big gift or something that we really wanted. The rest was a mix of practical things and things my mom found that she thought we'd like. I never really thought to count the presents under the tree but I guess it was probably 10+ for each of us with 5+ for each of my parents. And then we'd go to grandma's house and she'd just go crazy with christmas. She'd buy each of her 5 grandchildren and two children and their spouses a TON of presents, and the aunts and uncles would buy for each other's kids.
This year our budget is tight; my husband and I have agreed not to buy each other gifts for christmas or our birthdays (which are both within a month of christmas). We're only allowed to give each other gifts that don't cost anything. We bought one gift per each family member in our immediate families, but we anticipate receiving a few from our parents and grandparents. Next Christmas and maybe the christmas after will likely be the same. Our baby will only be 11 months and almost 2 and won't really understand what Christmas is about yet, so there's no reason to even buy them any presents. I may gift wrap an empty box because that''s probably all they'll play with anyway.
I'm pretty sure I bought myself a couple hundred dollars worth of presents and $2,000 for my Vegas trip.
I got a lot as a kid, usually 20 or so presents.
I think its retarded to buy babies presents. Give me a break.
Honestly, we've never had a limit. Everyone gets a big present and a bunch of smaller presents.
Yeah, five kids gets hard.
When I was little, for the entire legth of time I believed in Santa Clause, my parents gave me one big gift from them, and then Santa would fill my stocking with chocolates/edible treats, and a few small things like books, a movie, a couple small toys, maybe a board game, socks or slippers, etc. There wasn't exactly a limit. It was just whatever amount of items "Santa" happened to find for me (unless my parents had a budget I didn't know about, which is very likely). I never questioned the amounts of things I got though. I was grateful for even small amounts of gifts because I rarely got toys and stuff throughout the year.
For my nieces and nephews I usually go with a couple items each, maybe 3 depending on prices, and usually set about $25 limit per kid.
my parents always loved buying me more gifts than the others, mostly because they weren't ever around (they're a LOT older than me) but they'd buy one BIG present, that would cost a lot and then things that were small.
Now that I'm older they give me fewer gifts, but they're slightly more expensive and I'm picking them out.
My parents buy me x number of presents, depending on how expensive the things I want are. This year, I only asked for four things 'cause they were kind of expensive, but my parents always augment my list with clothes, mostly jeans. ugh.
I don't celebrate Christmas in the present giving sense. I drive all the way home to spend time with my family, so... no gifts for them. I never ask for anything, either. If they feel the need to get me something, I'll appreciate it.
NOW, my sister on the other hand... She has one child, a 7(?) year old girl. This kid gets EVERYTHING she could ever want. This year, for example, she's getting a Wii, Wii Fit Plus, New Super Mario Bros Wii, DSi, not one but TWO digital cameras... and that's just what I know of. That's over $600 of just what I'm aware of. I'm sure there will be clothing, dolls, toys, you name it.
Last year she got an iPod, Dell laptop, an American Girl with all the accessories and clothing that matches, more cameras, a dvd player, tons of iPod accessories. A different baby doll with all the accessories, and when I say accessories I mean high chair, car seat, stroller, etc etc.
And when the loot is all given out... my niece says.................. Is that all?
I don't know who to be more angry with, my niece for being a spoiled brat or my sister for making her that way.
We don't have a limit on number of things, but more on how much we spend. This year, my SO and I kept it to a $10-15 limit per person for 5 people.
Christmas is not my favorite holiday, in fact, it's one of my worst. I'd rather we not celebrate it at all, personally. We just kept it to a minimum to keep the holiday chaos to a minimum and to keep spending to a minimum. Money is tight and one has to do what they need to do to save.