Anyone feel guilty about....

[js]

ut oh..well I don't smother em just never been one to do lists...lol

LOL. I have my 17 year old do a list and have been told that sometimes I smother LOL I think of it as being a little on top of her she takes it as smothering LOL

 

[shelly3girls]

No guilt but I did realize that I bought too much "stuff" for DD4 just b/c it was on sale. I ended up taking a couple of things back and donating 3 items to toys for tots. I just didn't want all of it sitting around the house even though I knew he would play with it at some point or another. DD's only get clothes throughout the year not other stuff. We don't even buy birthday presents b/c they are right after Christmas. In the past I tried waiting and getting stuff for their b-days then I realized that the stores tended to be low on inventory of the things they wanted in early February.

I think I might feel guilty about buying all that I do if we didn't help other families too. We help a local family with gifts along with several other charitable organizations.

 

[Dotsie]

No. I was raised poor - my parents and my grandmom always tried to make sure that my Christmas's were good, and most were but there were times that I was really, really disappointed. I never let it show though. I swore back then that I would do all that I could to ensure my kids would have it all.
I work hard and so does DH so to spend the amount of $$ I do doesn't make me feel guilty.
At out parish we adopt a family anonymously - I take my kids shopping with me so they realize that not everyone is as fortunate as we are.

 

[justakrazymom]

Just to clarify..i didn't take the thread or post in any way..lol

I have a teen who i DO ask what he wants..he never ever asks for anything so if i can pull an idea outta his brain I make certain he gets it ( this year a PS3 and I had to bring the grandparents in on it to get it with us but he's getting it!)

 

[StitchBuddy]

Wow, it is so interesting to see how each family does things in there own unique way. It's nice they everyone has there own traditions. I use to go by the three wise men rule, a want, a need, a surprise. But, that's when our family was bigger and my DD was little and everyone got her 2-3 gifts. She was usually on overload Christmas Day. Now she gets a few giftcards from aunts and uncles, but we are the only ones that buy her gifts. I made the mistake of almost finishing my shopping on Black Friday and of course she has come up with several more things she wants. So I took back a couple of things today and will buy her some of the stuff she picks out closer to Christmas. She will have 8-10 gifts, plus her stocking. Then she has a birthday in February. I am thinking of making a gift card bouquet for that. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas!!

 

[js]

Just to clarify..i didn't take the thread or post in any way..lol

 

[disneychrista]

No guilt but I haven't even got them anything yet. I have no clue what to buy right now.

 

[quentina]

I try to get the kids everything they want. My issue this year is my oldest.. He wanted the new Ipod touch (360 with all accessories), the new rockband with keyboard (130) and we got him 3 things he does not know about (200ish). So...lots of $$$ and few gifts. With the little ones, you can buy so much with little money. I feel bad that he will only have a few gifts. Even though he asked for them, is aware of price and was warned that there won't be much else. Now, I will not be buying him anything else.....I spent enough!

 

[southern_redhead]

Perhaps I should but, to be honest, I don't. My kids only get toys from us at birthdays and Christmas. They will also get one small item (one year it was Webkinz, another DS games, etc..) at Valentine's and Easter. Anything else they want throughout the year is bought with money they have saved. Last year they did so well at Christmas that the money grandparents gave them (for Christmas and birthday gifts) lasted them until just a few months ago.

I work hard, 2 jobs (though I am thinking of giving one up to have more time during the week with the kids.) DH works extra hard - we see him once a month sometimes. So, if we use some of that money to give our kids a big Christmas I don't feel bad about it.

 

[MickeyBA]

One day all the gifts will be smaller (games, MP3 players, phones...etc) and then it really will look bare under the tree. I love looking at my tree on Christmas Eve and seeing bikes and stuff...it looks like Christmas. A bunch of DVDs and PS3 games wrapped up just looks bla LOL

This is soooo true! I started to notice a couple of years ago that my older daughter's pile was about 10% of the size of the younger daughter. It's evening out a little more now that dd8 is asking for more mature things, but still dd13 looks like she's getting way less even though I always spend about twice as much on her.

 

[Minnie]

No guilt at all

My mom always made sure I had wonderful Xmas's and I try to do the same for my DS.

I work very hard at my career and feel no guilt at all in the way I choose to spend that hard earned money

I see plenty of people talking down about "I can't believe you much posters spend on their kids".... but I've never seen an "I can't believe a poster spends so little"..... Don't understand the double standards....

 

[daraddg]

my kids have plenty of stuff and they have 4 sets of greanparents thanks to divorces as well as 4 sets of aunts and uncles so they aren't hurting for gifts.They get a present from santa,a present from eachother (2 kids) and a present or 2 from me as well as small stocking gifts.The santa presents are big ones like $100 range.They have never felt they didnt have enough gifts

 

[marsha123]

My kid are 12,14,16 andthey each have a 300 .00 budget. they also get the local amusement park season ticketsin their stocking and about 50.00 in cute little stuff in the stocking.we live in nc, i have thought of how we compare to others.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I used to feel guilty only because I would buy alot of stuff because I thought they would enjoy it or because it was a good deal. After decluttering their rooms over the years I've started really thinking about what will actually get played with and what they really want. Now I try to stay at 5 gifts apiece not including books and pajamas. It has really helped us focus on things they REALLY want. The first year I did it their piles of gifts looked pretty sad, but the kids were very happy to get what they really wanted and it really seemed to take alot of stress out of the holidays for us.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

We went to the Angel Tree this year and WOW! There were 4 Angels left on the tree and I like my children to get one for a child near their age, so each one gets a chance to shop for another child. That was out this year though, not enough Angels(I have 5 children). Then when we started reading the Angel tags, WOW...just WOW. I mean I know kids are kids and all kids want things but goodness. One 8 year old wanted a new IPod, Cell Phone then clothing and shoe sizes were listed as well. One little boy had 2 identical Angels on the tree? But he wanted an XBox, Kinect and then had clothing sizes listed as 'elastic'. The other Angels were the same, one wanted a Wii and one wanted a PSP and some other items.

What happened this year? In years past we've been able to find very reasonable request and buy for multiple children. I was sad each of my children weren't able to pick out an Angel this year. Maybe next year we'll get their sooner and check multiple locations so we can find ones we can afford.

I was talking to my MIL about that very same thing! It seems like the expectations are very very high...When I was little and I was on the angel tree i received a bike one year but I did NOT ask for it. It was just the kindness of the person who got me and gave it to me. The little boy that I picked just wanted iron man, spiderman and crayola things so he was pretty easy but definite trend to asking for some expensive stuff..Like MIL said some of the stuff she doesnt even have! I know JcPenny did a electronic Angel tree for salvation army so maybe that is why there is less paper angels?? But i really like picking off the tree.....

 

[leadfootlevi]

I was talking to my MIL about that very same thing! It seems like the expectations are very very high...When I was little and I was on the angel tree i received a bike one year but I did NOT ask for it. It was just the kindness of the person who got me and gave it to me. The little boy that I picked just wanted iron man, spiderman and crayola things so he was pretty easy but definite trend to asking for some expensive stuff..Like MIL said some of the stuff she doesnt even have! I know JcPenny did a electronic Angel tree for salvation army so maybe that is why there is less paper angels?? But i really like picking off the tree.....

We have an angel tree at church...some of the requests are shocking. A family is requesting a $250 GC to Gander Mountain. Sorry, but I thought 1) angel trees were mostly for kids, 2) if there was something listed for the family it would be for a NEED, not a want, 3) $250!?!

Other requests I saw - specific, expensive brand of hockey skates and expensive electronics. No wonder the requests were still on the tree this late in the game.

 

[justakrazymom]

We have an angel tree thru our church and they had to implement a gift card only policy because of the outlandish items that were being requested.

 

[leadfootlevi]

We have an angel tree thru our church and they had to implement a gift card only policy because of the outlandish items that were being requested.

This seems totally ridiculous to me. I thought it was for helping people in NEED. Sorry, but not every 15 year old NEEDS and Ipad or a Wii or an Xbox. Clothes, shoes, coats, toys for the little ones? Sure. Grocery cards for the family? Great!

I'm confused.

 

[mom2t]

Our angel tree gifts list mainly clothes and very few toys - nothing expensive. This is a very poor school near our church.

We spent the most this year that we have ever spent on our 8 year old - Mainly because he is getting a DSI XL. This combines our gifts and Santas - I am glad I buy along in the year and had a great sale when getting rid of his clothes from last year.

 

[DCLbrideSept2009]

Our kids each get 3 gifts because Baby Jesus got 3 gifts. They know this and it makes it A LOT easier. Now, youngest DD is getting an American Girl doll and a bunch of clothes (that I bought on Cyber Monday) and it's all in one box as one "gift." But her other 2 gifts are just a Pillow Pet and a "Dolly and Me" outfit. Last year, my step-kids' mom wasn't living here (we have custody of the kids) and she sent a TON of "crap" for the kids. They didn't play with half the crap they got. I thought it was ridiculous that Mom couldn't afford to fly out here to see her kids but she could afford to send them a bunch of crap they didn't need. But I digress....

Kids are NOT getting toys this year (unless you count the AG doll and clothes as "toys"). Youngest is almost 9, oldest is 16. Two middle kids are getting laptops. Oldest is getting new iPhone. Those are their "big" gifts.

We also get them new PJs (in addition to the 3 gifts) that they open on Christmas Eve. I've always done this with my kids and my step-kids got kinda excited that they got to open a gift on Christmas Eve until they realized it was just PJs. But actually, they all like getting their new PJs now!