Anyone feel guilty about....

[BoogasMom]

how much stuff Santa is bringing your kids? Have you bought way too many things for them??? Just curious what other people's feelings are on this subject.

While they by no means get everything on their lists, my kids get quite a few presents for Christmas. But, I look at it this way....they are really good kids (not perfect, but just really good) and we don't buy presents for them throughout the year except for their birthdays (and even then we don't buy a bunch of stuff for them). We have been fortunate enough over the years to be able to pay cash for everything and have not incurred any credit card debt in doing so.

I LOVE Christmas and seeing the looks on their faces on Christmas morning is worth it to me!

 

[GingerJay]

Nah- it's Christmas and it only comes once a year. My mom raised me with huge Christmas blow outs every year when I was growing up but we never really got much outside of Christmas and birthdays- I'm doing the same with my children and they are "appreciative" but not "expective", you know what I mean? So I feel like its ok

Merry Christmas!

 

[tinkarooni]

I don't know.....some years I do more than others depending on needs and wants. Than sometimes I think I got them WAY too much and I talk to somebody else who makes my pile of gifts look like nothing.

This year they didn't really need or want much and the pile is smaller and I feel a little guilty about that..... I can't win with myself.

 

[TheRatPack]

My children don't get a lot at Birthday's or other times throughout the year so Christmas is a bit overboard. Once I get so many gifts for them though I start filling the gift closet with Birthday gifts, Easter basket stuffers...etc. Sometimes there are more deals to be had and just way too many gifts to add anymore....LOL so again we put them away for Birthday gifts or even for the next Christmas

 

[TheRatPack]

I don't know.....some years I do more than others depending on needs and wants. Than sometimes I think I got them WAY too much and I talk to somebody else who makes my pile of gifts look like nothing.

This year they didn't really need or want much and the pile is smaller and I feel a little guilty about that..... I can't win with myself.

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

 

[Planogirl]

I don't. DS doesn't get stuff throughout the year so it's a time to spoil him a little. I don't get extravagant either even if his games and so forth are expensive.

 

[bellebud]

I've gone back and forth a bit with this... one year, I got them so much, they were literally tired of opening things and dh and I had to finish up opening their stuff

then the next year I think I swung too far the other way, and they were done opening in a couple of minutes and were kind of like "that's it?" (but not even in a bratty way, but just being used to more)... when I said "yeah, that's it", they were fine with it, but almost confused. I can't win!

I think I've got it right "this" year... (yea right... we'll see). I'll post again after xmas.

We actually do get the kids things throughout the year, so they really don't need or want much of anything, which they even tell us. It's more the fun of opening something (tearing off that wrapping paper) than the gift itself sometimes. Maybe I'll wrap some empty boxes for back-up.

I did have a little talk w/ them this year (they're 9 and 11yo, so old enough), and told them because they get things throughout the year, christmas is getting hard to buy for, and they even agreed.

 

[BoogasMom]

I don't know.....some years I do more than others depending on needs and wants. Than sometimes I think I got them WAY too much and I talk to somebody else who makes my pile of gifts look like nothing.

This year they didn't really need or want much and the pile is smaller and I feel a little guilty about that..... I can't win with myself.

My best friend does this to me every year! Her kids get everything (and I do mean everything) they ask for it seems every year....and then some! And, I'm not talking inexpensive stuff...they get VERY expensive stuff! I can always count on her to make me feel better about the amount of things my kids get. LOL!!!!

 

[js]

Why the heck would I feel guilty if I am the one purchasing the presents for my kids I get both my children dd-almost 17 and ds-13 what is on their lists (I think they had about 12 or 15 each, not sure). They work hard in school, behave for the most part and I expect them to help around the house. They get one thing for birthdays or their party is their present but for Christmas, I get everything they ask for. This year my dd's big gift is a GPS for when she drives in March and my ds's big gift is a Sandy Cofax (sp?) signed ball (my dh had it from a few years ago).
Both are getting clothes they asked for along with other things. And, guess what...they are NOT brats and do not expect things just becuase I buy them what they ask for at Christmas (to the astonishment it seems to some on the dis regarding the present thread).

Both my dh and I work and we work hard for our money and I do not feel at all guilty about spending it on my children.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Sometimes so we do the angel tree and I take DS with me to pick out gifts for someone else...I always pick somebody his age and explain to him that while he has alot some kids would not get any presents if we did not get them the presents...I like to try to balance to getting with the giving...I just love christmas though and it is so much fun for ME to give people stuff they really want/like..so i guess I am just as guilty for getting shopping thrills LOL

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

Definitely not. After the stress last Christmas about the uncertainty of my job, scaling back on gifts then, getting laid off the next February, being jobless through early summer then finally back at work in late August, my DD has been through quite a lot. I'm so thankful and blessed that I can provide her and a few other needy kids with gifts this year.

Guilt is the *last* thing I'm feeling.

 

[Suellen]

I very rarely feel guilty about what my kids have. Though they are very aware that they are lucky and lots of kids don't have what they do.

We don't buy much for the holidays.... my aunt and mother and my dad and his wife go overboard so they really get very little from us and Santa. They are fine with it and really have little expectation so whatever they get excites them.

As a matter of fact all I have for them this year is stuff I bought this summer at Target during their super clearance... and I am sure they will be just as happy as if I went out and spent $1000 on each of them.

 

[TheRatPack]

Sometimes so we do the angel tree and I take DS with me to pick out gifts for someone else...I always pick somebody his age and explain to him that while he has alot some kids would not get any presents if we did not get them the presents...I like to try to balance to getting with the giving...I just love christmas though and it is so much fun for ME to give people stuff they really want/like..so i guess I am just as guilty for getting shopping thrills LOL

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.

 

[finz2left]

Nope. As I mentioned in the Santa thread, my kids get four gifts --
Something they Want
Something they Need
Something to Play With
Something to Read

We have a glorious Christmas morning and each present in really meaningful. My kids actually pick out more for the Angel Tree and Women's shelter than they get, and they probably have more fun doing that! (They are 8, 9, and 12, btw). Their gifts can be downright expensive (PS3 and Wii last year) or less so (an American Girl Doll and Electric Guitar kits this year, for example) -- but we are all about the experiences and fun . I certainly wouldn't feel guilty if one of the presents was a car, 4 wheeler etc....we do our thing...other families do theirs! That's the beauty of family traditions -- they are all unique

 

[Suellen]

OMG! In college I worked the service desk at Kmart.... the mothers for those Angel Tree kids were AWFUL! They were rude and expected to get everything on the list and would call and yell at us if there was something "missing".

It was really, really awful.

We do a local charity now called Christmas is for Kids. Who knows if they are the same ~ but I have a really bad taste about the trees.

 

[poegirl30]

My older kids get more expensive stuff (electronic stuff usually), but my youngest is still fairly easy, so I am able to get him more for the same amount of money. Even though I spend a little more on the older ones, it looks like he has twice as much.

 

[justakrazymom]

No guilt..we don't go overboard.. 1 Santa gift and 3 or 4 things from us. i don't do list with my kids... but I pay attention to what I see them interested in . I do buy things for them during the year too...

 

[Suellen]

No guilt..we don't go overboard.. 1 Santa gift and 3 or 4 things from us. i don't do list with my kids... but I pay attention to what I see them interested in . I do buy things for them during the year too...

Careful about saying this.... People are awful defensive about their lists and probably now think you smother your children....

 

[justakrazymom]

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

 

[js]

Careful about saying this.... People are awful defensive about their lists and probably now think you smother your children....

WOW! Really?? Is that really how you took that thread and post?
Why would you feel that way if that is what you do with your kids?
That's too bad. All were just giving opinions some from woman that had young kids, like yourself, and some that had older teens, like me.
It's just a thread, don't get upset about it! Be happy!