Budget Christmas Confessions

[LinderInWonderland]

When I was a kid, my letters to Santa had almost nothing to do with what I actually got for Christmas. I think I just accepted that the Santa list was a dream list and we got what we got - which I bet was fortunate for my parents during the lean years.

 

[wdwfan1]

My 9 year old nephew has asked for a deer lease as his ONLY Christmas item. He has decided we can all go in on it. Any advice from those Moms who never try to convince the kids they want something else?

I told my sister I'd send a check for what I normally spend, and she can tell him he can apply it towards the mortgage

What is a deer lease?

 

[amylevan]

What is a deer lease?

The rights to hunt on private land. ie you "rent" acreage to hunt that otherwise would be considered trespassing.

 

[Pesky]

My confession is that both kids said they were going to ask Santa for an iPad. I told them that I thought they spent too much time with screens (they aren't that bad considering we limit already) and I would stuff any iPads back up the chimney and Santa was too smart not to listen to parents. They moved on to other stuff.

 

[elphaba91]

I bought my 3 year old son an Olaf costume on clearance after Halloween. Well, when he was asked what he wanted from Santa, he said "an Olaf costume." Well, Santa can't bring that because my 9 year old already saw ME buy it. So I had to convince him that he wanted Santa to bring light sabers.

I remember when I was 5 I asked Santa for the Pocahontas video. On Christmas morning I was disappointed to receive a Pocahontas book from Santa, although all was well once my aunt gave me the video a few hours later. I came to the conclusion that Santa knew my aunt had bought me the video so got the book instead (which, I suppose, he had!).

I have always told my kid I have to cut santa a check for what he brings. It explains why some kids get more.

My mum told us this when I was 3 and we 'couldn't afford to pay Santa' (my father had a gambling addiction). My grandfather ended up 'paying Santa' (i.e. sending a cheque directly to a department store as we lived interstate). It always made me more grateful for my presents because I knew even though they were from Santa that my mum had paid for them. And I will always be grateful to my grandfather for allowing Santa to come that year - even if one of the presents he brought was a jar of peanut butter!

We often received the off-brand items and I don't remember minding. I can even remember being thrilled to get school uniform for Christmas! One of my favourite ever presents was this Disney nightie: I had written a letter to Santa at school (the school actually posted them home) and (along with the Pocahontas video) had asked for Mickey pjs. My mum had bought the nightie for about $5 for a family friend so Santa gave it to me instead. 19 years later I still have it!

This year my mum started working at a discount pharmacy that has amazing prices on perfume (plus she gets a staff discount) so that is what most of the family are getting.

 

[wdwfan1]

The rights to hunt on private land. ie you "rent" acreage to hunt that otherwise would be considered trespassing.

Thank you.

 

[Happyinwonerland]

I don't understand not giving kids what they want for Christmas. Even if they don't get everything on their list, I think what they do get should be from their wish list. Completely impractical or overpriced? Who cares. The fantasy and magic is what christmas is all about. Do I try to find the best price on the stuff on her list? Sure. Should parents have veto power over anything dangerous or completely understand realistic for our lives? Absolutely. But I also don't completely forego her list and get what I think she will like. It isn't about me and my desires for her. It is about what her big imagination can dream up. There is plenty of time for practicality when she is grown.

 

[KristinU]

The fantasy and magic is what christmas is all about.

Not everyone believes that this is what Christmas is all about. A fun tradition, sure, but for me it certainly isn't what the holiday is all about.

 

[My2CrazyGirls]

I don't understand not giving kids what they want for Christmas. Even if they don't get everything on their list, I think what they do get should be from their wish list. Completely impractical or overpriced? Who cares. The fantasy and magic is what christmas is all about. Do I try to find the best price on the stuff on her list? Sure. Should parents have veto power over anything dangerous or completely understand realistic for our lives? Absolutely. But I also don't completely forego her list and get what I think she will like. It isn't about me and my desires for her. It is about what her big imagination can dream up. There is plenty of time for practicality when she is grown.

Fantasy and magic is what DISNEY is all about. Christmas is about Jesus. It is also about the spirit of giving which is why we give presents. Everyone can choose on their own about how to go about that.

I guess there are plenty of people who celebrate Christmas only as a commercial holiday....i dont really get that but to each their own.

 

[indimom]

I don't understand not giving kids what they want for Christmas. Even if they don't get everything on their list, I think what they do get should be from their wish list. Completely impractical or overpriced? Who cares. The fantasy and magic is what christmas is all about. Do I try to find the best price on the stuff on her list? Sure. Should parents have veto power over anything dangerous or completely understand realistic for our lives? Absolutely. But I also don't completely forego her list and get what I think she will like. It isn't about me and my desires for her. It is about what her big imagination can dream up. There is plenty of time for practicality when she is grown.

I haven't seen anyone say they completely disregard their kids' Christmas wishes.
I don't feel gift giving is "all about" me or my desires for my kids.... but, (and maybe this makes me a buzz-kill) I also don't think childhood should be ALL dreams and hopes and butterflies and flowers either.

I would absolutely say no to impractical or overpriced. We live on a budget, we can't give our kids everything (or even some things) they want, without giving up things they need. It's as simple as that sometimes.
And it makes no sense to give them something we know will be forgotten within a week over something we know they will get much more enjoyment from. Kids don't always make the best choices, it's why they have parents to guide them. Particularly, with budget as a factor, it makes no sense to buy a toy that, as an adult, I know is impractical or not what the child is imagining.

I guess I feel it's healthy for kids to learn just a bit about practicality and the real world while they are growing up. I think it's healthy for kids to learn that sometimes the answer is going to be no, even on a special occasion like Christmas, and how to deal with that. To me, that's just as important as encouraging their dreams.

(And I hope this isn't taken as a personal attack, your post just got me thinking about my own mind-set when it comes to raising my kids amid holidays and expectations, etc...)

 

[Nakkira]

I'm guilty of "convincing" my kids to like the presents I already bought for them. My five year old has no idea what he really likes, and what he would actually play with. I made the mistake of buying him some of the things he asked for last year, even though I had a suspicion that he really wouldn't like them, and guess what, he never played with them!

This year he keeps asking for the ridiculous crayola crayon carver, seriously?? you can write words on crayons? He would do one or two and the novelty would wear off and it would go in the closet. It is labeled 8 and up, so I told him that Santa can't bring it to him because he isn't 8 yet. He is going to love the legos I bought him, much, much more!

Gotta say..WHAT?????

 

[smiths02]

We also handle this with a note from Santa saying he knew Mommy had already gotten it, so here, have some light sabers. Santa knows if you've been naughty or nice, he can certainly figure out what Mommy bought you.

I might have to do the note. Christmas is a little confused this year. We usually start at our house (where the kids get Santa presents and mommy/daddy presents), go to great grandma's house where the kids get little presents from extended family, then to the ILs house where they get grandma/grandpa presents. But we have to reverse the process this year so Santa will come to ILs house and he won't get the Olaf costume until later.

 

[Paticake]

I am still trying to figure out what to get my 3 yo granddaughter who only wants a "real horse for her yard " and yellow play dough. Check on the play dough, I did get her a stuffed horse, a bouncy horse and a horse book!!!! LOL

 

[Baklava]

I am still trying to figure out what to get my 3 yo granddaughter who only wants a "real horse for her yard " and yellow play dough. Check on the play dough, I did get her a stuffed horse, a bouncy horse and a horse book!!!! LOL

Books. If she doesn't have the Mo Willems "Pigeon" series, get her those. They're perfect.

 

[leebee]

...I also pointed out some boots at Marshalls to my DD13 the other day that looked like the LL Bean boots that she wanted. She actually said she liked them better, which was great because I had already bought them (and saved myself $60 bucks!)...

You really DID luck out. I have a close friend who is a manager in LLB's customer service. She says Bean boots are back-ordered almost six months (except for one ugly color, and those are almost gone, too!). This is what happens when an item that is individually hand-made becomes fashion-trend popular. She says she spends hours each day explaining that no, you won't be getting your Bean boots in time for Christmas!

 

[elphaba91]

I might have to do the note. Christmas is a little confused this year. We usually start at our house (where the kids get Santa presents and mommy/daddy presents), go to great grandma's house where the kids get little presents from extended family, then to the ILs house where they get grandma/grandpa presents. But we have to reverse the process this year so Santa will come to ILs house and he won't get the Olaf costume until later.

What about just giving each of the kids at least one mommy/daddy present at the ILs? If you're writing a note then you're spoiling the surprise anyway!

 

[threecrazykids]

I am still trying to figure out what to get my 3 yo granddaughter who only wants a "real horse for her yard " and yellow play dough. Check on the play dough, I did get her a stuffed horse, a bouncy horse and a horse book!!!! LOL

Just an idea...but when my DD was about 5 all she wanted that year was a horse. I felt horrible but she just had no clue that it was not quite that easy.
So...I was thinking she would be super disappointed on Christmas...but of course Grandma came through and got her 3 riding lessons at a local stable. I think they were about 15.00 to 20.00 per "lesson". What it really amounted to was her getting to groom, saddle, and ride the horse...which is what she really wanted! They told her she was welcome to come back and visit any time she wanted! It was PERFECT and she still remembers it being one of her favorite presents ever!

Maybe explain to her that Santa got a hold of you and said that he wasn't able to bring the horse to her yard because there isn't enough room for it to run like it needs to (or lack of shelter, etc.) so he suggested riding lessons instead.

 

[Sagginit]

Oh wow this isn't what I was expecting from this thread as its mostly about the kiddos. I think the closest I come is I shop during the year (sometimes right after xmas) for my nephews (my husbands nephews). They can be really picky but oddly enough the first year I brought them anything I got two stockings last minute and put in some candy and a few small toys I got on sale last minute. They loved it so last year I started putting away small things like those little toys on clearance after valentine's day or easter at target sometimes for up to 70% off (you know like little lego sets not themed to other holidays) and made them a basket. I included silly putty, pez dispensers, and those tablets that turn into sponges in water. Each basket was less than $20 but the little toys kept them busy for days. This year I did the same thing and even got two cheap stockings at target for 70% off to fill up with a bunch of little things. I started doing it to save $$ but I think it will be our Christmas tradition. Oddly enough their parents don't do stockings (they aren't from the US and didn't have them as kids) so they think my gift is just super clever lol.

 

[ajwolfe]

We try to give our kids a good mix of what they ask for and what we know they would like or need in the upcoming year. We also do "experiences" for some gifts and those may not be things they ask for like NBA tickets but that we know they would love to have.
Santa typically only brings one present for each kid or a big one for both - this year Disney's Infinity 3.0 and Lego Dimensions with a couple of playsets for each- and then the rest come from us and other family members.
Our family understands and celebrates the reason for the season as being all about Jesus. But the present part is all about the kids and the magic of Christmas for them. For this reason we wouldn't absolutely deliberately not buy them anything they asked. But each family has a different way of handling it...

 

[SparklePixie]

We try to give our kids a good mix of what they ask for and what we know they would like or need in the upcoming year. We also do "experiences" for some gifts and those may not be things they ask for like NBA tickets but that we know they would love to have.
Santa typically only brings one present for each kid or a big one for both - this year Disney's Infinity 3.0 and Lego Dimensions with a couple of playsets for each- and then the rest come from us and other family members.
Our family understands and celebrates the reason for the season as being all about Jesus. But the present part is all about the kids and the magic of Christmas for them. For this reason we would absolutely deliberately not buy them anything they asked. But each family has a different way of handling it...

So you deliberately won't buy the things your kids ask for and want? That's the whole point of Christmas for kids!