Christmas Piles

[Barb D]

We used to, but not any more. DS15 already has his Wii, and will get a few small things under the tree and in his stocking. DD13 already has her electric bass and amp, and will get a few small things under the tree and in her stocking. DD7 will get her traditional 3 gifts from Santa (because of the three wise men) plus lots of stuff in her stocking and some extra clothes and books from us. It will look to the "untrained eye" as though DD7 is getting lots more, but actually we spent way more on the older kids.

ETA: No piles. Everything is mixed under the tree, and everything is wrapped so it takes longer to open. When the big kids were little I used different wrapping paper for each, but that's gone by the wayside, too.

 

[Tinijocaro]

I have two SIL's who still, to this day, in their 30's notice and comment if the gifts from their mom are not even. It drives me nuts and seems so childish. DH, their brother, doesn't do this though.

For my own kids, they usually have *about* the same number of gifts, but I certainly don't worry about how they appear under the tree- we rotate gift opening one at a time. Some gifts are just smaller than others. If DD is thrilled with her $10.00 Sea Monkey set and DS is thrilled with an $80.00 microscope set, then I'm happy. They are still young enough that price won't be noticed. DS 11, however is old enough to understand that if he gets an iPod, then he will get fewer gifts than the other kids because of the cost of that one gift.

Oh- and my kids 11,9,7 and 5, have never commented on who got more, or who got bigger or more expensive gifts. It all works out in the end, and if you teach them that, they will be thrilled with whatever they get.

 

[MagicalMom]

We do not do equal gifts, just equal budget. Everything is mixed under the tree.

My kids understand that if they get a larger item that takes up a big part of their budget than their pile will be smaller.

 

[maslex]

My boys (9 & 11) each get one "big" gift (this is usually the most expensive and this year is a Nintendo DS) Some years I got them a "combined big gift", like the year I got them the pool table/air hockey/game table thing. Since they are similar in age (just a year and a half) they usually have most of the same things with a few different things thrown in the mix. I do buy the same number of gifts for them, but not necessarily the same $$$ amount.

We wrap everything and take turns opening everything up. We will toss a coin to see which boy goes first. That person will go and find one of their gifts and open it, then they have to show it off to everyone, usually pose for a picture and then say thank you. Then my next boy goes. If they come across a gift for either my DH or I, they will hand it to us and then we open it. I always tell them to slow down so opening everything will take some time (it usually takes us an hour) I like to spread things out. I don't want it to be over in 10 mins.

We also do our stocking last (after we open gifts) I remember when I was younger and my dad saying that it's nice to do the stocking last, because after you open all you gifts you still have a little something to open. So I do that with my boys. Their stockings are usually stuffed to the brim and they have a ball.

I also randomly place the gifts under the tree.

 

[minkydog]

Nope. They get what they get and they better love it!

We feel the same way. Our kids are in vastly different stages. I have a young adult 20 who will be acquiring a truck this year, so he is getting fewer and less expensive packages to open. DD13 is all about clothes and makeup, so she has a lot of small packages. And then DS11, who is autistic and couldn't care less about Christmas (we save a lot of money on him ) will be getting mostly food snacks, plus a chair and one toy.

 

[DVCLiz]

Now we are also an "unwrap one present at a time" family. The girls decided this as soon as they were able to see that they were "missing" the cool stuff sister was getting by tearing through their own presents!! Now that they are older, they take turns. If I've gotten them something similar, I might tell them to each open something at the same time. For example, they are each getting a Monopoly game this year, so I'll have them get that shape package to open together. That's fun, too!!!

 

[AuntieM03]

I was just thinking this morning that I have 2 less gifts for my older nephew and 1 less for my niece than I have for my younger nephew. I was trying to decide if I should try and even them out. My nieces gift was a little more expensive so I am thinking I might just get something extra for my older nephew.

 

[mariolatry]

BTW, kinda' glad the this isn't a thread about reindeers on the roof....

...or hemorrhoids.

 

[noodleknitter]

...or hemorrhoids.

 

[Briarmom]

...or hemorrhoids.

That is exactly what I thought!

 

[hlbtimes2]

My kids are 4 and 8, so we aim for the same number. They arent old enough to really understand $$$ spent. The 8 year old is, but not the 4 year old. I'll worry more about that in the teen years. For now, they get the same number.

 

[Becky2005]

I don't make the piles "look even" but they need to have the same amount of presents. Actually we don't even do piles per se...everything is under the tree EXCEPT for the 1 big Santa gift & stocking stuff those are stuck on a cushion on the couch & chair. Everything else is just kind of piled under there.

Unfortunately, somehow DS-3 ended up with more than anyone else as I was counting them, so I had to do some fast manuvering to even things out (I have to double-check tonight my count because I want to go FINISH up! I think I'm down to just getting one more thing for the 6 year old but I want to MAKE SURE so I don't have to go out again!). I had some stuff I bought DD but was thinking it was going to be for her birthday! Oops! Never mind, it's going to be for Christmas now.

The dollar amounts vary just because the ages are so different (obviously my teens items cost more than my 3 year olds!).

 

[donnajon]

Santa got really smart last year and started using blank address labels that his elves used to make gift tags on their computer. It also makes counting to presents to make sure they are even a lot easier. Especially if the elves can't get all of the wrapping done on the same day.
Santa leaves the gifts in three different piles. One on the sofe, one on the love seat and one on the chair. Now they are fussing over who gets the sofa this year. I asked them why it mattered because they always get the same number of gifts and they agreed it didn't matter. They are good about opening one at a time and watching each other open. They are 9,7 and 4. And the elves have finished all of their work this year. Woohoo!