Do you buy the same number of presents.....

[lovesmurfs]

Another age difference here -- Almost 17yo DS and 11yoDD. While I try to spend about the same amount, it doesn't always work. I try to get at least 1or 2 of their "please-please-please" gifts, and then fill it in from there.

 

[Becky2005]

At this stage it's attempt to do same amount. Of course, I have a various age range so they know the cost of things more than just wanting to open a bunch of stuff.

Although, they all do get about the same amount of items in their stockings -- a lot of stuff is bought in bulk & split 4 ways but I have certain ones that LOVE mint and others that hate it, so that kind of stuff varies but they pretty much all get say X candy bars, it just depends on what it is.

 

[liamsaunt]

I don't have kids of my own, but I am always careful to buy my niece and nephew the same number of gifts. I try to spend about the same amount also.

This year their main gift is a pre-Christmas trip to Disney. I am not planning all that much for additional gifts. I have an ipod touch for my nephew and am going to get some American Girl stuff for my niece.

 

[vicb]

We aim for both.

Same here. Not always perfect but close.

 

[okeydokey]

Not exactly. We try to be fair, which doesn't necessarily mean equal.

 

[mamacatnv]

We shoot for the same amount and DH likes them to have lots of things to open so I wrap things individually etc., that tends to balance out any $$ inequities. We do tend to spend a bit more on DS as he lives away at college and some of his "gifts" are household items.

My kids are almost 10 years apart, it has never really been equitable it really depends on the wish list vs. the what we think they need list.

Santa only brings one item and never gets credit for the big item. We all still believe in Santa

 

[MiniGirl]

Neither really. Our girls are 2 1/2 years apart, so not a big age difference. I used to go for the same number of gifts since that was what the girls noticed. However, a few years ago, my oldest started asking for more expensive things. Actually, it got to where she would only ask for 1 or 2 things, but they were expensive, and my youngest would ask for many things but none of them too expensive. I figured if I was going to keep it even I would have to either not get my oldest the things she really wanted -- opting instead for more, but less expensive ittems that she didn't really want, or up my budget, get her the things she wanted and a few smaller items that I felt certain would never get played with. I didn't want to up my budget plus I was trying to get clutter OUT of my house -- not bring it in. I explained to my oldest that if she wanted those things it was fine but that meant she would have fewer items than her sister. She was fine with that, so she had fewer items, but we actually did spend more $$ on her.

Bottom line.... I try to get them 1 or 2 items they really want. If there is money left over, I will try to get 1 or 2 items that I think they would enjoy. If there is no money left, they don;t get the other things. If I have gotten the extras and still have money left, I don't spend it just for the sake of spending it.

 

[Momvic5]

We have done both in the past. When our kids were really young, we tried to give them the same amount of gifts even if it meant wrapping some things together. Our tradition is that dh passes out one gift at a time so we tried to make it seem as if the kids had equal gifts to unwrap. As they got older and wiser, we moved away from same number of gifts and tried to spend the same amount of money on each of them. Now, our kids are 9, 11, and 14yrs old, and their wants and desires are all over the place...so for the last couple of Christmases, my dh and I have just asked them to give us reasonable ideas or suggestions as to what they would like to see under the tree. My dh and I then decide what we can do regarding their ideas or suggestions. So far everyone seems to be happy...no comparing of number of presents or amount of cash spent. Whatever is under the tree for each of them is usually what they have suggested. Our goal is to give them what they would like but to also stay within a budget.

 

[HelenePA]

neither.. my dd10 is getting an itouch and other stuff.. I just can't find 300$ worth of stuff for my 2 yr old that we dont already have some version of!

 

[jordansmomma]

The same amount but not always the same amount of presents.

 

[crz4mm2]

Try and spend the same amount.

 

[Darcy03231]

When my kids were little it was the same number of presents and approximately the same amount of money. Now that they're older, its approximately the same amount of money. This year is a prime example. DS (17) is getting one big gift (40" flat screen HDTV for his room) and DD (19) is getting a bunch of smaller gifts. DD (22) isn't living at home (or even in state) and won't be home for Christmas. I'm mailing her a couple of gifts to open and we're giving her the rest in cash. DS (26) needs money so that's what he's getting.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I've never counted the number or the $$$ for either child. I really go by what's on their lists and things I think they both might like. If I am browsing for gifts and I see a really cute coat or boots or something I know they would both like, I get one for each of them... but otherwise I go off their lists. Their lists are never long. I usually get them identical gift cards to Nordstom, Starbucks, Amex. Things they can use throughout the year.

Their stockings are always filled with the exact same stuff.

 

[JDX4]

I try to put the same number of gifts under the tree for my sons - they are 13 and 15. I've never really figured out if I spend the same amount on each of them, but it's probably pretty close.

 

[Colleen27]

We do roughly the same number of packages under the tree. I don't even try to keep the spending even - with 10 years between my oldest and youngest, that would end up with one very disappointed pre-teen or us all being up to our ears in toddler toys!

 

[MrsPete]

No, I make no effort to aim for the same number of packages or the same dollar figure.

For example, this year my oldest daughter asked for her class ring to be her "big present". She's going to end up having fewer packages than her sister, but I'm spending more money on her because that one present was expensive. That's just the way it is this year. In a couple years, we'll probably do the same thing for our youngest, and she'll have a "bigger" Christmas.

 

[ZachnElli]

Neither, too big of an age spread with my kids. My boys are 15 and 5 years old. The little one is all about monster trucks and monster Cars cars (from the movie). He'll get lots but I'll spend half as much as I will on the teenagers video games and electric guitar!

 

[luvmy3]

We do the same number of gifts, since my dd is older and has asked for more expensive things some of them are small inexpensive gifts. When my youngest no longer believes we will just give them a spending limit and it will be the same.

 

[scrapquitler]

for each child, or do you spend the same amount on each?

Neither. I don't worry too much about it. But I have a 14 year old and a 7 year old, and what each wants is very differerent (and costs differently). My 7 year old tends to want bigger cheaper things, and my 14 year old wants smaller more expensive things. I could buy lots of big boxes of things for my little guy that cost a lot less than the box containing that Itouch

They know that eventually, over time it will more or less even out. As long as each is happy with their gifts, I've got no issues, and neither do they.

 

[Lassie Lynne]

My parents used to always spend the same on us, but the amount of presents would be different, depending on what we wanted.

We did have one sibling who used to count presents and complain (we were teenagers at this time) if he got less. The next year Mom just didn't put names on the packages so he couldn't count them beforehand and complain......so when my brother got the pink sweater and I got the leather wallet, well, it was an interesting year!!