How many gifts does Santa bring your kids?

[castleview]

Hi,

My DDs are 6 and 4 and I'm looking at how much I got them for Christmas - or maybe I should say how much I spent. They're both getting about 8 or 9 gifts each and I'm not sure if that is too much. These don't include stocking stuffers.

Anyone remember how much their kids got at this age?

 

[NMAmy]

When DD was small, she got one "big" gift from Santa--oh, how I long for those days when a big gift was in the $20-30 range. So, one big gift from Santa and the stocking stuffers. Everything else was from Mom & Dad. Actually, at 15, she still gets one big gift from Santa.

We didn't have a whole lot of money when she was a kid. This cut down on any disappointment if Santa had to suddenly "cut back" one year.

 

[LBAK]

About 10 gifts under the tree and stocking stuffers.

 

[Nite0wl71]

When my kids were younger they would get at least 20 each. There would be one main gift, some medium gifts and a lot of small (price) ones. Also Santa never brought clothes.

I used to wrap everything seperatly, if my DD had 3 Barbie outfits that would equal 3 presents. I also made sure everyone had the same number It was hard with 4 kids and as they got older the amount went down but the prices went up

Now it is totally different, 4 are out of the house and the one at home is 12.

 

[Kimberle]

2-3 from Santa, 2-3 from us, plus little stuff in a stocking.

 

[Disneynutbsv]

my kids get one gift from santa and the rest from mom and dad. Of course the stocking is from Santa too.

 

[Barb D]

3 toy-type gifts (plus stocking stuffers) from Santa, because of the 3 wise men. For me, that was a good way to limit myself. Clothes and books from us.

 

[KelNottAt]

Total of 7 gifts each: 3 gifts from Santa. 3 gifts from me and DH. 1 special "keepsake" book from me.

There's no strict budget. Although, we typically have one item at $100+, 1 item $50 - $100, and the rest well under $50 each.

This year DS wants a $140 metranome and a season-long snowboard rental. Those 2 items pretty much guarantee the rest of his gifts will be in the $20 range. You can bet I'm not buying that metranome 'till the last minute in case he changes his mind.

DD will be easy this year: iPod nano, Gilmore Girls, guitar ($35 ebay), etc.

ETA: Stocking stuffers add up to about $40 each (CDs, magazines, disposable camera, etc.)

 

[N.Bailey]

We've always had big Christmases. I won't even begin to say how many gifts my kids get because it's a LOT and I'll just leave it at that. One thing though, I don't buy them a bunch of stuff thru the year like I see a lot of their friends get. I save it all up for Christmas.

There are really only 5 times during the year that I shop for them.
1. School clothes
2. Birthdays (November and December birthdays)
3. Easter
4. Summer clothes
5. Christmas

 

[SC Minnie]

3-- 1 is a 'big' gift that cost more than the others, I usually cap the big gift at about $60. The other 2 are less than $20. She gets more from us though.

Having an only child and growing up kind of poor I tend to get her too much at Christmas.

 

[cepmom]

We've always had big Christmases. I won't even begin to say how many gifts my kids get because it's a LOT and I'll just leave it at that. One thing though, I don't buy them a bunch of stuff thru the year like I see a lot of their friends get. I save it all up for Christmas.

There are really only 5 times during the year that I shop for them.
1. School clothes
2. Birthdays (November and December birthdays)
3. Easter
4. Summer clothes
5. Christmas

that's exactly what we do....I almost never buy them anything during the year unless it is a birthday gift, or clothing/shoes for school or change of seasons. I have been thinking of cutting back on the gifts this Christmas though. I went shopping at Toys R Us family and friends discount night and I think I bought way to much ~ it's easy to get caught up in the fun of shopping for toys! I think I will pull all the toys out tonight and take inventory of what I already have. I'm sure some of it will go back.

 

[mickeyboat]

My kids get a total of about 25 gifts each, about half from Santa and half from Mom and Dad. Santa brings all the fun stuff, Mom and Dad bring mostly clothes. They are still small (5 and 6) so their gifts don't really cost that much. Several of these gifts are "together" gifts - like the easel they got last year and the doll house they are getting this year.

When the kids get older, I am sure the number of gifts will decrease in line with the increase in their cost.

Denae

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Too much! They usually have about 12 gifts to open. I keep saying I will buy less each year, but I get carried away each year!

 

[puffkin]

We've always had big Christmases. I won't even begin to say how many gifts my kids get because it's a LOT and I'll just leave it at that. One thing though, I don't buy them a bunch of stuff thru the year like I see a lot of their friends get. I save it all up for Christmas.

There are really only 5 times during the year that I shop for them.
1. School clothes
2. Birthdays (November and December birthdays)
3. Easter
4. Summer clothes
5. Christmas

This is how I was raised, and how I plan to raise my kids. We always had big christmas's and only got necessities the rest of the year. I would also not include clothes in the gift count unless the kids are old enough to actually want clothes.

 

[dis4me]

We've always had big Christmases. I won't even begin to say how many gifts my kids get because it's a LOT and I'll just leave it at that. One thing though, I don't buy them a bunch of stuff thru the year like I see a lot of their friends get. I save it all up for Christmas.

There are really only 5 times during the year that I shop for them.
1. School clothes
2. Birthdays (November and December birthdays)
3. Easter
4. Summer clothes
5. Christmas

Me too me too Except my birthdays are Jan and Dec (and now one in May)
I was so glad to read this> I was starting to think I spent way tooooo much on Christmas.

 

[EthansMom]

We tend to buy our kids a few things as we see them during the year. Our kids don't get a toy every time we go to the store, but if we're someplace and see something that we think they would enjoy, we'll buy it for them right away -- especially books and educational games. So, our Christmas isn't really an over-the-top gift extravaganza as I've seen as some friends and family members' homes.

Santa brings each of our children one medium toy (say $40 or less) and really stuffs a lot of little toys and a candy or two into the stockings (probably ~$50 in stuff in the stockings). Each child gets one bigger gift and a couple smaller gifts from Mom and Dad too.

Our kids also have 4 full sets of Grandparents. Some of the Grandparents get pretty absurd with the gift giving at Christmas. Others are more reasonable. But, with four full sets of Grandparents, our house looks like a Toys R Us at the end of Christmas Day.

 

[skiwee1]

I usually split it but really don't count. I just wrap a pile and label it from Santa. I never give any of the younger kids clothes at Christmas. Until they grow out of the mostly wanting toys stage they won't get clothes. I buy their clothes year round and don't think they need to open what they were already getting in the first place.

 

[Aidensmom]

My son gets one big gift from Mom and Dad, everything else, including stocking stuffers, is from Santa. I don't go by number of gifts, but rather by a budget. Santa also doesn't only bring toys, he also brings clothes, backpacks, etc.

 

[corie161]

My kids age 7 and 5 usually get one big gift from Santa. This year it will be a Nintendo DS and a Leapster LMax. They also get about 3-5 little gifts in their stocking plus candy, fruit (apple and an orange, a weird tradition along with a pack of juicy fruit).

From us they usually get another toy of some sort, a clothing outfit, maybe a combined family gift like a game, and to open on Xmas eve, new jammies.

Usually DH feels the need to do his own shopping for them and they have something from him under the tree to. I keep telling him it's really not necessary...besides it makes me look bad

 

[WDWMom]

Our children have always gotten 3 gifts, because that is what Jesus received at his birth. They have all come from Santa. They also receive a stocking from Santa. We never bought gifts from us. Kids never figured it out. This is the first year none of our kids believe in Santa so the 3 gifts will be from mom and dad, plus their stockings.

DH and I like to keep things simple Christmas morning. They get lots of gifts from grandparents and exchange names with the cousins.

Like several other posters, we only buy on Christmas, birthdays, back to school, and summer clothes, and a small gift for Easter. Never bought our kids toys because they wanted them or because they begged in the store. Never had them beg either.