How many presents per child?

[lg3]

We also have just one child, so we get pretty excited buying something we think she'll like. We've never counted gifts or specific dollar amounts, but I would guess she gets around 6 gifts just from us/Santa on Christmas day. She does get small gifts during the year, and her birthday is near the beginning of the year, so we TRY not to go overboard.

 

[Mumbling Jumba]

We usually go by Money but in general it works out as the following:

1 larger gift
3 or 4 smaller gifts
And a stocking full of tiny things (The kids 13, 18 and 25 are more interested in the stockings than anything else)

 

[NMAmy]

DD is an only child, too, so I don't have to worry about things evening out between kids. The amount varies from year to year--when she was little and I was poorer, she got less. But little kids are much easier, I think--I could get her 6 coloring books and wrap them all separately and she was in heaven. Now that she's 16, everything she wants is more expensive but luckily, I have more disposable income.

So--I have no idea how many presents she gets each year. She gets one big gift from Santa and then whatever I decide on the other stuff.

 

[taximomfor4]

We usally go by Money but in general it works out as the following:

1 larger gift
3 or 4 smaller gifts
And a stocking full of tiny things (The kids 13, 18 and 25 are more interested in the stockings than anything else)

I always loved the stocking best, too! I fondly remember digging through it. Ours had a small pack of crayons, a new funpad or activity book, baggies of treats (chocolate-covered raisins, yogurt-covered pretzels, an apple, and big, juicy orange), and trial-size bottles of shampoo, bubble bath, maybe a deck of cards. All simple, non-gift items but we LOVED them!! I do the same for my kids.

Oh, and they each get a new pj or nightgown to open + wear to bed on Christmas Eve.

p.s. I don't want anyone to think I am judging differences!! I am replying because it was asked for. Remember: not good, not bad, just different.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

We go by the money amount too We were 1 of those houses too that growing up the tree looked small compared to how many presents were under it (many items could be $5-$10 each ie: games). As long as my 2 believe in the magic of Christmas then I intend to make it as magical as possible.

We have 2 kids - 1 girl & 1 boy and the family is always joking that we have more toys than Toys R US and "what do we get them now" but every year when I tell people make a deposit into their bank accounts, bonds, gift cards, disney dollars, take them out for a fun day somewhere, or something practical we ALWAYS end up with just more toys! So it's not just the parents involved in this house! Also my Inlaws help play Santa - all of their presents also are under the tree from Santa christmas morning - think another truckload of presents!

I think that whatever amount you are comfortable giving is right for your family. Just because my children get 30-40 gifts or more does not mean that we don't give any less to others either - salvation army, goodwill, etc. It just means thats what we do under our roof. (** not being snippy, just making a statement **)

p.s. I don't want anyone to think I am judging differences!! I am replying because it was asked for. Remember: not good, not bad, just different.

I agree with this completely!

 

[JunieJay]

Each get about 20 gifts, about $500 per kid.

They don't have grandparents, so they are a little extra spoiled by us. They are good kids who don't ask for anything during the year so we like to spoil them at Christmas. I say as long as you aren't putting yourself in major debt, buy what you think they will like and not worry about the number or the $$ amount.

 

[SoonerGirl]

If you can afford it, then go for it!

I completely agree! I love Christmas and tend to go overboard every year - much to DH's displeasure! My kids usually have anywhere from 15-20 presents each - yes I know I'm spoiling them, but Christmas is the only time we do this. We don't go big on birthdays and don't buy stuff during the year just because, so I'm allowed to splurge a bit at Christmas time!! (Yes, I'm justifing it to myself )

 

[KikiFan]

My daughter gets a lot of stuff. She's an only child but the baby of the whole family, so she's got everyone, including adult cousins buying her stuff as well. But Christmas is really the only time she gets toys from me. During the rest of the year the only thing I buy her are books. Plus I tend keep my eyes open for clearance/sale items all year long that I put away for CHristmas. I usually have a box of stuff before I even get a list from her.

But I'm pretty confident she's not spoiled rotten. This year she came to me and said that she knew money was tight and since we're going to Disney that could be her present. <sniff> she's a good kid.

 

[luckywife]

Nothing like a little bit of judgement served with your cup of holiday cheer!!!!

I love our Christmases. Santa always left a big pile of gifts for my brother and me, so that's what we do at my house. We have things I know will be surprises, things that the girls have requested, and some classics - they always get new books, movies, beauty products, CDs, and some kind of art kit or project. I like a lot of presents on Christmas morning!!!!

Couldn't have said it better myself

Well, except I have 2 DS's so they do not get beauty products

 

[princesspiglet]

Geez! Why do some people have be so judgemental? All I say is, spend what is right for your family and not worry about what anyone else is spending/not spending!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

We usually only buy DS a couple of toys for Christmas/birthdays because he's already got SO many. The moses basket we carried him around in as infant is in his room, stuffed full of toys. There is a small blue basket in our homeoffice with toys and they are all over the living room.

I always ask my mom and my MIL to buy him more clothes than toys because he has enough. Unless they are buying him cartridges/books for his LittleTouch LeapPad. He drags that thing everywhere with him and we are NOT sorry we spent 25 or 30 bucks on it. It's one of the few toys he has that we actually don't mind him having around.

TOV

 

[aprilgail2]

I don't keep track while I am buying..if she has something on her list I buy it, if I see something I think she would like I buy it..it could be 15 gifts or 25 gifts from santa, depends how crazy I go. She is an only child so she gets loaded down between santa, me and grams, relatives and neighbors and my friends!

 

[Xcited4Disney]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I love Christmas and I love surprising my dd. The look on her face as she rips the paper and finds her surprise is so precious! I'm glad I'm not the only one. Although I'll admit if I was, I know I wouldn't change. Sometimes I live vicariously through her because of the things I didn't get when I was a child (ie Barbie Dream House ) I always include books, crafts, Cds, clothing items, etc. My favorite thing is to sit down with her and play with every single thing she got! Oh and play The Cheetah Girls Christmas CD of course!

 

[Xcited4Disney]

I don't keep track while I am buying..if she has something on her list I buy it, if I see something I think she would like I buy it..it could be 15 gifts or 25 gifts from santa, depends how crazy I go. She is an only child so she gets loaded down between santa, me and grams, relatives and neighbors and my friends!

Yeah , this is how I am too. My mom's comments last year just made me feel funny about it.

Maybe this year we'll invite grandma over after our private gift exchange. I say "our" because Santa will leave a little something for me too!

 

[MI mom of 3]

For us it is usually around 10-11 gifts each. We try and even out the $ amount but the important thing to the kids has always been the number. We go around the room taking turns opening gifts so it would be really noticeable if someone got more than the others. Of course if someone gets a really expensive gift then the rest of their things are very inexpensive. So hopefully it all works out. I have never added up the amount, I think I would feel sick

 

[Lucky4me]

My youngest figured out the Santa thing last year at age 10, so I no longer feel pressured to have humongo amounts of wrapped gifts under the tree.
There is no set number and everything we buy is from the heart and something we know they will treasure versus the disposable crap we used to buy just so it appeared like a lot under the tree. :lol

 

[lovmy2girls]

For my 2 we have always bought 1 or 2 really big gifts that cost $$$. One year it was a bike and then we get a bunch of little stuff, just to make it look like a lot. Color books, crayons, Bubble blower, horn for the bike,,... stuff thats not very much money. I just like watching them open up the gifts. If they get just a few it will be over in 5 minutes or less. I think as they get older, maybe that will change, and so will their taste in gifts.

 

[binny]

I am changing my strategy this year.

For the last few years I have bought WAY too many little toys or toys with little tiny pieces that I just went through their toy room and threw away. They get so overwhelmed by all the little stuff that they cant deal with it. SO this year they are getting themes. DS 11 is getting a FlyPen, he will be getting about 5 things to go with that. DD1 is getting the Target version of an American Girl doll and some of the larger accesories that go with it. DD2 will be getting a train table from us and things to go with it ( Grandpa is getting her the train set).

Those are the gifts from us. Each will wind up with about 6 gifts from us. I cant control what the rest of the family gets them ( and dont want to) but that is what they will be getting this year from us.

 

[DisneyfeverTN]

When DD was an only child and I had a lot less money, I probably spent only $100 on her. After I had two more kids, the amount per child increased a little each year. You can buy a lot more small toys than expensive video games and electronics, so we didn't spend a lot when they were younger.

For the last few years we have spent $500 per child with 14 gifts each. I want the kids to have an equal number of gifts, so that they can open them at the same time and one of them won't be finished quicker than the others.
The gifts range from video games systems, mp3 players to a deck of cards and slippers. That way I can make all 14 gifts equal approx. $500.

 

[wideeyes]

My dd is also an only child, and I understand how easy it is to get carrired away.
This year I have got DD..
A remote control car..
A disney edition of scarbble.
My little ponies
barbie doll
little mermaid DVD
Hannah Montana CD.

We don't get her everything she asks for as her birthday is in January.