What's Santa Bringing Your Kids?

[emma'smom]

Buy your kids all you want. I, personally, know that in the long run it is not plastic toys that will make my kids happy but an education."

I didn't know it was an either/or situation...we love to have fun with our kids and to give them tools for learning and play. Play is a child's work, of course! It is the best way to learn...the foundation for all educational experiences to come!

Our dd4 already talks about where she plans to go to graduate school.....and she also talks about the toys she wants for Christmas. A good education can lead to the financial security that allows for a little indulgence....they are not mutually exclusive.

 

[marcyinPA]

I guess I'm not getting adopted. I really wanted a laptop. Actually i'm secretly hoping DH gets me one. I'd rather him not spend the money, but I really hate DISing in the cold basement (where our office is).

For those of you with older DC's, how do you limit yourselves? Do you pick a money amount or an amount of gifts? We don't have a problem now since DD is so little and our house is 900 sq feet. There's just no room for toys. But we are moving and I know it'll be harder when DD is older.

I have two boys, ages 11 and 7. There comes a time when you realize they just have too much crap! I especially feel this way because every year, I feel like we outgrow our house a little more. I do go through things and purge, but still toys/games/trading cards etc. seem to multiply! It's easy for me to limit what I buy because I'm pretty much a minimalist...I hate clutter....and I'm also very frugal! I don't necessarily set a money amount, but I try to keep within my comfort zone (when I spend too much, I get a little twitchy!)

Also, I've noticed as they get older, they get harder to buy for. DS11 isn't into toys anymore. Of course, his items are pricier now (the PS2 games, the MP3 players, etc.) but he never asks me for anything. He's happy with clothing and sports magazines! DS7 is still into toys, but I try to go the more practical or educational route for him. He loves Playmobil, but he has several sets. After a while, how many sets of Playmobil does a kid need? Plus, he has all of those hand-me-downs from his older brother....

And then, there are grandparents. My mom usually always gets the kids what they want, so it gets me off the hook, so to speak.

I like to think that we have a happy medium going on here....my kids have never expressed that they feel deprived, so I think I'm on the right track!

 

[3princesses+aprince]

My ds10 is getting
A star wars game for ps2
A lord of the rings game for ps2
star wars transformers
star wars figures
soccer net
a board game ?

My dd7 is getting
A cinderella's castle playset from the Disney store
bella dancerella
12 dancing princess barbies
big baby bratz
Disney Princess Project and draw
A board game ?

My dd5 is getting
Disney Princess tea cart from the Disney Store
Fairy wishes dora
a baby doll stroller
Doll house Doras ABC game
Polly pocket set
aquadoodle

My dd2 is getting
A Disney Princess tea set from the Disney store
Baby Chou Chou
Lucky Ducks game
Diego playset
a baby doll stroller
leap frog fridge phonics

And of course stockings, which I never know until I shop for them.
And they are all getting clothes , and pj's and slippers on christmas eve.
Along with all the other goodies from grandma, aunts and uncles.

 

[kaysmommie]

Buy your kids all you want. I, personally, know that in the long run it is not plastic toys that will make my kids happy but an education."

I didn't know it was an either/or situation...we love to have fun with our kids and to give them tools for learning and play. Play is a child's work, of course! It is the best way to learn...the foundation for all educational experiences to come!

Our dd4 already talks about where she plans to go to graduate school.....and she also talks about the toys she wants for Christmas. A good education can lead to the financial security that allows for a little indulgence....they are not mutually exclusive.

Exactly

 

[mytwotinks]

For those of you with older DC's, how do you limit yourselves? Do you pick a money amount or an amount of gifts? We don't have a problem now since DD is so little and our house is 900 sq feet. There's just no room for toys. But we are moving and I know it'll be harder when DD is older.

We don't really set a limit for our dd's (4 & 9). We just decide what we want them to have. This is a very high$$$ year for us. We are taking several car trips in the next year so we decided that Santa would bring dd9 a nintendo ds and dd4 a Game Boy Advance and several games for each of them. Santa got a great deal on 2 portable dvd players on black friday and since I broke our old one he decided that he would get those too! Now we won't have to argue over what movie to watch!!!!

We are wrapping from us, American girl dolls and clothes and accessories. That alone is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!! There are a few odds and ends that will also be wrapped, but very few.

I try not to add a bunch of mess to my house! I figure that the games will be stored on their dressers and the AG stuff will all go in one spot. That is my main objective at any gift occasion........ Don't add to our mess!

I used to stress about spending too much money on them. I have friends that say that they only spend $100 on each kid, but I don't know where all their stuff comes from. We rarely buy our kids toys other than birthday and Christmas. I like to keep it special.

 

[Lunchlady]

My DD (15) is getting

A pink DS lite
All accessories to go with it including a bag to carry everything
5 games for DS
Cd's (from her list)
A very beautiful Alice in Wonderland snowglobe
A couple of computer games
A nice pair of gloves
Pirate pj's
A Tinkerbell clock
Lots of stocking stuffers
Pirate Dice Game

Yes my DD is spoiled but asked for VERY little. But we have shopped for the children in my school that may not get much. She won a basket of toys in a fall festival & she donated it all to the school.We had taken on 3 children to buy Christmas for.We have probably spent more on others than on her. I always make sure she shops for someone less fortunate because they are everywhere.But this is something she looks foward to. And we are going to be at Disney World for Christmas.We leave 3 weeks from today!!!!

 

[firsttimedisn]

Wow! I'm surprised there hasn't been any or much mention of Cars stuff. My DS3 is all about Cars. It was anything Wiggles for about 1 1/2 years, but thankfully he now has a new obsession. I would've thought by the trouble we're having finding some of the Cars stuff, everybody was getting that stuff! Anyways, I had never really thought about giving certain things from Santa vs. us. Our son knows in a very simplistic way the story of Christmas and that it's Jesus birthday, but for the fun of being a kid, we've also really emphasized Santa and how magically brings the gifts. Is that bad, or will we regret all his presents coming from Santa when he's older?

Anyways, what he's getting from Santa:
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse & character sets
Cars Luigi house and diecast cars (hopefully all or most of them)
Hi Ho Cheerio
Candyland
Several books (I think I have 5 or so)
New PJ's and slippers for Christmas Eve (Cars)
Crayola finger paint sets (2)
Incredibles DVD

We tend to think that our son gets way too much stuff. I don't think we ourselves go overly overboard with Christmas, but by the time all the relatives give him gifts, I think it's a bit much. I know he's getting more Cars stuff from relatives (race track, carrying case, Mack, Tippin Tractor, etc, etc...seems to go on and on). I think it'll get better as he gets older and the gifts start costing more, but for now, he's so young and there's no really big items that take a bite out of anyone's budget. We just packed up two boxes of toys to donate to make room for the next wave of stuff...we don't have a basement or bonus room, so we try to limit his main toys to fitting into one toybox. Hopefully that seems reasonable. He helped us pick some toys to get rid of and his dad picked several more. We did this a couple weeks ago and so far he hasn't mentioned or noticed anything missing yet!

 

[tigger2on]

DD 10 (Severely disabled)
Bead Maze
Bedbugs Pinball
Sound Puzzle
Wiggles DVDs
Disney Store Plush Snow White
Musical Instruments

DD2 (almost)
Radio Flyer Spring Horse
Disney Princess flute
Disney Store Plush Jasmine
Disney Princess Board Books
Barney DVD

 

[DVCLiz]

Radio Flyer Spring Horse

This brings back such sweet memories!! I can still see my daughter, going back and forth as fast as she could, ridin' the range...

 

[mytwotinks]

Anyways, I had never really thought about giving certain things from Santa vs. us. Our son knows in a very simplistic way the story of Christmas and that it's Jesus birthday, but for the fun of being a kid, we've also really emphasized Santa and how magically brings the gifts. Is that bad, or will we regret all his presents coming from Santa when he's older?

It seems like everybody does the santa thing a little different. I am sure that most of us are just doing it however our moms did it and most of our husbands are just along for the ride! I like to have wrapped gifts under the tree all season, so it works out great for us to do mommy and daddy gifts and then Christmas Eve Santa leaves his in our living room. Santa doesn't wrap at our house, he just arranges the gifts in neat piles!

I don't think you'll regret whatever you do if it's what is fun for you. It will become your tradition and that's what is important.

 

[kellia]

Santa doesn't wrap, here, either! I have tried to cut back this year, especially since they are getting Disney tickets from us for Christmas!

Here is the main stuff they are getting from Santa. All are getting pj's on Christmas Eve from us (Wiggles, Rescue Heroes and Pirates of Caribbean)

Eric-
New Wiggles CD (Santa had to pick it up in Australia since it isn't in the US yet! LOL)
Wiggles Dance Mat
Superman toy

Ryan-
Rescue Heroes Remote control guy (why can't my kids like stuff in the stores??)
Rescue Heroes DVD
Rescue Heroes PS Game

Caitlin-
CD
School Sweatshirt
Pirates Caribbean 2 DVD

 

[MissVesper]

DD 2 (as of a week ago, so I don't think she could even say scissors yet ), when asked, tells me she wants to be able to nurse for Christmas. Not exactly the answer I was expecting.

Thanks to her mother's nostalgia trip, she's been exposed to She-Ra Princess of Power and thinks she's the bee's knees. She runs around the house waving a cardboard paper towel insert over her head and shouting "A -- Ba Daba!" (Translation: "I am She-Ra!"). Courtesy of Ebay, Santa is bringing her a She-Ra figurine. I'm contemplating adding a potty for her baby doll, but I fear my ulterior motives are showing. In her stocking will be some easy-peel oranges (Satsumas).


DVCLiz -- What college is your 18yo at? Do you mind saying? I majored in Japanese Studies at my school, and had a year abroad there. it was a great experience.

 

[DVCLiz]

DD 2 (as of a week ago, so I don't think she could even say scissors yet ), when asked, tells me she wants to be able to nurse for Christmas. Not exactly the answer I was expecting.

Thanks to her mother's nostalgia trip, she's been exposed to She-Ra Princess of Power and thinks she's the bee's knees. She runs around the house waving a cardboard paper towel insert over her head and shouting "A -- Ba Daba!" (Translation: "I am She-Ra!"). Courtesy of Ebay, Santa is bringing her a She-Ra figurine. I'm contemplating adding a potty for her baby doll, but I fear my ulterior motives are showing. In her stocking will be some easy-peel oranges (Satsumas).


DVCLiz -- What college is your 18yo at? Do you mind saying? I majored in Japanese Studies at my school, and had a year abroad there. it was a great experience.

I PM'd you.

Good luck with the potty thing - sounds like an excellent idea to me!!! Not so sure how you'll pull off the nursing thing, though!!!

 

[VictoriaT]

I know my kids are spoiled- blame it on their grandmother!! We try to teach them the real meaning of Christmas, and I think they know. It's just very easy for kids to get caught up in all of it, and we parents get caught up as well, wanting their children to have the best of everything. I tried to set a limit. We do one present from the sibs to each other, and one small gift from mom and dad, and the rest from Santa and other family. With that being said, here is their list:

DD9
Disney Mix Max, with Jam Stand and a few Mix and Max clips
Kit's lunchbox and typewriter
IZ (I hope it works with the Mix Max)
The Game of Life
Crayola tracing desk
a couple AG outfits
cd cubes
Monopoly here & now
Kit's daybed (from Grandparents)
and stocking stuffer stuff

DS6
Fisher Price I can play piano and software
Crayola tracing desk
Discovery Store 3D Home planetarium
DS explorer tool belt
DS science kit
Legos
stocking stuffer stuff
More Legos from grandparents

DS4
Rescue Heroes Aquatic Command Center (yes, the large one, and not available in stores!!)
Rescue Heroes guys and vehicles
DS explorer toolbelt
Cariboo
Crayola art lap desk
Buzz Lightyear readyBed
stocking stuffer stuff
Magnatiles from grandparents

DH (yes, he is a kid too)
Navman skiing GPS
Sirius Satellite radio
Sinatra in Vegas
Hardwood cherry floor in family room
stocking stuffer stuff

Our church does a christmas tree where you pick items to buy for someone in need, and I have my kids pick those out every year. My FIL is involved in building a homeless shelter in our area for displaced families, and it takes up much of his time, so my kids understand there are many needy people out there, and I think my DD feels lucky, I think my DS' are still a bit clueless. We do try, though.

 

[1of6]

At our house, Santa fills the stockings and brings the "gift of choice." He always brings a group gift and a couple of other things but my kids can only ask him for 1 thing.

Both DSs are getting a PSP and a game.

DD8 is getting the newest Littlest Petshop thing and some new pets for it.

DD2 is getting a double stroller and a baby doll.

The group gift is an 8 person tent!

 

[gosoxb]

A trip to Disney World!!!!

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

OK...here it goes.

DS 9
SANTA
*Playstation 2 (can't find this thing on sale for the life of me)
*traffic light bank for his room
*James and the Giant Peach DVD
US
*Nightmare Before Christmas DVD
*a bunch of those little Teacher's Pet books
*Polar Express and a Disney game for PS2
*slurpee maker
*outfit

DD 6
SANTA
*Polly Pocket Cruise Ship
*Box of Polly Pockets (big lot on ebay)
*traffic light bank
US
*Bratz styling head
*2 Bratz dolls
*Alladin DVD
*art supplies/fuzzy poster boards
*outfit

DS 3
SANTA
*CARS tricycle
*CARS dvd
*Fur Real Friends monkey
US
*CARS puzzle
*CARS magna doodle
*CARS lamp
*CARS ball
*CARS art set
*CARS outfit
(can you tell what his favorite movie is?)

DS 1
*Lego crocodile (free w/ pampers rewards)
*Fisher Price workbench
*Leapfrog Alphabet bug
US
*several outfits
*a couple small push cars

Stockings
*toothbrushes, ornaments, markers, holiday push up lollipops, favorite character tattoos, a few individual gifts for each kid

Having four can really add up! I think we'll spend about $800 total on the kids this year. I need to stop adding to the stash with special deals I find. The kids really only get new toys for b'days and Christmas, so I don't mind splurging a bit this time of year. I've been e-bay some of their non used things to help pay for the new things!

 

[DizzKneeGeek]

Well, you got me there!

I have found with my own too much means being overwhelmed. If you give them less, they appreciate what they have. My kids anyway.

But please, what four year old needs 25 gifts to open? Really. This is overkill.

I work with underprivledged kids. They are thrilled to get a new book.

My kids were taught from an early age to help the less fortunate all year. They are scouts and work hard to make sure others have something to open on christmas morning.

But, again, different families, different priorities.

Tracy

I read the thread title as What's Santa Bringing Your Kids?. Not Let me tell you how much better I am than you. Did I miss something here?? What in the world possessed you to come into this thread and make your unsolicited opinions known? Please answer. I'm really curious as to what flavor cookie you'd like.

On topic:
No kids here yet. But just found out PrincessFontaine is pregnant. So we'll on this thread in a few years time.

Back to the regularly scheduled program....

 

[lalijack]

Just my two cents, but in my experience, it's the people who pontificate and give unsolicited, condescending parenting advice who are *ahem* lacking somewhere, not the parents who are willing to sacrifice their hard earned $$ to bring a smile to their children's faces. The nature of these boards is such that not all exchanges between people who have children needs to turn into a Me vs. You scenario.

 

[mytwotinks]

I read the thread title as What's Santa Bringing Your Kids?. Not Let me tell you how much better I am than you. Did I miss something here?? What in the world possessed you to come into this thread and make your unsolicited opinions known? Please answer. I'm really curious as to what flavor cookie you'd like.

On topic:
No kids here yet. But just found out PrincessFontaine is pregnant. So we'll on this thread in a few years time.

Back to the regularly scheduled program....

Congratulations!!!!!!!

I had ignored that post. I thought that it was very self-important of that poster to assume that all of us that are giving our kids, what she considers, too many gifts don't give to those less fortunate.