When Santa's list gets more expensive

[KAMKIM]

Obviously each family does the gift thing differently. Looking at your DD's list (if she were my kid), I would take some of the ideas and keep them in mind for her birthday. I personally wouldn't buy that many expensive items for one holiday (again everyone is different, I'm not flaming). I would buy an expensive item or whatever in my budget and use fillers.

I wanted to make a suggestion. On the PSP, price wise it looks like she might be asking for the new PSPgo. If you think you can get away with the older versions of PSPs (like the 3000) you will save a lot of money. They run about $70-$100 less. In addition, you can pick up the UMD movies and games for fairly cheap. I regularly pick up games and movies for $5 (both new and used). This week at Best Buy (I think) there were UMD movies for $7.

Thanks merkc, she does want the psp go...not sure what the difference is between the two though.

I didn't know she could watch movies on the PSP? I was disappointed when I saw the limited amount of games they had available for the PSP though. I will check Best Buy thanks. What is UMD?

 

[puffkin]

She alread has an Ipod and a Wii so she asked for somethings to go with those...

Netbook 350

PSP 250

2 games for PSP 80

Camera 100

gymnastic mats 300

Some stuffed animal wow ee or something like that 60

CD/Ipod dock 100

Toy Story Mania for Wii 60.00

This is all just IMHO, but I would make the following suggestions:
8 seems awful young for a netbook. I just got one this year LOL. I would hold off on that til she is a bit older.

Could you possibly buy the PSP games used? Might save you $10-$15 bucks each!

Walmart had a really great Kodak 8 MP camera and accessory kit on sale for $70 last week. I bet you will be able to find lots of deals well under $100 in the next few weeks.

Don't really know anything about the mats or the stuffed animal.

I have also seen lots of CD/IPod docs for well under $100. You could probably get something really nice for closer to $50 if you look for sales.

Just bought Toy Story Mania for Wii for $45 last week at amazon.com. Free shipping and no tax! Savings of about $15 off your price!

Right there that cuts her list down a lot! We also do only 3 gifts from Santa (1 big and 2 small). That way if the list gets out of control we can say that we don't have enough money but that DS still gets what he wants the most from Santa. So far his lists have been reasonable, but he hasn't hit the full blown electronic stage yet

 

[Minnie824]

Just wanted to add...my DD8 isn't really into the toys as much either (barbies, etc). A few things she really does like is craft type kits from someplace like Learning Express. They have a ton of reasonably priced stuff that is perfect for their age (and would be equal to a 'toy' that my 5 yr old receives). Also, if you can find them, DD did wan Zhu Zhu pets this year. I'm sure that is a fad that won't last long, but again, just a suggestion. Also, for the Toy Story Mania game for wii...I would suggest that not just be a gift for her, but a family present, since everyone would probably play it. We tend to do gifts for both kids, or family gifts for things like that, such as when we got the Wii.

 

[darlak]

I had that same dilemma years ago when my only son wanted expensive electronics. It also didn't help that there's a 15 year age span between my youngest and my oldest. Needing to do something, I went with the explanation that Santa works on a budget. I do have to admit that I hated making the magic of Santa seem so material, but it did work for our family. They even knew what their budget was each year and all stayed more or less within the limit.

Now that my older children have moved away and married, we still use a variation of that same plan. At this point, each of my 4 children have a budget of $500 for Christmas. If they are married, that same budget amount is divided between them and their spouse. For the one married child with 3 children, it's divided by 5 (meaning each gets $100 spent on them). To be honest, I do tend to cheat a bit on the 3 grandkids, but no one ever mentions it, lol.

My only child left at home, DD15, declares jokingly each year that she's never going to marry because she doesn't want to have to share her Santa budget.

 

[merekc]

Thanks merkc, she does want the psp go...not sure what the difference is between the two though.

I didn't know she could watch movies on the PSP? I was disappointed when I saw the limited amount of games they had available for the PSP though. I will check Best Buy thanks. What is UMD?

You might google to find exact comparison info, but this is part of what I think I know. The older model PSPs (which are still sold new) take disks for both games and movies. The movies are called UMDs, I don't believe the games are called this. It is a mini CD encased in a roundish plastic case. You insert the entire plastic case into your PSP. These are the things that I find all the time for $5. In fact with the Target $10 off coupons that are out right now there is one for $10 off 2 PSP games. My Target had some on clearance for $10 each, I just bought new games for $5 each for Christmas.

I don't see new movies as much, I think they may be phasing them out. But I did see the deal somewhere this week that I previously mentioned, I think it was Best Buy. I also have seen $5 movies more than once at GameStop. I've picked up some of our favorite movies and some are even recent ones.

The new PSPgo doesn't take the disks, I think everything has to be downloaded. My thoughts are that you can always find clearanced and used disks but if you have to download games and movies you are at their mercy. I don't know whether they will offer any download deals. We went ahead and got the PSP 3000 knowing the PSPgo was coming out because the download prices were such an unknown factor. Eventually, we will upgrade to it if we decide we want it. We've been very happy with the PSP3000.

 

[luvmy3]

Just a fair warning, we bought the DSi last year and it already isn't recognizing the games.

Uh-oh, what games?



My dd is out of the toy stage and she doesn't believe anymore so she's pretty easy this year. She was only asking for 1 thing because she knew that it was expensive and didn't want to risk not getting it by asking for a whole bunch of stuff
I did get it for her and I will add other things to her pile because I want her to have stuff to open while her brothers are opening their gifts. I have never tried to spend the same amount on each kid but I have always tried to have an equal number of things to open. Luckily I got her big item on a deal and have found all her other stuff at great prices. It may look like her pile cost alot, but it really didn't (at least I'll be convincing dh that ).

I have always told my kids that Santa does not get everything on your list so that they don't expect all of it. They also think that he buys presents with his own money so I tell them that if Santa bought all the expensive stuff they want, he wouldn't have money left to buy other kids their presents.

 

[KAMKIM]

Uh-oh, what games?



My dd is out of the toy stage and she doesn't believe anymore so she's pretty easy this year. She was only asking for 1 thing because she knew that it was expensive and didn't want to risk not getting it by asking for a whole bunch of stuff
I did get it for her and I will add other things to her pile because I want her to have stuff to open while her brothers are opening their gifts. I have never tried to spend the same amount on each kid but I have always tried to have an equal number of things to open. Luckily I got her big item on a deal and have found all her other stuff at great prices. It may look like her pile cost alot, but it really didn't (at least I'll be convincing dh that ).

I have always told my kids that Santa does not get everything on your list so that they don't expect all of it. They also think that he buys presents with his own money so I tell them that if Santa bought all the expensive stuff they want, he wouldn't have money left to buy other kids their presents.

At this point it isn't recognizing any of the games. We're not past the 1 year MFR warranty yet so I think I am going to try and send it back.

 

[disney1990]

Our kids knew that they would only receive 1 or 2 big items, depending on how much those items cost and then they would receive some small things.

This is an overwhelming list for an 8 year old. I know that my granddaughters (9 & 11) usually ask for 1 big thing only.

 

[luvmy3]

At this point it isn't recognizing any of the games. We're not past the 1 year MFR warranty yet so I think I am going to try and send it back.

Oh, I thought you meant you were purchasing new games and they weren't working but older ones did.
I found Nintendo has great customer service, as long as you are within the 1 year mark you should have no problems getting a replacement

 

[ohiomom28]

My DS9 has asked for a PS3 for 2 years now, I have always told him it was too expensive and he understands...but this year we already got him one. Now that $300 is already spent, there isn't much else we can afford other than multiple little cheaper gifts. My parents bought him a game for it but I am always at a loss at what to get him. He has never played with toys really.

 

[chabs]

Just an FYI for the PSP. I can't imagine that there are a whole lot of games that your DD would even be interested in-they are geared more towards young men. I just bought my DS13 a PSP go for his birthday ($250). He was debating between that and a regular PSP. The go won out though-no cartridges to drag around. It is very similar to an ipod-you can buy movies and games wirelessly through the PSP network and can buy cards similar to Itunes cards for $10, $20 or $50.

I did find a Ipod dock/alarm clock at Toys R Us for $25. You might want to watch the ads to see if can get similar items on sale and save on the cost a little bit.

 

[C.Ann]

Due to the economy, Santa can only afford to bring one or two "expensive" gifts to all of the children he needs to deliver to.. (Some elves have actually been laid off..) But in order to make each child happy, he "fills in" with smaller, individually wrapped gifts..

 

[SC Minnie]

Around that age I started limiting Santa's list to 3 things that I had veto over. I had to explain to DD that the gifts from Santa weren't 'free' and that mom and dad had to leave a check for Santa. That is why some kids got more than others sometimes.

 

[golfgal]

Have you always gotten her everything on her list? I can't imagine what her list will look like when she is a teenager if she is already asking for expensive electronics. YIKES!!

My kids understood that some things cost more then others so if they got a few less presents, oh well. All they really cared about is getting the one thing they really wanted. One year DS14 asked for a Nerf basketball hoop-that was it--we splurged and got him 2 so they could play full court ball in the basement. He didn't care that his brother got a DS that year because he got what he wanted.

We typically get the kids one "big" gift and a bunch of smaller ones. I try to get them a few things that aren't on their lists but I know they will like. DD has been looking at North Face fleece jackets but hasn't "asked" for one so she will get one of those (plus it will be nice in the spring for golf). DS has been complaining that his winter coat is too small (it isn't but whatever). I got him a North Face winter coat.

DD also wants a Coach purse (Grandma got that for her) and a digital camera-which she will get from us. The boys don't have lists yet--actually we never get lists so knowing what DD wants already is very unusual. They will get some small things wrapped up-socks, PJ's, etc. because I like to see a lot of stuff under the tree Christmas morning.

 

[barkley]

i have a dd (15) and a ds (almost 13). they've never asked for multiple expensive items but there have been times when they've asked for one. we don't tend to go overboard with expensive christmas gifts, and i honestly believe that kids tend to appreciate/take better care of items they've had to put some effort towards so what we've done on the more expensive electronics is gift them a portion of the money it will cost in the form of a promisary gift certificate. we did this with dd's laptop, ipod, and ds's wii. we gifted them with the last $50 and sales tax the item will cost-payable when they show us that they have saved enough to pay for the remainder of the purchase.

this is'nt easy for them when they only receive $25 month in allowance but they manage to save what they can, put aside any bday or christmas cash they receive-and have been known to ask mom or dad privatly if they are interested in purchasing certain gift cards relatives have sent as gifts (i only purchase the ones i know i would be spending money at anyway like walmart).

it took ds 2 years to save for his wii-quite an accomplishment for a then 10 year old to embark on. dd's ipod took about a year, her laptop much quicker because she benefited from 8th grade graduation monetary gifts. they put a high value on these items and take excellent care of them-i think in large part because they remember how long it took to get them/the sacrifices they made on spending elsewhere.


dd's list this year is mostly books, ds has maybe one video game but i think they are old enough that they realize the economy is an issue in everyone's home they know, and have made a conscious effort to scale back

 

[aprilgail2]

\

The 7yo got a DS for her birthday (prior to DH's job loss). She gave up her birthday party so she could have that. (She came up to me one day several months ago asking what her birthday present budget was, how much a birthday party costs and a cost of a DS. She figured out if she gave up the party, we'd have enough money for a DS and she was pleased with her choice.) I was AMAZED at her maturity. She didn't bat an eye or shed a tear over her lost party. She was truly happy with getting her DS.


.

I did that with my daughter this year- she wanted a new laptop so I told her she could either have a birthday party or she could have a laptop...both worked out to about the same price one you factor in goody bags, tips, party place cost etc - she could have one or the other and she picked the laptop. Her big thing on her Christmas list is a drum set this year and I have friends getting rid of theirs cheap so I picked that up already!

 

[PatsGirl]

Time to wrap up a big box of reality for some of these kids There is nothing wrong with letting even the youngest of children know that they can't have everything they want even at Christmas, in fact they most likely will only get a few things that they want. Better to start early than trying to downsize when they become tweens Even if I had all the money in the world I wouldn't get everything on my kids' lists. Of course, I don't want them to be disappointed on Xmas morning but hey, if they are disappointed because they didn't get EVERYTHING they wanted, there is a bigger problem....

 

[luvsJack]

My kids have always gotten one big gift and other smaller gifts. We never really discussed that it had to be within a certain price, they just have never asked for anything that was out of our budget. As my son's got older sometimes I would tell them that the big gift would be the only thing if the budget was tighter that year.

I have tried to make sure I am only getting them something they want and will use, not just to have something under the tree. I know so many kids that ask for things (expensive and cheap) and they don't really want the stuff they just see someone else with it.

I have told dd that she had to limit the number of things on her list to Santa, we just really never discussed the money and it never seemed to be a problem. (she also knows that her list is a "wish" list and she can't get everything on it)

 

[mom2travel]

Our kids always made long lists and only some of it would be recieved - certain things that mom and dad "wouldn't buy" from Santa, sometimes the list is shared with grandparents or other relatives. Part of the fun is not knowing exactly what they are going to find under the tree.

We typically do 2 or 3 gifts from Santa and then a bunch from us. We always make sure they have the same number of packages to open, and try to keep the budget relatively the same for each. But I will admit that there were years when DS was already into video games, etc and DD was easy and cheap to buy for, so number-wise they were even, but not money. It all balances out at the end. And no one is counting that I've noticed.

 

[Ember]

Wow, I was allowed to ask Santa for one thing, there was no list. Of course, I once asked for a can of tomato soup so I think I may have missing the point as a kid... (I loved tomato soup and wanted a can I didn't have to share!)