Friday, November 5, 2010

it's already past time to think about christmas gifts



I really wish we still lived in the olden days when we could just buy one bigger present for the kids, put a bow on it, and call it Christmas. I'd love to get one of these tricycles for Banks for Christmas (and you can get the red one from Sam's Club for a pretty decent price), but I just know he'd be so disappointed with just one toy. le sigh.

What do you think? Can parents (on limited budgets) get away with just one quality toy these days or should I just go for mass like the kids probably want?

10 comments:

Kayla Moncur said...

We do three gifts: something to play with, something to wear, something to read. We also do a few little stocking stuffers and new pajamas to open Christmas Eve (at that point they are in dire need of new jammies anyway). It makes Christmas really easy and I don't feel bad splurging on a bigger, fun toy instead of lots of little junk! I say go for it and do a couple little fun things in the stocking.

melissa said...

dude, you're the mom. you can do whatever you want. (i want the silver trike, can i have it please?)

Pam said...

Okay, I have to put my two cents in on this one. I think we have it backwards. The best Christmas parenting tradition I EVER heard was from a parent in ID. She said that every year their budget changed and some years were good and some really lean. SO, because they knew that would be the case for them, like forever. They told their children that Santa always brought them one small gift each year (they kept it to like $5 ) because after all Santa had a lot of children to bring gifts to. And then they told them that everything else was from them. (except stockings of course). They also discussed every year how things would be ie., good years - buy a little more or a little bigger or lean - wouldn't be so much. Their children loved it and always knew that Santa wouldn't forget them and it totally took the emphasis off of Santa, although still fun. I so wish I had done something like that. I think they really had something going with that...

Alison said...

Yeah, what Melissa said!
Your boys are young, Banks especially probably wouldn't remember enough past Christmases to know any different.

I remember many years when I was a teenager and my mom would say "I just want to warn you that there might not be as much this Christmas as usual" and I'd roll my eyes and say, "mom, you say that every year and every year we still get tons of stuff" and she'd sigh and say that all my siblings said that too. Point being, I think that kids really don't care as much as the parents think they do.

Michelle said...

I'm going to be honest here, last year was hard for me. We just had a baby and bought a car and things were tight. But it was the best Christmas ever. I think I've finally learned Christams is NOT about the presents!!! I'm always stressed looking for the "perfect" present. We don't buy a lot of stuff for our kids throughout the year so I always thought Christmas presents had to be the perfect gift, what they always wanted (and something they'd play with until next year!) I can't believe what a relief it is this year to really understand that Christmas is NOT about the presents and it doesn't really matter how much or how little my kids get. We get to spend time together, make cookies (and hopefully play in some snow) that's all they want anyways. Get the bike and put a big bow on it even if it's the only thing he gets. He'll play with it all year and be able to pass it down. Don't stress too much about what you are (or aren't) able to give.

Carrie said...

All I needed was a little encouragement you guys so thanks!!!

I'm so stoked! Tricycle for Banks, big box of Legos for Benson, marble run to share, I'm done! I love Christmas this year. I'm basically done shopping already. Now I just have to find someone with a Sam's club card.

Melissa Lasley said...

Such a good topic! I want to do something like this for Christmas now too.

leiamarie82 said...

Our kids are each getting one toy from us for Christmas, and Santa is bringing one toy for both of them (a trampoline). They will get so many toys from other people, they won't even notice. Oh, and they'll have trinkets in their stockings, too.

Caity said...

Less is more! YAY!

Chance and Beth said...

I read about a family that only gave 3 gifts, plus one from santa. The 3 gifts were to simbolize the gifts given to Christ. Luckily when kids are so small they won't know any different. I also know they will be spoiled by grandparents too.