In the past I've always just gone crazy on the boys and found them tons of gifts (usually at garage sales throughout the year). Last year my ds2 was only a little over a year old and his favorite part was the wrapping paper! I also noticed ds1 found a gift he liked (a $1 instrument in his stocking) and kept going back to it - we had to keep reminding him to open the next gift, etc.

THIS YEAR WILL BE DIFFERENT... I'm just not sure how.

My plan so far (although not finalized) is to by each boy 3 gifts from us! Then santa brings 1 thing (that they've asked for) plus a stocking! I have already purchased 3 gifts for each boy and am waiting to purchase the Santa gift until we get a little closer - that way it's something they've asked for! I also have most the stocking done!

Now I'm starting to wonder though - we leave our gifts out under the tree for a couple of weeks before Christmas - when santa comes over night there's not going to be much of a difference. The stockings will be full & there will be 1 extra gift for each of them! Should we do less and let Santa do more??

I'm also tossing around the idea of giving each boy $5 or so to spend on their brothers. That way they get into the giving side of it too!

What do you all think?? Any suggestions or ideas??

TIA!

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Stay at home mom to my 3 boys... ages 5, 3 & 1!

I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

It's tough...

I've cut back quite a bit. LOL My kids are hard to shop for in that they don't usually give me any ideas, they're just not hard pressed for anything. I do get them the usual suspects, which at our house are books, CD's, stuff for their room (lamps, rugs, stuff for the walls etc), legos etc

My boys LOVE to buy a gift for each other. They use their allowance and usually my younger son picks something out for my older son first...and then when my older son gets around to picking something out for my younger son, he just matches the amount of money that was spent.

I think you need to just do what works...there is no right or wrong way. Both of my kids know that there really isn't Santa but I always tell them that the 'magic' of Christmas is real, whether you believe in Santa or not!

I don't put gifts under the tree, or fill stockings, until after the boys have gone to bed on Christmas Eve. That's just the way my Mom did it for me and that's how I do it for my kids.

We opened gifts on Xmas eve when I was a kid, and the gifts would be there for us to look at and wonder about. Or guess what they were. Santa filled our stocking and brought us a pair of new PJs that were folded under our stocking every year. I dont' recall ever getting more than one gift from my parents, but I did get gifts from my siblings. So there would be 4 gifts for me under the tree - one from my mom, and one from my sibs. I never felt like I went without. I can't believe how all my friends kids get 15 gifts each or something like that, and they spend $100s on each kid.

I remember my stocking being my favorite part of Christmas. I have no idea why - my mom STILL fills stockings for us (my grandma knit personalized ones). We're older now, but we still love it I can't tell you why stockings are so much cooler than presents, but they are!

I think that if you do the 3 presents from you, and one from Santa, that would be all right - after all the "real" sign for most kids I know is that stocking!

I do think that letting your sons pick a small gift for each other is a great idea. When my brother and I were "older" - I think like 5 and 7 or something - my Dad would take us to the 5 and dime, and give us X amount of money - $5 or $10, and we'd shop. It made us realize how much fun it was to give to others. That was my second favorite thing to do, after getting my stocking.

I too know kids that get hundreds of dollars in gifts - and within a week, most are broken and forgotten. What a waste. They would have just as happy with 1/4 of the loot.

Last year my stocking had a 5lb bag of pistachios

When I was growing up, my parents would spend $100 on each of us kids (there were 5 of us), we'd have small stockings, and then get a big santa gift for the whole family (which I was always screwed out of b'c it was always something for the boys -- video games, outside stuff for snowmobiling, etc). I always thought it interesting that my parents had to give each kid a basket or a box for everything they got so it didn't get lost on Christmas morning. When I married DH, his family had always done 3 gifts (like the 3 gifts from the wise men) and stockings. But their stockings were HUGE! They got a cd or movie in them, plus things like lotion, a new toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, bath foam, books, etc. My stocking growing up was little - we usually got a flashlight, a small activity book, some candy and maybe a little toy in it. Anyway, when DH wanted to do the 3 gifts for our kids, I thought it was fine. DS had a wonderful Christmas last year. We got him 3 gifts and my MIL made him a stocking. He didn't lack for anything - as the only grandchild, he got completely spoiled by family (and friends) and in the end, even though we only gave him 3 things, he still had too much stuff. Had we gone all out and spent hundreds on him, I can't imagine what our tiny house would have looked like. You know, it is what you make of it. If you make the 3 gifts really special, they'll never miss having 20.

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~~Amanda~~ Mommy to one Little Man (3 1/2 yrs old), TTC #2

WE'RE ADOPTING!!!

I'm all for the children getting gifts for each other. What I do is reserve one of the gifts I would have given the child to be the one from the siblings. In other words, the dollar amount is higher because it is a gift I would have given the kid anyway. The sibling does pick-out the gift and wraps it. Many years I've been pleasantly surprised that the sibling tends to pick out a better gift that I would have chosen. Sometimes the sibling gift is the best gift the child gets. I think because the sibling is also a child, they are a little more 'in tune' with what another child would want.

As for presents under the tree, I have pretty storage canisters for the Christmas decorations and, once emptied, those go under the tree until Christmas eve. That keeps temptation away from the kids to peek. The rule in our house is if a kid discovers a gift before Christmas Day, then the gift goes back to the store or gets donated. Cruel, I know. I do produce one gift on Christmas Eve that can be opened that night. It is usually a set of pajamas or something cute to wear on Christmas morning when the pictures are taken.

Personally, I hate filling the stockings. I always end up spending too much. I have to re-think that whole system.

Oh, in years past, the gift from Santa wasn't wrapped. That saves me the trouble and it seems a little more 'real'. In our house, Santa doesn't tend to give items that are obviously store-bought, nor does he give electronics. Santa's gift usually turns out to be something the kid really likes but didn't expect. I like the idea of Santa knowing what the kid really wants better than the kid.

If you're going to drastically cut down on the number of gifts you give, I recommend making a conscious effort to focus on 'events' for the holiday season. Do make cookies together and visit free public events. Have a solid plan for something fun to do on Christmas Day after the gifts are open - a great homemade breakfast or a visit with friends or maybe a movie at home. This year a lot of gifts will not be things but experiences so, unfortunately, there won't be tons for DD to play with on Christmas Day.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

We NEVER had presents under the tree until Christmas morning. Well, I should temper that. We had gifts that were given to the family from cousins, co-workers, or friends under there, but the ones from parents, grandma (she stayed overnight every Christmas Eve), and Santa arrived for Christmas morning. This is how my parents made a dramatic impact!

In the past, I have wrapped empty boxes to make it look "cute" under the tree. The kids knew that the boxes were just for decoration.

We do the same thing -- no real presents until Christmas morning!

Marlene

PS -- We have a Christmas Bazaar at our school so that our kids can have the experience of buying gifts for their family. I love to watch them shop. They really make thoughtful choices!

I have been thinking about what to do for our kids this year for Christmas too. Last year DS was 1 and we did 3 gifts from Mommy and Daddy, one "big" gift from Santa and a stocking full of little things like 99cent books, a few pieces of candy, a couple of jars of baby food, cereal puffs, a couple of small baby toys, some socks, etc. We are big on stocking stuffers here.

But seriously my son has too many toys (although only about 1/4 of what most of his friends have...Mommy and Daddy have goen through and given away a lot of toys through the last year) and lots of clothes and books. And even though DD is just 5 months old she has enough clothes to see her through age 3 from baby showers, gifts sent after she was born and handmedowns.

So what do I get or make for my kids when they already have everything????

For DD I will get her a few infant toys like rattles, teethers, etc. She will get some PJ's and some baby food too. Her "Big" present from Santa will be a huge box of diapers.

For DS...I am at a loss. I gave my one good idea away to my MIL...a Spiderman inflatable sleeping bag. We are always visiting relatives, camping, etc. so I know he will use this a lot. The kid already has a desk, a bookcase full of books, a basketball hoop, a tricycle and an art easel. I think this year he will get a few coloring books, some more Aqua Doodle stuff (he LOVES the one he has now), and some rolls of quarters in his stocking to put into his piggy bank (the kid loves to put coins in it). But I can't come up with his "Santa" gift yet.

Another idea I want to implement now since the kids get so many presents from grandparents and other relatives is...for every new toy that you want to keep, you have to give away the same amount of old toys to Goodwill. That way it helps to keep the toy clutter down and teaches them the value of giving at the same time.

I have also already talked to our relatives and friends and said "No toys, unless absolutely necessary". I won't clutter up their house with toys if they don't clutter up mine. All of my friends totally agreed. So we will give the kids clothes, money, gift certificates, educational bonds, books, etc. Last year all of DS's friends got hooded bath towels that I sewed together. This year they will be getting cartoon sleeping bags that I just bought at Tuesday Morning for $10 a piece :D. Now if I can only get the grandparents to follow. But they are the grandparents so they have the right to spoil their only two grandkids anyway they want to. I kind of let the grandparents have free reign on what they want to do with and for our kids.

And this year I will have DS pick out a small gift for his sister and have a small gift from DD for DS under the tree too.

Sandra

My kids don't get much from us or Santa for Christmas. First we can't afford it, second I figure after they go to 5 different xmas gatherings, they have way too much stuff. The family asks what they need, so they pick those items first before buying a lot of toys. My kids are happy to get anything for a gift. I don't put presents under the tree until xmas eve night. So, when the kids wake up, they are so thrilled that there is stuff under the tree. I tried something new last year. I made their big gift from Santa a scavenger hunt. They went around reading clues and riddles and followed them to their surprise. They really enjoyed it, plus it made the gift giving time a little longer. We also don't do a free for all when opening the gifts. The kids get a gift each and they open it all together. That way mom can take pics. We usually let the kids do all their gifts then we focus on dad and then myself. We then eat a very yummy special breakfast. I think it is all about the memories and traditions, and not just about the gifts. Creating memories and traditions can be very inexpensive.

We started this 2 years ago!! the girls give a gift to each other!! then they get to pick a gift for daddy and me!! then they get 1 from daddy and 1 from mommy and 1 big gift from mommy and daddy together!! then santa brings small things like fun socks, maybe a flashlight some crayons maybe even a cd or movie!! (that would be the most costly thing!!)
last year they got night lights that are battery operated that santa got for 1$(on clearance) at target!! they still are great!!

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Kelly mom to 3 great girls A Peanut, a monkey and a little burrito.