Anyone else think they've gone overboard?

[Bid]

All of DS's gifts are wrapped now but I'm worried he's going to be overwhelmed, he'll be 3 in January and this is the first year he really understands what's going on, and I've bought far too much. It's not that I even spent a lot of money, there's just so many individual boxes to open! Doesn't help that my family live elsewhere so I've got all their gifts here too.

His main santa present is a wooden shop with a till and various bits of food. That was bought months ago, but then he started saying he hoped santa would bring him a jungle and a house for his trains. He kept saying the same two things for weeks so I thought I'd better get them! So now he's got the wooden tidmouth sheds for his trains, and two of the medium sized paymobil sets which make up his jungle. So that's three decent sized boxes from santa, in addition to the shop (there goes my 'one gift from santa' rule).

Then from us he's got a keyboard mat for the floor, a doctor's kit, a build-it JCB, two board games and a duplo train. So nothing expensive but still one huge box and five medium sized boxes to open.

From family he's got a brio train station, tunnel, level crossing, lifting bridge and crane. Plus a puzzle and a dvd.

So he's got his shop (which will be built up and covered), his stocking (chocolate, wooden trains and new slippers) and about 18 things to open. That's not even including the presents both sets of grandparents will be bringing him during the morning, which will be a big stack of presents each! I actually feel really embarrassed about it. I was banging on about only having one gift from santa and a few from us, and I was doing so well until I added the train/jungle gifts. And I completely forgot to factor in all the family gifts which will be here too.

The thing is he has no age-appropriate toys just now, and because his birthday is 3 weeks after xmas he hasn't really had anything new since January apart from bits and bobs. So I used this as the excuse to update all his toys and put the babyish stuff away, and build up his train set which he loves but is basically just track at the moment. So he's ended up with loads of things and now I'm wishing I'd just spread it out during the year instead of keeping it all for one day. Especially when I know how much my mum has got him too. And then we'll have his birthday too

I've already held some things back for his birthday, wondering if I should keep some stuff for later on in the year or just give it all to him and do better next xmas!

 

[Mrs R]

I always go overboard and it never hurt anybody

As I have 3 little ones, they spend a few days getting through everything. Santa stuff gets opened in the morning and just what they want from under the tree through the day (and the next day and the next etc) Maybe give him something before bed tomorrow night to get rid of one of the big boxes?

And if you really feel you've over done it, put some away til New Year/ birthday etc x

I personally never feel bad for spoiling my children because Christmas is the only time of year I do it, and they deserve it x

 

[mummylove]

Ive gone over board again even tho last year i said they wouldnt have as much lol. Oh wll seeing their happy faces makes it worth it

 

[BabyHill]

I didn't until I saw the piles BUT the peg puzzles, jigsaws, pirate sets, jatnp sets and some smaller bits won't be wrapped (lo was opening presents for nearly a week last year and it got boring), neither will the easel and their kitchen and most play food with a big bow, babys walker buggy, doll and ball pit will also be set up for them coming down. I think we've got a good mix of things set up to get them excited and exciting things for them to open, plus they'll be getting spoiled from family for the next week so that'll be loads to unwrap.

If in doubt I'd just open some presents and leave them set up. My lo is 2 and he wouldn't be as excited if everything was wrapped, but if he gets a taster of whats in them he'll soon have everything ripped open

 

[jd83]

I think it sounds fine, Christmas is such a special day that I don't think getting them lots of things you know they'll love "spoils" them. I think kids are pretty aware that getting all that stuff doesn't happen all the time, and isn't going to make them demand stuff throughout the year. My kids are getting a lot, but they are pretty good with showing appreciation, not expectation. I think as long as they appreciate it, and are thankful, not demanding of it, then its not a problem.

 

[lhancock90]

Yep. Tbh i've been buying for months and hiding it away until we got it all out i didnt realise the amount we had. Kicking myself.

 

[shellideaks]

Yep, I was at my mums the other day and my sister was shocked by how many presents my kids haveas she's got her kids around 8 presents each. Oh well, it's only 1 day a year!

 

[motherofboys]

I do to think I have although I know opinion on over board can vary greatly. I think they have a good number of presents, a nice variety and I've really thought each gift through this year rather than going "wow bargain, grab it now" then regretting it.
I'd probably give them all to him but if you really feel it's too much then separate some out for his birthday.

 

[Amarna]

Looking at all the gifts under the tree and knowing I still have a few to wrap I do think I may have gone overboard. But that's okay with me, it's the only time a year I buy them this much, birthdays even they only get 3-4 gifts off of us and my kids have always been appreciative and know it's not a normal thing in our household so I think it's fine.

 

[Bid]

I've just finished building his shop and wrapping it (in a big xmas table cloth!) so I got his santa presents out to see how they looked together and they're not too bad. I think I'll put those in the middle of the room and the gifts from us under the tree so they're not in a huge pile. I was considering setting his keyboard mat up but it's huge, it needs a lot of floor space. That's the only thing I regret buying, I know he'll love it but I wish I'd bought a smaller version. Everything else he's got is either to expand his wooden train set (which let's be honest is just a good investment so doesn't really class as a toy at all lol!), puzzles/board games and things to build. The only actual toy-toys he's got from us is the doctor set which is a tiny carry case, the keyboard mat and the playmobil jungle. So hopefully it'll not all end up sat in the toybox unused after a few days!

My mum has got him a bike, a schleich barn with animals, a toy guitar and some dinosaur train figures (only the guitar and barn are coming on xmas day, he'll get the rest at my mums on boxing day). And my in laws are giving him a wooden castle, a book, some puzzles and a cutlery set.

I think there is a good mix of things and it's things he really needs to suit his age (like more complex puzzles and duplo pieces). So I'll try not to feel too embarrassed about the huge pile!

 

[Scout]

Yes I did. My mom was over yesterday and I told her next year to remind me that I said I wasn't going to buy more than 8 things and she just laughed at me. LOL

 

[meldmac]

I did but not nearly as bad as last year. I was embarrassed at how many gifts he had last year.

 

[Eleanor ace]

I've got too much for DD I think, I've been wrapping a few bits at a time so I haven't seen it all together but while I was wrapping there was more than I thought. DS has got more than DD but he is older and won't get so overwhelmed. I'm reassuring myself that the toys they've got are all things that they will enjoy and play with, not just gifts for the sake of it. I know DH won't be impressed when he sees their piles though as he doesn't want them to have loads, I didn't either, until I started shopping and kept seeing things I knew they'd love

 

[motherofboys]

I do presents from us and family under the tree, then Santa presents in a pile.

 

[dizzy65]

I Always go over board. But Christmas and birthdays are usually the only time they get new toys and ect

 

[leoniebabey]

i have went totally overboard however, we don't have much family that buys them toys just money or clothes so they only get toys from me, plus i always feel the need to overcompensate for morgan not having his dad or his family to buy for him where harvey does.

 

[Amy2701]

I've gone way overboard. My two have birthdays in January and February, so I also feel like they don't get overly spoilt the whole year. That makes me feel better about now much they get at christmas lol.

As long as my daughter receives her bike from santa this year she'd be happy with nothing else! She's been hoping for one since July!

 

[Incubus]

I have no idea, I've been buying and wrapping then putting it in the loft, oh has been the one putting it up as I can't reach the loft, apparently there is a lot up there. I can't remember half of what I've bought k! Nevermind, he loves unwrapping presents and I know I've bought things he'll love.

 

[Kay_Baby]

I got everything together and thought I've gone overboard and then my mum turned up last night with 5 black sacks full! It's going to look like I've gone crazy but I spent less than last year and I know I don't buy toys at any other time than birthday and Christmas.

 

[Indigo77]

I don't think I've gone overboard.

I spent $400 all in on LO & it was all a part of my usual monthly budget....nothing extra...

My LO is very sweet & polite & grateful & he deserves every bit of it, if not more....

He'll also get loads of gifts from extended family....& I'm happy & grateful about it....