Realised too many presents given

[Jessica60]

Anyone got the feeling after Christmas day is over that you got your kids too much. My dd is 5 so if we cut down the amount next year she will notice. She had quite a lot, guitar, scooter. Playmobil stuff remote control car, fingerlings the kitchen more.it didn't look much when looking at my list and unwrapped pile. Now I realise there was just so much. The previuos year she was done wrapping g really quickly so I got her more this year.
How do I reduce without her noticing g next year. I also worry that I've used all my ideas up and can't think of anything for her next year.

Anyone else thinking this.

 

[DCS]

Oh gosh, me. I really didnt think it was that much but, the 12 recycling bags outside beg to differ. They havent even taken stuff out of the packaging yet.
To make it last longer we got the kids to unwrapp gifts in turns. Every 5/6 we took a break ( chance for me to make more tea) to open and have a little play. Worked out great.
I would just reduce the amount. She wont remember how much she got this year. I plan to reduce how much we buy them, we juat dont have the space. I couldnt lay on the living room floor right now, without there being toys under me.

 

[Scout]

Maybe she'll forget by next year? Idk. I cut back a lot this year (dd is 4). My goal was 6 wrapped gifts from Santa and one from me, and it ended up with 7 from Santa and 2 from me. I caved at the last minute and got her the Paw Patrol My Size Lookout Tower bc that's all she told Santa she wanted (actually told 3 different Santas). That was the only 'big' thing she had.

Next year, my goal will be 5 from Santa and one from me and hopefully I'll stick to it. Last year and the year before, I felt like you after Christmas; that it was too much. That's why I cut back this year. It's hard when they are little bc things don't cost that much. Good luck for next year.

 

[c1403]

Totally feel the same. I thought I cut back this year but I cut back on costs more than actual number of gifts. My mum and sister also both said they would cut back but I'm still going home with a boot of toys.
What is upsetting me is how ungrateful the girls seem to be, all they wanted was more more more. They didn't take any time to look at what they got they just wanted the next and most of it I bet they can't even remember opening.
Next year I am going to stick to six main gifts that they'll really appreciate, a santa gift and stocking.

 

[george83]

I cut down this year as last year my boys all got way too much, so much of it was cheap stuff that just didn’t last or they had no respect for. This year I probably spent more money but on fewer but better quality presents. They haven’t questioned having less as actually they have been more interested in what they’ve got. I also spread them out more when putting them under the tree so that ds1 -who is the only one old enough to notice - didn’t spot that there was less there.

I have already said I’m going to try and cut down again next year, just by 2 or 3 presents each as my kids then get crazy amount of stuff from both my sisters and putting it all away is too stressful

 

[Eleanor ace]

This was me a couple of years ago when my older two were 4 & 2, and last year to an extent. I made a real effort not to buy too much this year (which I find hard as I find buying gifts for my LO's really addictive, and Christmas is a green light) and I'm really glad I stuck to it. They don't remember how many presents they had last year, they are just caught up in the excitement of what they have.

 

[misspriss]

Oh yes. I planned to do the 4 gifts thing (something want, need, wear, read, etc) but then I got a little shopping happy and they had way more. If it were just ours we'd be fine.

But my in-laws are big gift givers, aunts, and aunt-in-laws, and cousins, and great grandparents, and great aunts...6 LARGE bags of garbage after everything was unwrapped, unboxed, etc.

An entire SUPER load of laundry JUST new outfits.

 

[lisasheldon]

I cut back this year on presents for my four children but still ended up with too much stuff in the end, i love a bargain.
I will really cut back next Christmas though, today I found most of the boys stocking stuffers scattered around their bedroom floor (they opened them in their bedroom) so next year I will be putting in around 7-10 items in the stockings, buy them all a main gift each, I will then be buying 6-10 bigger gifts plus a gift bag with an annual, sweets and clothing items inside, it still sounds alot but that is really cut back, so will stick to that, already put a Park order in for next year for £800 and 2 electric Razor scooters which will be my older boys (11 & 8) main gift, thinking of buying my (will be) 3 year old twin daughter the Luvabella doll and hatchimal twin set as her main gift and her twin brother the Thomas Super station and Thomas mini set as his main gift

 

[pinkstarbinks]

hey as someone who has cut down ( our reason was its unnecessary to go overkill and due to concerns on how spoiling affects children) I can say their response this year was fantastic and assured us it was a wise move. children aren't entitled to large piles and if they notice that's acceptable as quantity doesn't equate to love x

 

[Scoobys mummy]

I cut back this year. my dd got lots of books,craft things, aquabeads etc and the sea ponys she asked santa for. She got a Nintendo switch but hubby insisted we put it under the tree from us as we can then reiterate the value of the gift, as opposed to santa getting all the credit,and to be fair she has taken it on board and hasn't questioned why santa brought less than last year etc... I was very tempted to keep buying but I know once school kicks back in she won't Have much time through the week and tends to chill out at weekends colouring and painting etc. I actually thought out the santa gifts this year and bought things I knew we would get value from (roald dahl box set for example) as opposed to just having piles of stuff.

 

[Bevziibubble]

Yes I am thinking the same too. They just have way too much! I did a big clear out the before Christmas and we are still running out of space to store things!

 

[SmartieMeUp]

I think I did well with the amount. Previous years I've been silly stupid (Facebook on this day says it all). 2015 being the worst in cost and amount. I think both had no more than 25 this year but nothing too big so storage wasn't a problem. I didnt feel bad for it either like I normally would.

 

[biglebowski]

Our lo seemed to get loads but he gets lots from family and friends, as well as our gifts. His birthday is 19th Dec so our living room looks like a toy shop come Christmas! This year we encouraged family to club together to get him a safari pass fkr next year to reduce the onslaught of toys. My parents got him a day out to a panto and dinner out (they took him and loved apending the day with him). Hopefully he will have enjoyed the time with family more than extra toys. Also as his bday is so close to christmas a lot of people give a toy for one, and clothes / pjs for the other....suits me grand!
What I tend to do is take a lot of gifts from both occasions and hide them away in a cupboard to bring out at different times later in the year. Ill always tell him who has given it and whether it was a birthday / xmas gift. It also kind of proves theres just too much as he doesnt notice stuff has disappeared!! I always leave the toys that have captured his attention or immagination!
I feel he gets so much all at once he is completely overwhelmed. I wouldnt say its a reflection of him being ungrateful, I just think anyone would be overwhelmed by so much stuff. By keeping things back he tends to give everything attention, and hes extra excited when I pull a "new" toy out on a rainy day later in the year.
We dont buy gifts throughout the year either so I dont feel too bad when I splurge a bit at xmas as I know he technically wont get it all immediately.

 

[Babybump87]

My girls got loads I didn’t realise fully until I got everything out to wrap! I will defiantly be looking at cuting back but to be fair they don’t get these kinda toys through out the year don’t get me wrong they get toys moreso barbies nothing big so hopefully these will last all year !

They got loads of grandparents auntie and uncles too! They are still getting presents now !

I haven’t even looked at the sales this year !

 

[babyv13]

i feel like i got the balance right this year compared to last year when i really went crazy! so i'll try and stick to the same next year

 

[AmyKai]

As I have watched my DD's each play with ONE single toy (Hatchimal) I got them for Christmas, I want to cut down next year too. They don't need as many as I got them as they've hardly touched most! Lol

 

[SpringerS]

When people buy lots of presents are they linked or random? If you asked DS what Santa brought him he'd mention 4 main gifts but each gift was actually a bundle, totalling over 20-30 separate toys if they'd been bought individually. (Most were bought as second hand bundles.) Santa doesn't wrap at our house so each type of toy is arranged together as if mid-play and that re-enforces the sense that he got 4 gifts rather than oodles and oodles and it means that they all get played with fairly equally because they mostly interconnect. In fact the Turtles and Teen Titans have been bonding over their shared obsession with pizza since Santa set them up that way on Christmas eve.