How Much Is Too Much

crabcake · Nov 12, 2003

Just how many presents does a 5-year-old need to have under the Christmas tree? I'm wrestling with how much to get her this year. I think I went a little nuts last year and bought her way too much. There's got to be some secret spongecake ratio/scale thing somewhere like they have for tipping for service in a restaurant. :ohwell:

Part of the deal this year will be taking EVERY SINGLE TOY she has and giving it to the thrift store/goodwill so she can learn the meaning of sharing/giving. As much as I've tried to explain it to her, she still just doesn't get it. :frown:

Nosenheimer · Nov 12, 2003

Originally posted by crabcake
Just how many presents does a 5-year-old need to have under the Christmas tree? I'm wrestling with how much to get her this year. I think I went a little nuts last year and bought her way too much. There's got to be some secret spongecake ratio/scale thing somewhere like they have for tipping for service in a restaurant.

Part of the deal this year will be taking EVERY SINGLE TOY she has and giving it to the thrift store/goodwill so she can learn the meaning of sharing/giving. As much as I've tried to explain it to her, she still just doesn't get it.

It doesn't matter, they always end up playing with the boxes anyways :biggrin:

Nanny Pam · Nov 12, 2003

Originally posted by kwillia
I agree with what I read in another thread regarding this issue... you MUST watch the number of presents you give her at this age... Besides, I feel kids get the wrong idea regarding material things when they get too much handed to them.

Well said, Kwilla. :clap:

Kizzy · Nov 12, 2003

That question was touch on this weekend in a thread . I've wondered the same thing, and you would think there would be some magic number. You hate your kids to think that Santa gives more at other people's houses than yours.

Over the weekend we went thru the toys and gave more than 1/2 of them to charity.

vraiblonde · Nov 12, 2003

Crab, if you're going to encourage her to give away some of her current stash, let her wrap the stuff and take it down with you. Makes it more fun, like they're giving instead of having something taken from them.

My kids are older so they're more into quality over quantity. They'll get one nice gift, some clothes and some stocking stuffers.

vraiblonde · Nov 12, 2003

Originally posted by IM4Change
You hate your kids to think that Santa gives more at other people's houses than yours.

We face that every year. We don't go overboard just because it's Christmas. My kids don't take good enough care of their belongings for me to want to pop a lot of money. Plus that, I'm cheap. :shrug:

The one daughter's favorite present last year was a Frodo stand up that cost like $15. :lol:

She was the envy of all her LOTR buddies.

crabcake · Nov 12, 2003

Originally posted by vraiblonde
Crab, if you're going to encourage her to give away some of her current stash, let her wrap the stuff and take it down with you. Makes it more fun, like they're giving instead of having something taken from them.

good idea

i'll try that. Thx!

Every single commercial for a toy she sees right now, she wants. And I'm :crazy:

with the 500 "Can I get that toy mommy?" questions a day. I planned to sit her down (just like last year) on etoys to do her wish list for santa so it's easier for the rest of the family to know what she wants/likes and it can be sent directly to the house for her.

One thing I try to do also when deciding what to get her is to break it down into groups or categories .... plain-jane toys, educational, crafts, outside stuff, etc. I have her pick a few things for her wish list in each category so that she doesn't end up with a bunch of toys that require no thought or provide little challenge.

The big purchase for Christmas this year will be a new computer for her. Her PC just won't run her games anymore and she gets mad b/c it's too slow for her (now that she's used mine a time or two.) :duh:

So any suggestions on where to shop for a good system (that isn't outrageously priced) would be appreciated. I was gonna look into getting her a refurb Dell b/c she's only playing her games on it; not doing astrophysics and desktop publishing. :ohwell:

But I'll post a separate thread on that issue. :wink:

RoseRed · Nov 12, 2003

My daughter gets her "big" gift from Santa then 4 -5 smaller ones from Mommy & Daddy. The rest of the family get's her so much that it has taken her 3 days to open gifts the last couple of years. Overkill.

vraiblonde · Nov 12, 2003

I'm a Christmas Grinch. One of our daughters is pretty talented at drawing so last year her overindulgent grandparents bought her a $200 set of drawing supplies. Guess where it is now? No, really - guess, because no one else knows either. Bits and pieces of it were found under her bed a few months later but the rest of it went to that big toybox in the sky.

Then there was the $50 Go-Go My Walkin' Pup that my daughter HAD to have one year. She played with him on Christmas morning then we never saw him again.

We tend to go toward books, CDs and luxury clothing stuff - like instead of getting them a $20 sweater, we'll get them the $50 one from AE that they've been coveting.

I'm tired of spending a fortune on crap that they won't even remember a week later. :frown:

metoo · Nov 12, 2003

Originally posted by crabcake

Part of the deal this year will be taking EVERY SINGLE TOY she has and giving it to the thrift store/goodwill so she can learn the meaning of sharing/giving.

Just like in "Mommy Dearest"!!!
:razz:

crabcake · Nov 12, 2003

Re: Re: How Much Is Too Much

Originally posted by metoo
Just like in "Mommy Dearest"!!!

what's wrong with Mommy Dearest? :shrug: :bubble:

I hear ya all on the "lost toys/pieces/etc." My kid is the Queen of that! So when we do her wish list, I try to discourage her from toys that have a ton of pieces that she'll either lose or the dogs will chew up. :ohwell:

metoo · Nov 12, 2003

Re: Re: Re: How Much Is Too Much

Originally posted by crabcake
what's wrong with Mommy Dearest? :shrug:

Just don't give her any wire hangers.

:wink:

crabcake · Nov 12, 2003

Re: Re: Re: Re: How Much Is Too Much

Originally posted by metoo
Just don't give her any wire hangers.

I do NOT allow wire hangers in my house!

:lol:

actually, I don't know if clothes ever make it to the hangers in my house. :blushing:

L8DNRED · Nov 12, 2003

Give her as much as you possibly can. Teach her to be materialistic now. May cost you money now but in the long run she'll marry a rich old man, take his money and the two of you can live happily ever after.

crabcake · Nov 12, 2003

Originally posted by L8DNRED
Give her as much as you possibly can. Teach her to be materialistic now. May cost you money now but in the long run she'll marry a rich old man, take his money and the two of you can live happily ever after.

me and my daughter or me and the old man?

L8DNRED · Nov 12, 2003

You and the daughter. A useless man will just get in your way. :wink:

crabcake · Nov 12, 2003

Originally posted by L8DNRED
You and the daughter. A useless man will just get in your way.

good point :biggrin:

fddog · Nov 12, 2003

My son, has a 5 page list to santa. We told him he was going to break santas pocket, he said but santa doesn't need money he makes the toys. :bawl:

If he only knew :bawl:

crabcake · Nov 12, 2003

if yours has a 5-page list, surely you won't notice me adding the 25 or so things mine picked out to your sons list for you to buy, right? :biggrin:

fddog · Nov 12, 2003

Originally posted by crabcake
if yours has a 5-page list, surely you won't notice me adding the 25 or so things mine picked out to your sons list for you to buy, right?

:tool:

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