Parents. How many presents?

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24

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  • Sharon_C
    Sharon_C Posts: 2,132 Member
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    My younger (12) son will get at least 1 from me, 1 from his mom, and 1 from his grandma. My older boy (14) ****ed up big time this year. He is getting coal, literally, from each of us. Tough love. It is killing me to be honest. I will probably cry when I see his face. I bought him a really nice watch a couple of months ago for Christmas, but he isn't getting it till his birthday in May.

    I hate tough love. It kills me but sometimes it has to be done. Good for you for sticking to your guns.
  • jlschuh44
    jlschuh44 Posts: 218
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    You have to keep this Christmas gift stuff under control. We spend about $150 on each...and they understand that
    that is it.

    Not always easy when they have friends the get $350 iPods from St. Nick for the cripes sake.
  • jlschuh44
    jlschuh44 Posts: 218
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    Something they want
    Something they need
    Something to wear
    Something to read

    Love this.
  • angmarie28
    angmarie28 Posts: 2,796 Member
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    about 4 gifts each, plus stockings I spend about $100-$150 on each kid
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    Never had a dollar amount pre set... when I am done is when I am done :laugh:
  • emtbabe326
    emtbabe326 Posts: 152
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    My kid is a cat, but I still got him some toys for Christmas. :p I know he is a cat and doesn't care about the holiday, but I was having fun at PetsMart

    same here-I have two cats, and they both have stockings with their names on them and they get presents-cats are people too!
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
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    Just reading this out of interest, but I am realising you all are rich as compared to my upbringing. I don't have children yet but I don't think I would spend more than $50 on each.
  • Jonesingmucho
    Jonesingmucho Posts: 4,902 Member
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    "37? 37? But last year, last year it was 38!!"

    ...and that concludes our dramatic reading from Harry Potter and the Socerer's Stone.
    x bows and accepts the applause graciously x
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
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    I don't have children yet....

    Yep.
  • Kowee84
    Kowee84 Posts: 65 Member
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    i remember my christmas's as a kid... i have 2 sisters who rememebr the same things but we had each other and we were a family.. we tried to give each other something... my sister gave me the book she won at school so she could give me something..
    my son is my world.. and nothing he could do would ruin my spirit in christmas.. naughty or good.. i dont want him remembering christmas as the day everyone got new stuff except him. if hes naughty leading up, then he wont get his usual treat... but christmas to me isnt about teaching a lesson from a mistake made weeks before... christmas is a spirit of giving.. and loving unconditionally.
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
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    I don't have children yet....

    Yep.

    Excuse me, don't judge, not to be defensive but you don't know me. I might not have kids yet but I brought up my brothers, I have some idea, I know it's not the same. But where I come from Christmas is more about togetherness and food not presents and giving kids what they want just because. Different cultures, don't judge, Thanks goodbye
  • disneygallagirl
    disneygallagirl Posts: 515 Member
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    I truly find it hard not to go nuts and buy too much for my boys... working to keep in under control (since they don't really need anything and I need to keep the finances in control). Lol.
    1 gift from Santa $40-50
    1 - 2 toys from us
    Stockings which will have a few candies/chocolate, few small toys ($1 to $5) and a new movie.

    They will get a gift also from each of their grandmother's and an Aunt/Uncle...so more than they need.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    I don't have a limit that I set - but I also try to be reasonable. There's nothing specific that my child has asked for. She's not the "gimmie" type. She's getting a sleeping bag and a headlamp for camping, clothes, books, and legos. Her grandparents (4 sets) are all getting her a gift as well, but it's something specific (tickets to an ice show, a Kinect for our xbox, a new bedding set for her bed in her favorite character, and clothing/pajamas).

    We try not to promote the idea of just giving stuff for the sake of stuff. She will have quite a few things to open on Christmas morning, but it's all received with a loving and thankful heart.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    I don't have children yet....

    Yep.

    Excuse me, don't judge, not to be defensive but you don't know me. I might not have kids yet but I brought up my brothers, I have some idea, I know it's not the same. But where I come from Christmas is more about togetherness and food not presents and giving kids what they want just because. Different cultures, don't judge, Thanks goodbye

    Judges. Gets judged. Says don't judge . . .
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
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    We try not to promote the idea of just giving stuff for the sake of stuff. She will have quite a few things to open on Christmas morning, but it's all received with a loving and thankful heart.

    Yeah that's really awesome, I think that was my point :)
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
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    I don't have children yet....

    Yep.

    Excuse me, don't judge, not to be defensive but you don't know me. I might not have kids yet but I brought up my brothers, I have some idea, I know it's not the same. But where I come from Christmas is more about togetherness and food not presents and giving kids what they want just because. Different cultures, don't judge, Thanks goodbye

    Judges. Gets judged. Says don't judge . . .

    Ok this is getting out of hand.

    Sorry if I offended people, wasn't trying to judge others. Was just joining in the discussion and saying what it's like in my shoes. Sorry if y'all misread what I posted.
    Not everyone has much this christmas. And I think I was just trying to say, the most important thing is love, togetherness and joy.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    I don't have children yet....

    Yep.

    Excuse me, don't judge, not to be defensive but you don't know me. I might not have kids yet but I brought up my brothers, I have some idea, I know it's not the same. But where I come from Christmas is more about togetherness and food not presents and giving kids what they want just because. Different cultures, don't judge, Thanks goodbye

    Judges. Gets judged. Says don't judge . . .

    Ok this is getting out of hand.

    Sorry if I offended people, wasn't trying to judge others. Was just joining in the discussion and saying what it's like in my shoes. Sorry if y'all misread what I posted.
    Not everyone has much this christmas. And I think I was just trying to say, the most important thing is love, togetherness and joy.

    I was just busting your balls. Christmas can be a very stressful time and I agree that love is the most important thing. This year is a particularly special one as I'm simply grateful to have a roof over our heads. But yea, these things can turn competitive one way or the other
  • CindyRip
    CindyRip Posts: 166 Member
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    We have 3 kids, all adults now with 2 SO and 1 grandchild. I still follow these rules to this day for them. The only time I ever had a complaint was when I got my 14 year old son a blender for Christmas. He had just started lifting and was constantly making protein shakes or whey something or others. He told me I should get one, but I did not want one so I got it just for him so he could take it to school with him when he left. Funny he never remembers that he got 1 more gift than anyone else that year, but he has never let me forget that I gave him a blender for Christmas one year and it is the first gift he talks about when people start talking about gifts they got at Christmas. I would add we have years where we bought xboxs, Nintendos, big family gifts and yet this it seems is the most memorable gift. :-0)

    1. Something cuddly or comforting. (Could be stuffed animal, new blanket, PJ's, warm socks.)
    2. Something to read.
    3. Something to do inside like a model, a game, expand a collection, dolls, music
    4. Something to keep them active outside the house like ice skates, snowman building kit, shovels to build ice castles with etc., pass to the local skating rink, classes to learn something new, tickets to something they want to see.
    5. Something they really wanted.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
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    Of course the way it is for our own children is different from when we ourselves were children. Plus, I think you might be surprised at how the various elements add up. And people also use the gift time as a time to provide for the growth of their children.

    And of course it's all about the love and togetherness. And giving, we give to those in need as well.

    I don't even usually get them birthday presents. The party is their present and they get enough from their friends. Christmas is the one time a year we give presents.
  • atsteele
    atsteele Posts: 1,359 Member
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    What we can afford divided by 5. :)

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