Toys and gifts

I'm just wondering, between family and you, how much do your kids usually get at Christmas/Birthdays? Do you give things during the year too?

I'm asking because dh and I disagree on that. I have a lot of stuff stored that I got for cheap before and after Christmas, and I'm not too sure how much to give for their birthday. I recognize that I went way overboard at Christmas and don't want to do that again, but they really don't get much at all apart from dh and I, so I kinda want to make that up somehow. Dh would only give them a couple things if it was up to him (and yes, they have a lot already, but he's not the one stuck at home all day either)...

We don't do Easter or anything else than Christmas and birthdays really. I give a few things during the year but usually things like play-doh, puzzles, a play tunnel etc...

 

I think between our family and us, my kids are pretty well taken care of.
DH and I bought the kids 6 items each for Christmas and 1 present each for their birthday. My mother got them each a toy of their own and one to share for Christmas and clothes for their birthday. Between the aunts and uncles, they get toys, clothes and gift cards. Since my two's birthday is the day after Christmas...I save up the gift cards for something that they might like for later on in the year.
I would say that my kids still have not cycled though all of their gifts from their birthday and Christmas yet...it takes them both awhile because they kind of get stuck on one toy and then move on to the next.

 

I'm with you. If it was up to my dh there would be one Duplo block, one puzzle, and one match box car. Now, I will admit-they have wayyyyy too many toys. BUT-that's just from birthday/Christmas. I don't really buy them any toy throughout the year. Maybe at Easter. My mom is notorious for getting them matchbox cars, books, etc...which drives dh crazy. They do well at their birthday/holiday. But throughout the year-they really don't get much. I do try to rotate stuff on a good day. Ha. LOL! And I say the same thing-dh isn't home with them 24/7 like I am.

I know I've taken stuff out that's been put away from Christmas, etc and it's like Christmas all over when they see it. They will play with it for a long time! So-I'm on your side!

 

I struggled with this myself for MANY years. (my oldest child is 23yrs old) I always tend to go way overboard and then kick myself later when I realize that half the stuff ends up being pretty useless shortly after.
My mom used to be my partner in crime and just added to the madness.

FINALLY .. after years and years I can proudly say we had the PERFECT Christmas and I think I chose very wisely. My boys are 6yrs old and have very few interest when it comes to toys. Legos and Legos and more Legos. So I stuck to what they liked instead of what I thought they would like or what I wanted them to like.
For birthdays I don't really buy them gifts. I have a big party and pretty much thats it.
I think my boys are fairly easy though .. they really do keep themselves busy.

I also will re-supply the Play Doh and paint supply periodically.

 

Yeah I'm looking forward to when they can tell me what they want really... it will make things much easier.

In my case though they do play with most of the stuff, so it's not really a total waste... and I try to get them what they will really appreciate now instead of things they will grow into... that's why they only got a train table last Christmas and DD won't get a dollhouse until next year.

 

We don't have a lot of family that gives gifts... Their only grandparents gave my dd a backpack, ds a car and my youngest an outfit. So I am the sole provider of toys :lol: I too tend to stock up after Thanksgiving and before and after Christmas because the prices are so good.
I'm a big fan of rotating toys. They have a closet in their playroom and I keep huge bins in there full of toys. And about every 2-3 months I trade the bins out, clean up the room, shampoo the carpet and they love it! I swear they think all of these toys are new and yes a couple are but some aren't.
I think everything in moderation is the key and my dh would be the same way but he doesn't see it because it's put away and he doesn't really notice what's in the playroom.
Good luck!

 

I actually lean more towards your dh on this subject. But we've found for our kids, having more doesn't occupy them longer. Our toys (for all age ranges)are pretty basic: cars, blocks (both wooden and lego), kitchen and kitchen supplies, dolls, balls. That's pretty much it. And art supplies. So pretty much every toy they get falls into one of those categories. As for how many and how often, I am a thrift store and garage sale junkie, so it definitely isn't only Christmas and Birthday time. At Christmas and their birthdays, they usually get 3-4 things. I constantly go through our toy bins and get rid of broken/old toys though, so they don't pile up.

 

With my older boys I went way way way overboard oh my goodness Christmas, birthdays, Easter they got tons of stuff, they also got tons all year. I worked for 1 reason and that was to spoil my boys. Guess what?? I succeeded. They are 16, 14 and 12 and I do not want them to tell me what they want anymore!! The older they get the more expensive things get. For example last year we bout iPod touches this year they wanted upgraded iPod touches PLUS other things. My dh grew up only getting a couple of smaller things on Christmas and his birthday and only a small chocolate rabbit on Easter. He warned me about spoiling our boys but I wanted them to have the world. As very young kids I did it, but now I can't keep up. I think there has to be a happy medium. With my girls, I buy them things on the holidays and at their birthday but I limit them and I let the laptop computer be a wish not a I am going to get.

My girls get one item at the dollar store maybe once every 3 months other than that it is very rare that I buy toys except at Christmas and birthday I want them to appreciate the things they get, not expect it like my boys do. My girls are actually happier than my boys were they loved everything they opened by the time the boys were 4 if they opened something they didn't really love everyone knew it.

 

Mine get stuff throughout the year, mostly because we get bags of hand-me-downs every few months from their older cousins. Also, I sometimes buy spontaneous little gifts (like a book or a small toy) when someone is home sick. I try to rotate things and get rid of them when they haven't been played with for a year or so. I also save things for a "rainy day" -- for instance I have a book in my underwear drawer that I actually meant to give Amy for Christmas, but I forgot about it, so now I'm saving it for sometime when I need a good distraction for her.

 

I agree with your DH. My kids got 2 gifts each from us for their birthday and maybe 3 gifts for Christmas. I thought that was too much and we will likely do less next time. My kids get lots of gifts from family members, though. I grew up just getting an Easter basket for Easter with some candy. We will probably do an egg hunt with no candy and that's it. I am guessing the grandparents might get them something for Easter, though. We just don't have room to store all those toys, nor the money to buy a lot of gifts.