How many gifts are enough?

esmerelda · ‎03-10-2010

Another thread here got me thinking about this.

For children up to let’s say age 14....

Do you consider how many gifts you’re giving to them or do you have a certain amount of money that you spend on them?

How many/much is too many/too much?

Do you take into consideration what they may get from other adult family members?

And finally, do you think appreciation goes down as the amount (gifts or money spent) goes up?

eta...These questions are really for parents, grandparents, adult relatives of children.

*********************
Keepin' it real.

Happiness Is Inside JOB · ‎06-14-2016

@esmerelda wrote:
Another thread here got me thinking about this.

For children up to let’s say age 14....

Do you consider how many gifts you’re giving to them or do you have a certain amount of money that you spend on them?

How many/much is too many/too much?

Do you take into consideration what they may get from other adult family members?

And finally, do you think appreciation goes down as the amount (gifts or money spent) goes up?

Giving gifts to children who come from upper to middle class families where they get things all year is different then giving to poor children. For example, I have coworkers who make 160,000 a year and the husband makes around the same or more....those kids have more things than I ever had as a child....hence....I don't feel the need to give that child a million gifts....one or two nice things...

Now children of very finanically poor parents, they probably NEED more of the basics plus gifts.For example, getting the girls - under clothes, night gowns and then 2 fun gifts.

For me, I can only share my husband's experience having extremely POOR parents. Many years he received nothing for christmas. When I met him, he was kind of sad during the holidays. There were problems in the home such as mental health issues, drinking excessively and just bad parenting skills.

I say all this to say, if you know a child or if your church has a charity for lower income children, please consider giving one item.

But I will say, appreciation is for SPECIFIC.... day for some children. I have learned when a person does not work, they often don't know the value of a dollar or what struggles I have put in at work to get that money.

Happiness is ALWAYS an inside job,
Don't assign anyone else that much POWER
in your life!!!

Chicagosuburbangirl · ‎04-14-2018

Yikes, I think you are putting too much pressure on yourself.

If it were me, I'd go with what I thought was appropriate for all circumstances and not give it another thought.

PA Mom-mom · ‎05-27-2015

@esmerelda I have 8 grandchildren under 14 years old. They each get a gift with the same amount of monetary equivalency. It's usually under $50 and is something they really need. Their parents get money to put into their bank accounts. The children are so happy to be celebrating with their cousins, they don't really care about the presents.

chprsp · ‎03-09-2010

I've heard the suggestion of something to wear, something to read, and something to play with.

That said, our son was born Christmas Day. Our daughter asked Santa for a baby brother for Christmas and boy did she get her wish.

When he was young we gave one major present Christmas Day then small presents the 12 days of Christmas up till January 6th. The birthday we celebrated separately. None of " here's your birthday/Christmas present ".

blackhole99 · ‎08-22-2013

My son is an only child and we always went a little over board, I stopped it when he wasn't impressed with anything and he was the one that wrote the list to Santa.I would say we started to give him money as a gift when he stopped believing in Santa. Even as an adult we just give him a check in January with a nod that is understood to mean this is it for the whole year. Of course he gives us a wink and a nod.LOL

AuntG · ‎03-09-2010

Once they hit 14, it would be one gift and a gift card/money. That way, I could have a predetermined dollar amount (totalling $100 seems reasonable because I have one niece and one nephew). My own kids would get slightly more.

RedTop · ‎09-01-2010

When our first daughter was born 40+ years ago, my husband and I set a dollar amount for her gifts; we spent $50 that first Christmas. At that time she had 4 uncles, an aunt, great aunts, both sets of grandparents and great grandmothers buying for her, so yes, we did take their gifting into consideration.

Junior high gifts $100 each, high school gifts $150 each. Now we gift money.

alicedee · ‎07-25-2010

Santa used to bring my children probably around 10 gifts...all toys when they were little, a mix of toys and clothes as they got older. Value per child was usually around $200. As they got older I spent more....stuff got pricier!

I give my grands $50 and 3-4 packaged to open...a shirt, gloves, purse, pj's.....it varies each year. This year the boys are each getting a couple t-shirts from their favorite metal band website, gloves, and Christmas fleece sleep pants. The girls a plaid scarf and coordinating gloves, fleece shirt, a small RFID crossbody bag, and a Lenox angel figurine with their birthstone on it.

I keep the amount spent as equal as possible ...Grandma doesn't play favorites...they are ALL my favorite! ❤️🎄

1Snickers · ‎03-19-2016

This year two grandchildren had babies so I gave them a larger check marked "for the family." Then I put the same amount in my younger granddaughter's savings account.

They are getting far too many gifts, I love to find things all year and it adds up. It will be less next year, too much to wrap and haul.