xmas

kr15snw

Having a similar issue with my mum at the moment. She has asked what me and the OH would like, and could we supply with a list of DVD's / CD's / Computer games we would like.

We've done this for the last few years and to be honest we dont get round to opening them. I LOVE family guy and every year mum buys me the new box set. Realised Ive never opened a single one in 5 years shes been doing this...

So we thought we'd be practical this year. What do I want more than anything at the moment? To bloody finish decorating our front room, that we cant afford the furniture for! (We have 2nd hand stuff at the mo and have finally decided to buy all new stuff, as you can imagine its not cheap!). We've been buying bits as we can afford it and slowly been buying a nice collection from Tesco direct. So I suggested Tesco vouchers or they could chose one of the items we havent got (table etc).

Mum was horrified that we didnt want something for 'ourself' and is insisting that we have something for us and not 'practical'. But at the moment I just want to get this damn room finished, as we've been trying to do it for 2 years!!!

Guess for us it will be another crate of DVD's and CD's that we're not really bothered about.

shellsuit

There's nothing my 13 year old son wants so he has just asked for the cash, which we will give him.

I can't let him have nothing to open tho so we're getting him...

Aftershave set (1 million, he had the same last year)
A few DVD's
Maybe a game for either the xbox360 or his PS3.
Smellies
May get him a leccy razor (yep he needs to shave!)

With the cash he just wants to buy clothes and he is at that age now that he likes to go and choose his own stuff.

Everyone else will give him cash too, which they don't have a problem with.

There's no point in buying him something he doesn't want and won't use.

flea72

but it doesnt take a few hours, to take your kids around the shops pre-christmas and see what catches their eye

if they have no problem walking around the shops after christmas with a giftcard, usually with something in mind that they want, why cant you pre-empt it?

Does no-one make a mental note of things their kids have asked for, throughout the year, so they can create a list come christmas/birthdays.

Heck, even giving them the Argos catalogue for a browse, should throw up one or two, reasonably priced items that someone could buy

Perhaps next year, you should set up a 'wish list' for your kids - set up a folder, where they can bookmark pages online, or use the Amazon wish list facility

i use https://www.wists.com - add friends/family, and let them choose - so much simpler

F

red_devil

kr15snw wrote: »

Having a similar issue with my mum at the moment. She has asked what me and the OH would like, and could we supply with a list of DVD's / CD's / Computer games we would like.

We've done this for the last few years and to be honest we dont get round to opening them. I LOVE family guy and every year mum buys me the new box set. Realised Ive never opened a single one in 5 years shes been doing this...

So we thought we'd be practical this year. What do I want more than anything at the moment? To bloody finish decorating our front room, that we cant afford the furniture for! (We have 2nd hand stuff at the mo and have finally decided to buy all new stuff, as you can imagine its not cheap!). We've been buying bits as we can afford it and slowly been buying a nice collection from Tesco direct. So I suggested Tesco vouchers or they could chose one of the items we havent got (table etc).

Mum was horrified that we didnt want something for 'ourself' and is insisting that we have something for us and not 'practical'. But at the moment I just want to get this damn room finished, as we've been trying to do it for 2 years!!!

Guess for us it will be another crate of DVD's and CD's that we're not really bothered about.

thats why i said i think its selfish and controlling. It should be about what the person wants to receive!

tiff

flea72 wrote: »

but it doesnt take a few hours, to take your kids around the shops pre-christmas and see what catches their eye

if they have no problem walking around the shops after christmas with a giftcard, usually with something in mind that they want, why cant you pre-empt it?

Does no-one make a mental note of things their kids have asked for, throughout the year, so they can create a list come christmas/birthdays.

Heck, even giving them the Argos catalogue for a browse, should throw up one or two, reasonably priced items that someone could buy

Perhaps next year, you should set up a 'wish list' for your kids - set up a folder, where they can bookmark pages online, or use the Amazon wish list facility

i use www.wists.com - add friends/family, and let them choose - so much simpler

F

I find giving kids the Argos catalogue makes them want things for the sake of it. My two merrily tick loads of stuff, but wouldnt play with half of it if we had bought it for them.

Threebabes

tiff wrote: »

I find giving kids the Argos catalogue makes them want things for the sake of it. My two merrily tick loads of stuff, but wouldnt play with half of it if we had bought it for them.

Thats mine too.

I dont want DS wandering round the shops just picking anything, new games come out in the new year and he couldve kept his voucher towards one of them.

flea72

tiff wrote: »

I find giving kids the Argos catalogue makes them want things for the sake of it. My two merrily tick loads of stuff, but wouldnt play with half of it if we had bought it for them.

but thats the point of a list - its so the giver can make a choice, out of all the tat, which they feel they are happy to give

however, how do you know they wont play with it, seeing as you havent bought them it - what you mean is, you as the parent, dont approve of some of their choices, and therefore stop them receiving what they want

so its ok, for me to give them a gift voucher for argos, and then they still go and buy the item they put on their list anyway?

F

tiff

I know they wont play with it because they've been bought loads of stuff in the past and not played with it. So yes, I dont approve of their choices but they are kids and dont know any better. They get what they want, just not everything that they think they want!

flea72

Threebabes wrote: »

Thats mine too.

I dont want DS wandering round the shops just picking anything, new games come out in the new year and he couldve kept his voucher towards one of them.

how can they be picking anything? i dont know of any kid who buys things they dont want. maybe things their parent doesnt want them to have, and in hindsight, the kid could have prob spent the money more wisely, but if in that instant, they ask for something, how can you go against their choice

but there must have been new games that came out this year, that he wanted last January, and can now be bought as a gift for this christmas? or are all children bought everything they want, the second they ask for it? whos to say the game they buy in January with their vouchers, isnt any more tat, unplayed with rubbish, than something that can be bought now, as a gift

F

flea72

tiff wrote: »

I know they wont play with it because they've been bought loads of stuff in the past and not played with it. So yes, I dont approve of their choices but they are kids and dont know any better. They get what they want, just not everything that they think they want!

and theres the crux, 'bought loads of stuff in the past'

perhaps if they had less stuff, then they might play with, and appreciate the few things they have more

come on, we were all kids once, and know what it was like to really want something. yes, we bought it, played with it, and thought what a load of carp, its nothing like the ad on the tv - but you still all remember the christmas that you received it, and how special it was at the time

Now try and think of the year, Auntie Bloggs, gave you a gift voucher - i doubt you can even remember getting the voucher, let alone what you bought with it

F