Far too many presents!

Sublime_2

I'm lucky, my parents, and one of my sisters always buy clothes for them at christmas, so not too overwhelmed (apart from by clothes). I still go a bit overboard though. I was planning to keep some back for DDs birthday, but have decided to let her have it all, she deserves it.

I like to have a cup of tea, and some breakfast first, then we sit together, and unwrap gifts.

laurenjs88

I'm not sure how to multi quote so will try and answer as well as I can.

Yes its a 3yr old and a baby, so she's pretty oblivious to it anyway and will probably spend most of the day eating paper!

I am not ungrateful for the presents at all there is just such a big volume of them. Last year Em didnt get this much so we brought "lots" of little things for them both as its our first proper christmas as a family.

because we've decided to stay at home this year and not do any visiting, my family is 200 miles south and his 150 miles north, most of the presents from family have come to us pre-christmas where-as usually we would visit family over christmas and she would open her presents there with them, added to that they have been bought more in volume of presents than they were last year which we werent expecting has meant that there is loads for them both.

My worry really was the Em has asthma and when she gets too excited she tends to spark off an attack & throws up which is not ideal. I feel slightly bad as she doesnt think Santa is coming now as there is so many presents under the tree already!

We asked family for vouchers for clothes & no teddies/chocolates this year after throwing out loads of chocolate last year and still having selection boxes left!

I will spread out the day(s) but I just wanted some tips from more experienced parents really. I've never held my own christmas before and between the presents, trying to cook my first ever xmas dinner I'm getting in abit of a tizz!

Newly_retired

I'm not sure what sort of "tree presents" you have got, but why not leave them on the tree until you take it down -traditionally on 6 January - the Twelfth Day of Christmas, the end of the festivities? ie another way of spreading out the gifts.

minerva_windsong

Space them out would be my suggestion. My nephew's three and will get absolutely shedloads of stuff, so he's getting his present from my gran tonight, a couple of small things on Christmas Eve, his big presents from the close family (mum and dad, grandparents, aunties and uncles etc) on Christmas Day first thing, and his small stocking when we open our presents so he isn't bored.

I know what you mean about it looking like there's loads of stuff, the presents from just my parents and me are under the tree and it's rapidly filling up the hall! Goodness knows what it'll be like when my sisters have added all their stuff to it...

Spendless

laurenjs88 wrote: »

I'm not sure how to multi quote so will try and answer as well as I can.

Yes its a 3yr old and a baby, so she's pretty oblivious to it anyway and will probably spend most of the day eating paper!

I am not ungrateful for the presents at all there is just such a big volume of them. Last year Em didnt get this much so we brought "lots" of little things for them both as its our first proper christmas as a family.

because we've decided to stay at home this year and not do any visiting, my family is 200 miles south and his 150 miles north, most of the presents from family have come to us pre-christmas where-as usually we would visit family over christmas and she would open her presents there with them, added to that they have been bought more in volume of presents than they were last year which we werent expecting has meant that there is loads for them both.

My worry really was the Em has asthma and when she gets too excited she tends to spark off an attack & throws up which is not ideal. I feel slightly bad as she doesnt think Santa is coming now as there is so many presents under the tree already!

We asked family for vouchers for clothes & no teddies/chocolates this year after throwing out loads of chocolate last year and still having selection boxes left!

I will spread out the day(s) but I just wanted some tips from more experienced parents really. I've never held my own christmas before and between the presents, trying to cook my first ever xmas dinner I'm getting in abit of a tizz!

My children are 10 and 7, and I have/had your situation. My kids have 2 x grandparents, 2 x g-grandmas, 2 x aunts, 1 x g-uncle, 1 x g-aunt, where the majority buy several presents. We all live in the same town, 2 lots of grandparents and 1 g-gran in the same village as us, so the opportunity for spacing out on different days of visiting doesn't happen. My relatives want to give more (for whatever their reasons), so trying to limit them via the cash/voucher/experience route hasn't been possible. That is just starting to change with items for my eldest as they see his interests change as he grows.

We only got round this by limiting what we bought, so we'd spend more on a main present for example, or not as many smaller gifts. I don't give clothes as gifts, so if I buy something it's just shown in the same way as if I buy during the rest of the year 'I got you this new top/skirt'. I don't buy chocolate/sweets, as selection boxes will turn up as a gift from someone else. Books I bundle altogether, so it's 1 parcel to unwrap instead of lots.

Savvy_Sue

laurenjs88 wrote: »

I will spread out the day(s) but I just wanted some tips from more experienced parents really. I've never held my own christmas before and between the presents, trying to cook my first ever xmas dinner I'm getting in abit of a tizz!

OK, Christmas Dinner, there are threads elsewhere which will help, but KISS (Keep it Simple, Stoopid!)

prepare your veg the day before, and 3 is not too young to 'help' IMO: give her a potato and a peeler while you wield the sharp knife. I used to have my 3 round the kitchen table at 3pm, festival of 9 lessons and carols on Radio 4, break into the festive milkshakes and chocolate, knife and chopping board for each one, pick which veg you are doing, no-one goes until it's all done.

if your kitchen is cold enough, get the turkey ready for the oven on Christmas Eve too, presumably you'll be up at crack of dawn so stick the turkey in early. mine started NOT waking up early so we took to having it in the evening, I was NOT going to set the alarm for 5.

write a list of what you're serving, in the order in which you need to attend to it, with rough times. that way you don't forget the bread sauce or stuffing. and you'll also see what you can do in advance, and what you have to juggle, because I can't get a large turkey, roast pots, roast parsnips and stuffing into the oven all at the same time!

I'd then space presents around what needed to happen in the kitchen, going to church, and my need to eat breakfast and get dressed, at least before going to church!

and remember, your girls don't know any different, so you and DH can decide what you do and how you do it. It may not be what his family did and it may not be what your family did, but you are a new family!

Newly_retired

My daughter limits the presents she buys for her chidlren as the rest of the family give so much. One main thing from Father Christmas + a stocking of stocking fillers. They are not yet old enough to ask why isn't there a present from Mummy and Daddy. she puts some of the ( lesser) presents away once they are opened eg games. jigsaws, books from aunts and uncles and they are brought out later in the holidays or later in the year if they are more suitable for when they are a bit older.
My granddaughter has a birthday in January so that's more presents. I get her something small and get something else or a treat of some sort in the summer as it is a long time between January and December.
Hope these ideas help you to spread it out.

savingmummy

For us it is the complete opposite we buy and both our parents buy - normally one thing each.
And i worry it isnt enough!

IF our other friends and family bought then i would just buy one or two main presents each, maybe something to think about for future xmas`s OR ask for clothing or money for their ctf instead.

MadDogWoman_2

My DD is 3 and gets a mini mountain of gifts, we split it into a few short sessions throughout Christmas Day and Boxing Day, it also means she gets chance to play with the ones she's just opened then by the time she is ready to move onto something else there are a few more for her to open.

needanewjob

jennikitten wrote: »

Since there are a lot of people out there struggling to afford presents for their children, perhaps you could take some of them to a local charity/support group/playgroup along with your children & explain that some people don't get anything for Christmas so it's nice to help other people out?

I agree with jennikitten. If you think your DD's getting more than she can needs especially at her age, try the Salvation Army or local women's refuge about donating a few of your gifts to her.