Christmas presents I have 4 kids buying presents for brother in law with 2

notanewuser

I was thinking about this yesterday as the first dreaded "what would she like for Xmas" came in from one of OH's family.

We have one DD who only turned 2 last month. She had so many lovely toys and books that much more would see us needing a new house!! We don't do santa or Xmas for many reasons, and I genuinely hate people spending money for the sake of it, but understand that others don't think this way.

This year I have 2 nieces to buy for (token but considered gifts). Next year I will have 5. Last year one of my nieces' parents didn't get our DD anything at all, and doesn't appear to have realised. I've now been asked what DD would like.

I do maintain a small gift list on findgift.com with small £5-10 items on so that if people insist on getting something there are ideas there - but just ideas. So it might say. "Pyjamas in age 2-3" or "24-35 piece jigsaw puzzle".

And then on my side if the family there would be a tidal wave of this that and everything if I didn't take steps to prevent it. DD doesn't go without, but I don't want lots of things for the sake of it.
I ordered 4 books last night that link with another one she has, and when asked will offer for her great-grandma or aunties etc to reimburse me for one of those (they were £6 each with free postage). She'll love them and I can write who bought them for her inside.

notanewuser

Rebecca01 wrote: »

I can kind of understand where you are coming from, I guess this links to other debates such as the commercialism of Christmas that have been on the Discussion Time thread recently.

I am still pro santa for the young ones. I was raised as a christian, my mam still says santa to me now even all grown up with a child of my own. Dont get my Mam started on celebrating Halloween though, thats a whole different story. :eek:

I must be missing something here. What does Santa have to do with Christianity?

Rebecca01

notanewuser wrote: »

I must be missing something here. What does Santa have to do with Christianity?

Nothing its just a bit of fun.

Its possible to do that while still keeping the true meaning of Christmas was the point I was trying to make.

notanewuser

Rebecca01 wrote: »

Nothing its just a bit of fun.

Its possible to do that while still keeping the true meaning of Christmas was the point I was trying to make.

The true meaning being..........??

We think of it as a winter festival rather than a religious/commercial event. We rarely celebrate on December 25th. We do it our way, lol.

Rebecca01

notanewuser wrote: »

The true meaning being..........??

We think of it as a winter festival rather than a religious/commercial event. We rarely celebrate on December 25th. We do it our way, lol.

Exactly each to their own.

apesxx

my partner is like this every year, he always asks me how much i have spent on him because he is frightened to death he will spend more than me or not spend as much. My answer to him is always "i have spent what i wanted to spend on you and i will be happy with what ever you have got me, regardless of what you have spent".

I usually spend on my nieces about £20 each, that is my personal budget and what i am happy to spend. It doesnt bother me if my brother or partners brother and sister dont spend that much on my 2 children or even what they get them as i am very grateful and so are the children for any presents. OH's step sister usually spends a lot on our children, they dont have any children of their own but that is their choice, once they have children i will still spend around £20 on their children too.

When asked what they want this year i have said lego friends / spiderman or board games then people have a massive range of things to choose from about £5 upwards.

margaretclare

notanewuser wrote: »

I must be missing something here. What does Santa have to do with Christianity?

It has nothing to do with Christianity. Christmas is said to be a Christian festival.

notanewuser

margaretclare wrote: »

It has nothing to do with Christianity. Christmas is said to be a Christian festival.

I don't think we'd better go there!

poet123

margaretclare wrote: »

It has nothing to do with Christianity. Christmas is said to be a Christian festival.

Mentioning Santa (St Nicholas?) does not detract from the Christian meaning of the occasion for our family. You can have both.

jellyhead

apesxx wrote: »

my partner is like this every year, he always asks me how much i have spent on him because he is frightened to death he will spend more than me or not spend as much. My answer to him is always "i have spent what i wanted to spend on you and i will be happy with what ever you have got me, regardless of what you have spent".

Last year I bought my husband a £2.50 box of wine gums and he bought me a kindle :eek::rotfl: