How do you decide how many presents to get your kids?

How do y’all decide how many presents to get each of your kids? So far my son only has 6 presents to open on Christmas and one big one that can’t be wrapped. My daughter has about the same. Maybe a couple more than brother. I just feel like it’s not enough, but I’m running out of things to get them.

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My kids will only get 3 or 4 gifts but they are older so it makes it harder but I usually do it by the amount of money not the number of gifts. Last night I went out and bought my son a gold chain and it was almost 400 then a pair of timberland that were 230 so they don’t get many gifts anymore.

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It’s my daughter’s first Christmas so I just got her everything tbh. I looked up good toys for her age range and got them all plus some things I wanted her to have. We have ended up with nearly 50 for her😬

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I know kids that just like to open presents, they don’t even play with them, I believe it looses the purpose to give so many gifts and is a waste of money, if they have too many they won’t actually spend time with one, I love buying presents for my daughters but I remind myself that they don’t need so many presents, just one or two they will really use and like, I prefer to plan a trip, even if it’s to the beach, or the zoo what they really need is my time, park time, reading night time, cooking time. I have toys from other Christmas still in boxes and they haven’t even noticed. Learning as I go, I think less is better, kids now a day don’t appreciate things, I had only one doll when I was little and I was the happiest. I can say I take care of my daughters dolls and toys better than they do.

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I used to load up the stocking with stocking fillers but mine would get really tired unwrapping them (blame the movie Arthur Christmas :joy:) and most would end up getting broken or ignored. You don’t need all that tat. Mine is happy with a big gift from us and the little wishlist/money can’t buy but Santa’s elves will make that items in the stocking with chocolate.

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My kids have always gotten 3-4 and 1 santa. I don’t/didn’t want them to think Christmas is only about gifts, that it’s also about giving and family and love

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One big one. One kid really wants. 2 smaller. One gift bag with lots of little surprises, candy etc. This can also be in the stocking or split it between. I gave my kids home made IOU vouchers
A pancake breakfast. IOU will do a kid’s chore so kid didn’t have to. Extra TV time. 30 min later bedtime. None of that stuff costs money but kid will love to cash these in. Think of stuff your kid would like

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I love giving my kids a lot of presents so I do wrap the stocking stuffers and also buy clothes and stuff that I would buy anyway to give them more presents to unwrap.

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I try to keep it about 5-10. If you get to much then what are you going to get them for birthdays or next Christmas?

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How old are they?
Mine is only a year, and she’s getting tons of stuff from family and friends (her birthday is also 4 days before Christmas). We got her 4-5 things per event so she doesn’t get too overwhelmed.

Only six??? Rethink your priorities, how about he donated some to someone who will not have any?

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Sounds like you have plenty for an awesome Christmas for your kids. Will be more than enough.

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Idk how old your kids are but we ask them for a list and they have a 200$ limit each and I go off there list until I hit the limit. And my younger kids they have the same limit but sometimes we don’t spend all of their limit, but at the same time it’s really all about spending time with family and not about how many gifts they have.

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We don’t do a certain number of presents per kid, we set a dollar amount per kid. This year, our son only asked for 4 things, but those 4 things made up the dollar amount that we planned to spend on him. So he will have 4 presents to open Christmas morning. His little sister asked for a lot more and got a lot more because her items were a fraction of the cost of his. They know this as well. They know that we set a dollar amount and that how many presents they have depends on the cost of what they ask for.

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My parents did $500 for each of us. I always had more things to open because my sister always wanted something expensive and I usually just wanted clothes. But we knew and understood why one of us had more or less so I guess the age matters.

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My kids each have 3. Plus stocking. 2 from us, and 1 from Santa.

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I just make sure they get the same amount. Whether it is one present or just a simple candy/stocking

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This year my kids are getting three each: a book set, a small present, and a big present (Lego sets for my boys, and a doll house for my two year old). They will get more presents from their grandparents and aunts and uncles. I think your 6 each is good. But each family is different.

I get my kids 2 or 3 things they actually want n the rest of the presents are things they need(summer clothes, undies n socks, the next size up shoes etc and school bag lunch box drink bottle as well) stuff like that. Does your son like drawing? Maybe you could get a drawing pack. Play doh? Outside toys? March box cars n a race track Matt? Movie tickets for school holidays? Hope this helps mumma

We do, Something they want, something they need, something to wear and something to read. With a few little stocking fillers like bath bombs, hair accessories, or sweets, maybe a lego person, etc.

Then santa brings 1 small present each too. Budget for santa is R150 ZAR

kids are 9, 6 and 18 months

Just remember what you start will be expected every year. 3 or 4 and maybe one that’s really special that they want.

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I don’t have a certain amount I see things they like I get it I just try and get them the same amount except the older ones now.

We don’t count the presents we go by amount spent. We try to stay with in the same range. The older a child gets the less presents because they are usually more expensive.

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We dont count presents. We set a $ amount same for each kid & thats what they get.

I try
A need, a want, something to wear, something to read, a board game or some game.

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I set a budget and each kid gets however many they get within that budget. I usually do 80% from a list they put together and the rest are picked out by us.

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Nah they don’t need a whole lot otherwise they’ll grow up to expect that! I spend the same amount on each kid too! Usually one big gift and one small gift and then clothes, art stuff and learning/fidget gadgets!

I always tried to get mine something they wanted something they needed and something fun then something from Santa but they all are grown now

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5 gifts per kid: 1 to wear, 1 to read, 1 you want, 1 you need and 1 from santa

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I feel the same way. I have my 6 year old daughter and her 6 year old brother is with us for Christmas I been trying my best to even their gifts out but I feel like I always get my daughter more then this

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5-6 per kid. Always tried to make them fairly practical. Blankets or bedding sets, book series, clothing. We do may 3 toys. My teen likes the boba teas so we hit her a large assortment of ingredients & accessories.We did get family gifts this year. We splurged on a switch & we are also doing a family trip to the aquarium & gift card to the sky park.Santa only fills stockings but that’s a plus for the kids because it’s candy, snacks, accessories, etc.

We have four girls so we do a money cap per each. Everyone gets spent the same amount, even if one has more to open than the other, its only because their presents were cheaper than the other. But that’s how we go about it.

When my daughters were little they got more but as they got older they wanted more expensive things so the amount was less. I just had to make sure they had the same amount to unwrap or I really caught it. My girls always seemed to be in competition with each other, in a lot of ways its still the same and they are Mommys now lol

My kids have about the same i have 4. They will also get other presents from Family members. I do always worry that the pile doesn’t look big enough or good enough but I keep reminding myself that it’s not about the presents but more about being together and having fun. We live in a small house also so we have to consider space and where things will go. I also feel that when they get loads they tend not to play with some of it so it just a waste. I also have 2 of my kids birthdays in January so can’t buy to much for christmas as then it will be harder to get them birthday presents lol.

I get about 6 per kid including a “big” one. Something they really want or that is more expensive. I spend only about 200 per child tho so there big present is always under 100. And then I plan a trip with them. We just got back from a 2 night stay in the dells. But I usually stick to the something u want need learning and a clothing item. Then I do Xmas eve boxes that have a book pj’s and snacks with hot cocoa mix for a movie night on Xmas eve. We always watch a Christmas movie of there choice before bed

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I was told 5 presents is the perfect amount bc otherwise most younger kids get overstimulated

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It’s not the number of presents. It’s the quality. A few presents and some shared family experiences.

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I have always gone by amount. They have an age gap and my youngest usually wants things that are significantly cheaper.

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When my kids were little I just got them three or four each.

We do
Something you want
Something you need
Something to read
We usually do a couple of each thing for each kid

I can’t go by how many kids we have cause we only have 1 so it’s basically a free for all lol

We celebrate Yule, not Christmas, but we do exchange gifts. We typically do
•Something they want
• Something they need
•Something to wear
•Something to read
•Something to do
Then set a budget and prioritize what they will enjoy the most that fits within that budget. We also do a stocking with small gifts and treats.

A pile of too many gifts is just overwhelming and things aren’t as appreciated when there’s so much to unwrap.

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1 for each of them is enough

I ended up buying sacks from b&m. Ill be honest once filled im finished. Lucky my kids don’t whinge over piles looking same etc

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get them stuff to use through the year. Socks underwear shirts pants

Jay Mann see I ent the only one who do it by the amount u spend and not how many presents lol :joy:

I don’t go too all out. I don’t want one year for him to have 30 gifts then something happens next year and he will only be able to get a few. Plus he basically gets a new toy every time his dad gets paid. So he honestly doesn’t need a big Christmas.

I only have one so I buy her whatever I want

Only 6? We’re only doing 7/8 gifts a kid. But I have 5 kids so :woman_shrugging:

Wow!!! Christmas isn’t supposed to be about how many gifts a person gets or how much money is spent on people. Why bother celebrating if that’s all that’s important to you?

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Goes by what I can afford each year :woman_shrugging:

4-5 plus stockings. Big, expensive presents are reserved for birthdays, not ‘‘santa’’

Buy toys& educational thing’s, clothes etc

Amount limit: I tell them the amount, ask for 1 very expensive item, 1 want, 1 need, 2 gift cards and cash amount. I choose what to get based on those things. I start this usually in Sept so I’ll be prepared when sales start and I can possibly get the expensive item. When they were younger I always tried to get the same amount of items but always ended up being off by a couple. If you are absolutely trying to get the same amount (and can’t) try to mix the size of toys they won’t notice the amount much :slightly_smiling_face:

Depending on how much money I have

I think each of my kids have about 6 and the. Stockings. I used to do a lot more but I went from a family of 2 to a family of 5 within a couple months. Just not possible to do more. This year we did about $150/kid. We didn’t do any big presents this year.

Stockings were always from Santa when I was growing up and I think my parents did 4/5 gifts from Santa and the rest from them. Right now for our kids I’m doing like a 10-12 limit for presents and 4 are from Santa (each) under the tree and the stocking will be from Santa we have 2 kids together and he has 4 children but 2 are little and the other two are adults so . Trying to keep it to a minimum things are expensive!

When my kids were little I set the sane amount if money for each but made sure they had the same amount of gifts to unwrap, it can be done . As they become older they git the equal amount spent on each if them but not necessarily the same amount of gifts

My golden rule for now, is 5.
Typically 1-2 things they really really want
The rest is usually a lounge blanket, something they need, something I think they’d like that wasn’t on their list. Stocking is Typically candy

I think it depends on the family and the budget. I have only 1 child. She is grown now. When she was little we bought her one big gift and several smaller ones. When I and her father divorced I couldnt afford a lot so I just did my best. I like the idea of the children picking out a gift for a child who might not be getting anything. The important thing is being together as a family and giving as well as receiving.

When we were young we got one thing and a stocking filled with candy, nuts, and fruits, with my kids it was nothing to spend 1500 on each, we have 2. Which now in my wisdom I realize that was WAY too much, now that I have grands, we put a limit on it.

With all due respect I feel you have too much money and time on your hands. How many gifts do they really need.

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My kid’s are 6 and 4 I do the same number of gifts which is 10 normally 1 from Santa which come from the dollar store Santa can’t afford to much but I always get a lot of them cheap/on sale I try to buy through out the year as they get old the number of gifts will go down

We do the same amount of money/presents. It usually ends up about 5 to 6 presents.
A need
A want
Something to wear
A game
A memory (like a trip to the zoo or a movie or a one on one day with each parent)

They get 4. Something you want something you need something to do and something to read

We got our 7 and 8 year olds about 4 presents each… they have grandparents and my bio daughter goes to her dads as well with a huge family so I don’t feel the need to make my life hell trying to get my kids more presents I get thoughtful gifts everyone else gets the expensive or unnecessary ones

With our 9 month old twins we got one toy for them to “open” because we have bought toys for them for the past 9 months already :joy: we just getting all the new stuff from family

I always did 10 each for my son’s growing up and now I do 10 each for my Granddaughter’s and they always have 1 Big Item they really wanted or that I wanted to get them. Not all 10 items are expensive either!

I budget $600.00 for each child and as they get older the amount will go up as well since they will want/need more expensive things.