With the Christmas season upon us, I've been thinking about gift-giving. I loooooove giving gifts. More than that, I love giving handmade gifts. I just love the feeling of thinking about someone as I create something that I think they'll like or use. I love watching someone's face as they open the gift. Such fun. Certainly not an event reserved just for this season, but there is such an abundance of it now. Love it.
One thing I do not love is the game that is gift-giving. I seriously hate receiving a gift and not having one to give in return. I don't mind it the other way around, but receiving without giving is the worst. If all goes according to plan, this will be our last Christmas as poor college students. That being said, this is our 'poorest' year as college students. Our gift-giving this year is strictly limited, but let me tell you.....I'll be making up for it next year.
But what I really want to discuss is how you do Christmas gifts for your kids. Are you buying one big gift, with smaller gifts? A bunch of little stuff? A few things? Do you have a strict budget, or do you just buy until you think it is done? Do you spend the same on all of your kids, or do some gifts just cost more?
Last year, I knew the Sunbean would love her Bitty Baby. And I was so right. But this year, I can't think of a 'main' gift for her, so we're just getting a bunch of random stuff.
What do you do about Santa? At our house, Santa brings things like socks and toothbrushes, maybe some candy. He's a practical man. He'll bring maybe one or two fun toys, but nothing huge. As a parent, I want the credit for the cool stuff, dang it. Some families have Santa as the main gift-giver. What's your plan?
Do tell.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
I love how you portray Santa! I don't have kids yet, but I have been thinking about this subject for months. Great idea
~One fun gift from Santa.
~Strict budget for each, same amount.
~Try to keep same number of gifts for each child.
~Mainly needs & then a couple little wants.
We do something similar as the Berry Family. But I think every year things change depending on what we need, "need" and want. And our financial status of course.
I really wish I had more of an ability for craftiness in a way that would lend itself to making homemade gifts. I always think those are the best.
Santa gives a bunch of random very small things (all things are $1 or under and can fit in their stockings) and this year we're not giving the girls any presents except Christmas Eve pajamas. Instead we're taking them to Riverdance around Lara's birthday (this is going to be Christmas presents and Birthday presents combined). They're going to get so much stuff from Grandparents and Great-Grandparents that they don't need more stuff from us!
We just kind of buy until I think its done. And so far this has been my hardest year. All 3 are at in-between stages. I am like you and I want the credit for the cool gifts. Hugh and I have a difference of opinion on that but he lets me do whatever I want. I like for the chepo gift to be from Santa. Then its not such a let down when they find out he is not real. And then there is my sister where non of the gifts are signed from Santa and her kids are ok with it. And in the end, I don't think the kids are really looking to see who it is from as much as they just want to know whats in it.
I have a 2 1/2 year old. For Christmas morning she gets 3 gifts like the baby Jesus. One outfit, 1 toy and 1 book. On Christmas Eve she gets a present from Santa(it isn't anything that upstages what she will get on Christmas). For example this year from Santa she will get a movie(not sure what one yet). Then Christmas morning she will get a play nursery set, Does a Kangaroo Have a Momma Too?(book) and an outfit. In terms of how much we spend I am a bargain shopper so I watch for things to be on sale.
Well in years past we buy until we are done...but spend the same on each kid and they have the same amount of gifts. And santa gives one cool gift and we give the rest...in my family we have to keep believing or we don't get any gifts so even though we know he is not real we have to say he is. Some follow this rule others don't. As I was born in Germany we have done the St. Nick thing growing up so if you think about the history of him then you can go on with the santa is real thing! anywho we try to go by a budget but we always go over...this year however we are very tight for money so we are sticking to the budget...but we are getting the cool stuff and santa can get the other stuff!
The author is discussing gift giving. Read all about it
Post a Comment