NWMR Christmas gifts

fitmom82 · November 2014

I struggled with this last year too, do you spend equally on gifts? DD is 4 1/2 and she has a list, I actually think she's on list 3 now, that she's been working on since September. There are very specific things that she'd like, and there are quite a few things she hasn't asked for that that I also think she'd like.

DS is 2 1/2. It really confuses me that I still think of him as a baby because as soon as he was born, even before then, I never thought of DD as a baby. By the time she was his age she had been a big sister for several months. Although I probably assumed she totally got Santa at 2 1/2, I feel like DS really has no idea. He has a train table, we have a kitchen, he has a tricycle, plus his birthday is in May so I'd rather get outside stuff then. He has a ton of trucks and trains and some action figures (MIL never threw out a toy so we have 30 year old hand me downs too). He likes Bubble Guppies and loves Umi Zoomi. I can think of a few toys he might like, nothing he'd love.

Any suggestions for him? And do you make sure you spend equally on your kids?

brachysira · November 2014

We have a Bubble Guppies First Look and Find book that my 22 month-old sleeps with. We may get some other Bubble Guppies books for Christmas. Maybe he would like some dress-up clothes like a fireman outfit or super hero cape, if your daughter doesn't have those. Indoor gross motor toys like a slide or Step 2 coaster? I definitely do not plan to spend equally this year. My 2 month old has a million hand-me-downs from a bunch of people and any toys he might possibly need from his sister's stash. My daughter doesn't have many clothes or many older kid toys, and loves everything

minirella · November 2014

I'm sure there will be a time when I will spend equally but not right now. I'd suggest books, playdough (or anything messy because messy = fun here), a rody horse.

[Deleted User] · November 2014

Mega Blocks or other building blocks. That's the age that DS started loving to create with his hands.

skibunny59 · November 2014

For a 2 1/2 year old I would do mega blocks, playdoh, paints, art stuff, puzzles, books, a tunnel, etc. I don't think you have to spend the same amount on both kids. I really don't think your DS will notice at this age. As they get older I still don't think it's important to spend the same amount but maybe make sure they have roughly the same amount of gifts under the tree. My mom said my brother always used to get jealous because I had more stuff under the tree even though the stuff he got cost more money.

My DS will be a newborn by Christmas so we are just getting him 2 or 3 small things and really it's more so DD (2 1/2) won't think Santa forgot to bring her brother something. I don't plan on worrying about making sure things are equal for awhile.

NicoleWI · November 2014

(I keep lurking from SAHM b/c there is little action over there and I used to go here) I absolutely don't try to spend equally. They have NO idea how much anything costs! I do make sure they have equal numbers of things to open. As they get older we may try to get closer on the money if it starts to matter. But hey, even as they get older...one year someone may get a bigger gift, the next year someone else. I don't think it has to be equal.

Also, we LOVE our Rody Horse (mentioned earlier).

74dragonfly · November 2014

I dont spend the same but I make sure there are the same number of things to open for each kid. why DD, almost 6, will notice and ask things like "why does she have 3 presents and he only have 2". she would not understand that one gift is so much money.

djm31012 · November 2014

DS is almost 2. We have hand me down toys like a kitchen set from older cousins. But I got him so far, Duplo legos (the bigger ones), Play Doh an art easle with chalk/dry erase markers, a few trains...and then like undershirts, new shoes, etc. I also have a Y bike and helmet on his list that I need to get him.

rubber_chicken · November 2014

I only have 1, but I grew up in a huge family. We each got one "big" gift (sometimes we even shared the big gift, like the year two of my brothers got the Sega console) and then various little gifts. We always got toiletries in our stockings. I think its more important to have roughly the same "number" of gifts to open - at least while they're young. Younger kids don't yet get the difference in price.

And I also think its a good opportunity for a lesson in fairness. 1) Life isn't fair 2) different people can define "fair" differently 3) parity does not always equal fairness. It can be perfectly fair for Big Sister to get one big expensive gift while little brother gets 20 small inexpensive gifts.

2chatter · November 2014

I am neurotic - so I spend equally AND the same NUMBER of gifts. So it's like a puzzle. I was an only child and have this paranoia about things not being "fair". Intellectually I get it, but .... not so much in execution. So DDs are getting tablets, so DS is getting a full on dress up chest for the same total cost and that counts as ONE gift.

For that age, in the next year he will be into more imaginative things - so easy dress up - a fireman raincoat and hat, capes, different helmets/hats....things he can do alone can be really cute and fun. DS turns three in February and he loves his latches board right now.

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