Shopping for the kids

[Camperroo]

What's your shopping style?  Do you set a number of gift limit per child, or spend up to a specific amount and stop or are you like me who tries to do both of those things and then go completely out of control!!!!  Next year I've got to stick to my guns and set a realistic limit!!  Right now daughter has 16 things and my son 12 and I know they will wind up counting somehow during the day to see if it was even!!  Now mind the 16 things and 12 are not all big items.  My DS is still young so his toy boxes are BIG but my DD is 14 and her boxes are CDs,etc.which are so small so I feel bad for her that everything looks so little vs. her brother's big boxes!!  I know, I know, I need a Christmas Shopping 12 step program!!

[B-flat]

Wow!  Can you put me on your gift list, too?     I guess different people have different traditions.  Some try to give more at Christmas than other times of the year.  Some who didn't receive much as children want to give theirs many things.  I remember when mine were small and they would do the comparison thing on the gifts and if things didn't seem equal there might be some pouting going on.:eek:   Now that they are older and trying to work and make a living, they are more in agreement to cut down on the gift giving and they like the idea of our just being together and having a nice meal.  I found this a bit difficult at first because I had perfected my shopping and finding things at really low prices, but now that I am getting older it isn't as much fun anymore to hunt down a lot of gifts.  I just get one or two small things for each and attach a check so they can buy whatever they want (on sale after Christmas.)

 
I have a friend who does her shopping a few days after Christmas for next Christmas.  She makes out a list of what she has purchased, goes ahead and wraps and tags it all, then stores in her closet.  She says she is able to give better gifts at a lesser cost and that when the holidays come she can concentrate on celebrations, cooking and baking.   Still others that I know go to great lengths to do the shopping and making sure each gift is carefully thought out before purchasing.  Whatever makes you happy and works for your family is what is important as long as you don't forget the real meaning of the Season.   Those Three Wise Men who brought gifts......maybe we should blame them.

[jpreiser]

WE spend about $200.00 per per child, usually end up with about 5 presents each... WE have always kept it simple, that way we never have to compete with Christmas past...

[vjm1639]

My shopping style is.......I spend way too much!  LOL   the older the kids are (ours are all grown...) the more expensive the toys!

[luvourjayco]

we set a $$ amount per child and try like heck not to go over. Seems the toys get pricier and the number of them goes down. We set $$ limits and draw names with the rest of the family to keep things in check.

[Gone-Camping]

I don't really have a plan that I follow. It all depends on what the kids ask for really. This year I spent $200 on the nephew for ONE item, while I spent $50 on 15 items for his sister. While his cost four times as much, he's likely to complain his got only one present and his sister got 15 of them. Oh well.... I think he's now at an age where he understands the difference between quality and quantity....I hope!