The magical equation of gifts and children...

**Daisygirl** · 12-25-2007, 04:27 PM

When a child receives a gift, it is a type of magic. You can almost hear the little bells chiming when you watch a child rip the wrapping paper off a present! She tears into it, glowing with anticipation, and nearly anything is suddenly "just what I always wanted!"

I read here and on other sites about people wondering if they got their kids "enough". I think the thing we should worry about is if we got our kids "too much". How many times can a child feel the anticipation and magic described above on Christmas morning? If they have a pile of 50 presents to go through, what is it going to take to keep achieving that magical effect? I think it would be impossible. Far better to give 3-4 things a child will need/want, and watch the enjoyment. It would break my heart to see my children jaded, wondering if "that was it?"

I don't mean to preach, kind of on a philosophical soap box today, but I was so pleased to see how delighted my girls were with the modest presents they received. They were both ecstatically happy and very grateful.

There was magic in our house this morning... I hope there was at your houses too!

**justpeachy92** · 12-25-2007, 06:53 PM

I get what you mean about the kids wondering if that is it. We don't go wild buying our kids alot of presents, but do put alot of thought in what we do get them. At Christmas we try to avoid the needed items (though at times they do go in stockings.) I look for the wow factore, this is just what I wanted mentality. My 4 kids were all very pleased this Christmas, announcing the same as they do every year..."this was the best Christmas." I love it when at the end of all the opening of gifts, the favorite gift was one that wasn't even on their wish list.

**kaykwilts** · 12-25-2007, 07:50 PM

Very well said. You rob children of the job of getting gifts when you give them too much.

toile · 12-25-2007, 08:34 PM

Gosh I agree, watch out for too much not to little.

This is why we do 3 gifts...... from the wisemen gave 3 etc..
However I do try to make the 3 gifts something they really truly dream of.

**got2run3** · 12-25-2007, 09:30 PM

My son informed me today that this was his best Christmas and We only got him 5 things, that is least I have ever bought him. I usually go way overboard and just spend-spend. The only thing he wanted was a Wii, (6hours in freezing tempertures, never again LOL,) But it was really nice to see him creeping out of his room this morning @ 4:30. I think he was trying to catch "Santa" in the act, This is probably the last year of Santa. But it really meant alot to me that he thought this was the best.

**baxjul** · 12-25-2007, 09:41 PM

Apparently I sparked a nerve with a few people about my post of thinking that I didn't get dd enough. I really didn't mean to offend anyone, but apparently I did.
I'm sorry to have felt that I should have been able to give her more. It isn't like she has any family around her but us. I think that I may try to make up for the fact that I moved her 1400 miles away from any relatives. Sorry to have disturbed so many people!!

toile · 12-25-2007, 10:37 PM

Bax, I didnt read this post to have anything to do with yours?
I dont think you were offensive at all.
You were just stating what we all feel from time to time.

:

**baxjul** · 12-25-2007, 11:04 PM

Thanks, I've just had more than a few comments made to me about it.

**birthgeek** · 12-26-2007, 01:36 PM

I don't think I've even read your post, Baxjul, but even so it sounds like this is just a separate/opposite view. I can totally see worrying about whether we give our kids enough in some circumstances. But I do find myself in agreement with this post, this year. My boys are still pretty young but I definitely see their appreciation diminish, the more things they open. It all gets sort of diluted, kwim? Next year we are scaling down even more, possibly doing the 3 gifts only thing. My mother overdoes it and buys several things for each boy (including gifts from her pets, lol), plus my ILs, plus aunts and uncles, and many of my grown cousins buy for them as well. So they really get far too many things by the end of the holiday.

One thing we've done with friends is agreed to skip gifts and instead get together to do an activity together like a craft or some baking with the kids. I'm also considering asking the grandparents to make one gift an 'experience' gift, like show tickets, pay for some coveted lessons, etc.