They don't need anything for Christmas

I first want to say my post is not meant as a complaint; I feel very fortunate. I hope no one takes this the wrong way. But I would appreciate any feedback. Basically, my kids don't need anything for Christmas but I feel like I should give them something. They just had a birthday (they turned one), and they didn't need anything, but I bought them a few inexpensive toys and the relatives gave them some clothing and books. So now it's almost Christmas and they really don't need anything. But I'd like them to open something on Christmas day. I was thinking of wrapping some of their old toys up; is that a strange idea? Would you go out and get them something just because it's Christmas? Thanks for your input!

thea
misha and cyan 1 years old

 

I first want to say my post is not meant as a complaint; I feel very fortunate. I hope no one takes this the wrong way. But I would appreciate any feedback. Basically, my kids don't need anything for Christmas but I feel like I should give them something. They just had a birthday (they turned one), and they didn't need anything, but I bought them a few inexpensive toys and the relatives gave them some clothing and books. So now it's almost Christmas and they really don't need anything. But I'd like them to open something on Christmas day. I was thinking of wrapping some of their old toys up; is that a strange idea? Would you go out and get them something just because it's Christmas? Thanks for your input!

thea
misha and cyan 1 years old

 

I don't see anything wrong with wrapping some of their toys if you just want them to open something-they're still so young,they will never know the difference.

I understand how you feel about wanting them to open SOMETHING on Christmas morning. I have a few suggestions.

1. My twins were born in January. I like to but a few small gifts that they might be interested in around June or July. That way, I have some new tings to pull out throughout the year. I often suggest bigger sized clothes/ toys for kids that are a little older to family for birthday/Christmas.

2. You could wrap some everyday items that you always need- baby shampoo, powder, snack crackers, socks, sippy cups, etc. That way, you're still letting them open stuff, but not going overboard.

3. My girls have som many toys already, so I'm signing them up for a swimming class. I plan on giving them a new bathing suit and towel to opne on Christmas morning.

4. You can buy some items that you would like to donate, such as: food to a soup kitchen, dog/cat food and litter for an animal shelter, itmes for new Mom's with babies in the NICU, etc. Have the kids unwrap them and then one day you could all bring them together to the appropriate palce.

Anyway, these are just some things that I though of.
By the way, at their age, your kids are going to LOVE wrapping paper! Maybe you should just get them a rollof wrapping paper and let them have fun with that!

 

Hi Mel,
Thanks so much for your reply. Those are great ideas!!

thea

 

Buy them some new clothes a size bigger always helps. Maybe a new toy you didn;t want to buy before. Personally a kid needs one new thing on Christmas...ok needs bad word. My girls birthdays (all3 ) were this past month. Toys they got are all over the place.
But I still got them some new ones. At age one they love noisy colorful things.
Once they get older Santa comes come as cheap as it does at this age. but its still fun seeing them open a nice toy and smile.

 

We didn't buy ours anything last year because I felt they were too young. Of course, the grandparents got them some toys so it worked out. This year we have gone all out, probably way overboard, but I can't help but buy things I think they will love. I've always adored Christmas and dreamed of having my own family some day to celebrate with. Do you think I will outgrow this?

I think you have an excellent idea and were given some good ones in other posts. Merry Christmas.

Angela

 

We decided not to get them anything this year. My family has gotten them enough gifts so that they have multiple ones to open each night of Hanukkah. I think that's the most important thing for them...having stuff to unwrap. That's all they cared about last year. They truly don't need anything and I don't feel it's fiscally responsible for me to just go out and buy things for the sake of buying things. I think if you just let them unwrap a few things (whether it's your presents or toys they already have, but haven't used in a while), they will be just as happy. I also don't want my kids coming to expect always getting a ton of things because I have seen that with my friend's child and she doesn't appreciate a thing anymore.

 

When Jack and Ally were one, all we did was get them a couple new Baby Einstein dvd's. Their bday is in November, and they got totally spoiled at their party. They got more gifts on Christmas Eve with my family and then again on Christmas Day with dh's family, so they weren't deprived in any way. It was nice to have something for them to unwrap at home though, just for taking pictures.

 

You could wrap up a whole bunch of small stuff and put it in their stocking: toothbrushes, children's toothpaste, bubble bath, little snack packs of crackers and other consumables. You can never have too much of that.

 

Believe it or not I still have things from last Christmas that I put away, they got sooo much stuff, for a 'rainy' day. Well, we never used it and money is tight so this year I am going to rewrap them so they have gifts under the tree. I know they don't remember them, how could they when there was soo much stuff and hopefully now they can get some use out of the items.

I guess what I am trying to say is go for it! Half the fun is opening the gifts!

 

You could get some simple stuff like measuring spoons, Tupperware bowls, plastic cups, packs of crackers, stuff like that. Mine are obsessed with spoons and bowls right now and love to "mix" things.

I know what you mean, mine don't really "need" any toys either. We're getting them an activity table, but it's one of those things we would have been buying at this age anyway.

 

We only do stockings for Christmas. Then they will get one big gift (bicycles!) on Jan. 6th, which is when their cousins will be getting gifts.
In their stockings I'm putting, 1 new blouse, 1 new undershirt-underware set, a book (you can never have to many books!) a new toothbrush, disney soaps, some snacks and some holiday noise makers.

Another thing you could wrap up is a small box with a copy of a family photo. Last year my girls were facinated with photos of people they know. But it has to be one you don't mind getting ruined, make some extra prints, that way they can carry it around with them and show it to other people.

 

I totally understand! My kids already have 8 presents EACH from my family via UPS under the tree! This is not including what my dh's family will give them at their party on Sunday. And then of course the goodies from Santa! WHEW!

So I am seriously thinking of wrapping up a toy I have hidden for a few months for them to open. But of course I got Felicia a few of the gifts she asked for! I think this is the last year I can get away with recycling toys for the boys!

ETA: Most of the stuff in their stocking is toothpaste, tooth brush, loofah sponge, baby bath etc!!!

 

we also only do 1 gift for each kid, whether big or little just depends on if there is something they see that they want... and then a couple small things in a stocking...book, fruit, fruit snack and small toy.

we really want to instill in our kids that gifts are not hte reason...

this year they are just getting to trucks for the backyard (like big plastic dump truck type things) that were cheap, but they will think they are great.

is there anything for their room you could get?

 

Perhaps just get them a few toys each? We usually don't buy a ton of stuff for our kids for Christmas. We buy 1-2 big toys, and a couple little ones and that is it. We live in an apartment so we don't have a ton of room for more stuff, plus my parents go nuts on the Christmas spending anyway. I think right now, they each have like 6 items a piece and we don't really plan on buying anymore.

 

My girls are the same age--birthday was last week. They didn't really "need" anything for their birthday. I got them an outfit and one toy (a thing of colorful, creative stacking blocks in a bucket) to share. The family got them a few more things. I'm not getting them a single thing for Christmas. They're too young to care, and I know they'll get a few things from their grandparents. Oh, I am making PJ's for them (and all my children) to open Christmas Eve.

 

I always, always put diapers and wipes at the top of every christmas/birthday list for family. Of course, not many people actually WANT to buy diapers as a gift because it seems pretty "lame", but to me, it's the best gift EVER! Now that my brother & SIL have their own baby, they know how wonderful a pack of diapers can be...so my SIL said she is getting some Diapers for the twins for Christmas!
I also asked for plastic storage bins or toy bins. I need good, water proof strorage for grown-out clothes & toys.
Of course, my kids do need some things for Christmas, but we did not spend much on them, since our families are going to buy lots!
I think buying stuff for them ahead of time - like for the summer is a great idea! For the kid's birthday last March, we got them swings for the swingset...which they did not get to use right away. And my mom bought them a paddling pool, which came out in June.

My kids have been opening presents from their grandparents for every day of December. One thing I noticed is that they LOVE to open presents, play with the paper, boxes, ect. But they also get frustrated when the thing they open is not something they can play with (ie: my IL's got them a nativity set...fancy, not a toy, and Christmas ornaments). They were upset that I took their presents away. They are old enough to understand that it was THEIRS!!
I don't think there is any rule about Christmas presents. Heck, I still have Baby Shower gifts that have not even been used or opened yet! I just found a brand new book from their baby shower, in one of their closets. If I was thinking, I would have wrapped it up!!

 

My kids haven't needed anything for any Christmas or birthday yet. We are also very fortunate to have a large family that buys things for the girls. When I do get something for a holiday, it is educational.

For their 2nd Christmas (18 months old), I got them the Signing Times DVDs and that was money very well spent. They loved them, learned to communicate better, and learned another language at the same time. I've also wrapped board books. I also make them a Christmas or twin-theme shirt to put in their stocking every year. Most of the stuff in their stockings is practical like toothbrushes, granola bars, hats, toothpaste, and a couple of little toys (like horses or Hot Wheels).

 

If you want to get them something, but are reluctant to buy more toys, maybe you could think about starting them each a collection. That way, even if it doesn't mean much to them right now, it will be very meaningful in the future. I always looked forward to opening a new addition to my Snow Village collection each Christmas as a child. Both my sister (who is in High School so still lives at home) and I still display our villages every Christmas and probably will for the rest of our lives. It doesn't have to be something expensive and you don't even have to worry too very much about what to get. As they get older, they will cherish the memories and that is what it is all about. Hallmark has a lot of great inexpensive series if you don't know where to start.

 

I personally would love a few more sippy cups, bowls and paint brushes for the water paintings to name a few ideas. Slippers would be great too. There are always little things that need replacing.

 

I have a very similar situation. My twins birthdays are in nov, and my older son's birthday is in Jan, so I have birthdays on either end of Christmas-and also don't feel like we need anything. I did think of something to do about it. On my older sons first birthday-right after Christmas- we asked everyone who wanted to buy him something, to instead help us donate to the tsunami relief effort in honor of him.
This was right after that terrible tsunami happened in Indonesia, So now every year, we donate to a good cause in honor of the kids!

 

If it makes you feel any better, mine were 9 mos old their first Christmas and we didn't get them anything. Well, we bought them each one toy, but were too lazy to wrap them and so we just saved them for their birthday! They didn't need anything either, thanks to friends and family.