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Iwant2kssuallovr
62 / female
Bendover, Florida, US
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Serious
I am curious, how many gifts are enough for kids today, and, be honest!
I know my dad was born in 1922, and there were 9 kids. I'm not sure how many times we heard all they got for Christmas was a Clark candy bar.
I remember use having stockings with an orange and small gift inside , and maybe 3-4 gifts each. I also know, my brother spent Christmas with Dad and I in 2008. His kids, ages 6 and 12 were afraid Santa wouldn't be able to find them. I bought Mathew a flying helicopter, and my niece a couple of shirts. I'm not sure how many presents they opened. 10-15-20...?
They got my dad a nice velour throw and some cheese doodles things.. but he was SO PISSED OFF! You could never fathom why ANYONE needs so much stuff, especially for a family with over 4,000 sq ft of living space, half used for the kids toys.
So, did you forget the question? What is an appropriate amount of toys for kids to receive on Christmas?
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| December 23, 2011, 20:02 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: Serious
In our house we celebrate a bit different than many so I can only speak for us and other family members.
We celebrate Chanukah and that means they get a gift per night. One or two might be bigger gifts , one is always money and the others are normally more of the stocking stuffer type gifts. The kids would get maybe half toys when they were little and still one night money and the rest small things. We also celebrate Christmas. When the kids were really little they got way to much but by year 3 I finally said we were stupid and it was more for us than the kids because after they opened the first few they just wanted to play they didn't even want to open anymore. So we would do one big family gift like the year my oldest got a drum set or my daughter this year is getting a TV. Everyone chips in for a big gift and the rest are all relatively small.Even when I was working and had a lot more money we decided it got stupid to buy to many gifts so we stopped when they were very young.
My brothers kids get to much. It is to the point where there have double and triple of toys (so they don't have to share) The kids really only want the few things they asked for the rest is a waste.
I have said it before but will repeat it. The best Christmas was never due to any gifts. My kids would probably not even remember what they got for many years or any. But if you ask them about the year we spent Christmas in Mexico they will light up like a holiday tree and tell you every detail.
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| December 23, 2011, 21:08 |
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thechunkyone
35 / male
elizabeth, New Jersey, US
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Re: Serious
depends on age and how good they were. i got quite a lot of stuff as a kid so i can't complain.
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| December 24, 2011, 01:36 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Serious
In 1922 and that era, they were very fortunate to get a Clark bar.
I think parents go overboard now with the things they get kids. Far too much gadgets that don't get them out into a world they need to know better. I mean face to face interpersonal interaction. 
But-- I jhave no idea what i'm talkin' 'bout. I don't have kids--just observations.
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| December 24, 2011, 04:40 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Serious
when i was growing up, we (my 7 siblings and i) each got one present from mom and dad, and one from Santa, until the older kids started working and could afford to buy some thing for the rest. i love my kids, and want them to have more than i did. BUT....they already get spoiled by my ex in-laws. this year, i got them both a couple of movies on DVD and a book. Santa is giving them each a Monster High doll.
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| December 24, 2011, 07:39 |
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funlovingpair
59 / couple
Frozen Tundra, Minnesota, US
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Re: Serious
Smaller items may include socks, shirts, smalls toys and the like.A big ticket item maybe just one thing for the whole family, such as game system. It would depend on the year and what the kids wanted verses needed and what we could really afford.
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| December 26, 2011, 07:11 |
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niceguy29
44 / male
Winnemucca, Nevada, US
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Re: Serious
If I had kids, they'd get 4-5 small gifts ( <$10 value ), 2-3 medium sized gifts ( $10-$20 value ), and one big gift ( >$20 value ). The numbers and values might change a little each year, but that's about what I got from my parents each year. I figure if I ever have kids, their childhood would only vary from mine by a little bit because I feel that I turned out half okay.
In a lot of cases, parents shouldn't forget that other relatives will be adding to that. My dad's parents always spoiled us grandchildren with lots of presents. Those will be added to that total also.
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| December 26, 2011, 17:54 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Serious
My parents, as I'm sure so many of you can relate to this...struggled and sacrificed to give us a good Christmas.
I also remember when I was very young, and still believed in the whole Santa thing, some of the other children got lavished with huge expensive gifts. I couldn't help but wonder sometimes why Santa loved them more, seem to favor them, even though their nasty year long behavior seem to breech the whole "better be good" Clause Contract.
Those years were just a short period of my life, but I just melt to think that any other child may feel or think for just a moment like I did. I still loved Christmas morning, was thrilled with every gift I got, I cherished them, but that fleeting doubt of why a benevolent spirit like Santa, seemed to favor so many of the bullies and brats better, what was I doing wrong, what was wrong with me?
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| December 26, 2011, 19:07 |
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Iwant2kssuallovr
62 / female
Bendover, Florida, US
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Re: Serious
HHhmmmm, I never felt that way. My girl friend always received wonderful gifts, and a large part of my Christmas enjoyment was to run over to her house to see her gifts.
I still remember when she got a pair of multi-colored toe socks, and the Beatles, Sgt. Pepper Album.
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| December 26, 2011, 20:28 |
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User no longer registered.
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Re: Serious
The thought among children may be more common than you thought then, I was reflecting back on my memories of socks and a few new articles of school clothing for Christmas, and maybe one modest toy. For our Birthday, the cake was homemade and if there was a present, it was new shoes.
Christmas was still a marvelous event when I was young enough to believe in Santa and when that bubble was popped, I never again wanted anything or would ask for anything for Christmas, because I was quite aware of the daily struggle my parents had raising us. It just felt frivolous and selfish to me. I still loved Christmas, and still do now.
Even today there are parents who field the question from their own children of "Why does Santa like the rich kids more?" Sometimes the question comes from their child who is comparing their own heaping bounty of presents to their friends who hardly got anything. It's enough to confuse a child for sure.
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| December 26, 2011, 21:26 |
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kamarel
60 / male
Alexandria, Louisiana, US
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Re: Serious
My brother, sis and I always had lots of stuff. We were the only grand kids on both sides of the family. My folks generally got us a big stocking full of stuff. Generally one or 2 neat hand held things or games down to a toothbrush and toothpaste. Also we had one board game and usually one pricey gift. Clothes came from everyone as well as one or 2 gifts of cash. My kid is the only grand kid on my side so she gets what I got as a kid plus a little. The ex's side generally gives her a gift cards totaling a couple hundred bucks.
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| December 26, 2011, 22:16 |
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ashkats
65 / couple
crystal falls, Michigan, US
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Re: Serious
kids go to much junk nowadays , we have tryed in the past to give things that were more hands on type of stuff , beswides the fact they need shoes andsocks, and so one ... now we get the toys in return lol
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| December 27, 2011, 00:37 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: Serious
I was just talking to my Mom about this subject last night and we were laughing about the things we did with the kids when they were little. We also talked about what she did with me and my brothers when we were kids. Out of all the years I only remember two Chanukah gifts. One was my birthstone ring and the other was a doll I had really wanted. What really stands out is the things we did not what we got. My mother has a great eye for decorating. She also bakes better than any bakery I have ever gone to.She would make all these large cookies and decorate them for Chanukah and hang them from our mantle that was decorated beautifully with something like a stocking but in the shape of giant dreidels and we had a couple of Chanukah stockings as well. She had the electric Menorah on top of the mantle. We also had a "Chanukah bush" or "Holiday tree" with Chanukah ornaments.There were moving figures (The big teddy bear was always my favorite.) that my mother made clothes for because they usually came with Christmas clothing so she changed them to blue and white outfits.Each gift was wrapped as if she were doing it for Macy's windows. The gifts were in very pretty paper with handmade bows and either an ornament or cookie as well.They were always arranged in such a perfect way that you never wanted to ruin the display. Many of the ornaments were also hand made by her. We always had potato latkas and lit the Menorah and got to pic a gift to open each night.
When I had got married we added Christmas to the celebration. My ex is Catholic.So now the tree had a mixture of Chanukah and Christmas decor. We also set up the Lionel trains and added some Christmas moving figures and moving and musical ornaments.When I had kids we went really crazy and did things like cut out a Boot footprint stencil and leave "snow boot prints" by using powder or flour to the place we would leave the cookies and milk out for Santa.Of course the cookies were always homemade and the kids always loved to help me make them.We left a "Sleigh bell" on my deck that Santa must have dropped. We would throw rocks or pebbles on the roof and tell the kids they better get to bed or Santa will see they are awake and leave.My brother went by a window where the kids were supposed to be asleep and walked by with a Santa hat and bells so all they saw was the top of the hat and heard the bells so they ran to bed because they didn't want Santa to catch them awake and out of bed.
My mother was all upset this year because she said money was bit tight this year and couldn't give what she wanted to to the kids. Of course we all told her to stop worrying because the kids don't care about the gifts. However she decided to bake them each all their favorite cookies and send it to them. My kids we more excited about the cookies than any gift she could ever have gotten them. I love that! I know they enjoy gifts but I know they enjoy and remember the other stuff much more so do I.
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| December 27, 2011, 16:59 |
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