Do you balance the gifts?

[QMomof3]

What I mean is do you make sure the gifts are equal among your kids? How do you do this? Do you make sure you spent the same amount of money or that they have the same number of gifts to open?

Mine just usually end up being about the same. This year, I need to recheck it, but I think I have spent about the same amount of money. But it looks like DD9 has nothing to open. Her sisters have quite a few gifts, but not her. Part if it is she wanted pitching lessons for softball, so she is getting money for that (and I am wrapping it.)

I feel like I should get her a few more things to open, but I really didn't want to spend any more money. What do you do?

[penny-penn]

Ah, the simplicities of having an only child...lol!!

Honestly though, when I was a kid I never counted gifts to see who got more or kept a running tally of what everything must have cost. I think we parents worry too much about the little things.

[MommaBean]

Well we try not to balance but keep it age appropriate...So we have two boys...5 and 3....they each get twice their age right now in boxes...so 10 and 6 .. that way they both have what they feel is a a lot and we don't burden the youngest with so much stuff he gets bored of opening....plus he doesn't really need much anyways....2 of his gifts are going to be clothes boxes...the FIRST ones he is to open lol..

[JMac]

My parents always spent the same amount on us. If one of us was getting something expensive, she would try to find little things (sometimes stuff she got for free) for us to open.

[Alli~cat]

I always try to make sure they have the same number to open, b/c mine are still young enough that they don't know what stuff costs. I try to usually spend the same amount but I don't think I have this year. And the baby won't get as many presents as the older 2 do this year b/c he is still so little and really won't even get into it. Next year the 3 will be more balanced.

If your DD says anything I would just gently remind her that she wanted those lessons that cost more than some of the littler things that her siblings got.

[Admin Randy's Wife]

In years past I have always tried to spend the same amount on each of them and be sure they have the same number of gifts. But, this year DD11 got WAYYYYYY more expensive so there is just no way we can do keep it an even number this year. This year her pile will be smaller than DD7's but she is getting a few NICE gifts and DD7 is getting a bunch of smaller gifts.

But DD11 found out about Santa last year, so I can explain to her now so she understands, which she is a smart kid anyway, so she already knew, lol!

Normally, we get them a big together gift (last year was tickets to Hannah Montana concert) but this year their lists vary too much and there really is not a good together gift for them for us to consider. Well, except a Wii....but we just can't do that this year....hope to for DD11's bday in May though!

[Michiana Mom]

My grandmother always shot for same number of gifts, first for her kids, then for us. A lot of times that meant one big thing and a few little things for most, while one or two people got several medium priced things. It made things better, because we always opened presents one at a time, so if your stack was short, you spent a lot of time watching and getting skipped over.

[Adean]

We always try to spend the same amount for each child. If one child wanted something that was their limit that is all they got. They've always understood.

[candied]

I don't really have a system, but do try to make it even in the number of gifts. I think DD8 is getting a few more gifts than DD14, but she went shopping with me on Sunday and somehow more stuff creeped in that I had planned. But DD14 also understands that she has received some extra stuff this year with water polo and stuff she had to have before Christmas.

[candied]

I know you didn't ask, but thought I would throw it out there is a cute and fun way to give her the money.

When I was 16, my grandma gave me a box. Inside of the box were lots of $5 bills that I had to find in it. I can't remember exactly how much, but it was my main present. I loved this idea and did this for each of my kids at one time or another. DD14 calls it the Treasure Box - she asks for it every year, but depends on what she is getting in other presents.

Part if it is she wanted pitching lessons for softball, so she is getting money for that (and I am wrapping it.)

[QMomof3]

Thanks everyone. I've never really worried about it before. One may have 8 gifts, one 6, etc. But there was usually not much of a difference. This year my other two have about 7-8 Santa gifts each and DD9 has 3, so there was a lot more of a difference.

Candied-Was there other things in the box, like styrofoam peanuts along with the money? I love the idea of making it fun for her, so I am trying to get a picture of the "treasure box" you did. Thanks for the suggestion.

[ShrinkinSara]

When my parents buy presents they spend the same ammount on everyone!

[hnybny91]

When my children were young I used to make sure they had the same number of presents to open, since that is how young children judge things. Now that they are older we have a set dollar limit. My daughter got a lot more things for her money than my son did but they understand that it all equals the same amount of $$$

[candied]

Oh yes, I was so excited to get the idea out there that I forgot to finish it. Yes there were the styrofoam peanuts. My sister is actually doing this for her boyfriends daughter. I told her to try to find something on the internet to fold the bills into different fun shapes.

Candied-Was there other things in the box, like styrofoam peanuts along with the money? I love the idea of making it fun for her, so I am trying to get a picture of the "treasure box" you did. Thanks for the suggestion.

[candied]

Oh the bigger the box and peanuts (but the same amount of cash) is a lot more fun to find because you can mix it because there will be more spots for the money to go instead of all clumped up.

[QMomof3]

Thanks candied! DH hates those peanuts and the mess they make, but hey, it's Christmas! A little mess never hurt anyone!!! I love the idea of making the money into different shapes.

[Alli~cat]

Or what about using the shred from a paper shredder? It's messy too but if you already have the shredder then you already have the mess :). The treasure chest is a really cool idea!

[Sharon]

I normally try to spend the same $$ amount on the kids. If one wants a gift that is expensive, then less gifts.

[Fourboys]

well my kids are fairly close together so it's nto hard to get the same number adn the same cost. when the youngest was little they probabyl dindnt get as much spent on them

however we onyl have one santa gift for each one (well this yr they're getting the wii adn games together) and I tend to buy 3 gifts each. so it's not hard to get similar.

i know my mom buys them eash an equal number - this year i think it's 2.

[jchaney121]

As a kid, I don't remember thinking it was unfair or anything when my brother or sister got more--my parents tried to get us what we asked for. If we got what we asked for, we were perfectly happy. I hadn't put much thought in to it so far.

[Admin shilton]

I always tried to even out the money for Christmas and birthdays. This year DS is way ahead in the birthday category because he needs and wants tires for his truck. I was worried that when DDs birthday come around she would expect the same amount of money spent. Friends made me realize that not spending the same money on them doesn't mean I love one more than the other, it means I am trying to meat their individual wants and needs.
Since my kids are seven years apart, different sexes, and totally different I just can't always be "equal". They also helped me realize that DD will someday need tires and if I can I will likely gift them to her, so it will all work out in the wash.

[fostermom]

We try to make sure they each get what they asked for, within reason of course, and don't worry as much about number of gifts or amount spent.

We typically have a few things that could go to any of the three kids (like a board game or puzzle or something) and if someone's pile looks really short when we're setting things up on Christmas Eve, we move from one pile to another.

[COLORADO/MOM/3]

We do a dollar amount. We try to keep the number about the same too though, so if one gets a really big present, then we do quite a few less expensive type things so they have the same amount to open :)

[2boys]

We generally do one big gift for them together. This yr it's a basketball hoop and we are giving them some PS2 games they wanted. Those will all go in a big box to be opened together. They are both getting 3 outfits that are brand names that they are always asking for. Other than that it's all stocking stuffer stuff that is just cheap toys and candy. So for the most part it's perfectly even because they are more group gifts.

(sidenote....my kids are both boys and 16mos apart, so their interest are pretty much the same...I realize this wouldn't work for all families)

Christmas is light this yr for us...and many others. I'm not glad that it's that way, but sometimes we get so caught up in shopping for everyone that we are broke, tired, and over it by the time it comes!!

[Admin Jorelanu]

Nope, I don't count $$ or amount of gifts.

I buy what the kids ACTUALLY want (not whatever garbage they saw in an ad), clothing and some items I know they will enjoy.

Lil one was all over Lil Pet Shop toys this year, older kiddo is getting a room makeover.

Jore

[MickiB]

No matter what I do, someone always gripes. If I spend the same amount on all three kids, the youngest one gets spoiled because his things cost less. If I get the same number of presents, they're usually OK. One year, one of my kids griped about "only" getting a certain number of presents even though his big present was a $100 item. They stopped griping when I threatened to cancel Christmas for being ungrateful.

[QMomof3]

I think I unintentionally ended up almost completely even on amount of gifts and costs. In another post, I mentioned that I couldn't get in touch with a company that I ordered DD9's main gift from. Well, I still haven't heard from them, and they still haven't charged my credit card. So I sent them an email to cancel my order (hopefully they will I am don't end up with it) and I called another company and ordered a similar product. Well the CS lady told me about another item that she liked better and it was cheaper. So I got 2 other gifts along with it for about the same price. In the end, I think everything worked out completely even!!

[justmama]

Nope, I don't count $$ or amount of gifts.

I buy what the kids ACTUALLY want (not whatever garbage they saw in an ad), clothing and some items I know they will enjoy.

Lil one was all over Lil Pet Shop toys this year, older kiddo is getting a room makeover.

Jore

This is us exactly. DS7 is still very easy to please with 'toys'. Ds10 got a Zune media thingy over $200, but he still has more to open. I never count gifts, right now i don't know how many, i will once i start wrapping.

[WorkinMyQs]

This is weird, I know, but I even try and get the same amt. of gifts for both DH's parents. The list I get from MIL is made up of lots of little things each year, though I'd prefer to get them each one larger one and shop less. My mom gets her share too. I spend equally for my boys, same # of gifts as well, but that's gotten pretty easy because they're both adult males. I wonder if I'm that way about being equal from growing up in a family with 7 kids? I dunno. I don't feel right if I don't spend about the same with the same # of gifts to open. Funny thing is it's never bothered me in the least when I got less than someone else. It still bothers me when I get more.