Poll: lots of little gifts versus one or two big gifts

[Mrs Mungo]

Which would you rather receive? Which would you rather give the kids?

[Night Elf]

I replied big gifts to both questions, but I'd like to add that I would get a few smaller things for the kids as well. I'll get things like a book, puzzle, or a tshirt because I want them to have at least 5 things to open. Our tree looks so bare with only a few gifts under it. But I don't spend a lot on stockings. They are mostly candy and I don't fill the stocking up completely anyway.

[2squared]

Depends on the gifts. Will I be able to bless them with the bigger gifts other times of the year? Do they want the smaller gifts more? Will they get more enjoyment long-term out of the smaller gifts?

[Chris in VA]

I suppose "lots of big gifts" is not an option? :D

 

I like to give one big gift and then some fill in stuff.

[Cinder]

Mostly I prefer giving and receiving one or two big gifts. But then there's my dd who loves gifts--and she loves little things--so the more the better. And for some reason even though I get the dc Christmas gifts, dh feels like he has to go out and get gifts from *him* even though the gifts I got are from *us*. So the dc end up getting a bunch of little stuff anyway.

 

ETA: I voted other.

[Meriwether]

I chose other. I'd rather get little kids more things to open. As the kids get older, I have been wanting to get them fewer and nicer gifts. My favorite thing to do for little ones is to get small items that go together for a bigger gift. Dd2 likes to play doctor. She is getting a black bag that looks kind of like a medical bag. She'll also get a real stethoscope, real bandages that she can reuse, a penlight, a reflex hammer, and some kind of dress up uniform plus whatever else I think to add between now and then. She's also getting some Fancy Nancy books with a basket of frilly things. Last year Dd9 got a large cloth toolbox and a bunch of spygear to make a detective kit. I don't know whether those things count as 1 big gift or many small gifts. I have fun with that kind of gift, but I'm leaning more towards a big electronic gift or experience type gift as they get older. I think I'll always add a few little things.

[AngelaNYC]

I like to give and receive ONE big gift and a bunch of smaller gifts - and then even smaller gifts for the stocking.

[k2bdeutmeyer]

As far as myself.....I suppose I'd rather receive a lot of smaller gifts. I love the anticipation of it all, but the stuff I usually want it is bigger, so in that sense, I guess I prefer bigger. Therefore, I'm undecided, lol.

 

As for the kids. It all depends on what they've asked for. I REALLY like to elicit the WOW reaction. If it were 100% up to me, I'd love to give them all a bunch of gifts (big or small). When they're younger it's easier to accomplish both tasks - what they REALLY want AND lots of gifts within our budget. As they get older, what they desperately want gets more expensive and it suddenly becomes very hard to do both. My budget doesn't allow me to do it anyway, so I fill in with even smaller items than I normally would to increase the present count :)

[Farrar]

I'd personally rather give the kids fewer big things. However, I don't know if they feel that way. And when they were 4 yo... or maybe 5 yo... I got them their Christmas stuff and then on Christmas we opened everything and with three sets of grandparents, there was really a lot. But then they felt that inevitable let down. Like, oh, that's IT?!? So dh, out of nowhere, pulls out this box. It is a box of ONE HUNDRED tiny toys. The sort of toys that you get as prizes or from the little vending machines in grocery stores. Every single toy was wrapped individually.

 

And let me tell you, they loved that box more than anything else we got them that day. At least, in the moment. Within two days, all the toys were gone and they moved on to the "real" toys, many of which are things we still have now (like, that was the year they got the Haba Ball Track, I think).

[Catwoman]

I suppose "lots of big gifts" is not an option? :D

 

 

That was my choice, too!

 

But alas, it's wasn't on the poll, so I had to vote for the Stig. And really, doesn't he deserve some recognition, anyway? :D

[elegantlion]

When ds was little we tried to give one big item and a lot of little things. When he was little he was obsessed with band-aids. I found him putting about twelve on his leg one time. So that year he got a wrapped box of band-aids as one of his little gifts. As he gets older he likes bigger things and I think would prefer 1-2 of his bigger items.

 

I like fewer better gifts. I don't need more stuff. I do have a few items I've been wanting. I'd rather open one gift I really want vs. 12 of things I don't really need.

[Mrs Mungo]

Okay, let me rephrase the question. This doesn't need to be for the purposes of the poll, but for my own purposes.

 

My kids are older. My eldest will be 17 before Christmas. What she really wants is a big-ticket item. DH doesn't want to buy her the big ticket item because it would eat up most of the present (either birthday or Christmas) budget for her (excluding stocking stuffers, tshirts, etc). So, what would you rather do in that situation?

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I would buy her the big gift. She's old enough to understand that that would be the only gift.

 

I may be biased, though. My mom always went for quantity over quality, and I would have much preferred just getting the one thing I really wanted over a bunch of stuff that was okay.

[Alte Veste Academy]

I would buy her the big gift. She's old enough to understand that that would be the only gift.

 

I may be biased, though. My mom always went for quantity over quality, and I would have much preferred just getting the one thing I really wanted over a bunch of stuff that was okay.

 

 

This is exactly my thinking! I would want the thing I wanted most. I can't tell you how many Christmases I spent opening gift after gift after gift...all things my mom just knew I would love. She is one who hates to get exactly what someone has asked for because, "Then it's not a surprise." :( Little did she know it would be quite a pleasant surprise if she actually listened to me and knew me well enough to see how very much I would have appreciated what I wanted more than being surprised.

 

Interestingly, she did always get me what I wanted when I was a little girl. It was when I got older and had a mind of my own that she often refused to get the thing I most wanted.

 

ETA: I would say that although I agree she is old enough to understand the one thing being the only thing, I would make absolutely, positively sure she really gets that so that she's not disappointed when (I presume) your other two will have more to open on Christmas.

[Laurie4b]

We give our kids a few gifts--don't know if you'd call any of them "big". There might be one expensive item such as an i-pod, an item of clothing that they needed anyway, and a book or something.

 

For me, I checked "other." I would be happy not to receive any gifts. A little something or other from my kids (potholders, etc.) is fine, but I don't like getting gifts. I guess there was so much pressure on me as a kid to "like" everything . (I remember the year my mother started saying how cute a doll was on TV. "Don't you think she's adorable?" "No." I got her for Christmas and was supposed to be thrilled.) Additionally, once I've received something, I feel like I have to keep it whether I need or want it and yet managing "stuff" is challenging to me. So receiving gifts is anxiety-producing and burdensome.

[Hoot]

I would MUCH rather just have 1 or 2 big gifts as opposed to a lot of smaller things. Typically what I need or really want is one slightly more expensive item rather than a lot of little things. DH hates that though and always wants me to have a lot of packages to open so I end up getting many inexpensive things instead.

 

As for the boy child, it all depends on what he wants/needs but generally I would prefer 1 or 2 big gifts with a handful of smaller things like books and DVD's to go along with it.

[Hoot]

I would buy her the big gift. She's old enough to understand that that would be the only gift.

 

I may be biased, though. My mom always went for quantity over quality, and I would have much preferred just getting the one thing I really wanted over a bunch of stuff that was okay.

 

:iagree: with this 100%!

[SunnyDays]

I would get her the big ticket item. She's definitely old enough to understand quality over quantity. Heck, my son is almost ten, and that's what we're doing this year, he understands it. Would you be able to buy her a couple smaller things (a book, scarf, dvd, etc.) so that she doesn't have *only* one gift to open? I think that would be fine.

 

As to the poll, I selected one or two big gifts for both myself and my child. Although technically, for DS, we're leaning toward one big gift and 2-3 small gifts. Last year we did no big gifts, all small/medium gifts... it was a very nice Christmas, and DS was appreciative of what he got, but there was no "wow" or sheer delight, if you KWIM. :)

[Meriwether]

Okay, let me rephrase the question. This doesn't need to be for the purposes of the poll, but for my own purposes.

 

My kids are older. My eldest will be 17 before Christmas. What she really wants is a big-ticket item. DH doesn't want to buy her the big ticket item because it would eat up most of the present (either birthday or Christmas) budget for her (excluding stocking stuffers, tshirts, etc). So, what would you rather do in that situation?

 

 

I'd get her what she wants in a heartbeat. It sounds like she'll get a few other things to open anyhow. If it doesn't eat up the entire budget for her, I'd just skip trying to get any medium-sized gifts and wrap up several smaller gifts. Worst case senario - she realizes that she would have preferred more and smaller gifts and she'll know for next time.

[Giraffe]

Okay, let me rephrase the question. This doesn't need to be for the purposes of the poll, but for my own purposes.

 

My kids are older. My eldest will be 17 before Christmas. What she really wants is a big-ticket item. DH doesn't want to buy her the big ticket item because it would eat up most of the present (either birthday or Christmas) budget for her (excluding stocking stuffers, tshirts, etc). So, what would you rather do in that situation?

 

By the big gift. Even DD has asked for just one or two big gifts this year.

 

How many threads have we read where the poster just really wanted one thing for Christmas/birthday/whatever only to have everyone ignore her requests?

[RoughCollie]

What she really wants is a big-ticket item. DH doesn't want to buy her the big ticket item because it would eat up most of the present (either birthday or Christmas) budget for her (excluding stocking stuffers, tshirts, etc). So, what would you rather do in that situation?

 

I'd ask my teenager if they'd rather have the big gift they want and that uses up most of the budget for them, or if they'd prefer to wait and get other gifts instead. The reason I do this is that I don't want the child to wish fervently that s/he could return the smaller gifts so s/he could get what they really want.

 

DS3, for example, would much rather get tickets and a trip to Red Sox games than anything else, even if it uses up most of the budget for him, which it does. DD would rather get lots of presents.

 

This year I don't have that problem because I have purchased my last computer, iPod, and video game console for my kids. They know that if they want to upgrade to the newest and greatest versions of those things, or if they want a smart phone, they will have to get jobs so they can buy them. Two of my sons never want a big gift other than those I listed -- if either did, I would be delighted.

 

I would rather receive big gifts, if they were something I really wanted and would use a lot. My idea of a big gift for myself costs under $250. If we had plenty of money to spend, I'm sure I could come up with some fantastic big gifts that would cost thousands of dollars (new car, family trip to Europe), and that would be enough.

[JeneralMom]

I would definitely ask. DH and I are reading Love Languages (just because everyone I know has read it and always talks about their love language so I wanted to know what the hoopla is about). Well, I love buying gifts. I love giving gifts..big, small, whatever. I get pleasre thinking about what to buy, going out and purchasing, wrapping it, anticipating how the recipient will receive it. The first few years we were married I always got DH one or two big gifts for his bday that I just knew he wanted and would love. He did like them but always complained that I had spent so much money on him. Well, after reading this book and taking a little test thing online, turns out that DH really, really likes getting lots of little gifts (and in that case cost would not be an issue) but really doesn't like getting one or two big things.

 

(as an interesting aside, I scored 0 on the receiving gifts as one of my love languages. Although I adore buying them, I absolutely hate receiving them because the only way my dad would ever show his interest or I guess his affection was by buying us things at the last minute that were really not about us or even geared to our interests. I associate gfts with being "bought off". Causes huge issues for DH who wants to give me gifts. So I told him I would rather receive little surprise gifts at random times than a bunch of gifts or one/two big ones just because it is my bday or Christmas when you are "obliged" to get me something.)

[Parrothead]

Okay, let me rephrase the question. This doesn't need to be for the purposes of the poll, but for my own purposes.

 

My kids are older. My eldest will be 17 before Christmas. What she really wants is a big-ticket item. DH doesn't want to buy her the big ticket item because it would eat up most of the present (either birthday or Christmas) budget for her (excluding stocking stuffers, tshirts, etc). So, what would you rather do in that situation?

Get her what she wants.

[happypamama]

I'd personally rather give the kids fewer big things. However, I don't know if they feel that way. And when they were 4 yo... or maybe 5 yo... I got them their Christmas stuff and then on Christmas we opened everything and with three sets of grandparents, there was really a lot. But then they felt that inevitable let down. Like, oh, that's IT?!? So dh, out of nowhere, pulls out this box. It is a box of ONE HUNDRED tiny toys. The sort of toys that you get as prizes or from the little vending machines in grocery stores. Every single toy was wrapped individually.

 

 

Oh, goodness, that must have been SO MUCH FUN! What a great memory!

 

I don't really have a preference. In theory, fewer big things, but in reality, it varies. Sometimes my kids' greatest desires are for something small or inexpensive, so they can get lots of what they want. And sometimes, they want big expensive Lego sets, LOL, so they'll get fewer of those, but I also know that they will be played with over and over and over again, so I'm okay with that. This year the big three have a lot of overlapping interests, so there are some gifts addressed to all of them, with some special things for each child, but group gifts has let us get some things that would be too much to give to one person, but split between three, they fit into the budget better.

 

For myself, I suppose fewer big gifts -- I guess if someone was getting a gift for me, I'd rather it be something bigger (read: more expensive) that I wasn't likely to buy for myself.

[QueenCat]

It really varies from year to year. Some years, its bigger gifts, others years, several smaller. Just depends on what is desired that year. This year, older ds is getting one big, two small plus the stocking. Younger ds is getting many small plus the stocking, there just isn't anything big he wants or we want for him. Dh is getting lots of small this year. I don't have a clue what he is doing for me so it could one or two big, or lots of small.

[happypamama]

Okay, let me rephrase the question. This doesn't need to be for the purposes of the poll, but for my own purposes.

 

My kids are older. My eldest will be 17 before Christmas. What she really wants is a big-ticket item. DH doesn't want to buy her the big ticket item because it would eat up most of the present (either birthday or Christmas) budget for her (excluding stocking stuffers, tshirts, etc). So, what would you rather do in that situation?

 

If you get her the big-ticket item, would it use up both the Christmas AND birthday budget? If it would only use up one, I think I'd opt to give it to her for her birthday, and do the usual several gifts (so that she's got as much stuff to open as everyone else) for Christmas. I think it might be hard to have less to open on Christmas when everyone's opening stuff, but it would be easier to have a single big gift on her birthday (especially presuming that there will be cake and other general excitement). But given the choice overall, I'd opt to get her the big-ticket item if that's what she really wants.