What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

growing up how did you parents handle the gifts with your siblings? Did you all get the same amount?

My DD still believes...she'll be 10 next month. She really does believe and she's not just pulling my leg. I think this is the last year though...

The stuff she asks Santa for cost a lot more $$$ than her sisters toys. It's hard to give them each the same amount but I do. Then I say I shouldn't have b/c she never counts!

For instance her top choice on her wish list cost $150. I can get her sisters 10 gifts for $150 kwim?

What did your parents do?
I hope it's easier when she doesn't believe anymore...at least she'll know it's us buying the gifts.


eta: I was more or less like an only child so I have no experience with this.

Message edited 11/11/2009 2:00:20 PM.

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

I would rotate who gets a special year (meaning more $$ spent) and try not to look at the $$ amounts. Personally, I wouldn't get $300 worth of toys for one kid, and $50 for the other, but I would try not to worry so much about the dollar amt if everyone is going to end up happy.

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

My parents tried to make it even

Each year all 3 of us got one BIG gift each and then a ton of small ones and stocking stuffers

Looking back...i dont know how they did it but neither one of us ever felt slighted

I hope to do the same with my boys

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

I try to keep it pretty even money-wise, but my kids are close in age so it's a lot easier.

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

We would all get the same amount of gifts generally. My mom did (and still does) spend the same amount on us for Christmas).
We had 4 girls and once we were old enough to not believe my mom explained to us that some presents cost more than others and that's why one of us would get 1 big gift and several little ones and another one of us would get 4 or 5 medium cost gifts.
Would it work for you to explain that santa spends the same on each kid...or do what my parents did and get 1 expensive gifts and then fill in the rest with little things (earrings, nail polish sets, makeup sets, DVDs, CDs, barbie dolls, books, art suppliies...etc)

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

My parents always tried to keep it fairly even (not exact, but close) with the amount spent. They have 4 kids. When we were all young, we got about the same amount of gifts. As me & my sister entered the pre-teen & teen years, we started asking for more $$$ things than my younger brothers. My brothers tended to get more gifts at that point while my sister & I got less, but everything was worth the same for all 4 of us. My sister & I never thought it was unfair. We understood that we wanted more expensive things & my parents could only afford so much especially over 4 kids.

I think I'll try to do the same in the future. Right now, DS is only 7 months. We're buying him a few things but not really worrying about the amount of gifts or the cost compared to what we get DD because Benny won't notice or care.

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

We celebrate hanukkah and got 8 gifts. One was a big gift and the others were smaller gifts. However you could get two mid-sized gifts for the one larger gift. Everyone's gifts basically totaled the same amount though.

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

Honestly, I do not remember who got what or how many for Christmas when we were kids (nor do I think my siblings remember, but I could be wrong). Now that we're all adults I have a sibling that pays attention to every penny my mother spends and feels slighted when one child gets something and s/he did not.

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

I give them nothing.... that way they're equal....




j/k. They are still too young to really compare what each one got (6 and 3), but we try to keep it relatively even. DS is older, so he'll appreciate bigger gifts, but I think DD would think more is better, so she'd be much happier with 20 5$ items instead of a single $100 item.

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

I tell Jordan that you can not be greedy, so if you ask for big ticket items from Santa, you will get less stuff. She is cool with it and it is a good lesson. She thinks that being greedy will put her on the naughty list

Re: What to do (re: buying christmas gifts if you have more than 1 DC)

I remember my mother having that problem, but I think as we got older, she would say that some gifts are more expensive. Hey, Santa's elves have to be paid too right?
Since she's 10 I think you can probably show her catalogs or advertisements as to what the things she is asking for cost and let her know that if she gets less than her siblings that is why.
Another idea, if friends and relatives get her gifts, is there any way they can get her gift cards? Maybe you can suggest a gift card as a gift to a certain place and she can buy that item herself so that she can learn that way as well.