Christmas Question for people with Kids

[BillyZaned]

I have a two year old... last year we didn't buy him any X-Mas gifts, because he obviously was to young to know what they were, plus, my family went overboard and bought him tons of stuff..

Well, now he is Two... but he still has no idea what christmas is... do i buy him stuff? I know my family will over do it with gifts for him, plus, we always spend x-mas morning with my parents, so we don't have a christmas morning type thing yet....

 

[Watson]

Is "Santa" going to be part of your Xmas tradition? I know I was about that age when Santa made his first visit.

 

[Majic Walrus]

My suggestion as a parent? Allocate money towards what you plan on spending for your kid each year as a gift. This year don't spend it on toys but instead spend it on diapers, food, clothes and other stuff that you're going to need to buy anyway and let them open them as gifts. They won't care anyway.

When your kid is old enough to ask for presents and gifts instead of just food and diapers then you know it's time to get gifts.

 

[KALEL114]

The Walrus is wise. I, however, started the stocking, Santa, presents thing with my girls when my oldest was two and it went really well.
You can't go wrong either way IMO.

 

[danoyse]

My nephew is about to turn 2, and my sister and brother-in-law have already gotten some toys that he'll open on Christmas. He's outgrown most of his infant toys, so he definitely needs some new ones. I think he's getting a Little Tikes car, an Elmo Kitchen and a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse playset from them.

 

[C. Lee]

Get her a couple things you would have gotten her anyway, wrap them up for her to tear open. She will be more into the whole Christmas spirit thing around three years old.

 

[terry78]

When they start speaking in coherent sentences, that's when you know they're starting to pick up on the **** you're doing. Most of them start to piece it together around age 3.

 

[Lantern Venom]

I have a two year old... last year we didn't buy him any X-Mas gifts, because he obviously was to young to know what they were, plus, my family went overboard and bought him tons of stuff..

Well, now he is Two... but he still has no idea what christmas is... do i buy him stuff? I know my family will over do it with gifts for him, plus, we always spend x-mas morning with my parents, so we don't have a christmas morning type thing yet....

Yes, at least a few. IMO, getting gifts for kids this young is about saving their reactions (via pics and vids) so they can watch them when they are older.

 

[Hotwire]

My youngest is two now. She will be getting gifts this year. She had a lot of fun opening stuff on her birthday back in October, so I'm anxious to see what she does with the whole Christmas thing this year.

 

[Heretic]

Majic Walrus has the best advice since the kid is too young to know any better. Buy the kid food, diapers, that new laptop I've been wanting...essentials.

 

[MessiahDecoy123]

Let the two year old rip open his gifts but video record his response for later reference.

You'll treasure those memories when he's all grown up.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

I have a two year old... last year we didn't buy him any X-Mas gifts, because he obviously was to young to know what they were, plus, my family went overboard and bought him tons of stuff..

Well, now he is Two... but he still has no idea what christmas is... do i buy him stuff? I know my family will over do it with gifts for him, plus, we always spend x-mas morning with my parents, so we don't have a christmas morning type thing yet....

Donate money to charity in his name. That way you can teach him the importance of helping other people at an early age.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

My suggestion as a parent? Allocate money towards what you plan on spending for your kid each year as a gift. This year don't spend it on toys but instead spend it on diapers, food, clothes and other stuff that you're going to need to buy anyway and let them open them as gifts. They won't care anyway.

When your kid is old enough to ask for presents and gifts instead of just food and diapers then you know it's time to get gifts.

Yeah, just imagine how happy he'll be to open that package of diapers. You should definitely keep the picture of that too for when he gets older.

 

[cryptic name]

Donate money to charity in his name. That way you can teach him the importance of helping other people at an early age.

 

[Kane52630]

^^

 

[Majic Walrus]

Majic Walrus has the best advice since the kid is too young to know any better. Buy the kid food, diapers, that new laptop I've been wanting...essentials.

Yeah. Let your kid open your gifts too!

Yeah, just imagine how happy he'll be to open that package of diapers. You should definitely keep the picture of that too for when he gets older.

What? I'm taking a picture of the kid not what it's opening.

 

[amazingfantasy15]

Yeah. Let your kid open your gifts too!

What? I'm taking a picture of the kid not what it's opening.

So what, you photoshop out the gifts?

 

[VampElvis]

Two is a funny age. Are we talking 25 months or 33 months? Developmentally there is a BIG difference. Also you have to take into consideration other children present. My son just turned three and we could probably get away with some trickeration BUT I think his seven year old sister would catch on to it. BUT the bigger thing is to spend what you can afford to spend. Ingrain in yourself that attitude and teach it to your children by your actions. That is one of the best gifts you could ever give them.

But all that aside, try to find something that is developmental but not way over his head. A toy he can play with now and play with even better in the future. We bought a toy laptop for my little girl that for the first two years she had she just pushed the button to make it play music. Then the next two years she played the games on it that focused on math and language skills. He may be to young for that now, but look for those kinds of things.

 

[Majic Walrus]

So what, you photoshop out the gifts?

Crop!

 

[Metamorpho1977]

exactly

 

[BillyZaned]

we bought him a bunch of tonka style trucks, and a new elmo doll..

he's only 27 months, but he will like opening gifts.... we kept it to around 50 bucks... he's got 5 things to open from us.

He will also have gifts from: My Parents, my father in-law, my grandparents, her grandparents, my sister, her sister, her aunts and uncles, and my aunts and uncles.

Last year, he got well over 1 grand worth of stuff from everyone combined....

 

[Suirou]

Last year, he got well over 1 grand worth of stuff from everyone combined....

 

[[A]]

 

[danoyse]

Donate money to charity in his name. That way you can teach him the importance of helping other people at an early age.

One of my friends already has a plan when his kids figure out who Santa is (his oldest is about to turn 8)...they're going to Toys R Us, they are going to pick out a toy and donate it. Then he's going to tell them that they just got to be Santa for someone else. I thought that was sweet.

 

[terry78]

One of my friends already has a plan when his kids figure out who Santa is (his oldest is about to turn 8)...they're going to Toys R Us, they are going to pick out a toy and donate it. Then he's going to tell them that they just got to be Santa for someone else. I thought that was sweet.

That only works if you have kids that aren't selfish brats at that age. Which does not exist.