OMG...Do YOU stick to your gift lists???

[SASM]

We have such a tight budget this year. Two out of three have INSANE Santa lists...as in, as of yet, not getting ONE thing on their lists. :( I have desperately been trying to get them to add more attainable items. I have ideas jotted down for each child, but have been straying from the list like CRAZY! It is NOT even the "official" shopping season yet. I just could not pass up some of these deals and now we already have a TON of board games and books, most of which were not even close to making my list. Grrr... So...do you make and stick to your list (Jealous!!!)?? Or do you go with the flow??

[PZMommy]

I do a bit of both. I stick to my list for the big things (one Santa gift and one bigger gift from us, but no more than $50 for each of those gifts). For smaller things, I try to stick to my list, but sometimes see things I rather get and just go with the flow of things. I spend about $150 per child and that includes a Santa gift.

[jenstring95]

OP, give us the lists so we can try to help you find deals or alternatives!

I, too, find myself filling up our gift closet with things the kids have never asked for, and sometimes it backfires. There are always toy drives and birthday gifts (for DC and their friends)!

[elephantmeg]

I've stopped. So far I haven't let the kids make lists yet (waiting til at least almost thanksgiving!) but do have DD's big presents done (AG doll that I got on the super deal and a locket that I got at an origami owl party). The rest I'll get closer to time. And DS will decide on what big lego set he wants...

[jerseygirl07067]

I hear ya, my kids are asking for pricey things this year, so they may only be getting one pricey thing or two,that's it!! What I'm trying to do is not let them see the stupid Toys R Us and Target Toy catalogues this year. I keep hiding them in the recycle bin. I hate them!! Last year the kids all sat and circled a gazillion toys from the catalogue, then proceeded to write lists with 50 + toys. WTF?? I told them Santa could never bring so much and they needed to rank them in order of desire, lol...Most of those toys they never even knew about until viewing stupd catalogue. And the few I bought them from the list were never played with. Lesson learned...hide them all!!!

[KpbS]

We actually don't do lists, in part for this reason. They can tell me what that want/like/are interested in but no official lists. I've told the boys that this year is going to be different than the last with fewer presents, etc. I really want to do the "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" but not sure if this year will be it. Hopefully next year if not! ;)

[IansMom]

Well, DS is only 4 (will be almost 5 on Christmas), so I still make most of his list. Generally, I come up with a list throughout the year--mostly by seeing what he enjoys playing with at other kids' houses and elaborating on his current interests. My goal is always to remain under $150 for his gifts. The only way I am able to do that is shop sales and clearance throughout the year because the list I make usually retails around $300. He recently asked for a watch and the VTech Swith and Go Velociraptor. Luckily, I had the dinosaur on the list, and the watch has put me at $140 total now. I am always at least 75% done with his list before Black Friday.

I used to buy ahead also, but I ended up with too much stuff. Last year, I began consigning and selling on Ebay all the extra toys. I add this money to my Christmas budget.

[petesgirl]

We actually don't do lists, in part for this reason. They can tell me what that want/like/are interested in but no official lists. I've told the boys that this year is going to be different than the last with fewer presents, etc. I really want to do the "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" but not sure if this year will be it. Hopefully next year if not! ;)
This is what I want to do, too. My parents did something similar. Every year we could expect a book, new jammies, a new outfit, stocking with little candies and different smaller items, and a big santa gift. My mom always told us when we were looking at toys that santa wouldn't spend over $100 per child and our letters could only include 2 toys. My parents also always gave a new movie and a new family game each year.

[lizzywednesday]

When I don't stick to my list, I go over budget.

DH and I also shop separately for DD because we keep our money separate. We will have to divide the shopping a bit better this year because the nieces & nephew on his side of the family are older and, therefore, asking for more expensive things, so I'm not looking forward to being the only person shopping for them.

MIL will ask for suggestions and having an up-to-date Amazon WishList for DD really helps me keep things organized ... and we've introduced MIL to shopping online to save her sanity. My mom shops online, too, and my siblings do what they can.

It's not important to me to get a huge "WOW!" gift now - I don't have enough room to store any!

[TwinFoxes]

OP, give us the lists so we can try to help you find deals or alternatives!



:yeahthat: I would try to hold off on buying the random good deals right now. You might spend your whole budget on smaller things, and a great deal on one of their dream presents might come along. Then you'll be tempted to overspend because the dream present is such a great deal.

As for lists, DDs aren't very specific, so it's easy to stick to it. Race car set, giraffe (?), and boy doll are easy to handle. I do buy other things I think they'll like/need. Like the Disney storybooks last year, and Magnatiles which they'd never heard of but loooooove.

[minnie-zb]

Personally I would try and return the things you've already bought which are not even on the lists. I don't think you have to adhere one hundred percent to the list, but use it as a guide.

[georgiegirl]

I try to discourage expensive gifts in their lists. DD always requests random items like an umbrella or knit hat (etsy type). I've told my kids many times that they can't get everything on their lists. This year, everything is going on an amazon wish list that we can also send to family.

What's on your list?

[Simon]

I agree about not spending too early on things that aren't perfect. You can always find substitutes at the end if the right items don't ever come through within your budget.

My kids do make lists, not officially in writing, but I keep a running list for them starting in late summer. They edit frequently and so by Thanksgiving I have a good idea of what has been on the list for a long time and is a real interest. I do help them edit by cost and Ds1 is very cost conscious on his own.

I do not usually let them browse toy catalogs because those items may catch their eye but don't represent their real interests/likes, just the skill of the advertising execs. We do walk through TRU and the toy aisle with Ds1 because he is very good about narrowing down his interests/likes for us.

I do try and add several items, spread across us and other relatives, that they would never think of asking for (ie put on their list) but I think they would love.

[janine]

I try to stick to the list, but my oldest is 5 and this is the first year the requests have started to get crazy (well she does think Santa will give whatever she wants if she is good) so I can see myself starting pare back. I think 1-2 items on the list for sure or else might be some disappointment. I agree on not buying all the bargain random items now...that is what drives the budget up. Only buy if it is a deal AND something you had intention to buy otherwise...

Meanwhile I actually don't have much of a list yet or bought one thing (or done holiday cards yet....) yikes!

[lizzywednesday]

OP, my older nieces & nephew are about the same ages as your crew.

I'm planning on various gift cards for the girls (ages 11 & 9) but will want suggestions for their brother (age 7) because of how SIL appropriated one of his "big" gifts last year.

Maybe it sounds like I'm cheaping out, but I do not have the budget to get them expensive things anymore. Especially when I don't see them using/wearing carefully selected items.

[MamaMolly]

I keep a wish list for each DD on Pinterest. I've found it useful because they can put anything they want on the list. There are some toys I won't buy for what ever reason, but just putting it on the list seems to satisfy some of that 'gimmie gimmie gimmie' need for immediate gratification. We toned down Christmas gifts the last few years because my side of the family especially has gifts as their love language ;). So yes, we tend to stick to the want, need, wear, read and then one or two whopper gifts from Santa. Last year it was a giant stuffed cheetah for Dolly, a Hape baby bed and high chair for Lula, and a (small) set of Magnatiles each.

[MamaMolly]

OP, my older nieces & nephew are about the same ages as your crew.

I'm planning on various gift cards for the girls (ages 11 & 9) but will want suggestions for their brother (age 7) because of how SIL appropriated one of his "big" gifts last year.

Maybe it sounds like I'm cheaping out, but I do not have the budget to get them expensive things anymore. Especially when I don't see them using/wearing carefully selected items.

FWIW my 7yo thinks that gift cards are AWESOME. I don't think you are cheaping out at all. :)

[lizzywednesday]

FWIW my 7yo thinks that gift cards are AWESOME. I don't think you are cheaping out at all. :)

Then that's good, because I hate shopping for these kids now.

[wendibird22]

Sort of? DDs make their lists and from that DH and I come up with a list of what we are actually going to get them and then we stick to that list. The girls know that their wish list is just that, a wish, and they won't get everything. Sometimes we farm wishes out to relatives or gifts DDs give to each other. This year they will not really be getting anything from their list because we are surprising them with a trip to Disney.

[DualvansMommy]

It's so hard, isn't it?? i hate the toys catalogs already and my DS is only 2.5 years old!! since he's still so little, i've been keeping his bday and xmas gifts under $150 and was already thinking im going over budget as it is, because we want to get him magna-tiles and a melissa & doug art easal and DH wants to get him his train table since he has so many Thomas pieces. But yikes all those items are expensive!

thanks to BBB, I scored big time on the magna-tiles along with a very generous offer from my mil to buy DS his melissa & doug art easal from them, I feel like we can go for the train table??? maybe! lol but so far it's the magna-tiles and art easal. I'm thinking of getting DS his train table for his 3rd birthday that's 6 months away as really don't want to have all the 3 big ticket items under the tree this year!

[BabyBearsMom]

I'm really strict with myself at Christmas. I make a very detailed list of what needs to be purchased, set a budget and stick to it. I try really hard not to succomb to the deals (although I did buy DD1's birthday present on one of the gold box deals last year). I just repeat the mantra "my kids do not need that much stuff."

[egoldber]

Personally I would try and return the things you've already bought which are not even on the lists. I don't think you have to adhere one hundred percent to the list, but use it as a guide.

I agree. Even if you lose some money in shipping, I would return most of it. I don't always buy everything my kids want, but I get at least some things and then add some items they didn't ask for but that I think they would enjoy.

[Binkandabee]

I haven't stuck to lists in the past, but I am this year. I'm really trying to cut down the clutter in the house and have to resist the temptation to buy something I know they will like just because it's a good deal. I'm sticking with things they will LOVE. If it costs more, so be it. We'll see how I do this year. So far, so good....BUT it's not even thanksgiving yet so I have a looooooong ways to go!

[KrisM]

Sort of? DDs make their lists and from that DH and I come up with a list of what we are actually going to get them and then we stick to that list. The girls know that their wish list is just that, a wish, and they won't get everything. Sometimes we farm wishes out to relatives or gifts DDs give to each other. This year they will not really be getting anything from their list because we are surprising them with a trip to Disney.

this is what I do, too. They put whatever on the lists and generally flip through catalogs to make them. Then, I figure out what makes sense. Like, DD is 7.5 and would like play food. We have a TON of food already and she's not getting more. She will not be disappointed when it's not there :).

I'd return some of the extra that is just bought for good deals and then try to make a better list you can stick to. What crazy things are on the lists??

[SASM]

We actually don't do lists, in part for this reason. They can tell me what that want/like/are interested in but no official lists. I've told the boys that this year is going to be different than the last with fewer presents, etc. I really want to do the "something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read" but not sure if this year will be it. Hopefully next year if not! ;)
I tried doing this a few years ago...went off track. I think I will do this after Santa is out of the picture. :)

[SASM]

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