https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 22 Apr 2026 12:34:49 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2410099 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 12:32:33 +0000 daniellemybelle 2410099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My philosophy actually is that we very rarely buy toys for LO any other time of year than Christmas. I can probably count on one hand the toys that I bought for her between last Christmas and this Christmas. I would count things like art supplies as more necessities than toys so I don't include that. Christmas is when I get what I've been eyeing for her all year! I think it adds to the magic if getting new toys is not a regular thing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409911 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 10:29:58 +0000 MaryM 2409911@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Yes! But they weren't as funny as the jar of pickles. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409904 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 10:24:56 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2409904@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MaryM: lol, do you guys watch "The Goldbergs" too? The original Hanukkah gifts had us cracking up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409897 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 10:22:20 +0000 snowjewelz 2409897@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't really give her special gifts through-out the year, but if I have my eye on certain things, and I find a good deal, I'd get it and use it right away and not purposely wait till Christmas/birthday or anything. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409892 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 10:20:03 +0000 MaryM 2409892@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: Not related to your question, but due to this episode, my DH gave me a jar of pickles for Christmas. At least they were fancy pickles? And I love pickles. lol</p> <p>(it wasn't the only present, but was just a joke related to that show) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409786 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 09:28:52 +0000 Alivoo01 2409786@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As for us buying things, I only buy something if I feel like he needs it or is approaching that learning curve. Like he's currently into coloring/drawing so I picked up a couple color wonder books for him.</p> <p>Otherwise, when DS receives a gift for his birthday or Christmas, I let him open up a couple gifts, but I also put up a couple toys he doesn't play with much or doesn't at all. Then throughout the year, I'll rotate out the less played toys for new ones. We didn't purchase him anything for either occasions the past 2 years because the amount he receives is absolutely redonkulous and he doesn't know any how. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409767 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 09:21:36 +0000 ElbieKay 2409767@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: We gave him the soccer ball on the first night. My parents and sister came over for dinner on the second night, so he opened their gifts (Hess truck, small Tegu set) while we were there. After that, no more gifts. I grew up with gifts every night but I think that is excessive.</p> <p>We gave him the dinosaur stuff at home on Christmas Eve. (And actually, my sister was over again that night and brought another small Tegu set.). And the next day on Christmas he received and opened two gifts from my MIL and a gift from our cousin.</p> <p>We have plenty of resources as a family. I would rather focus on shared experiences than giving excessive amounts of material gifts. And sometimes I might see something that I would like to get for my son in real time. I'd rather just do that than wait for a particular celebration. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409723 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 08:54:04 +0000 mediagirl 2409723@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: we do the same thing. We don't buy throughout the year but Easter, birthday and Christmas are big and she gets lots of gifts at those holidays. </p> <p>When she was a baby and didn't know any better, we would buy things throughout the year as she progressed into different phases (baby toys, blocks, etc). Now that she is older and understands gifts and getting, we only give on big holidays. If she wants something, we talk about her money and that she can buy it if she wants something. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409718 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 08:50:12 +0000 Finfan 2409718@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: My inlaws usually ask for suggestions and then pick some things out themselves as well. They see our LOs every day. </p> <p>This year, my mom asked me to do the shopping for our families for her as she was really busy at work. So I had everything shipped to her house and the kids opened it on Christmas. </p> <p>So the girls still got plenty of presents but I didn't feel like they came from DH and me. With the bonus that I had to wrap very few things! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409674 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 08:00:04 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2409674@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ElbieKay: did your LO receive a gift each night during Hanukkah? Was that when you gave him the extended family gifts? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409665 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 07:53:04 +0000 ElbieKay 2409665@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My son is not quite two, so I don't know how this will evolve. This year I got him a soccer ball and a kid's book by Mia Hamm for Hanukkah. And then for Christmas we got him a set of dinosaurs plus a dinosaur storage box that unfolds into a playmat. He also got gifts from his grandparents on both sides, his aunt, and his cousin. So he got plenty of stuff. Since we have two holidays, I think that one gift from us per holiday is fine. It's ok if it has multiple parts.</p> <p>I really dislike exchanging gifts just for the sake of it, so I will not be emphasizing gifts too much. But he's a little kid and he enjoys opening them. I don't think there is anything wrong with that.</p> <p>I did a big toy purge afterwards though. We live in apartment, and the living room was starting to get out of hand. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409657 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 07:42:38 +0000 regberadaisy 2409657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I do. Both sides always ask before gifting, as do we for our nieces and nephews. My MIL is the only guilty of doing whatever she wants. :silly: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409647 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 07:09:08 +0000 looch 2409647@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: yep. The only hitch this year was that we were away for Christmas and he didn't get it until the 27th. For some reason my sister in law brought the gifts she was giving to her kids over to my mother in laws to open (where we were staying) so my son saw his cousins opening a bunch of gifts and he didn't have anything other than a few books and a toy from my mother in law so we had to show him that Santa in fact did bring the jeep and it was in our house via our security camera to calm him down.<br /> So far, he's syked about it and hasn't mentioned not having more gifts. I think it would have been different if he didn't get what he had asked for though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409645 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 07:02:50 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2409645@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I remember on another thread you prepped him that he was only getting that awesome jeep. Did you stick to that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409643 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 07:00:15 +0000 looch 2409643@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My philosophy on things in general is that things need to be age and season appropriate.<br /> My son may want a new bike, but his birthday and Christmas are in the same month, so we won't wait until next year to buy it, we will get it in May, for example.<br /> This is the first year in my son's life where he asked for a specific gift and we made it happen. Won't be like this every year, but this year, I felt the need to honor his request. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409635 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 06:37:35 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2409635@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: Haha through the holiday deals I stocked up my gift closet. So I've got plenty of toys now to give as gifts for daycare parties, Easter baskets and some small stuff for their birthday (M&amp;D sticker books) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409634 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 06:35:55 +0000 T.H.O.U. 2409634@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We really buy gifts/wants/toys about three times per year. Easter, her birthday in August, and Christmas. Other than that we try not to randomly buy gifts such as toys. We will buy clothes as needed obviously. But even a bike we knew she was going to "need" and so we planned that to be a Christmas gift. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409630 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 06:30:40 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2409630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: puzzles and @lamariniere: bikes are what we could consider "need" items too and we wouldn't save them for Christmas just for the sake of having something (else) under the tree.</p> <p>@Finfan: @regberadaisy: do you steer family members to certain gifts? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409612 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 03:22:25 +0000 regberadaisy 2409612@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: I definitely did not do only one each. More like 2? Haha but I definitely noticed it helped me to stop the random "omg they would love this! And damn you Amazon for your crazy holiday deals!" Purchases. ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409611 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 03:18:57 +0000 Anagram 2409611@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We buy things as they become appropriate for LO as the year progresses-new puzzles, art supplies, learning toys, etc. So our christmas and birthday gift giving is paired down. This year from us, LO got a bunch of books and 1 outfit plus stocking stuffers. LO2 got a couple baby toys--like the winkle--and a new teether and thats it.</p> <p>But i buy new markers, crayons, playdough, books etc constantly just because we need more. I dont consider those gifts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409598 Tue, 05 Jan 2016 02:15:32 +0000 lamariniere 2409598@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Both of my LOs' birthdays are very close to Christmas, so there is a lot of gift giving that time of year. I like the idea of want/need/wear/read, but didn't quite implement it this year just because I couldn't think of 4 gifts each! So far, we don't buy much during the year, mostly because I feel like they only play with 1/4 of their toys as it is, and they seem to get random gifts from family members from time to time. But we will buy certain things for no reason, like last year we randomly bought a new scooter for DS because he had outgrown the old one by spring time, and we bought him a new bike in the summer, also because his old one was too small. In general, my philosophy is keep it to a minimum, but that will evolve as the kids get older and express interest/desire for things throughout the year. I kind of want to implement one toy in one toy out and get rid of things they are outgrowing/losing interest in as new toy gifts come in. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409462 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 21:32:32 +0000 Finfan 2409462@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We did one gift for each child this year and I plan to keep that up. We are fortunate that our kids have way more than they need and our house is overflowing with toys. Also DD2's birthday is relatively close to Christmas (early November).</p> <p>My parents actually had a rule that we weren't allowed to play with our toys from extended family until we had handwritten a thank you note and it was ready to be mailed. I am planning on starting that rule for all gifts this year. The kids can scribble on a card and I will write a note and as they get older we will have them do more and more of the work. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409460 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 21:30:25 +0000 regberadaisy 2409460@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: I think when they're older it'll be much easier to go your husbands route. But when they're 3 &amp; under its really more gifts that YOU want to buy them. LOL That's why I did want/read/wear/need. It was a way for me to cull down what I bought into categories. You'll find that there will be just so much "stuff" under the tree. It's ridiculous. My Ils aren't even half as crazy as most the inlaws / family I see and it still makes me a little sick tbh. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409457 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 21:26:04 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2409457@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@regberadaisy: We plan to do some fun experience type stuff and volunteer stuff throughout the season to celebrate togetherness &amp; giving. I still think it's important that we model gifting to loved ones including us too. It would just be one gift under the tree for each person in the household. </p> <p>I told DH about the want/need/wear/read because I think it's genius although I have looked up a couple other similar gift concepts that included more categories like create. He wasn't impressed with the concept. We definitely have a difference of opinion of what constitutes a "gift" and he's firmly in the want = gift camp. The rest is stuff we would freely buy like holiday PJs. Instead of making them into a Christmas Eve or Day gift our kids will receive them when we put up the tree at the beginning of the month. </p> <p>I never really thought about why some people buy a bunch of gifts for holidays or why others limit gifts. Once DH expressed his thoughts on gifting and contrasted with a friend of his I started thinking more about the gifting motives. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409440 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 21:13:08 +0000 hilsy85 2409440@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: this year, we got the idea for his holiday gift based on a youtube video he loves watching, which features this particular toy. He doesn't really ask for toys, because we don't watch commericals ( thanks to sprout on demand and pbs!) so he doesn't know what's out there! But on the occasions where he has said I want x, y, z, I will sometimes purchase them and wait to pull them out on a really rainy or cold day when we are home, or use them as bribes for things that he doesn't want to do--i.e. getting a haircut. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409429 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 21:05:11 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 2409429@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@hilsy85: do you solicit gift ideas from your LO? If he askes for a few things (when) do you get the other things at another time? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409427 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 21:04:52 +0000 regberadaisy 2409427@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Lemon-Lime: are you asking if LO gets a holiday gift do they also get gifts throughout the year?<br /> I tend to put away extra holiday gifts to bring out at a later date.</p> <p>My girls have birthdays in April and August so it's spread out enough where I don't buy a ton of toys in other times. </p> <p>This year I started want/need/wear/read with the kids.</p> <p>We actually don't do gifts with adults in either our families any more. But we do sponsor a local family each year for the holidays. DD1 is 3.5 and was able to understand some of it this year. She also helped us pack a shoebox for Operstion Christmas Child. As she gets older we'll also start to incorporate more giving/volunteering activities during the season and throughout the year. I think there are plenty of ways to show children the holidays isn't about just them or gifts without giving gifts to your spouse. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409405 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 20:50:52 +0000 hilsy85 2409405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>My DH feels like this--we only did one gift for LO this winter, because he felt like with a lot of gifts, LO gets overwhelmed and doesn't appreciate them as much. So he got one gift he really wanted. But he gets a lot of things throughout the year as well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409401 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 20:49:42 +0000 Baby Boy Mom 2409401@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I actually have an opposite philosophy- we don't want the kids expecting gifts for "no reason", so they don't get much other than necessities (clothing, shoes, etc) on a regular basis. So during gifting occasions I don't mind if they get more than one item as long as it's not excessive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/philosophy-on-winter-holiday-gifts#post-2409385 Mon, 04 Jan 2016 20:43:47 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 2409385@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We give minimal gifts (more than one) but I also don't purchase a ton through the year. Thats just personal circumstance (finances and household space). But i will likely always cut them off close to Christmas. That was a rule in my house growing up, we weren't even allowed to buy things for ourselves with our own money after a certain point. It makes sense to me. And they get a ton from extended family as well. </p>