When more is too much more.

I don’t know if it is because we have never been around family for the holidays and shipping a boatload of gifts is too expensive or out of sight out of mind but this year was overwhelming. 

 The amount of toys these children got is almost embarrassing. I’m not sure but I suppose over the last five years I guess we (crazymom and dad) had been trying to make up for the lack of family gifts. This year we purchased about the same amount of gifts for the kids as we always do but then we had three houses to visit. All three we made aware to please do not go crazy. Meaning one or two gifts each… well no one listened and we returned home with half of Toys R Us in our van.  

I am not trying to sound ungrateful and I know all family members involved were just trying to show the children how much they love them but OMHECK . The children really like the gifts and we got everything we hoped the children would get. 

 On the list for the boy was:

An Optimus Prime Transformer and a remote control car (crazydad’s family)

A Gameboy Advance (Crazygrandma)

A scooter    (Crazy Aunt)

A musical instrument (Crazypappy)

A Game Cube (from us) 

On the list for the girl was:

A wooden cradle (from us)

A rocking horse   (Crazygrandma)

A doll house (Crazy Aunt)

A musical instrument (Crazypappy)

Ballerina items (crazydad’s family)

  But then the “stocking stuffers and extras was over the top…… Crazydad and I are also guilty of this…..But it was all around out of hand… 

I knew the children would receive some unaccounted for gifts from aunts and uncles but it was almost shameful. I prepared for new toys. I took toys away over the last month, selling some and donating others, while putting others away for a raining day. But last night when we came home I immediately sorted the new items into what would go onto the toy shelves and what would get put away for another day. I hope no one gets angry but after the toy shelves were full I found myself putting two full plastic bins away on my closet shelf. I just can not bring myself to give my kids that much stuff at once.  

Some items that were surprises that made it on the shelf were; Art supplies, a remote control dog, a map puzzle, books, a jewelry box and a walkie talkie set.    

What I learned from this we (crazymom and dad) next year will be buying each child one big gift and one small gift in addition to filling their stocking but no more. We will stress to extended family to please try to stick to the list. Everyone is short on money and to not stick to the list is just wasteful. I will also include with the kids’ lists other items that if you feel you absolutely must buy more what are some good ideas like art supplies, books, games etc. 

 I feel so guilty that all this money was spent and the children were spoiled when others have so little. I know our families love my children so it is hard to tell them to stop buying, especially when I personally have the same problem but I will be working on this myself from this moment on.  

Less IS more.