Thursday, December 18, 2008

Forced materialism...part 2

So a little while ago I posted this, in which I vowed to limit how much I buy for my children this Christmas. For those of you not wanting to link up, I basically limited myself to 5 gifts plus stocking stuffers. A big Santa gift, a little Santa gift, a toy from us, an article of clothing from us, and a book from us. So how did I do?

First of all, let me say that I am TOTALLY doing this again. It has been so helpful to plan out what exactly I'm buying, because it made me choose more carefully. I would see something totally cute and fun while shopping, but I would stop and think, "No, no...you really want to get her fur-lined slip-ons. Don't buy that sweater/pants/dress/pjs or else you can't get the crocs later." I know it is crazy, but I have always just kind of guessed at how much I've gotten the kids...not a good thing ;) I've been finished with the kiddos for a few weeks now, and it is nice to not be tempted. Well, I'm still tempted, but I know I'm finished. And that is that. Like Lily was falling in love with a toy at one store, and I was tempted to buy it for her...but I didn't. Good, eh?

BUT, I wrapped them and started having a problem. 4 wrapped gifts doesn't look like much. It is PLENTY...but it doesn't look like much. I just have to keep remembering the 150,000 packages from the grandparents that are filling our back basement right now...there will be plenty to fit under the tree. :)

BUT, I kind of cheated. I really wanted to get Andrew a Webkin's animal...I don't really understand what they are, but they aren't very expensive and I'd like to try it. But I was out of gift slots to fit it in. Sooooo, Lily got it for him. See? Cheating. And Michael got Lily the cutest ever Abby Cadaby doll that she loves but I didn't have a slot for. But I'll consider it weaning myself off of buying gifts until the little ones are old enough to pick out their own gifts for people. Baby steps, people. And I cheated on buying gifts for Jeff also...totally putting children's names on it (we were not going to exchange gifts this year). And I got him one just so he'd have something under the tree...but I kind of stuffed 3 gifts into the one box. Oops.

Another update...Andrew is not so much into the gift-giving part of Christmas this year. He talked a good game, but when it came time to think of ideas and actually go shopping he flaked on me. He said, matter of factly, "Mom, really I enjoy the getting of gifts better this year." Okay, then...that was a short lived phase ;)

2 comments:

d e v a n said...

haha too funny! I think most kids enjoy the getting. lol
We're doing something similar this year. The kids get one present from Santa + stockings. From us, they get 2 books, 1 wooden toy and some clothes.

Astarte said...

I was worrying while I was wrapping last night that it wasn't 'enough', too, or that maybe they weren't even or something, but then, like you, I remembered the eleventy bajillion other gifts they're going to be getting from other family members, and decided that enough was enough. The only other thing I may do is get Patrick some sweaters, since he really likes wearing them and only has a couple that he hasn't grown out of. Plus, he was the one I was worrying was out of 'balance' on gifts, anyway.