I have a 4.5 year old son, and a 14 month old daughter. My son is getting a Leapster Explorer and more train tracks and buildings (off Craigslist) for his wooden train set. These will most likely come from Santa. My daughter is not old enough to "get" the whole Santa thing, so I would rather spend the money on my son's gifts this year. I know she will not notice, but he will. How do I explain why Santa brought him so much and she didn't get much (probably will do stocking stuffers)? We are already downsizing our gift giving this year due to the increase costs of the second child in daycare. The past two years, when he was an only child, he's had some pretty elaborate Christmas's, I don't think he will notice that there isn't as much this year, he will still get tons from the Grandparents, but I hate to go get her presents, that she doesn't need, just so he doesn't ask why Santa didn't come for her. Any ideas would be appreciated.
I do not care if they are old enough or not to understand Santa. Equal
number of presents!!! Nothing else to be said.
I would at least get lil' sis a doll or teddy bear from Santa...it doesn't have to be expensive but she should get something?
~We do only 1 gift from Santa at my house...and it's ALWAYS unwrapped with a red bow!
I guess I'm in the minority here, but we've always been equal with our kids - regardless of their ages. It's just fair. Will they notice? Probably not. But I know we've been fair and equal.
fair doesnt mean equal I spend a lot more money on the older kids but the little one may get more small presents
Since your daughter is so young, I would have Santa bring one or two big things, like a big stuffed animal or her own little train set.
I would only wrap one or two of her gifts. If your son asks why she got fewer presents, just explain that since she got so much before she was born, that Santa is waiting til next year to bring her the good stuff.
M.
My daughter was born in October, so obviously her first two Christmases she was rather clueless. Her brother "got" Santa. Like many of the other posters mentioned, we try to have an equal amount of presents (and the stockings match, but the specifics like color or characters are different). But we opted to get things she needed, things we would have to buy eventually. There were a few small toys, but also things like sippy cups and toddler silverware. We try to tell our son that Santa brings what you really want or need...and when he asked (and he really only wanted to know why Santa brought his sister dishes) we just told him that Santa knew she would like it when she got older. At 14 months of age, there are several very inexpensive items you could pick up.
Just make some of her stuff from Santa and if he notices the difference in # of gifts, just tell him it's because she's little still, or she wasn't specific enough with her list, or that's all the stuff she had on her list.....
Even though she is only 14-months there are things that she will probably still need and enjoy receiving like a stuffed animal or a doll, or maybe some clothes that are size 18-months or 2T. I really do think you should get them the same number of presents to open even if their presents don't equal up to the same dollar value. Just my opinion.
How about getting her a few things she can use in the coming years? I dollhouse, clothes for her, a doll she can learn to dress, a tricycle. My youngest is 15 months old and loves music instruments and the play kitchen my oldest got last year.
Chances are your son will be so occupied with his gifts that he probably won't pay too much attention to what his sister is getting. Also, he has no idea how much something costs. If you're concerned about quantity, pick her up a few items from the dollar store.
Isn't Santa supposed to bring ONE present?
I would cut back on the presents for your son. Why exactly are you going overboard anyway? Thing is he does get it and won't care that his sister wasn't as good as him so she got less. So how will he feel next year when little sis "gets it"? Does this mean he is bad, does santa love his sister more....do you get it?
I have always kept the santa gifts simple. Video games and stuff, that, well lets face it, santa can't make in his workshop, should be from mom and dad. It also makes it easier to explain when junior gets greedy. Trust me, my kids range from 22 - 9, they will get greedy. Doesn't make them bad it just needs to be nipped in the bud.
I would make it look fair however you do it. Some little children notice things like this. But toys for a 14 month old are bigger and yet not as much money so get four or so toys for each and balance it that way. Fisher price toys were big and yet not as much as an older child's toy. There are ways to make it look even and then if they both get something they enjoy don't worry about it.
I agree that maybe you should get little sister more of the things she will need and wrap them up from Santa. I have an almost 14 month old and he certainly wants to do everything his sister(who is 3) is doing, so at Christmas, although he surely won't "get" it, he will want to tear wrapping paper and play with toys too, and I know she won't be too keen on sharing her brand new Santa toys on Christmas morning. If they both have something interesting they (meaning She) are more likely to share. We too are dealing with what to get our little one and having too many toys, staying in a reasonable budget, etc. but there are things that he will enjoy too so we aren't counting him out. And, I've already gotten him things like socks and clothes to put under the tree and in his stocking since he doesn't "want" for much right now either. I think it's a fine line, and I agree with others that said fair isn't necessarily equal, but I would make sure she has some sort of presents from Santa under the tree. If it's not at least one toy and your son asks about it then go with the line about he is able to ask for things he wants and sister isn't so Santa brought what she needed.
Even at 4.5 they can't really differentiate between "size" and "number." So I would get your daughter something "big" (stuffed animal? outside toy? walker?) and then a couple little things (socks, barettes, etc). I bet your son won't comment, but if he does you can just say "you got lots of stuff because it was pretty little. Sister got this big, huge ___ because look how big it is! I bet he only has so much room in the sleigh!" Problem solved : ) Have good holidays.
I actually would do the opposite of what Jane said. They don't understand how much things cost, so to make it seem fair, if he has 4 things to open and she has 4, it will seem equal even if those things aren't even close in price. The 4 things you get her could be 1 gift split into parts - a set of blocks, or books, or an outfit.
I would avoid the whole everything comes from santa thing right away. give him a couple things from santa and the rest is from you and hubby and sister. that way when budgets are tight and work is slow you don't have to try and "compete" with what santa did last year. at our house the presents from santa were not wrapped they were just set under the tree.
I would get them an equal amount of presents. You can pick up some less expensive things for you daughter this year. Also, why not get just one present from Santa and give the rest of the presents from you. Good luck! We don't get much for our kids because they get SO much from their grandparents... so I know how that is!
too young to notice. it will be a couple years before they start counting presents. can you buy a few things they could play with together? like a wagon for big bro to pull lil sis in?
Could you wrap up a few less played with toys of hers that perhaps they wouldn't necessarily recognize as "old" toys?
I would tell your older son that Santa brings what the kids want and need and that little sis just didn't want as much. I Poo Poo the idea of everything having to be super equal. My brother and I were only 2 years apart and I never noticed how many gift each of us got or if one got something more expensive then the other, not even when we were older. Jealously is something that is taught in my opinion. You do what you think is best for your kids. I agree that the little one won't notice as much. Happy Holidays!
