for those with kiddies birthdays near xmas

[Gem & Leland]

what did you do with regards to toys and age ranges ? did you get something that theyd enjoy later in the year ? or did you just end up buying things all year round anyway and not really waiting till xmas / birthday ?

i mean , this xmas its easy , ill get big toys that are suitable for a year plus , but will he be bored of these by 18monts ?

 

[Mummy-D]

I have this same problem more so now that Kieran is older (will be 7 in Jan)

I dont really buy him toys during the year - if he saves his pocket money and wants to buy something then that is fine. But i just dont want him to grow up thinking he will get things all the time.
I also feel that it makes Christmas & Birthdays more of a special day because they will really look forward to it.

When Kieran was younger i would buy him toys that he would grow into iykwim. Shape sorters, wooden jigsaws puzzles, a garage for his cars.....things that at 1yr old, he would play with, but maybe not play with it quite how it should be played with. I felt that you got better value for your money that way. Of course he got that much from other people too, he always got plenty of toys that suited him for the age he was too. I find people tend to buy for the age that they are as they want to know they can play with it immeadiately so i tended to buy things that would do him in 6 months time.

 

[Gem & Leland]

how do you cope now ? im dreading getting to the i want stage and never mind when u have to tell them to wait so long , poor things , ill blame him tho , he was ment to be a march baby, i never wanted a jan one god im so lucky having my bday in may !!!

 

[Mummy-D]

It's hard. Especially since i changed jobs and went part time.

The first part of the year is fine, because all the toys are new & exciting from Christmas & Birthday.
I find in the Summer it is not so bad because he is quite happy playing outside on his bike or with his football and doesnt really bother too much with his other toys.

The hardest months are Oct - Dec when he cant get out to play as much and is bored with the toys he got last year.

Then i might get him a few bits and pieces. He loves colouring and crafty stuff so it doesnt have to be expensive but it keeps him going until christmas.

The hardest thing is how much toys cost for his age. Last year for his birthday, he got a new bike, a couple of games for his DS, a football shaped CD player for his bedroom and a couple of little bits and pieces. Still cost us the best part of £150 but it hardly looked like anything......i got so upset when he came downstairs on the morning of his birthday and he looked at the small pile of wrapped presents and said to me "is that it" Although i probably spent more on him that year than any other, it just looked so pathetic!!

 

[MummyJess]

Chloe will be 7 on 18th December and at first I was really upset for her cos I thought she'd get joint presents and nothing during the year.

But we do get her stuff throughout the year. We don't spend a fortune for her birthday or Christmas, just a few bits and of course she gets loads from family and friends. Chloe had a bike last summer and a nintendo ds at easter this year. She does now get pocket money and is loving saving up for nintendo games and things, or just getting her own sweets or magazine.

I don't think it's spoilt her by not making her wait till her birthday - it is such a long time at that age. Better to get the big things when they need them (obviously not everything and not always) than to have all that expense at a very expensive time of year! She's normally quite happy with just a few little things at her birthday.

TBH, we do the same with the others too - I bought Roxy a bike in June even tho she's not 1 till Sept cos I wanted her to get the use out of it over the summer. She'll prob just get a few books and toys on her actual birthday form us as I know she'll be spoilt rotten by everyone around us!

 

[Mummy-D]

I agree with MummyJess about not waiting till christmas/birthday for bigger items. We bought Kieran a 8ft trampoline last year in the summer because he had been asking for one for a while and there wouldnt have been much point in waiting till December

 

[Gem & Leland]

well i got leland an outdoor swing for his 6 month bday , woulda been a waste waiting til xmas !

thanks girls for your advise !