Ok, so yes, we all know, Christmas is only a few weeks away and we are being brainwashed by our children that they really do WANT (not need!) several hundred toys of high value and little play value!

How do you get round this and keep your sanity, how do you ensure your children understand Father Christmas doesn't have a bottomless sack or a sleigh that can carry the loads, or if you don't spin that yarn, how do you explain money worries in the time of a recession will mean the toy list may be a short one this year?

Is it time for us parents to strike a balance and get back to the basics of the festive season?

Look forward to your replies!

Hiya,

I'm a lurker (sorry!). Can normally be found on MCmay05 and Special Needs kids boards.

Your post has struck a cord this year! I have 3 and the eldest whos 9 has asked for lego Brainstorm - it costs £190 - yikes! How do i tell him that is it!?! Santa cant afford that and other pressies - without him being upset that his sis and bro get a pressie from us and a santa one?!!!

I really wish toys wernt so expensive and yes please can it go back to being a few pressies from santa and thats it???? It also makes it hard to know what to get the others - esp his bro who is 7 and very clued up on how much things cost - grrrrrr

Hope someone has some ideas!

Sara x

p.s. will try and post more!

Hi

I am having the opposite problem. DD had a birthday at the end of Oct and did pretty well as far as getting what was on her wishlist. I cant get her to give me any clues as to what she wants for Christmas. We live on a very tight budget so she knows that things cost money and we cant have all the things we want and that if we want something we have to work extra hard and save for it.

We wrote a letter to Santa and she told him she wants:

a scarf, a pair of gloves, a book, a film, a comic, a teddy, some pens and a lampshade like her friends, some sea monkeys, an electric or flashy toothbrush and a game for her DS.

My theory is that if that is all she wants that is all she'll get!

My sister and Dad are going half on a pushchair for her doll (£40!) and we won a kiddizoom pro on the Nick Jr website so she'll get that for Christmas too.

I will go clothes shopping before Christmas as she needs winter boots and we traditionally have new nightclothes on Christmas Eve so we look clean and fresh for when Santa comes.

Reading this back I dont think she'll do too badly but there are no actual 'toys'.