Squeaky’s Blog

I have been talking to a few friends about what they got their kids and how they do Christmas.  I am surprised to find out that they only buy a few presents like no more than 3 or 6 per child.  So, then I think about what I got the boys and just wonder.  I know I am cheap and I never spend a lot on anything.  I think the most I spent was on WC’s scooter which was $30 but everything else was $10 or less.  I think 3 things for Giggles was just over $10.  So, does not spending a lot make it easier to get more or just make me spoil them?  I know a bunch of crap came from the dollar store but that was the silly things that they want.  I keep thinking about what I got and where I got it from and wonder how they ended up with so much.  I think maybe because I spent it in different places at different times.  I know my mom helped a lot!  We have a five below store back home and she picked up a bunch of stuff and sent it to me.  Those were probably some of the nicer gifts too.  I mean I got WC a Spiderman game for his Gameboy that he is getting for $5.  The Gameboy cost me nothing though since I found it in the garage a few months ago.  It was DP’s I think but we don’t use it and why not it will be great for the car and the house time he will be limited though!  Then Giggles I found a few toys at Ikea (well my mom-and sent them to me), a few at Target (the ones just over $10) and had them mailed with free shipping and then a few from Family Dollar so they really did get a lot but I don’t think I spent that much on them.  All the stocking stuffers came from the dollar store or clearance racks for a buck.  I am really cheap and though I don’t think their toys reflect that.  I know a few things might but they are things that WC asked for and has bugged me about getting like a paddle ball and a jump rope.  All that being said I think I spent $100 on each kid and they have almost 20 gifts just gifts not stocking stuffers, which they have a stocking for each of them and then a stocking that is the same (like life savers, playing cards, ugh I forget but it’s the stuff you get both).  So, is that too much to spend or a normal dollar amount and if no that’s about what most parents spend then is near 20 gifts too much even if a bunch are little things?  They are still small so a lot of the things they get are small but when they get older I am sure it will change.  I know I was stressing when I started trying to get the gifts but I looked around and shopped sales and smart I think.  I don’t think I ever realized how many gifts they had until I went to wrap them.  Now I keep thinking they are going to open all these presents in front of our family and I don’t know what they are going to think.  I didn’t put anything on a credit card and I paid all my bills too along the way.  So, why do I keep feeling like I have to defend myself for what I got them or explain that I didn’t spend a lot?