The Christmas gift plan for 5 children. And the make-it-look-even gift.

Truth be told, I've already started planning and buying for Christmas. I have five children to buy for, and I have gifts to buy for others too, so I just can't leave it to the last minute anymore.

Christmas gift giving decisions are quite varied among parents. Some give a lot, some give just one, others have Santa giving gifts and some not. As long as everyone in the house is all on the same page, it really doesn't matter. The most important thing is that the decision is made in the first place, and everyone in the family knows what's happening. Over the years I have talked to lots of mums about what their families do for Christmas presents, and I have searched Pinterest for ideas also, all in the name of having some kind of workable (but flexible) plan.

The following is a little about the development of our family gift plan for this year.

1) The very first thing I do when deciding on Christmas gifts, is talk to my husband, Craig. 

We have been discussing what is going to happen at Christmas for months now. May was probably the first time we mentioned it, as that is our first 'child birthday' of the year. We decide on what we will purchase for birthdays and Christmas around the same time, and then fine tune our ideas as we get closer. Craig doesn't do any of the buying, because he knows I have a gift for finding the best price, but he is well aware of the general list.

2) Apply age based rules for certain items.

Some of the gifts have been desired for some years, but due to age rules Craig and I place on certain items, the children must wait. The reason these rules have been made is because there are many people to keep track of here, and the children must be responsible for these expensive items.

3) We don't do debt.

Yep, no debt apart from our home loan. If we can not afford something, we don't buy it. This means that it works well for us is to buy gifts a little at a time. Just yesterday Craig and I discussed which orders to place this fortnight. Overseas orders are placed first and we have already received some of these gifts. I decide carefully where to purchase from, as online shopping from Australia can be tricky. It would be easy to end up being charged more for an item, especially when adding postage. My largest saving on one item so far this year has been 40% off the cheapest possible Australian price.

4) I decide on a plan for the overall number/kinds of gifts.

Last year we did: something I want, something I need, something to wear, something to read, and a few little Santa gifts. This worked really well for last year, but just wouldn't for this year. I have had to buy clothes now because they have already grown out of their existing wardrobes, and quite frankly there is nothing that they 'need.'

This year, this is our plan:

Something they want- all want one big thing this year. Prices vary. They still get one, although the gift may include a case or the like for an electronic product. Last year for example, Henry received a Leappad Ultra, along with the case, and games preloaded. Most of my children know about this gift as they have been requested. This year Henry has asked for Planes 2 planes/trucks. I will wrap them up together.

Something for the great outdoors- They don't necessarily get to pick this one, but we will take suggestions into consideration. Surprises are fun! Lucy really wants a basketball, and Isabel a tennis racket. Craig is thinking a surfboard for Jack (as this is what Craig wants for Christmas also.)

Lego- Purely because they ALL love it, and following the Easter Lego success, I need it. The two days after Christmas were horrible last year. Yes, December was too crazy, Craig was working, and I had a 6 month old, but there weren't many sit-down-calmly-and-do activities for certain children. Everything required me and I was over it! I have plans to address the various issues myself one by one, and this gift is part of that.

A mystery gift made up by me- This can be anything, but they will not know about it. I've been listening carefully to things they especially comment on to design these gifts. An example is that I will be making a sewing kit for Lucy (excited!!) I will be writing about all five of these gifts during November.

A book/set of books- because we all love books! This gift makes for lovely moments laying around together when it's too hot to go outside, in the long summer holidays to follow Christmas.

The make-it-look-even gift- This is the golden gift that makes the process easy for me. Often I purchase this gift last. One day, while Craig is home, I get all the gifts out of their various hiding spots from all around the house (deliberate so if they find one gift they don't find them all!) and lay them all out in lines per child in our downstairs playroom. I take photos of each individual line, then an overall picture and decide what to buy so it looks even.

5) What about Santa?

Santa brings minimal gifts at our house, and certainly nothing expensive. One friend has Santa fill her children's sacks up with treat food like cereal she wouldn't usually buy, packets of Tiny Teddys, Zooperdoopers and the like. This then lasts the holidays. I like the idea, and will do something similar, only I have to be careful about food colourings and preservatives, because it's not a great gift if certain kids end up out of control and in trouble for the holidays. I'm currently thinking Smooze ice blocks, new pencils, glue, other school supplies, special cereal, etc. I will have to think more about it.

I have recommended to the kids to 'ask Santa' for a DVD. They love the idea and I am happy to say I've just found a copy of the Lego Batman movie on the Barnes and Noble online store. Santa is well on his way.

We were never really decisive on the Santa deal. But when Jack was two and a half, he was convinced Santa was real, so we went with it. We have never really said a word about it, as he has carried the imaginative baton of Santa, freely building the excitement for the others, even though he knows the truth. 

Final thoughts

This may seem like a lot of gifts, especially when multiplied by five, but we only do gifts for birthdays and Christmas, not in-between. For example, Jack is desperate for the last book in the Eregon series, but he will wait for Christmas to receive it (already ordered.)

Being a child in a family of seven often means a great deal of compromise, waiting, and forgoing things that families with less children may receive. They all accept this happily and rarely make demands or compare their lives with others. Christmas, however, is one time when I am especially mindful of doing things the same as I would if I only had one child. Yes, sometimes (most of the time) that means Craig and I receive token gifts, but we are okay with this. The fairness issue is one thing that I am sometimes concerned about, but Isabel reminded me the other day that over time everything evens out. We talk about the concept of 'fair' often, and that fair does not mean equal. Fair is everyone getting what they need, and what is appropriate for their age and stage. This goes for anything from attention, to going out to play centres, to gifts. The make-it-look-even gift really helps with this problem for us.

So Christmas is big in our house. It was when I was little too, and I still have wonderful, fond memories. No, Christmas is not all about the gifts, but it's a lovely fun part of it for our family, and it doesn't seem to stop my children discussing the real meaning for the season.

Now that I have shared my overall gift plan, I'd love for you to share yours. There are lots of other parents out there who are still deciding, and perhaps your contribution may help. Every family is different, and I think it is awesome that we can share ideas with each other, judgement free.

Have fun planning!

Jen.x