How do you tell family PLEASE keep the Christmas gifts to a minimum

I have 3 kids and SOOOO many toys that half of them don't even get played with and we are running out of room in this house! Christmas is coming and that means that we will be overloaded with more toys... especially since our families totally go overboard with it! The kids also lose interest after a while because all they do is unwrap, unwrap, unwrap....
Would it be tacky to tell them please just get ONE small gift and then if they feel the need to contribute to the kids 529 college accounts...
I know our families like getting the kids toys, but it's just gotten crazy!
How do I handle this??!!

Re: How do you tell family PLEASE keep the Christmas gifts to a minimum

My DD is only 7 months, but I feel the same way about gifts...we received a lot of hand-me-down toys from cousins and don't need a lot of toys (especially with all of the lead/recall issues)...I told my parents, inlaws, siblings, etc. that we would prefer a contribution to her 529 or a bond as opposed to lots of gifts this year...I felt it was easier to be honest with them about my feelings on this, and everyone I have talked to has been receptive to it.

Re: How do you tell family PLEASE keep the Christmas gifts to a minimum

A friend of mine has the same issue... toy overload and they don't play with even 1/4 of them. She takes some of the wrapped boxes and sneaks them into a closet.

She works in a hospital and a few times a year she asks the kids to go through the toys they don't want anymore that they can donate to the waiting room and a few other areas of the hospital. After they do that, she pulls out one of the newer wrapped toys from Christmas.

She's done this for two years now and she says it really helps to keep down the clutter and depending upon the age, helps them to think of others.

ETA: When family asks us what they could get them we said books.

Message edited 11/17/2007 10:06:50 PM.

Re: How do you tell family PLEASE keep the Christmas gifts to a minimum

be honest with your family - other people see it because kids get loud and it gets crazy - last year we did a day of something, like a play in the city, a day at the aquarium and a book relating to it, or a day skiing, and so forth - we did that for each family - with all the kids in a family getting the same day - it worked out well

i do not have kids but have lots of cousins with kids and we understand

Re: How do you tell family PLEASE keep the Christmas gifts to a minimum

If you're being asked, I see no problem with telling them about the 529 plan or something minor.

Since I have a throw out toys if I step on them policy, I would rather see them save their money. My MIL gives a few small gifts & a savings bond.

Re: How do you tell family PLEASE keep the Christmas gifts to a minimum

Suggest a membership to the zoo or a children's museum or aquirium.. Something you will use yet will not take over your house.

BTW..I feel your pain! Both of my kids b-days are in Oct and now Christmas is a month away and they toys are out of control.

Re: How do you tell family PLEASE keep the Christmas gifts to a minimum

My MIL offered to pay for madeline's Little Gym classes as a gift. My mother is the one who goes overboard with toys, I just told her to get books and stuff.

Re: How do you tell family PLEASE keep the Christmas gifts to a minimum

I think its great to contribute to the 529 plan you can even get cards (i was told) to mal to famie members