Gift Giving

I've been getting ready for and thinking about Christmas for a while now. I'm still working on the HGP. I'm planning and slowly purchasing Christmas gifts. The big "question mark" has been a gift giving philosophy. How are we going to handle giving to my son. Do we give him everything he asks for at Christmas/birthday (they follow in close succession)? Do we set a budget and either give one thing or stacks of things as long as it is in the budget. Do we go with one gift and just leave it at that?

I just read something I'm really happy about for this problem. At Mom's Marbles there is a post today about gift giving philosophy.


Heather says
"Something you want,
Something you need,
Something to wear,
Something to read."

I like this idea. It's built in limits, and fills several areas. This way he doesn't just get things he wants, or just socks and underwear. I've already begun directing his grandparents in their ideas for gift giving so that we don't end up with piles of toys he won't play with six months from now. I think this will be great for us!