How to Buy Christmas Gifts for Multiple Young Children During a Recession

Christmas is a time of year for sharing love among one another, and it's a time when parents tend to lavish that love in the form of gifts for their children. Because children are so apt to comparing their Christmases with those of their friends, it can be heartbreaking for a parent to come to the realization that they simply won't be able to afford the kind of Christmas their children are used to. However, Christmas this year doesn't have to be as bleak as you were expecting, and you won't have to resort to yard sales or homemade presents (in fact, please don't). Instead, carefully review the following guide on how to buy Christmas gifts for multiple young children during a recession before you make your holiday shopping rounds. (Please keep in mind that the following article is tailored for families with several children under the age of twelve.)

Tip #1: Buy one large "communal" gift for all of the children to enjoy. This is a trick that can save a tremendous amount of agonizing over how to make Christmas a hit with little cash. If you can purchase one large gift with a few hundred dollars as an "attention getter," the pressure to provide more under the tree is alleviated greatly. What would have bought one or two extra gifts for each child can be turned into a much larger and more extravagant gift for them all. Think in terms of swing sets, trampolines, basketball goals, and other large gifts that can be used by more than one child at a time. They may sound expensive, but you can usually buy these items for anywhere for $200-$500 (cheap for a large family's Christmas). If you are especially tight, consider financing the large gift responsibly if you can pay it off within the next few months.

Tip #2: Mix needs with wants through commercial brands and popular themes. All kids need clothing, shoes, and accessories, but few actually want generic necessities for Christmas. However, add Hannah Montana or the Jonas Brothers to the mix, and suddenly you have a necessity disguised as a must-have. With shirts, shoes, watches, purses, jewelry, belts, and even bed linens in themes from every cartoon or Disney television show imaginable, the choices are endless. The added bonus is that, if you shop around a bit, you may find that some of these items are no more expensive than their generic counterparts.

Tip #3: Go the no-name brand route with electronics. It seems that as soon as a child can walk today, he or she is carrying a cell phone and an MP3 player. While they all want electronics, few care about brands before they hit their teen years. The truth is that brands don't always make a difference. Some of the most obscure brand names in technology are just as efficient as their much more expensive competitors. You'll save a great deal during a recession Christmas by forgetting about popular gadget makers for the moment. Do your research online for the best alternate brands to ensure the best quality.

Tip #4: Buy pre-viewed movies and video games. Ok, this might sound dreadful, but it's not what you're thinking. Used movie and game dealers guarantee perfection with their products. They also rewrap them to look like new, so your kids will never know they were previously watched or played. Seriously, there's no difference. Be sure to remove the "used" sticker, and enjoy prices as much as 80% off of what you'd normally pay. Used video games and movies are a life saver for families of multiple children during a recession Christmas.

Tip #5: Shop at arts and crafts stores for traditional toys. While they won't have the newest version of any hot brand name "must-have" toys, larger arts and crafts chain stores are stocked with extremely inexpensive low-tech gifts for children. You'll find jewelry making kits, paint sets, diaries, art sets, model cars, building blocks, doll clothing, purse making kits, and much more. They're all packaged exactly the way you'd find more expensive gifts, and many offer children a chance to flex their creative muscles. In other words, even if you're not affected by the recession this Christmas, shopping at arts and crafts stores might be a much needed break from high tech gifts anyhow.

Tip #6: Buy your "filler" gifts at a "dollar" store. Ok, you know you do it every year. You buy a few inexpensive gifts that you know good and well aren't going to last long, but they add to the bulk under the tree and therefore make Christmas look a little more "healthy" than it otherwise would. This year, consider buying coloring books, crayons, markers, toy cars, and other small add-ons at "dollar" stores where nothing is over $1.00 in price. The key is not attempting to buy knock-offs of more popular brands. Dollar stores can only offer inexpensive items, and their versions of Barbie or Hot Wheels will be noticeably different from the originals. Keep the gifts generic and strictly additional to your children's main gifts.

Tip #7: Buy multiple-pack gifts for overstuffing the stockings. This is where a "dollar" store really comes in handy. They offer small toys in packs of two or more for a dollar or less that can be used to stuff several stockings with one purchase, as well as large packs of multi-variety candies. Use that to your advantage to keep the stockings from looking weak this year.

Remember, buying Christmas presents for multiple young children during a recession doesn't have to be heartbreaking. Use these tricks to extend every dollar, and you may find that your children won't even know that there was ever a problem. Stay optimistic, and remember that the memories you create together will be much more important than gifts that will be forgotten by next year. Finally, make a potentially difficult Christmas more fulfilling by spending more time enjoying the little things with your children, and you may create traditions during this holiday season that extend on to more plentiful seasons in the years to come.