Watso.. Well as a kid we were bought up as JW,S (and I don't like even putting that in capitals) we had no Christmas, Easter or Birthdays.
Christmas was the worst..as we were locked in the house. I still remember hearing the kids as most houses had 4 to 8 kids ( I had 3 siblings)....and in the morning the sound of them playing with their new toys, was hard to listen too.
Dad gave me (that's all I remember) a doll after Christmas. He also gave me (us) presents before Birthdays and Christmas, sometimes I would save and hide till the day or so after so I had something to show.
I will never forget having to give my teacher a JW (Jehovah..) book for Christmas...so embarrassing....one time, though, I put it in the bin, but mum found out and well ( after asking the teacher if he got it)....say no more. :((
So when I turned 16 after mum had left us for another man, I asked Dad If I could leave the religion....and he said "Yes". ;)))
Now to " Over the top" Yes have done that but only in little presents and one good one.
Son got lots of other presents from grand parents and family and that is up to them. They still give him presents now at the age of 22 as he is the first grad kid and works hard. So it is none of my business.
He loved having Christmas here for the first time with my friends (they to spoiled us) Roast turkey, ham ,etc as son was sick of 20 years of a Swiss chicken dish.
Then he went over to grand parents who had switched to seafood....he said he was so glad he had lunch with us.
It really is about children and letting them have fun, they don't need too many presents, but it is nice to watch their faces and sometimes I think it's more about us than them!!!
