My parents also don't know the meaning of the word moderation. Every Christmas I sit back and laugh (inside) because DD will open the first gift, and happily go off to play with it instead of wanting to open other gifts. It took her all day last year to open the presents, and I think my mom actually might have realized that yes, one really is enough! 
Â
Â
But I've learned the power of directed gift requests. She will still end up with stuff we don't really want/need (yes, we have a plastic kitchen too, complete with plastic food) but at least it is quality items. In order to help with this, I do a wish list for my kids each year. I created one on Amazon for them, and you can add items from outside websites too. My mom was so happy to buy my DD a pounding bench just like she had as a child (wood) and some really cute metal bowls since I told her the plastic ones melt in the dishwasher (not true, I know, but it worked). So try to find the type of gift they want to buy, and then find one you can live with and add it to the list.
Â
For first Christmas, I asked for a lot of toddler stuff, like bowls, cups (stainless steel), silverware, potty training items, cloth diapering items, new bedding for the crib, cute summer wear, hats, shoes, and toys I was ready to live with. Things that can be added to later, like sets of blocks, Brio trains, or Duplo blocks, are nice because it can structure the giving for holidays to come. My daughter is going to end up with a complete Plan dollhouse soon, and I have a feeling there may soon be neighbors moving in. I don't mind too much, because I would rather have a wooden bathroom set than a giant plastic barbie house, so it is all about quality over quantity.  I like Amazon because you can do lots of books too, which can trigger the nostalga button and result in a large library of great classics. It is never too early to read to baby! And if you end up not liking the books, you can always trade them in at a used book store for something different. Good luck!
