First of all, I never want to be mean to the kids. I am from China and Chinese parents buy kids gifts just like American parents. The difference is when a chinese kid does not play with old toys, generally parents decide what to do with them, especially expensive ones. However, my husbands told me it's different in US, the kids can do whatever with their gifts.

My husband divorced with his ex 6 years ago, with 3 kids, 13, 11, 9 year old. His ex guit the job as soon as she knew she was pregnant, so for so many years, my husband finacially support the kids, buying them presents. Especially after divorce, the kids always thought their mom bought their birthday present and Christmas presents, but actually she never worked, and those gifts were from their dad. Since they get another one from their dad, so they got double birthday presents and Christmas presents from their dad. My husband never thought too much about it, even his mom told him that the expensive gifts she bought for the kids are gone(she told the kids the gifts she bought should not go to their mom's place, but the kids just took them to their mom even without asking their dad). This year, the situation is different. MY husband and I have a daughter, and I really want to keep the Christmas gift we bought for them here, because I know sooner or later, they would not be any interested in these gifts and their mom would just put it in yard sale and sale them really cheap, and I'd like to keep it for our daughter, who is about 15 months now. The other reason I want to keep the gifts was because once my husband bought an expensive game machine box for the oldest daughter and she broken it somewhere, and her mom sued for this.

Last Christmas, we spent about 200 dollars for each of these 3 kids, and only Rock Band2 were keep here. You see, I only came here for about one year and a half,and just started working as a casher in Wal-mart with 7.65 dollar per hour. 200 per each of these 3 kids really means a lot to me, especially I have to bare my back pain to earn that 7.65 per hour. I don't object to buy them expensive gifts, but I really don't want them to bring the gifts to their mom's and never come back. I really want to save them for my daughter. This year the oldest girl and youngest girl, they both want a DSI even each of them has a DS. The oldest also want a computer drawing board which is over 260 dollars. Well, if they can keep all those presents here, I really don't mind to buy them.

My husband still insists that if it's the kids' gift, they have right to do whatever they want. He said I could put my name on all the gifts we want to keep, and let kids open those gifts, so they know they can't bring them back to their mom's as it's my gifts. I don't know whether it's a good idea, but I do know that the kids will be really mad at me. Therefor,I am here to ask whether there's any better solution about this?