moderation is so hard!

We've decided that the kids should get three gifts (from us) and three gifts only. This does not include their stockings. This is mainly because while growing up, Christmas for me and my siblings was an insane all-out extravaganza. We grew up moderately poor, and my parents didn't buy us very much during the year. They *really* tried to make up for it by making Christmas such a gift-fest. I have major issues about the holiday being built up in my mind to such proportions that nothing can quite match up now. My poor, poor hubby.
S0 this is why we have the three-gift rule. Also for other reasons, like the fact that we have a tiny little house and it's already fit to burst with an excess of colorful plastic things.
But when it comes to the actual shopping... it's so hard to limit it to three gifts per child! Especially because Elise is at SUCH a fun age to buy stuff for. I know she'll be equally thrilled with the $4.99 rubber stamp craft set as she is the $60 Leapster learning toy. And I am super excited- she's getting her first pet. Her third gift is a little mermaid aquarium (with Ariel in the middle w/the fishies). I'm going to buy one goldfish for it so that there's one in it on Christmas morning- then sometime soon we'll go pick out a buddy for him.
Christian is getting the toddler equivalent of the electronic learning toy- a fisher price version with ridiculously expensive cartridges that are also hard to find. He's a rabid button-pusher, so I'm sure he'll love it. He's also getting an adjustable-height basketball hoop and a hand-me-down Little People ramps-around-garage.
I wish it were as easy to shop for some of the people on my list... like the dads!!! Why are the dads so infernally hard to shop for???