Am I being a total scrooge to my DDs this year?

[knickerelasticjones]

Ok, until I read a few mumsnet threads on Christmas recently i thought I tended to spoil my DDs at Christmas. But now I'm wondering if the opposite is actually true.

This is what they are getting this year (they are 3 and 5.5)

Stocking - with about £12 worth of stuff in

Rag doll - made by me from scraps lying around the house. (I am a total hippy type - apologies)

couple of books - free as DH works in book trade.

other gift - value £20ish (ballerina doll for DD1, Peppa pig classroom set for DD2).

that's it.

Seriously - does it sound a bit stingy? I've seen loads of other lovely things that they would like but have always thought "oh no, don't want to give them too much" and now I'm wondering if I should loosen the purse strings a little.....

[LaurieFairyonthetreeEatsCake]

I think the things you have bought and made sound lovely - really genuinely lovely

[BelleDeChocChipCookieMonster]

Christmas shouldn't be about how much money you can spend. I'd leave it how it is.

[readywithwellies]

I wish I could get away with what you do. Sounds fine, if you have extra money, save it for when they are older and want more expensive gifts.

My 9 year old wants a laptop, my 5 year old a dsi xl!

[onepieceoflollipop]

That sounds lovely. :)

We usually spend similar. Admittedly this year we have bought a new dsi for dd1 who is almost 7. I considered 2nd hand but she will have it for years, it's not like a short-lived toy so we invested in new.

If you want to "bulk" out their stockings one thing we do is add stuff like toothbrushes, shampoo etc that they would normally get as non-presents. So I might get character/sparkly toothbrushes, Christmassy tissues etc. Stuff they need anyway but a bit glitizier than normal.

[Ineedsomesleep]

Your gift sound really lovely and thoughtful. Kids don't need a lot of expensive tat to be happy, but you know that anyway.

Have a lovely Christmas

[knickerelasticjones]

Funnily enough wellies, I'm not sure i'll be able to get away with it much longer either!

DD1 is starting to ask for quite alot and I know she's aware of what other kids get. TBH we could probably afford to get more (we are v fortunate in this I know), I just have / had this stupid hang-up about not getting the kids too much.

I'm also aware that as they get older, the price will start to rise.....

[FreudianFoxSquishedByAPouffe]

That sounds fab! I wish I'd bought a bit less for DD tbh.

[BelleDeChocChipCookieMonster]

I don't think many other children get loads to be honest. When I was a child most of the presents I had were clothes/socks/chocolate, things that I'd need anyway.I bet it's the same for other children now. For some reason it tend to be the families that can least afford it who go OTT (sorry, I don't mean to offend anyone).

[IsItMeOr]

Sounds fine to me. It's very easy to get carried away when they're little, isn't it? Sounds to me as if you've got it just right.

[DurhamDurham]

There's no right or wrong, just buy what you know they will love and only spend how much you want to. It does get harder as they get older, my two have wanted GHD's, Ipods and laptops the last few years. Of course it doesn't mean you have to buy them.

[Ineedsomesleep]

Imarried, thats not the case always but I do know some families who really struggle all year and then spend £100s on each DC. Always struck me as a little odd too.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

That sounds lovely, and they will be much more appreciative I'm sure than if they get a vast pile of stuff.

My SIL has always spoiled her DDs, and they expect huge quantities of presents. They are now 12 and 10 and still expect the volume of presents, even when the individual items that they want are now so much more expensive.

DS is 2.5 and we've got him about £50 of stuff including stocking. SIL would be horrified and think we were depriving him if she knew, but he will get gifts from lots of family members as well as what we buy him.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

Ineed - me too. In fact SIL is a case in point. They are always cash strapped, have no savings, say they can't afford to buy good quality food very often, and always make 'ooh you're so lucky' noises when we go away on holiday, or buy something nice for the house. But they spend £100s and £100s on presents for the girls at birthdays and Christmas, and in between, when they could all have a much nicer quality of life if they spent differently.
Obviously it is entirely their choice, but just annoying that they don't seem to realise that the reason we have money for some things that they don't is in part down to the fact that we don't buy heaps of 'stuff' for the sake of it.

[knickerelasticjones]

thanks for your kind replies folks.

I certainly don't want my kids to end up expecing loads (cos they won't get it - ha!). But I do have a tendancy towards stinginess, so I know sometimes I need to be told that I should spend a little more.... (DH claims that I think a £20 shop should feed a family of four for a week, and he has a point!)

Hoping the rag dolls are ok. I know its just a matter of time before one of the DDs turns round and says "could you just buy me something rather than making it?".

[NeverEatYellowTaintedSnow]

I think it sounds lovely. :)

I am the lady who has the DN who wants a potato for Christmas, so I will not be spending too much myself if I can please mine with vegetables.

P.S. I'll have the ragdolls if your DDs don't like them, I'd bloody love something like that, even now, and I'm mid-20s!

[domesticsluttery]

It sounds lovely to me. Mine are 4, 6 and 8 and will have slightly more, but not much.

For example the 8 yr old has:
Lego truck (£20) is "main" present
Board Game (£10)
Magic Science Set (£10)
Books (£15)
Seeds (£5)
Sock Monkey (made by me)
Chocolate Santa
Santa pen
Santa pop up puppet

That is everything, including stocking type gifts (we don't have stockings, all presents go together).

My DC love things which are made by me, I knitted them toys last year and they are very much well loved! So you may have a good few years yet of your DCs appreciating your efforts.

[LolaLadybird]

The dolls sound lovely. Make sure they get put away when your girls have outgrown them so that they have them when they're adults - they'll be hugely touched by the effort and thought you put in when they're old enough to appreciate it.

We purposely don't spend a fortune on the DC's (also 3 and 5.5). As they get older, I'm sure they'll be more focused on volume but there's no need to encourage that any earlier than necessary. When DD was 3 she opened her stocking upstairs with us and thought that was it - she was wide-eyed with amazement when she saw there was more under the tree. Very endearing, long may it last ...

[Ineedsomesleep]

at NeverEatYellow's DN.

My DD has asked for Juice, some meat and a Christmas Tree.

To be fair she has bumped up her requests alot since last year when she just asked for the juice. Ended up buying some small cartons and wrapping them up for her to go with the presents.

[knickerelasticjones]

at 'juice, some meat and a Christmas tree'. Could you hang up a couple of steaks as decorations?

I love the things really little kids ask for - a good reminder that they don't really want anything.

Although my own DD2, when asked what she wanted for Christmas said "I want to be a hamster". Right......

[Ineedsomesleep]

Steaks on the Christmas tree sounds like her idea of heaven. She likes her meat a bit rare though, do you think the it would make too much of a mess?

[winnybella]

Sounds good to me.

Tbh if we weren't so broke at the mo, the kids would get a bit more (but not much more), but as it is, they'll get:

DS (8)- Lego Power Miners vehicle thingy (he wants it)
Few books
Few bits and pieces(chocolate money etc, cool pen, maybe tiny Meccano car)

DD (will be 23 mo)- Noddy car and DVD
Play Doh, crayons, paper etc
Chocolate Santa

Both kids will get some stuff from the rest of the family, so they'll be fine.

And frankly what makes Christmas magical is all the anticipation, preparation, cooking, making ornaments, getting the tree up, family time etc.

[pongonperdy]

Sounds fine. If you wanted something extra which doesn't cost too much. Aldi or lidl are selling build a gingerbread house kits for £5

[FreakoidOrganisoid]

Sounds more than fine to me.

For me it's not about the amount you spend or how many presents but more about getting them things you know they'll love. Last year for my dc it was a £14 present between them, this year it is £38 each.

[mumeeee]

What you are doing sounds great. You don't have to spend laods at Christmas and you DD's will love what you are giving them