How much do you spend for each dc for xmas presents?

[LollaLaLuna]

Just that really.🤔🎄

[LollaLaLuna]

Have two. Last year we spend a huge amount of money for dc xmas gifts and get a lot of them, but through the year they didn't even play with half of it, so this year I want to give each one just a couple of gift, but something what they will be really enjoying. Looked on EBay yesterday and found a lot of lovely stuff, which I guess they will be love it, but question is, if I don't want to spend fortune there what's reasonable budget for each dc? 🤔They're 3 yo.🐒🐒

[WaxOnFeckOff]

I always overspent so probably not the best person to comment. Mine are teenagers so it's difficult not to spend much as even a few presents costs £££.

If they didn't play with a lot of last years then maybe you need to focus on things that they need and things they enjoyed. Obviously all children are different, but at that age mine were really getting into lego and that's a gift that can be built on for birthdays and christmases in the future. Do they need a bike or scooter? Balls are usually good becasue they get used but don't last. What about a bigger gift of something for the garden, trampoline/swing set?

Consumables such as play doh and craft stuff which gets used up. Books and kiddy toiletries? Do they need new PJs or slippers/dressing gowns? Dressing up things? Lots of things you can bulk up to make it look like a larger pile without it being stuff that wont get used as that's just wasted money and clutter. Oh and you can never go wrong with a torch for some reason. :)

I've no idea what is affordable for you and cant remember what I used to spend (but it was too much really).

What did you spend last year? What are they interested in?

[youngestisapsycho]

I spend more as they have gotten older... prob around £200 each.

[NapQueen]

I dont think "right, ive got 300 quid to spend" like some people I know. I just think "hmmm probably dont want to go over X amount this year" and i just pick stuff up i see that they will like. Often when i then tot it up its well under my max budget.

So i pick what they will love and jusy hope its not expensive. I dont fill the budget out.

[youngestisapsycho]

Sorry, didn't read OP properly. At 3 they shouldn't need loads? Mine are 15 & 11 so like more expensive branded items! As Waxon says really....

[LollaLaLuna]

Thanks to all for your replies!😉
Waxon - they already have scooters and Lego, but thanks for your suggestions I was thinking about something similar too.
Our financial situation isn't bad, just can't spend £200 for each one at this moment.😅

[WaxOnFeckOff]

even at 17 and 16 my two (who aren't greedy) would be a bit sad to come down on christmas morning to one small box, even if was £400 worth. So, I bulk it out by picking up extra bits when i'm shopping such as big bags of popcorn and crisps, tubes of pringles, jars of nutella, cans of coke etc. Then when I add in things they need that i'd normall pay for such as a new hoody or t-shirt or some stationery etc it makes christmas morning last longer, the pile look better and i've not really spent a lot on top of their main gift that I wouldn't spend anyway.

it's just an extra couple of pound on the shopping bill every week.

[Lovemusic33]

Every year someone asks this question, it usually ends badly .

I don't think there's any right or wrong answer. It depends on their ages and what they want/need. If my dc's need something like a laptop or tablet then I might spend £400. This year my dc's haven't asked for much, dd1 wants a new 3ds which will cost £120, she won't be getting much else apart from clothes and things for her room. Dd2 has asked for something that's £60 and again won't be getting much more as she just doesn't need much. So I'm looking at spending £150-£200. They are early teens so it's easy to spend £200 on 3 or 4 gifts.

[Imustbemad00]

Mine can vary between 300-500 per child. I save up all year for Christmas. I like them to have quite a lot i elder the tree and, the little one especially, does make it worth it as he plays with all his toys all year round. The 12 year old is now at an age where she doesn't want a lot but the things she does want are more expensive so it becomes harder.l and I feel bad if she has half the amount of presents.

[Ohwell14]

One teen so about £500 as there is always an expensive main gift they want.
Have another dc now but she will only be 3 month at Christmas so probably about £100 and that will just be stuff she needs and then a few toys

[MyDcAreMarvel]

Was £150 per child but £200 this year. The paw patrol look out and pups cost £175 on its own.

[Desperad0]

is there anything they both want that they can share? like a paw patroller and a pup/vehicle each? plus their own books/smaller games?

[HellsBellsnBucketsofBlood]

£50 max

[MrsMotherHen]

my Little boy is 3 in feb and this year hes not getting alot spent on him. Last year we spent about £300 and it hardly got touched he was too overwhelmed and threw a tantrum. It was far too much so this year we have
A bike £40 from Halfords
Cars and play mat £15
Some books £10
Playdoh £10
Some craft bits £10
Stocking stuff £10

Then for my youngest she will be 6 months
various wooden type toys £50
stocking stuff £10

[Annwithnoe]

If I were starting over again, rather than setting a budget, I'd set an expectation of a stocking and one bigger gift from santa.

I find it tricky to juggle gifts for three kids and try and make it appear fair. The youngest doesn't understand money, the oldest wants something £££ but still needs something to play with keep him out of my hair on Christmas Day. One loves books but the others wouldn't consider books a gift when you can get them free in the library. Similarly with clothes. Just because I've spent a lot on one, I feel I should spend as much on the others, which is silly because they'll all want something expensive at some stage. I let myself be goaded into too much when they were smaller and also used Christmas as an opportunity to buy stuff that I knew they'd get use out of as well as buying the stupid one-hour-wonder they set their hearts on.
And of course the same people who tell you that you're too mean are just as quick to say that you're over indulgent!

[Justabadwife]

This year so far we have spent £150 on dd(8) looking at what else she wants and we want to buy her it looks like we will spend atleast another £100 plus stocking and new clothes.
But each year is different. :)

[Justonemorepleasethen]

Around £500 per child, ages are 2, 4, 14.

[SharkSkinThing]

One DS aged 7. Around £75, which equates to one main present (such as a skateboard) then some random bits, mainly Pokémon related.

£10 on his stocking (selection pack and joke shop type gifts).

[Nightfall1983]

Less than £50 each, 2 and 5 year olds. They also get gifts from friends and family and have FAR too much. If there isn't something specific that is worth spending on I will only buy a couple of £5/£10 toys and they will still be thrilled...

[PlugUgly1980]

3 and 1 here...one main present of about £40. Then new set of PJs each, new beaker each, a book and jigsaw each. Cheap pads of paper, and colouring pencils for 3 year old. Bubble bath, bath crayons and chocolate coins. Been buying the smaller bits with the weekly shop for the last month or so, so not really noticing how the bits are all adding up. They’ll get spoilt by both sets of grandparents and wider family, so don’t need any more at this age from us/Father Christmas.

[fleshmarketclose]

It depends on what they want or need tbh. I tend to buy the item they most want or need and then books, pjs and a well stuffed stocking rather than setting a budget.
.

[wendz86]

I'm planning to spend about £60 on my eldest dd(does include going halves on kindle fire with her dad) and around £50 on youngest. They get loads from other people. I'm sure it will go up when they are older.

[anyoldname76]

i have 3 dc and i spend upto around £300 on each of them, sometimes a bit more, sometimes less, just depends what they want that year

[peachy94]

Have only spent £70 between them so far, and only going to get some stocking fillers, games and books now. Reigning it in this year because of Mat leave but they get about £250 worth of stuff each from other family. Last few years I've spent upto £150 but that's when it was just one to buy for

[Threenme]

Mine depends. I think it helps to look at what it should have cost rather than what you spent. For example I spent a fortune in Sainsbury's and entertainers half price sale so had loads for a lot less than it should have been iyswim. I don't have a set amount but I like them to have a pile of good quality stuff!