how much do you spend on presents at xmas?

[NordicPrincess]

how old are your children and what do you buy them? how much do you spend?

[pookamoo]

Pulls up chair and takes a

You might regret this one, Nordic

[muggglewump]

£250-£300.
I've a 9yr old DD.
This year she'll be having a new cage for her pet rats, DS games, DVDs (OK, I may download most of these), books, clothes, odds and sods.
It all adds up though and I like her to have a big pile of presents to open.

[scurryfunge]

DS(15).....depends really on our finances for the year but normally gets one main present (£200 max) and then lots of smaller gifts, probably amounting to another £100 or so.

[Tortington]

i give mine 100 limit.

this year i have told them i will get them something personal but the remainder will be spent on things they need for college as i can't do xmas and higher education i'm borassic.

i also have to break the news to family that the adults wont gte anything. and the kids will get something cheap

[bigfootbeliever]

DS (11) - will get one "big" present (maybe £150 or so) then lots of little stocking fillers.

[Pwsimerimew]

x box between them (sshh) and some books and dvds, new socks etc

[muggglewump]

Custardo I told the adults in my family that years ago.
I'm the black sheep only skint one and I'd end up spending most of my money on people I never see, so I stopped and spend the money on DD, and on lovely food which is my present to myself, as although my Dad gives me money, no one buys me a present, so I buy my own

[DarciesmumandTTC2]

DD will be almost 6 when xmas is this year and will get £300 spent on her, plus stocking stuff same as every year.

This year she wants sylvanian family plus singstar for ps3, Wii & DS games.

[nzshar]

DSS 16yo- gets harder to keep the cost down every year he gets older, this year he want a moped! We will help towards the cost probably about £150 then stocking smellies and socksetc and the traditional chocs probably another £50

DS 6yo - over all cost around £200 though I search ebay and charity shops for good bargains so usually get lots for that. Thank god we still have a few more years before he starts demanding the big things. Though he has dropped himts about having his own laptop which we just laugh at :)

[nickschic]

Do you spend a 'set' amount?

If your budget is £150 and that last thing takes you £20 over do you buy it or not?

We buy our dc the things they want and stuff we like them to have,never does one child have any vast amount extra than his siblings but its not all costed out.

[shootfromthehip]

Normally about £100's per child (6 and 3) however this year DD has asked for a DSi and that blows her buget out of the water. She wanted one last year and I managed to fob her off with a v-tech (thank the lord) however may have to try and find the pennies this year. DS also has a birthday in Jan and we'll not spend a lot on his birthday (£50 max).

It all adds up though

[ihearthuckabees]

Why would nordic regret it? I think it's a good question - I quite often wonder whether I'm in the right ballpark?

DS is 8. Probably spend between £100 and £150, depending on what he is interested at the time (e.g. Nintendo or Lego). Would spend more if it was something that had a long shelf life, like a bike.

Have lots of other family to buy for, and I struggle with how much to spend on them. Try to stick to about £20 each for the kids and £30 for adults, but it is hard sometimes (end up buying boring or tat). Would love to be able to ditch buying the adults things, but not sure how well it would go down. I would rather save the money and get them something really nice for their birthdays instead. Hate buying compromise presents...

[Tortington]

you're right muggle, but i feel really guilty as there is literally 2 bils, sil 2 kids - and mil and fil.

we are paying towards mil and fils mortgage so they can get fucked this xmas i reckon cos i feel like im sinking ever so slightly!

[Mowgli1970]

Custardo, you could write that on their Christmas card!

[nickschic]

Bloomin' eck Custy you turned into a saint?? paying another mortgage??

[MummyDayAndNightCare]

Have one DS who is 3.

Normally spend around £200 on a big present then another £150 - £200 on other stuff.

I love to see the house overflowing with presents for him late on Christmas Eve ready for the next morning.

I have decided this year not to buy things unnecessarily though as he gets LOADS from friends and family too, literally LOADS, and I found myself searching for stuff last year as I didn't think we'd got much and in the end he had far too much and I had bought some stuff just for the sake of buying it IYKWIM.

[muggglewump]

Custardo,
I have very little, so I do tend to save all year to give DD a good Christmas and get her what she wants (within reason), and I did resent buying token gifts for people I see a handful of times a year.
Buying 5 bottles of half decent wine and proper cards, instead of one from the pack ends up being over £50, I spent £80 one year, and it just seemed silly, and I resented it, when I could spend the money on DD and I having a lovely day.

[proudnglad]

AAARRRGGGGHHHHH @ XMAS!!!!!

Pleeeeeaaaase can we not start Christmas threads until December for Cliff's sake.

[anger]

[Tortington]

Ding DING DING!

yeah your right, i'm going to be scrooge

[Mowgli1970]

We buy a "main" present then lots of stocking fillers. I've stopped buying cheap crap that only goes in the bin/breaks easily as it was a waste of time. Ds may get 2 big boxes of Lego for his main present or a Dsi, Dd will probably get a kindle and some ebooks then both will get a couple of Wii games and Ds games,some books, stationery, chocs, pyjamas, socks and
something personalised. All in all probably about £250 each.

[Greenshadow]

I'm just amazed by the number of people who seem to have done their Christmas shopping already!

[laurely]

I have three

They get a large present between them, last year was xbox plus games

then they have a main each

then stocking fillers

Its usually £1000 for all three.

So approx 330 each.

[Greenshadow]

Amount we spend varies year to year according to what is needed.

We see no reason to make sure that the 3 DC get equal amounts spent on them each year - it all evens out over time. What we do try and do is ensure that if DS1 got (say) a watch at 10, then DS2 and 3 also get a watch at 10.

Overall, spend per child probably averages around £100 and that includes main present AND stocking.

[InmyheadIminParis]

Gulp. I'm a bit shocked at the amount everyone spends on their DCs.

Perhaps it's because they're older that they're asking for more expensive things? Is this what I'm in for in a few years?

Ours are 3 and 5 and I don't expect to spend more than £75-100 per child, including stocking fillers and little extras.

[solo]

Not very much. Haven't got very much to spend really.

Will be making my Dc's a personalised blanket for their beds, will make Dd a Christmas dress and try to get some books for both Dc's from the charity shops.
My nieces will get personalised blankets, my nephew a laptop lap rest (alrerady got from Ikea @ £2.99), my Mum a 'MUM' personalised blanket. That's it! I've already got the fabrics, so it's just the time and energy I need!
So in total, I will probably spend about £15 if I can afford to.