To, um, cancel Christmas?

[teahousecandle]

Obviously not entirely!

Just the same, I'm more broke than the Ten Commandments and I keep reading that you should never prioritise Christmas or other events over basic payments that need to be made.

So - WIBU to buy my eldest (9) a small gift (under £30) and make that it? It's about the spirit right? (PS not a begging thread.)

[StealthPolarBear]

I'd use the £30 to buy a few smaller presents so they have more to open. But no yanbu

[TimeToMuskUp]

Does your eldest care about Christmas? Could you stretch to a stocking with little bits and bobs also?

I think society goes a bit mad at Christmas with the endless buying and piles of stuff; my DCs favourite gifts last yea were crappy 99p whoopee cushions from their stockings. You don't have to spend a fortune to make children happy. But you do have to have a little spirit.

[TeaFathers]

YANBU.
sorry you're so skint. its crap being broke.
yes - a small gift sounds fine. is there anything nice you could get second hand or in a charity shop?
xmas is not worth getting into debt for.
i hope 2016 sees better things ahead for you.

[BaBaBaBoomBoom]

I would go for a £20 'main gift' and 10 £land stocking / big bits, to bulk it out. I've found some great bits in there this year, and they are always changing their stock, so you should be able to find some bits she will like instead of crap to bulk the pile out!

[AliceInUnderpants]

Nah that sounds fine to me.
What about any other children, though?

[WhirlwindHugs]

Have a look at the christmas bargain thread. £30 can go a long way! What sort of thing does she like and will she be getting gifts from anyone else too?

[ChristinaParsons]

We are having a terrible year. We have told everyone we are not doing Christmas this year. I will spend £50 each on my 2 girls, and we will have Xmas lunch just the 3 of us and that's it. The relief is immense I highly recommend it!

[teahousecandle]

I know, but she wants a kindle fire (slightly over £30 I know but I rounded up.) Other child is only 18 months, so I don't think she'll notice!

[Badders123]

I agree I think £30 can go a long way.. If you Feel brave you could wait til Xmas eve and go and grab some bargains?
I would say a few small things rather than one big thing. Aldi had some good Star Wars ships in today for £7?
Selection boxes are pretty cheap these days.
Sorry you are broke.
It's shit :(

[Sparkletastic]

Don't cancel it. Rise to the challenge.

[Badders123]

Ooh it's good when they are young and you can get away with a few plastic bits from home bargains! :)
Is the kindle fire still £35? That's an amazing deal.

[Akire]

Personally if your only going spend £35 on Xmas I would be tempted to hold back paying something for a week or two. It's not like your not paying rent or major bills and blowing it all on £300 gift. If meant "saving" extra £5-10 for a gift she really wanted I would be really tempted. prepares be shot down
Any friends/family be happy to chip in make it a joint gift?

[teahousecandle]

I don't think there's anything she's too bothered about that she's mentioned anyway. Birthday is end of February and I'm hopeful I might be able to treat her then a bit more.

[Badders123]

If you ask on the Xmas bargain thread you will get some good advice.

[teahousecandle]

Badders, I have no spare money. Basically buying anything would involve not paying an essential bill or getting into debt and neither seem sensible - I feel this is the best thing to do but I'm one person so I wondered what others thought.

[JugglingFromHereToThere]

I'd like a simple Christmas this year, your plans sound great teahouse, though would find it hard not to do a couple of stockings - how about the ones with sweets in - it's only chocolate really that I couldn't do without on Christmas morning!
I'm not keen on the whole palaver really, though I like to enjoy the free stuff of the season like seeing the Christmas lights and such like, maybe the odd carol service.
Hope you have a happy frugal Christmas with your DC

[Lynnm63]

If you're planning to spend money on your younger child I would buy the kindle even though that's over the £30 Id then spend less on the baby as at that age they'd be happy with the box and wrapping paper.
Being skint is really crap so sorry for you. However as long as you're all together that matters. If you make paper chains or home made decorations or christmas biscuits in 10 years time that's what she'll remember of this Christmas.

[AllThePrettySeahorses]

Agree with the rest - shop around if you can.

Don't know if your DD might have outgrown them, but Amazon are selling a Frozen Elsa doll for £6 if you have prime. Home Bargain also has some, well, bargains.

[bettyberry]

My DCs first (5mths) and second (17mths) xmas I didn't buy much at all.

One xmas My DC only had a knitted blanket and a wooden train set I picked up from the charity shop for a fiver because I was so broke. That year xmas dinner was the usual chicken roast dinner.

£30 is OK to spend. I'm sure you could really stretch that out far to get some ace gifts and don't dismiss charity shops and pound shops for items too. Books can be as little as 25p in our charity shop and will really fill out the gifts without you going over budget. I buy charity shop books for mine every year and they don't notice that's where I got them from!

[starbug1]

Reining in on spending is not cancelling! There's such a drive to spend but it is the time spent together after all. One present is fine, but if you're feeling bad about it why don't you make some? Like little sketches/pictures drawn or printed/funny stories/scrapbook of the year etc etc that are particular to that child.

[Helenluvsrob]

Hugs to you. The kindle sounds an amazing bargain and a " big gift" if you can stretch to that.
Remember charity shops pound shops and even free cycle might provide some stuff you can wrap or pop in a stocking too. Or even bits you have around the house or that they need anyway - heck mine get pocket packs of tissues and a bottle of shower gel in stockings amongst other bits -New toothbrush and paste even wouldn't be thought odd , actually one year the small one even had a tin of Barbie spaghetti .... Now they are teens/ grown ups a bottle of beer or tin of cider bulks things out !

[Scaredycat3000]

Amazon fire is back up to £50, so nearly double the OP's budget.

I think that's fine OP. Do be honest with her though, explain how tight things are. I always understood my GM had a very tight budget slightly misses the point, not quite the same .

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

The best Christmas we ever had was the one where the kids got some tat in a stocking from the pound shop (which they LOVED), one present each (and nothing for adults), we wore our PJs all day, didn't bother with Christmas Dinner but just ate pigs in blankets and watched Christmas telly.

I never bought for mine when they were babies or toddlers. They don't care and just like being there with you all.

[nannybea]

i always remember the cheap cassette singles & small bits bulking out my stocking when i was young & loved that

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

YANBU. I hate the awful consumerist shop-a-thon that Christmas has become :(

I am genetically thrifty though.