To just give kids cash for Christmas

[Fishcalledlola]

Have 6 dn's, aged 5, 7, 12, 12, 13, 17 and a neice, 15. We usually buy them pyjamas on request from parents but they are big now and pyjamas for the older ones are adult prices. We used to spend around £8 per kid. AIBU to put £10 each in a card (even though it is more than I want to spend) or do kids expect a gift to open.
Tbh they have expensive tastes, even the 7 year old wears North Face, plays Xbox and loves a premiership football team.
Bought them all sweets in a big jar last year but in hindsight I think it was a bit of a crap present.... and 4 of them have birthdays late December / early January

[MyBrilliantDisguise]

I'd buy a present for those still in junior school and give the others £10.

[MongerTruffle]

I think the younger two might prefer a present to open, but the older ones will be satisfied with cash.

[gamerwidow]

Give them all £10 the younger ones in particular will probably get so much to open already that they would appreciate something to spend more.

[ptumbi]

Hell - I'm doing this for my own dc! I'm sick of spending out, thinking of lovely presents that they sneer at, don't want, don't appreciate, don't use. Money each this year.

In the absence of cheque books how can I give them money that is not cash?

[Love51]

I thought from the title you meant your own kids, and thought primary aged kids would benefit from a present. But neices and nephews? Yeah much better to give cash unless you know them well enough to choose well! 5 yo probably doesn't get much cash so it will be exciting. I'm tight though so £5 for little ones. Unless they are siblings and likely to compare.

[Fishcalledlola]

I was looking at envelopes to put Christmas money in and they were 75p each!
We used to get book tokens, I doubt they exist now
Sil has 4 boys, don't really want to give 3 cash and 1 a gift. She really spoils them with lovely gifts too, it's so hard to find things they'd like (without being extremely rich and generous!)

[Betsy86]

Cardfactory do the money envelopes for 29p each or 6/7for £1 cant remember which amount but are nice. Id give them the cash where do you normally buy the pjs?xx

[Fishcalledlola]

love51, I do give a fiver and big chocolate bar for birthdays, but bumped it up to £10 when they went to high school.
My kids are still little and like 'stuff'. My neice is quite easy to buy a gift, I just find the boys have really expensive interests.

[Allthebestnamesareused]

Book tokens do still exist!

My boys even at a young age have loved getting cash! DS3 now 16 has actually just bought a macbook air using bits and bobs of birthday and Christmas cash he has saved over the years. At first I was a bit skeptical about him spending that much but then realised it was his cash and probably better than having bought match attack cards, lego and action figures over the years. Also I would not be able to afford to get him one even as a joint Christmas/Birthday present.

[Fishcalledlola]

betsy86 Thanks, will go to card factory. I used to get pj's from Tesco with our Christmas vouchers and M and m direct for the older ones.

[niknac1]

May Alan are doing Christmas pjs for adults and children in aid of Alder Hey hospital which are in your budget but they might still prefer money.

[niknac1]

Matalan

[niknac1]

I would use ordinary Christmas cards if you decide to give money you could always write take care when openg in felt tip on front and bag to let them know to be careful when opening

[Fishcalledlola]

nicnac we were in Matalan today for the Alder Hey pyjamas for my 2 but they had sold out. My friends granddaughter is being treated there now and they were queueing round the hospital when they went on sale! I don't think the boys will want them but I'm ordering them for us

[FrustratedTeddyLamp]

I’m going to go against the grain and say even as an adult, just being given cash is a disappointing substitute as a present. I dunno I enjoy opening presents and cash just seems meh the person didn’t really wanna do anything and is giving me it out of some sort of obligation.

That’s just my take though

[Ragwort]

Totally disagree Frustrated - i think cash is so much better, I have a teenage DS and for so many years I have had to force him to write thank you letters for presents that really weren't right went straight to the charity shop - I do appreciate it is hard to choose for children (or adults for that matter) - but a small cash gift would have been so much better than endless Lego, books, clothes etc etc that people had kindly chosen, but DS just didn't need/use/want.

Fortunately, as an adult, I have an arrangement of 'no gifts' with 99% of my family/friends but I do have one friend who gives me such obscure presents, I would much rather have a £5 note or a charity gift.

[Laceup]

Cash all the way here.already wrapped and ready,I ordered personalised wallets and I've put the money in those and wrapped them😀

[Laceup]

No gifts for adults either..so nothing to unwrap on the day except what dh will get me,and me him...for which we go shopping together and each choose our own presents for the other to wrap....it's only so the kids don't get upset we've nothing to open

[FrustratedTeddyLamp]

I get where you’re coming from Ragwort, it’s just from how I was bought up especially with Christmas we often saw 2-3 sets of family members and with each it was about playing games and doing things as a family as a whole so it’s just money wouldn’t suite that kind of atmosphere. It’s the kind of mentality I’m taking when thinking about my nephew. I’m not saying others don’t have the same kind of Christmas they’re all different and I’m not saying giving money doesn’t mean you aren’t able to do things as a family, it’s just how I was raised to experience it

[KeepItAsItIs]

My 6 and 9 year olds love getting money. There is always something bigger they like that they save towards so cash as presents is always welcome. I'd definitely give cash to all of them.

[Fishcalledlola]

Our family used to send money and my mum would buy my brother and I gifts from Santa with it. I just don't think £5 -£10 buys anything a young teenager might appreciate. I've bought books for one of them before but then if I gave the eldest cash he would probably buy fags and vodka!
We buy for all dh's family, parents, brothers, sisters, partners and kids. Its a lot of trouble and even though I like them a lot, I wish we didn't have to!