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Original poster

Is £10 present per child stingy for nieces/ nephews?

61 replies

HeffalumpsDaughter · 12/12/2018 21:33

Previously I’ve spent more as only had one niece and one nephew. This year I have four. SIL always spends £25+ per child and although I could afford to do the same it would be a stretch. I have now got presents for dniece which cost £8.99 and dnephew that cost £9.99 and I’m dithering about getting something else to bulk it out a bit. I have the added problem that I have seen these kids once for about 2 hours since last Christmas (purely due to distance rather than not being super close). I’m pretty sure they’ll like what I’ve gor but I don’t want SIL to think I’m being mean.

Argh! I do this every year and never know if I’m buying the right value gift.

OP posts:
TidaQuel · 13/12/2018 06:33

My nephews have, for as long as I can remember, provided me with a Christmas wish list - I consider myself lucky if there’s something on there for around £20 - most start at £40 and can go up to around £200. They are both working adults now but the lists continue. I’ve seen them once in the last 2 years. My sister only has my dcs to buy fit whereas I have a tribe of nieces and nephews on dh’s side too...

backinaminute · 13/12/2018 06:37

I have 17 nieces/nephews and Godchildren to buy for. I stick to £10 each. This year I'm spending some extra time with one niece who has had a difficult year and I've bought her extra.

It just gets out of hand, own DCs, parents etc.

user1471426142 · 13/12/2018 06:46

It is entirely reasonable to pick a sum that you can afford based on your financial circumstances. For some, a selection box alone would be generous. In my case, I spend more but we haven’t got a huge family and I’m on a high income. Even then, I’ve cut down spends on adults by quite a bit over the past few years. Christmas tends to be a really expensive time so please don’t feel pressured into spending more than you are comfortable with.

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PoutySprout · 13/12/2018 07:18

My nephews have, for as long as I can remember, provided me with a Christmas wish list - I consider myself lucky if there’s something on there for around £20 - most start at £40 and can go up to around £200. They are both working adults now but the lists continue. I’ve seen them once in the last 2 years. My sister only has my dcs to buy fit whereas I have a tribe of nieces and nephews on dh’s side too...

Fuck that!

AlpacaPicnic · 13/12/2018 07:36

We've spent less this year that £10 each... We have 6 nieces and nephews (and no kids of our own so we are definitely on the losing side!) and their parents (my BILs and their partners) to buy for. We are not particularly close to either set of DN/NS and don't see them much, maybe once a year...

I've suggested buying just for children and not for the adults and you'd think I'd suggested sacrificing a kitten to Satan so I'm not winning that argument any time soon.

DH and I work in very low income jobs with no pay rises for many years now so it's getting harder to afford the expensive gifts that get 'suggested' to us by one BIL so now we don't ask for ideas.

EvaReady · 13/12/2018 08:46

spend what you can afford we are fairly well off but we still don't want to spend lots of money on gifts at Christmas. Dh's sisters struggle financially - the more we spend on their kids the more they spend on ours - it becomes excessive very quickly.

EvaReady · 13/12/2018 08:52

I've suggested buying just for children and not for the adults and you'd think I'd suggested sacrificing a kitten to Satan so I'm not winning that argument any time soon. We never bought for adults but I suggested not buying for the 20 kids and the response from one sibling - out of 6 was that it was really unfair in her kids - she lives on the other side of the world, buying gifts to send overseas (6 kids) was a nightmare in postage costs and I don't even know these kids very well - I've met them once or twice, funnily enough the gifts she sent my kids were cheap shit - like she bulk bought. I won and the battle was worth it!

Stephisaur · 13/12/2018 09:20

My nephews literally got a £10 note for their savings stuck to a box of maltesers.

Nieces have £9 pair of earrings each and more maltesers.

I have 7 nieces and nephews so I just told my brother and sister that it was all I could afford and they were fine with it xxx

OoohAyyye · 13/12/2018 09:26

£10 here as well!

Original poster
HeffalumpsDaughter · 13/12/2018 13:34

Phew. Glad no one thinks I’m being a complete Grinch. I’ve messaged SIL saying that I’ve only spent £10 on Christmas presents as it’s things I know they’ll like and asking if she would like me to top it up with book tokens/ Amazon vouchers. She says what I’ve got will be absolutely fine. She’s spent about £25 on my dc1 and £30 on my dc2 but they both have birthdays this week so they’re joint birthday and Christmas presents.

Now I just need to think of a present for my fil who has no hobbies or interests and only seems to get pleasure from reading the Daily Mail and getting cross about it.

OP posts:
BloodyBing · 13/12/2018 13:46

I do a £10 limit with one set of nieces and nephews and £15 for the other. Happy with either.

It's more than enough.

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