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Original poster

First year of dc wanting really expensive gifts. Worried about letting him down.

59 replies

MoonBaby1 · 03/12/2020 13:32

We have just enough money for a really nice Christmas, we’ll buy delicious food, stockings will be filled, presents will be bought and festive cheer all round (massive not a begging thread disclaimer Grin).

This year ds 7 has discovered gaming and is asking for an Xbox or a switch and given the year we’ve all had this isn’t a possibility at the moment. I’ve told him in so many words and it transpires that all his friends have a gaming device. He shares our iPad and games off that so as a mum I don’t get the issue.

I can buy on credit but we are very anti debt in our house and don’t even have credit cards!

So a few questions:

Will he actually care on the big day when he has a full stocking and some cool presents like a set of headphones and a hoodie etc?

Do all your primary school aged children universally have these devices?

What would be a good gift under £50 for a child who’s into minecraft, sport and parkour?

OP posts:
Jellycatspyjamas · 03/12/2020 13:36

I’ve found with mine that being honest before the day helps them get their disappointment out of their system in time to enjoy their new gifts.

I don’t know if you do Santa or how you do it but we’ve always said their stocking gifts come from Santa and their bigger gifts are from mum and dad, that way we can have a conversation about not getting X without having to navigate Santa questions.

I’d explain that it’s too much for Christmas but might be a project to save up for over the year. You could also check out second hand Xbox or switch, CEX sometimes have good deals and the games are cheaper from there too.

crazycrofter · 03/12/2020 13:39

I would also suggest looking for an old Xbox or PS4. CEX is the place. Make sure he knows it’s not the current generation, because they’re too expensive. Then getting an updated model is something to save up for in the future...

Original poster
MoonBaby1 · 03/12/2020 13:41

jelltcat We do the same as you. Santa does the stockings (always small stuff) and he knows we do the tree presents.
I’ve already talked it through with him and he was accepting but I have a feeling he’s still harbouring some hope.

I’m hoping next year our financial situation should pick up anyway (ds 2 will be 3 and I’ll go full time again) so we potentially could save up as a family to have a device and not make it a present for just him

OP posts:

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KarenMarlow3 · 03/12/2020 13:41

If you can't afford an X box or a switch, then just tell your son. It's a fact of life that we can't always have everything we want and it's never too early to learn that. It's hard to deal with his possible disappointment, but if you let him know before Christmas Day, he'll be forewarned and not looking forward to a present that won't be there. I don't think it's worth getting into debt for expensive presents+although I know many people do).
We bought our 11 year old grandson a Minecraft onesie for his birthday, which he appeared pleased with.

OneMoreForExtra · 03/12/2020 13:42

We had this at the same age. Our solution was to make an x-box THE present, from everyone - parents, 2x grandparents, aunts, uncles etc. With everyone contributing we could get it and he didn't get any other big things, just small extras. He was delighted. Depends on if you have a gift-giving tradition in your family of course.

But failing that I'm sure cool headphones would go down well!

KilljoysDutch · 03/12/2020 13:42

You could get an Xbox 360 for around £50 Minecraft is on that it's what my 7 year old uses.

Simplyunacceptable · 03/12/2020 13:42

Be honest before the day so he doesn’t feel as disappointed. Last year was the first year mine expected expensive gifts (they were 7, 8 and 9). DS wanted a switch and DD’s wanted a tablet. They have used them lots this year and the tablets were absolutely invaluable for their learning during lockdown. This year DS wants a laptop and DD’s a camera each so expensive again. I just buy less stocking filler type things as a result so there’s less gifts but everything they get is more appreciated so I don’t mind.

Thesearmsofmine · 03/12/2020 13:43

I would say that those kinds of things need to be saved for. Maybe any money he is given could be saved up and you could go halves.

I think many have those things at 7 but there are many who don’t have them.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 03/12/2020 13:44

Will other members of the family get him presents? I ask because my 12yr old nephew wants an expensive electronic, I and my aunt are giving money to my sister towards it. Will also get a restored one too, he won’t care or notice.

Original poster
MoonBaby1 · 03/12/2020 13:45

Thank you for all the suggestions. I’d been looking on fb selling and they were still so pricey! I’ll try CEX instead.

He’s still so young I think he’ll want the sheer volume of presents from family rather than just one big one.

killjoys was that a facebay type purchase or from a shop like CEX

OP posts:
JM10 · 03/12/2020 13:46

I think it depends how much he wants it. If that's what he really wants then he'd probably prefer that £50 went towards an Xbox at some point in the future. I certainly wouldnt buy him something that cost £50 that he hasn't asked for just for the sake of it.

People do remember not getting the thing they really want for Christmas sometimes, but then it's something he's only just asked for, not something that he's wanted for a long time. It's important that children learn they can't have everything and the value of money. I personally wouldn't go into debt for it either.

ZenNudist · 03/12/2020 13:47

I think 7yo is too young really. My 7yo plays happily on iPad. We actually do have a switch which we have ds1 (10) when he was 8 and they both got bought an Xbox last year by their uncle. Ds1 plays the Xbox ds2 plays same game on iPad. You dont need a consol for the group games they enjoy.

Herja · 03/12/2020 13:49

There is no way on earth I could ever afford a new games console for DC. DS (8) is in to gaming after playing with my 19 year old DB. DS knows well we can't afford the ones some of his friends have and is actually genuinely happy with the ancient nintendo DS and Wii my brother gave him (bought for my DB when he was the same age as my DS...). He's 8, he's not fussy, he just wants to play mario and pokemon!

I have found that yes, most of the children in his class do have a device of some kind, but they are not all new, fancy ones... I would look at second hand options and older models personally.

Blue5238 · 03/12/2020 13:50

You'd get an xbox 360 with some games on ebay for £50. First console really doesn't have to be the latest one imo

Backbee · 03/12/2020 13:50

He’s still so young I think he’ll want the sheer volume of presents from family rather than just one big one.

Lots of presents for the sake of being high volume, or something he really wants- he would probably prefer the games console!

Jellycatspyjamas · 03/12/2020 13:51

we potentially could save up as a family to have a device and not make it a present for just him

That’s what we’ve done with games consoles, they’re bought as a family gift so the kids still get the bits they’ve asked for and no one child has a monopoly on the games console. It’s madness to be buying multiple of the same console for each child.

Original poster
MoonBaby1 · 03/12/2020 13:53

I’ve just checked it out on eBay. He may get his wish!! Just to ask as many of you have similar ages dc: can you play an Xbox without WiFi as I still want to monitor him when he’s online but also want a device to babysit him when I’m working from home! Grin

OP posts:
Princessbanana · 03/12/2020 13:55

A second hand switch lite, which is a smaller version of the switch. Keep a look out for one of them. I’m not sure apart from the size what the big differences are as we have the normal switch but the lites look good as well.

BunnyBerries · 03/12/2020 13:56

I think at 7, that is getting close to the age where they use gaming devices for socialising outside of school. Does he have clubs or things he goes to after school, or plays with neighbours outside? Think of how you socialised after school when you were little.. played outside or took turns chatting on the phone with a friend etc - as adults we now use our phones. These days with children a lot of it is shared memes and in-jokes on video games over headsets (supervised at that age). So that is what he would be missing - therefore I second the idea of not giving any gifts he doesn't want and giving the money towards getting one later if you can't get one now?

Princessbanana · 03/12/2020 13:56

Yes you can still play Xbox while offline so long as you buy games for it. I would buy an Xbox 360 and some games as they are very cheap and look out on eBay for a bundle, with the games, controllers etc. He’ll be over the moon with that!

sleepyhead · 03/12/2020 13:58

Ds1's first console was a second-hand PS3 (actually, still his only console). He was delighted with it.

timeforanewstart · 03/12/2020 13:59

You may get an older xbox 2nd hand especially as new one has just come out
My dc prob had first xbox maybe 9 & 7 ( shared one ) we did this as my parents and my nan also contributed
But we have had to explain many a tomes that sometime we just can't afford something
We have always told ours fc brings a few gifts but mostly we have to pay for them so this wasn't an issue

Original poster
MoonBaby1 · 03/12/2020 14:00

Brilliant, thanks everyone. I’ve got loads more options now.

1 last question (sorry!)

What’s better

Xbox 360 or switch lite?

OP posts:
iamabox · 03/12/2020 14:00

Try Cash Generator, or stores like that. I got my DS an xbox 1 for £99. And minecraft is available to download for free I think.

BunnyBerries · 03/12/2020 14:00

@MoonBaby1
Please be careful with eBay if you can't buy new - with a second hand store like CEX they will have checked the console works and may give a short guarantee, but on eBay you don't have any of that, unless an official seller - if you go as old as an Xbox 360, there is the issue of the "red ring of death" as we called it.. if a console ever flashed that while you were playing, you knew it wasn't long for this world!

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