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

[MoonBaby1]

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 ).

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?

Big presents are joint Birthday and Xmas in this house. I'm meaning £400+ presents. They have other things to open too but them understand that an expensive main needs to be split. Seems to work ok.

Mine has an xbox 1 S and I have his microsoft account on mine so I can control with time limits etc and can block higher age limit stuff. He uses it to talk to his mates. A 360 is obsolete and he won't be able to game properly in that and when new games are released that he may ask for, he won't be able to get them because they don't make games for 360 and haven't for a few years.

@Princessbanana

I don’t know why people are saying that some games won’t run in an Xbox 360 because it old!😂 any Xbox 360 game will run on an Xbox 360. And if you have WiFi then you can connect an Xbox 360 S series to the internet so look out for the S series!😁

Xbox 360 is 15 years old and at the end of its lifecycle. How many newer games have been released for the 360 in recent years do you think? New releases a take advantage of new generation console hardware, the 360 simply won’t be able to run them so is usually skipped by game producers.

Obviously it depends on what games he wants to play, but the Xbox 360 game catalogue is limited compared to its TWO successors.

Coming in late from the left field, don't buy him a console!

Why? Real simple, the games will cost you a fortune. Get a cheapish PC, it may seem odd but then he has better access to the Internet and through Steam and sites like GA.com there are thousands of free and very cheap games so he never needs to get bored with the old ones.

Easier to repair and upgrade he will also have the chance to upgrade his PC skills.

I'm certain you could find something more than able to do the job for £100-200.

Yes of course you can't play newer games on a 360, but he's 7, not 17. He won't know what the new games are and there is a massive back catalogue he can choose from all at pocket money prices for second hand.

If you do go to CEX, see if you have anything to sell them & put that money towards it. Any old phones, laptops, DVDs etc.

He's 7 and doesn't need the newest flashiest console. If he wants to play minecraft then a 360 is perfect especially as OP has said she doesn't want it connected to the wifi.
My 7 year old has a 360 and he loves it, his friends have newer consoles sure but he's still discovering the joy of all those 360 games that were released and he can buy a game for £1 instead of £50.

@BertieBotts

Yes of course you can't play newer games on a 360, but he's 7, not 17. He won't know what the new games are and there is a massive back catalogue he can choose from all at pocket money prices for second hand.

Honestly, buying a 360 (unless you want it for retro games) is a real waste of money, whether your child is 7 or 17. I'm sure at seven he watches TV and knows what new games are available as will his friends, and he won't be able to play them if has a console that's 15 years old.

You should be able to get an xBox one for less than £100 if you shop around. It'll last much longer and shouldn't cost too much more.

Growing up my parents could have bought a gaming console, my brother did ask. We just weren't allowed! Full stop. We had computers and internet before all our friends. And my brother did have a couple of PC games.

No means no