How much do you spend on your children at Christmas?

[HuckleberryBlackcurrant]

Just wondering what is normal these days. I would say we spend about £60 per child. We have 3 children.

What do you get them for £60? Is it one present or lots of little ones?

we spend about £200-300 each but some of is things they need like new trainers or new winter coat as well as things they want. We have 2 kids

I have a £200 each budget but in reality its going to be £160 on youngest and £220 on oldest. Oldest is a teenager and wants something expensive, where as younger child doesn't, so has many smaller bits.

I spend about 120 each. Partner spends about the same. That isn't including the stocking fillers and a new keepsake Xmas bauble each.

There’s millions of these threads, you’ll get everything from £2 and second hand selection box to £5k unless they want a new car that year.

will it make a difference to how you approach it with your kids?

I'm not sure exactly but I do know that it's getting more and more every year as they're now so much more aware of what they want / get! We did a great trade in 2nd hand toys and clothes for years but can't get away with that anymore.

Plus it depends if they have asked for a 'big ticket' item eg bike / console / tech or not. What we definitely DON'T do is think "oh no I'm £50 under budget quick go and get some random shit so we hit an arbitrary number"

4 dcs. Between £300 and £600 each.
. When the eldest likes a tracksuit that can be £130 or aftershave at £90 you don't get much for your money.
We save all year they have about 10 gifts each. Younger ones of course get much more for your money. They have less monetary wise. But they still have things like birthday parties etc so overall throughout year they get the same.

Example their xmas eve boxes.
Pjs for younger 3 around £8
Young adult dc (yes still do them a box) £18 pjs
Youngest crafts / books £5 all in each
Young adult £12 baileys bottle.

However we have cut back loads. I used to buy for the sake of it. Now i only buy what they would actually use or play with / wear.

I don't have a specific amount in mind. I have gone overboard this year as I just got a new job after being a SAHM for 8 years.. so I got a bit giddy about actually having money for once and have already spent about 200 on my son! Which I do think is slightly ridiculous... but tbf it's not alot of stuff just a few expensive items.. I'll probably spend more closer to the day on some stocking stuff and clothing etc
My husband thinks I'm mad. He has a more sensible approach as growing up he just got two presents from his parents each year that's it. Whereas I grew up not just an only child but the only child of two only children so I was the only grandchild as well.. so I was lavished with presents at Christmas.. it would always end up an ordeal, would still be opening presents at 7pm on Christmas day lol. So to me it feels like I need to lavish gifts on my kids.. I do try and tone down this impulse tho.

About £300 each. They are 16 and 17. Including the kids, family and friends we spend about £1,000 on presents. Food, tree and wreath for the door comes to another £300.

Oh op, why did you ask? The answers are not going to make you feel good.

DS is 1 in 2 weeks and we've gone a bit mad for both his birthday and Christmas. It's fine though, we can afford it.

We've spent about £400 in total for both.

We don't have a budget as such. They get a "big " present, a present from each other, a family gift and a stocking generally. The "big" things vary... one year it ws a board game each, the next year it was camping equipment for example.

But... they have lots of family that buy them stuff. Too much really. So we have no need to spend loads. We put the money aside for activities etc instead.

She's having £100 I think maybe a little more. Could afford more but to be honest she has all year round and we just get when she needs things but she doesn't need anything right now.

Three kids - £275 budget for older two, £150 for the toddler.

Rough tot i should have added.

Young adult dc £550 ish
11yo £220 still have 1 to order.
6yo £290
3yo £210

Stockings were all around 30 each

£60 - £70 ish. 2 DC.

“It’s fine though. We can afford it.”

🙄

I haven’t started buying presents yet and we don’t ever have a budget for each child; we just buy them a few things and try to make it seem even. Four kids.

About £300 each this year 2 children

3 kids, £250-£300 each

This year is around £400 each - 2 of them

I've said £150, also three kids, although it's a rough ballpark. I won't be quibbling over an additional £20 or topping up if it falls short.

I've spent more in the past but I'm not convinced they enjoyed the day anymore for it.

I will be giving my young adult DC £3000 each. So what? I can afford it. When I was poorer they had second hand gifts and were perfectly happy with those. So it changes according to means and the children's age.

@Isyesterdaytomorrowtoday

I'm genuinely curious.

@Nineteendays

One thing about £30 and then a couple of books, PJs and some sweets, and some stocking fillers. Our kids are 6, 4 and 3 mths.