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.

I have spent around £250/300 on each of my girls this Christmas.

I feel a bit guilt and as though I've gone over the top.

Having spoken to my Mum friends, they all seem to say they are spending under £100 & saying the kids have asked for an £80 item and that it's ridiculous etc. I always had a lot for Christmas and I think I just want to pass that on to my kids. Although I'm possibly making them spoilt.

I just can't imagine how gutted my girls would be waking up to 2/3 presents (again, I realise I'm obviously spoiling them).

What a horrible post, when you know that’s what the ops kids get.

😱

@Frasers oh my gosh, I actually wasn't trying to be horrible 🙈🙈🙈. I'm a bit literal and things clearly come out in the wrong way.

Apologies if I've offended. Genuinely wasn't trying to be a dick (but on rereading, I can see how it might come across as that 🙈).

Around 150-200.. we have 4 DC, 14,10,9 and 7 months. Baby will have less spent.

I'm lucky my 14 year old is not materialistic at all. She asked for a pogo stick for her birthday. 😄

Christmas is what you make it. It doesn't have to cost the earth.

This year I'm spending loads on my dd but shes 17yo and needs a new phone, even a reconditioned one is £350 ish. By the time I've added a few more bits it's likely to be nearly £500 😳

It's harder to keep costs down with teens and I've only got the one child (thank God!)

About £700/£800 per child. We have 2 children.
No limits when it comes to Christmas 🎅

Around £600 this year but usually around £300

I don't have a st budget. Never have and Ds is 18 now Dh usually buys ds a present from him and i do the same tgen we always get him a joint present as well
He hasn't asked for anything big this year as his main present so I'm doing the stocking and sack as usual. I always get carried away but he's always really appreciate and i love doing it.

3 kids - between £150 - £250 each.

About 500 pounds for a 3 year old and a 21 month year old. We got a 100 pounds gift voucher from my mother, so will only spend 400 pounds.

We're not spoiling them, but they will get a brio extension set and play kitchen among other things and it just adds up.

Looking at £500 on my 7 year old this year as he wanted a new Xbox. I save all year and he had so many Christmases with 2nd hand stuff. It’s been just me and him since he was 8 months old and we’ve gone from temporary accommodation and having nothing. I’ve worked really hard, got myself through uni and I’m a nurse who works so much overtime when he’s at his dads. I cut back on things for myself to afford it and it’s probably going to be his last year believing. I’m still a single parent but don’t feel guilty as it’s taken us a long time to get to this point

It's threads like this that make me really uncomfortable with the whole pushing of the Father Christmas narrative... Of course it varies drastically depending on what families can afford and also priorities (eg some might spend on a summer holiday or bigger mortgage instead) but children who believe in Santa don't know/ understand that.
Before anyone asks my kids DO believe in Santa, but it just makes me feel sad, can't quite explain it! I always say Santa brings one gift and the rest is parents.

We budget for main presents at max £100 and then £20-30 for stocking fillers. We could afford more but they get plenty throughout the year and also have generous grandparents.

£80 each, well less for little one as she's only 1, but I prefer to buy things as she needs it, so when she needed a new bike as hers was too small we got it instead of waiting for birthday or Xmas. Also, birthday is more important than Christmas as it's their day, not shared, but just my opinion.

We're the same, one gift from Santa, the rest from family and parents

Primary age kids, will spend about £40 on main present and up to £100 on stocking, but will include stuff they need like onsies that bulk it all out a bit.

£500 per child

This thread just highlights the great spirit of consumerism at Xmas, I cant believe people spend £300-£700 per child for just a day of celebration.

£150 each ish they are all young adults and can't get much these days for less.

I think I spent about £150 on presents for DD6. That includes stocking fillers, a new book and a new pair of pajamas.

I had a Lego castle stashed away, but she really wants an educational item that was 85 pounds so that's what we got her.

Her birthday is in January so the castle will be gifted then.

Usually between £200-400. Probably less when very little.They don't always get a 'main' big ticket present, often the most wanted doesn't cost much. But some years they might have a games console/tablet/laptop/trampoline etc that will cost more. They get somewhere between 10-15 presents and a stocking full of small low cost items (I always aim for 10 tree gifts but then can't help but get last minute impulse buys).

I saw a post on a Facebook group asking this last week. One person said they Usually spend £20 and never go over £50 for Christmas or birthdays because they are raising their kids not to be materialistic etc someone replied that it is hard when a single console game can be £40 or more, and the poster replied to say they won't buy their children consoles and they can cope just fine making do with downloading free games on their iPads. I really wonder how they managed to give their children iPads for £20 🙄. Often parents with low budgets just have the tradition of one gift, but will then buy those expensive items like tech that hugely inflate others budget at any time in the year. Some people gift days out and include that in their budget, personally we don't gift those, we do days out regularly, not just as a treat.

I spend no money on Christmas in terms of gifts. We decided to officially cancel seasons celebrations once grandparents had died. My kids love travel. We go on holiday instead of a present, and to a destination of their choosing. So they get a plane ticket and hotel as a gift.

This year about £200. Previous years we have tried to stick to £150

When he was little it was more like £100 so the price of things he wants/needs has increased with age.

Last Christmas was the most so far, £150 tablet and £50 other things for a 16yo. When he was under 8 it would have been today's equivalent of £50.

I don't really get the point of buying loads of stuff that they might not necessarily want or need just for the sake of giving them a big present pile.
It's just more shit ending up in landfill. I get them what they ask for (within reason) plus a few surprise token items as stocking fillers.