Christmas for older kids? Be honest x

[really14]

Hello.
I’ve got a 14 and 15 year old (girls)

and 2 little boys under 7. Boys believe in Santa and the magic etc.

my teenagers obviously don’t. They’ve always been spoiled at Xmas as much as I could but now I’m thinking… when does it end?? 16? 17? 18? It’s a joke really and I can’t afford to be doing it anymore.

so my question. What do you get and how much do you get for your teens for Xmas?????

may I add.. I make the Xmas effort but I think it’s a big rip off if I’m honest x

Well my DD's 26, 24 and 17 and I still like to spoil them a bit! We have abit more money now than when they were younger so I like to get them nice things now that I can. My budget is not outlandish though and would be around £150-200each, though they've had new phones or more expensive items some years when they've needed them.
This year is a struggle to think of anything that they might want though and I definitely don't like to spend for the sake of it.

Yes I get that and I’d be the same if I was financially better off when they were older. 150-200 each I think is really fair.
im on my own with 4 it’s so hard x

You want to buy only for two out of your four children? Just scale back for everyone if you have to. Or same amount of money spent but they understand toys cost less. You can't just stop celebrating Christmas with your older children. Who are children.

To follow up, I am 39 but now my mom buys a gift of 40 ish for us all as she has a lot of grandchildren to buy for as well. I'd say the budget had changed each year depending on grandchildren and what she can afford and thats fine. I got married at 19 and moved away so she didn't spend the same on me as my younger siblings.

Well it’s you that has spoilt them previously, so if it’s a ‘rip off’ it’s because of decisions you’ve made!
I didn’t spend a huge amount when they were little, there was no need because they were happy with whatever they got! I spent more now theyre teens/tweens because things are more expensive for this age group.

I think 14 and 15 isn't old enough to scale back too much unfortunately. It's so much easier and cheaper with little kids. When my were old enough (very late teens) I gave the option of money which was sooo much cheaper!

Some gifts after 15 have been generous but less about unwrapping stuff on the day. So things that follow DC interests - subscription to art house cinema, trip to a show. In addition books, chocs, clothing etc.

it should be fair and all 4 should be spoiled in the same way. so less for all.

ds is 14 & ive cut down this year, each each I will be slowly cutting back but still enough for bits he wants.
My own parents stopped when I was 16!

I'm one of 5 and there are big age gaps. There was usually not very much spare cash available.
Every year without fail my parents took the available budget and split it equally between us, they do the same now we're all adults. We were bright enough to understand that the toys small children wanted cost a lot less than what we were after, but the value remained the same. You can't treat them differently.

When my teens were that age I was spending about £400 each on them then from about the age of 19 I cut back each year. They are mid 20’s now and I spend about £160 on them and that amount is now frozen.

I think it's pretty mean spirited to be winding down Christmas for children who live at home. I'd wind down the budget for everyone though.

Especially if the premise for cutting back is ‘I spoilt them too much as younger kids’, when that wasn’t their decision or responsibility!

Seeing your update about this being financially driven and being a single Mum, I think the key here is just cutting back in general.

The older 2 are old enough to understand that you have a limited budget this year and the younger 2, I assume, will not be particularly used to or expectant of big ticket items.

Set yourself a budget and roughly divide it by 4 and then start looking for bargains.

You really can’t, or shouldn’t, downgrade your older children’s Christmas for your younger children.

Either everybody gets less, or nobody does.

Agree with others, set a smaller budget. Prices aren’t going to go down so we need to start lowering our DC’s expectations around Christmas gift piles.

Everyone takes things the wrong way…. Never did I say I was cancelling their Xmas. But things are more expensive now than when they were little !! Trainers - £120. lol so that’s one gift.

I am a single mum I have just left a violent relationship and dealing with life alone and providing alone on ONE wage. So you’re saying a 15 year old comes down to the same pile as a 7 year old??? And this continues even when they are 30. Right ok. Got it. lol.

I wouldn't say 14 and 15 year old are older kids. So what if they don't believe, its still Xmas. Just cut your cloth and get the all the same value.

Imagine… Xmas dinner. I have no family to have dinner with. That’s on me. Xmas tree. Decorations. All on me. Gifts for 4 kids. All on me. On top of life. Some of your comments are just a bit rude and shit

I don’t think it’s about the piles no, but the money should be the same.

£200 goes a lot further for a 5 year old than a 15 year old and that’s okay, a 15 year old understands that.

It may be “all on you” but these children didn’t choose to be born OP, they don’t owe you anything, you chose to have 4 kids, they all deserve a magical Christmas, the younger two are no more deserving than the older!

If your budget is £120 and they've asked for trainers then yes, just get them that. If I were on a tight budget I would start reducing it once they become adults.

I don’t have loads of cash to splash around and I still do a stocking for my 15 and 17 yr olds. They love it and so do I! However I have a strict budget for the stocking and usually give them fun food presents, so a massive Nutella, fav choc, weird American stuff from the world food aisle, crispy seaweed, hot sauce etc. then stupid Christmas pants and socks to wear all day. Few toiletries. Doesn’t cost that much but it’s still a stocking.

I disagree, I think as long as DC get a similar amount of years of a big pile or value of presents then that’s fair.

Obviously you spend the same on each child, whether that’s £50 or £500. Teenagers aren’t thick, they know AirPods cost more than a Peppa Pig plush or whatever.

The only exception is if there is a very small baby / toddler who doesn’t need anything and won’t know.

No one said anything about piles, or the size of their piles. Obviously older kids have a smaller pile as their gifts are more expensive, no one said you have to match pile size.