How much do you spend on the kids for Xmas

[missrachael]

Sorry I’m sure this thread has been done a million times. Just curious, whenever I read about what some peoples kids are getting I feel like I’m not doing good enough, at all. I plan to spend £300 each this year on 4 kids, so that’s £1200 which is a big amount of money but it also looks like hardly anything compared to some !

Thank you, I'm hopeful for a few Christmases yet but who knows. It just put it into context that actually the kids enjoy stuffing themselves silly with chocolate and waving at father Christmas when he rides around the village. I'm sure all kids love mountains of presents but it's just stuff.

I am appalled at the huge amounts of money parents can afford to spend on their children. So many Children's charities are desperate for funds, especially for life saving research it seems, and meanwhile overindulged children are creating dustbin loads of landfill.

oh please bore off!

DH and I both grew up with hard times, in social housing. We both worked our bollocks off….did several degrees! Paid off the student loans and have no mortgage.

so yeah we will spend 2000k on our son for Christmas.

just to add we also give generously to charity.

last week I ran a Santas grotto for underprivileged kids.

Oh, I'm a £300 per child person, PLUS advent box, Christmas Eve box, and weekly festive trips. I did explain myself further up the thread re: minimal waste but weirdly, your attitude has left me with no desire to do defend myself, and instead to wonder what makes you think that a) that's not within my means (is there a rule for high earners that no one told me about whereby we must be competitively frugal?) and b) that I'm competing with "fake people"?

I'll raise a glass to you whilst donning my matching PJs, and make a Christmas wish that you magically wake up no longer a judgemental misery whose weird reverse snobbery has instilled some kind of bitter superiority complex.

Merry Christmas!

Around £300 on our 13 year old daughter and probably about £60 on her stocking fillers.

Probably the best part of £1K each on both of them? I also treated them to a few days at a European Christmas Market too.

Yes we can afford it and no, we won't be going into debt to do it. No, they're not entitled and yes, they are genuinely appreciative.

Probably the best part of £1K each on both of them?

What have you bought them? I need to know!

Around £100-£150 each and have got heaps, both under 10. I have the finances to spend more but I have always bargain hunted with the children because they wouldn't know 2nd hand plus lots are from abroad/cheap sites. For me its a bit of a fun challenge! With my sibling, they haven't got much spare cash so I try and spoil them so around £400 max.

@CrownCoats I do think people just throw caution to the wind at Xmas and go crazy on credit too. Its usually been a long year so people just want to splash out and be happy. I dont know anyone who does the matching pj thing (pretty much all my friends are high earners)

A lot depends on your attitude to money. I was chatting to another mum who are easily millionaires several times over (their home is about £15m) and they were just buying scooters for the kids plus some books. She always goes 2nd hand!

Ive always been quite careful, so loads of 2nd hand stuff for years but very cool things as im a good shopper. Admittedly stuff has been quite disposable so nothing really kept for the long term. My extended family haven't got much money but they go crazy on their gifts, mainly because one parent had nothing when growing up so wants to give their kids everything. This would be games, lego, toys. And why not!

I haven't bought quantity, I've bought quality instead (plus I want to guarantee they take it all away with them after Christmas, not just leave half of it here).

So some of DD1's gifts are an Aura Ring. A couple of top quality cookware items that should last her a lifetime and gift voucher to get a Keratin treatment at a good salon. DD2 got her ski pass paid for and a good quality ski jacket, also a lovely coat from Damson Madder.

A couple of top quality cookware items that should last her a lifetime

Excellent idea! DD loves to cook and hopefully it won't be too long before she moves into her own place. Think I'll start a collection for her.