how much do you spend on presents at xmas?

[NordicPrincess]

how old are your children and what do you buy them? how much do you spend?

getabloodygrip Cost of everything, value of nothing comes to mind.

My DD (6) will get a main present, this year she a bike, I've seen one for £99, and then maybe another £50 in smaller things including a stocking.

It's her birthday just 9 days before christmas so it's double wammy cost wise and there's also a party to pay for.

I try to keep GPs in check, they get competative and she doesn't need loads of stuff - I haven't got room for it apart from anything else.

I suppose we spend more than some people but a lot less than others, when you've only got one and a reasonable income it would be easy to get carried away and fill the house with lots of things they never play with anyway.

We buy each child one big / main thing and their stocking. We don't limit either (but don't go crazy).

Main thing so far has always been under £100 - a ds, bike, type thing.

We have a big family though so dc get 'big' presents from 2 sets of grandparents and also from 5 sets of aunties / uncles.

huckabees I just said Nordic might regret this thread because it comes up every year, and it is always so polarised between those who spend hundreds on each child, and those who can only afford (or choose for their own reasons) to spend a modest amount.

Then usually the thread will spiral into judgeypants about the wastefulness/stingyness of other people.

I haven't even thought about Christmas yet!

I see your xmas spirit is in full flow getabloodygrip

These threads never end well, i've learned if you dare buy more than a charity shop book and an orange then you'll be skinned alive and heaven help you if you can afford to go overboard at xmas - its almost as bad as giving them a fruitshoot

Dont want to say
Have one DS hes 3
Usually buy one big present last year was wooden thomas table and track, This year wooden IKEA kitchen

Buy lots of other bits also...this year I've already spent over £250 but just going to get the kitchen now and thats it!
I start really early so dont realise all the things i have and when i do i'm mad because i've spent that much.
Its really bad though

MrsD - don't feel guilty. I do know how you feel, I was utterly skint when dd was 5 or so, she got a doll for christmas and a stocking. She didn't feel hard done by.

Even though dd now gets a lot more stuff because my financial situation has improved, I know that what she loves most of all (this is all of us actually) is 10 days at home together. Eating.

The amount we spend depends on what they want (within reason).

Last year DS1 (8) wanted a Nintendo DS. So his presents altogether cost somewhere between £150-£200. But other years they haven't wanted anything expensive and I might have only spent £50-£60 each.

This year they have all agreed not to have "big" expensive presents as they want to go back to Center Parcs during the school holidays and that is coming out of the Christmas budget.

Loads.

im getting my daughter a my first baby bjorn doll, a toadstall play house with fairies (happyland?) im knitting her a hand bag. she also get 3 books, a colouring book and crayons. il probebly ask other family members to get her some bath toys to encourgae her enjoyment of the bath. shel be nearly 2 at xmas time.

Im getting my son a pair of walkie talkies, a pair of transformers, buckeroo game, 3 books, maybe some lego or a dragon playmobile set and a puzzle. hes 4.5yrs old.

does that sound similar to what yours get? im not asking because i want to get them the same, im looking for ideas i can steal.

Il also knit them each a xmas stocking too!

I think you can spoil your children without them turning into spoilt brats anyway.

My DS who is 3 is incredibly grateful for anything he gets and always says thank you etc unprompted and his eyes genuinely glisten over with excitement if he gets a cheap sticker book or something bigger.

I also think at that age they have no idea of the value of things in the way that they don't know they're being spoilt so have no reason to get all attitudey or ungrateful.

I am well aware I spoil my DS, I can't help it, and besides I want to and at the moment we can. That doesn't mean I will allow him to grow up and turn into some kind of brat.

I don't think if you spend a lot on your children you should be judged and slated on here, in the same way that I wouldn't judge or slag off someone who is spending £10 on them.

And talking about sodding christmas at the beginning of September is equally ridiculous. You spend a third of your year worrying about what to get them, and oh god, I must spend more than Tarquin's mother did last year and what an effing circus it all becomes.

I love Christmas, it's fun and we all just piss about at home for a few days without a care in the world, but jeez, it's a few days of fun not worth all this grief and planning. You;ve fallen into the retailers' trap!

GetOrf.
I have got into debt for Christmas before, and I'd do it again, well I say debt, more affordable credit.

I just want DD to have one day without my necessary Scrooge like tendencies taking precedence.

I don't believe that those who spend 50p and something fashioned from old newspaper and sticky back plastic when earning loads don't buy their kids much, they just don't do many presents at Christmas, whereas I just do presents at Christmas and lots of those presents are necessities, just more fun when they are under a tree and wrapped up.

I spend about £100 each on my 2 ds's.

I ask other family to club together to get them something that isnt small and plastic and will get trashed in 2 days This year ds1 is getting a new bike from PIL/SIL and they are both getting a nintendo Wii from my parents/sister/brother.

I spend about £40 on my nephews and about £10 on other children, i.e. godchildren, cousins children etc

I like buying presents for children. Not so keen on buying them for adults though - Never know what to get people and I always end up with toiletries I cant use (I have very sensitive skin) and candles

I guess if I had unlimited resources I would enjoy it more - Wouldnt it be great to be able to wrap up a car for someone on xmas morning!!!!!?????

Thanks GetOrf I do feel guilty sometimes. They didn't seem to mind too much last year. I am certainly not being holier than thou about not buying more. It is just a matter of not being able to do more. I really wish I could. I certainly don't see why people shouldn't go for it if they can. Each to their own. I must step away from AIBU now. I hadn't even realised this thread was in here and stumbled in again !

But, MrsD WHY do you wish you could do more, what would it achieve??? Would you just feel better for spending more utterly pointlessly?? Would it give you kudos to have a larger pile with more expensive stuff in, most of which will be used, abused, and discarded??? Get them something REALLY special and nice and perfect for them.

Spending more is just for the sake of it, and due to pressures of other people/advertising and other people on MN!

You really shouldn't feel guilty (though it is par for the course).

I bloody love Christmas - I think my desire to have a picturebook Nigella perfect christmas stems from having 16 very unhappy ones when i was a child. And I do go over the top, nit just with presents, but with food and just general christmassy madness. But I just love it.

I'm gobsmacked too at how much is spent on kids for Christmas. I'm not presuming to judge whether parents can afford to or not, but surely there's only so much 'stuff' anyone can buy....

I have to admit I agree with JenaiMarr

I think it really depends on how much you can afford to spend on Christmas. I suppose it all comes down to personal choice.

I have 3 dc's aged 5,3 & 1 (well she will be on Sunday) and in hindsight i wish we hadnt spent so much on them from such a young age as it does make it harder each year.

Ds started talking about things on his Christmas list about 6wks ago and I had to say quite firmly that i wasnt prepared to talk xmas presents until November :o. He does flit between wanting a dsi and some battery operated hamster thingy. Quite a difference in price as one is £135 and the other £9.99! Dd1 wants a sylvanian families house which is about £80.

We tend to set a budget of £100 each but dont fret too much if we go a little over. Although i do like to make sure that they have the same number of presents and luckily they arent aware of how much things cost.

We do have a fairly big list of people to buy for which last year came in at about £1500 which included the dc's and dh but not my presents.

Personally i wouldnt worry how much you spend as it is such a personal choice and you will always have someone question you as to why you have either spent so much or not spent much at all. As long as they have something that they want (within reason) and you are happy with your choices then thats all that matters :o

MrsDoofenshmirtz my mum had very little money most Christmases. I never felt hard done by. I knew some kids' families had more money than we did - it mattered not a jot to me.

Getorf I was the same - it was spending days eating and watching Top of the Pops and whatever that I enjoyed about Christmas. Obv. the presents were appreciated too, but they weren't the be all and end all.

I also love christmas always want it to be perfect :)
I think a lot of people go over the top with presents but if you can why not its your choice

I spend about £25 - 30 on family members and £50 on my DH.
when my baby is born I will try to stick to that amount for them too except when they are really little and I will probably spend less.

Of course it's not for the sake of it, it's so your DC can get lots of things they love, and have a lovely time opening all the presents and be really happy about it.

Anyway, all you stingebags with the orange and apple.

My DD is getting pre cut orange and apple.

I might peel her some grapes too.