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?

Ah yes.

I'd forgotten about the last-minute, have I got everything, I've had a few tipples-type shopping.

And also- the gifts I've smugly bought in August, put in a safe place and rediscovered on Christmas Eve.

So perhaps a little more than my original post....

milady.

I did ask him if he wanted anything else, and he said, "but I don't really need anything else, Mummy".

He needs the chattering teeth, though.

I'm enjoying this remarkable lack of materialism while it lasts.

When it was just me and DD1 I spent about £150 on her but now I have another 2 DDs so it will probably have to be less.

DD1 (8) - a second hand DS probably from Amazon, a couple of DVDs and books, a dressing gown and maybe some clothes

DD2 (2) - something for her doll not sure what yet, a dressing gown, in the night garden DVD, books and maybe clothes

DD3 (4 months) - not very much probably just token presents as have lots of toys already maybe a dressing gown.

When DD1 was 3 every time she was asked what she want for Christmas she said cake and juice the following year she wanted a bike :)

ALcrowney'''It doesn't make children spoilt to get nice things/go out now and again - it makes them feel valued and loved and special.''

I think it's a bit sad that kids need things to make them feel like this. I never got that much at xmas and I knew I was valued, loved and special to my parents. I didn't need a huge pile of expensive presents to know it.

I don't think you need stuff to make you happy.

Colditz we can afford to spend a lot more than we do on our child for Christmas - we spend about £20 -£30 but that does not make us mean or stingy. I just don't think you should spend money just because you have it. I do not want to send the message that Christmas is about presents, in our home it is about family being together. I admit to spending quite a lot of money on food.

My child does not go without but she does not have a room stuffed full of toys.

I also just don't want her having too much stuff, a reason why we never buy her a birthday present or this year for example we bought a painting for her room.

My child does feel loved because of the time we give her. If she expresses an interest in something we follow that, for example she loves horses so she has lessons and we have discussed next year a pony share. She loves to draw and paint, so as a family we paint together.

It isn't a judgement about spending too much money, I imagine over the year I spend a lot of money on my daughter. I just don't spend that money on lots of gifts under a tree.

i have a wee 3 year old girl katie-cole...i would normally spend about £300 on her but that is only because i only have her...next year there will be a new baby here so she prob wont get that much spent on her

Where do you all put all of this stuff? We have a reasonably sized house and it makes me feel sick the amount of toys we have to get rid of each year to make room for new toys.

If ours need something during the year (new bike, guinea pig etc) they will get it, but for Christmas they will have maybe £50-60 present and £20 stocking fillers.

Really horrified by the amount other people are spending. Also horrified when there are threads on here about how much people have in savings and lots of people have barely anything and then complain when there is a recession and they have no money. Grrrrr.

I agree twopeople I think spending a lot of money on birthday and Christmas presents is a waste of money. I don't buy my husband anything for Christmas and don't expect anything from him. That does not mean I do not value my husband or daughter.

did i see someone on here say 1000 each? see i cant actually find enough toys to warrant that kind of money.

Some of these amounts are shocking. If anyone wanted to know why we have a country full of spoilt brats and people in debt, they only have to look here.

Nor am I a fan of the hair shirt, spending nowt brigade. But hundreds of pounds on a child? When you know they will also get tons of stuff from other rellies? If you think that's what makes your child happy for more than a nanosecond then you are very naive.

I bought an apple ipod for my 10 yr old last christmas and can honestly say it was the best present he ever had, he hasn't put it down since. Really happy. 3 years ago, bought xbox between two of them, happy with that. You don't need tons of presents which go to waste, just one good one with a lot of cheap treats in a stocking. They are well happy with that and the Christmas spirit in your home.

i personally wouldnt buy an electronic gift for a child under 13/14. they can have a laptop when they start college, i just dont think theyd appreciate or understand it.

i think its harder with subsequent children as they see what older siblings have and grow up quicker

He's a really mature 11yr old and I think he can handle it,[he has an older bro].

I will no doubt get hammered for this one, but I have been known to spend £1000 on my DS at Christmas and/or birthday.

He is def not a spoilt little brat - he has lovely manners, is very kind and considerate and very rarely asks for anything, other than footballs.

He is nearly 6 and I go mad every birthday and christmas. This year though I have decided to try and not go so mad. He is getting a Nintendo DS with a couple of games and I am going to try to cut the budget down to £500. It will be a start and I will cut it down again next year. I know I spend too much, but I really do enjoy buying him things.

Apx £80 on DD1 (4) and £30-£50 on DD2 (2). That's the max we'll spend. Nothing for each other as far as DH and I are concerned. DDs always get a a nice gift each from my parents, and MIL always goes ridiculously OTT every year spending £100s and £100s of pounds. Just no bloody need for it though imo.

getorf

I am so glad it is not just me
Dh comes home just as the christmas demented glee starts to wear off and I am sitting there with bags and he has a wtf face on.
But it feels so great while I am doing it

we should meet and combine our pre christmas hysteria...think of the damage we could do gaoding each other to ever higher spending buying christmas cheer

You know, I am taking this thread out of my watched thread. I just can't read it. Totally agree Inchhighprivateeye.

Things don't make children happy.

[old fogey emoticon]

This thread is shocking. Can't believe how much you all spend.
WHY ? why do you do it ?
dh and I buy eachother something small. if i ask him what he wants, he wants nothing, thats becasue during the yera, if he wants something, he buys it.
last year i bought ds1 a nintendo ds game, off e-bay. £15. the kid was delighted.
gets lots of nana's, nannyseaside, adn dh's 6 brothers and sisters. so is there any need to buy him anything other than one small gift ?

errr NO.

I could spends 100's. 1000's actually. We can afford to. but why would I ?

You lot are MAD.

I don't understand the idea that x child needs £x spent..

If one child genuinely want a presnt costing £20 and the other one wants a present costing £200 would people then spend £180 to make it even

My children do not look at what their siblings get and compare. They have not been brought up like that. They do not see each other as competition.
Actually each of them enjoy enormously chosingtheir gifts for their family as part oftheir christmas - and getting involved in what we do and the way we spend the holiday.
DD has not talked about presents but has already asked about the tree

They are incredibly fortunate and I have at times spent lots of money on them but they are not spolit.
I think spoiling is creating a sense of entitlement in children and that actually has very little to do with how much you spend.

Oblomov, I think you've partly answered your own question, otherwise if you read through the read you'll find the answer. To summarise, you don't do it because as you say 'if he wants something, he buys it' and your child gets lots of presents anyway from extended family.

Some of the posters on here have stated they spend at Christmas because a. their kids get bugger all from anyone else b. they have no money for treats rest of year.

Some have plenty of money but restrict treats outside of birthdays and christmas. And as other posters have pointed out, some of those declaring themselves to be purposefully stingy the rest of the year splurge all year round anyway (see post about pony-share for example). And others like to spend because it gives them and their kids a bit of pleasure.

spacedog, i had read every single post. yes you are right, people spend differently throughout the year.

AND, just for the record. unlike pagwatch's delighted children. ds1 is a greedy little toe-rag. shows no interest in our lovely huge family party, or all the lovely food i make. over christmas. its all 'when is it christmas, so that i get the present i asked for' type thing.
shameful. makes me so sad.
so mock away, push me off my sanctimonious step. enjoy.

ah Oblomov
They all have their moments. DD is great about the christmas thing. She is vile about being the centre of attention in school play.

I have hideous Bonnie Langford hot flashes