To not really want to buy my nieces and nephews christmas presents?

[BBQSteak]

maybe i'm just being a tight arse.

i have 2 siblings with 6 children between them.
we have 1 dc

we usually all spend about 25 pounds per child.
so to buy gifts for them costs us

150pounds

tbh, i would prefer to spend that on our dc.

as we only have a budget of 75pounds for our child.
which isn't alot

and to be totally honest, i suppose it's a bit to do with the fact the numbers are uneven.
it wouldn't be quite so bad if we had three children too.
but i don't know if thinking like that is totally out of order and i'm just being a tightwad and a bit of a bitch

its not that we can't afford it, we can just about, be to be toatlly honest i'd rather spend the money on us, our dc and being able to spend a bit more on the day with food/drink etc

like i said if we loads of money i wouldn't mind at all, in fact i would up the budget.

i just feel what we spend on then limits what we have to spend on us and our dc.

Sorry - over-analysing

If you don't know what they've got, then what about vouchers?

YAB a bit U, however I do think that £25 is a lot to spend per niece/nephew, especially if you can "only just afford it".

Our nieces and nephews get book tokens, usually £5 each. We used to buy books, but as they got older it is hard to know what they already have so we get them vouchers instead so that they can choose one. Our DC get the same from their aunts and uncles. Everyone is happy

well yes they are an option, cuts out the trudging round, hiding and delivery part.
less wasteful i suppose as they will pick something they like

quite easy.

I am sort of in this position, but he other way round. I am the only one with two, everyone else has one.

What i do to level the playing field, (because i feel guilty) is say that my kids will buy my nephew for example, 1 present from each of them, and he can buy them 1 each back. So i actually buy my nephew two presents, but my kids get one each, but it means i dont short change my sis or friends

Really hope that made sense

yes you are all right 25 is tooo much

i will cut that back

How about agreeing a household budget?

A set amout per household to cover all kids and adults ond the dog ir whatever?

I don't think you're being 'tight' at all. If you are on a budget, whatever that may be, I'd feel same about wanting to spoil by DC that little bit more.

I'm not quite sure how this would work but I was having a chat with my friend at the weekend who is in a similar situation to you and I suggested to her to do it in a Secret Santa way between all the children, but you'd have to do it in a way that made sure no one ended up buying their own children, this was easy to work out with her family.

Then you only have to buy maybe 2 presents instead of loads and you could maybe all agree to put a cap on it, but with a higher budget than the £25 maybe, so then each child got one present only but that was worth more and maybe had a bit more staying power than a cheaper present (not suggesting £25) is cheap by the way.

You could always explain to the children that are old enough to understand whats going on that it is one special present but off a secret Auntie/Uncle. I;m sure they'd love the mystery of it all.

I completely sympathise. My kids and my nieces and nephews - 12 of them - already have FAR TOO MUCH. WAY TOO MUCH.

It'll all end up in a bloody landfill anyway. Or being picked off the floor by them mum 50 times a week.

Have them over for a lovely party instead. Or take them to the cinema. Their parents will thank you!

when you think about it, we have a budget for our dc for 75 and spend 150 [double]on nieces and nephews.

TBH i think you have a right to be peed off with the £25 each thing but it doesnt have to be that amount you spend. as others have said, buy bargains, 2-4-1s, half price etc.

we have DD and none of our other family members have any DCs so they buy for DD (last year BIL and SIL got her a £1 selection box and doll from poundland-BIL works there) and we got left out but we have to buy for all our siblings (i have 2 brothers and a sister as does DH) and their respective partners as the 'budget' is £20 per person we have to buy 3x£40 and 3x£20 just for the siblings and it is expected aswell (DHs family expect money and are NOT HAPPY with any less than £20)

i am not happy to give grown adults £20 if they are happy to spend £2 on DD with no thought at all. i am not tight as i would rather buy a present and wrap it etc i feel it is missing the point to give someone money in a card!!

Another one who married into an Irish family. Imagine 16 nieces and nephews (and another on the way)!!!

I probably spend £10-20 on each, but we have agreed not to exchange gifts with five in Ireland and two in Australia, as the postage was getting a bit silly. We just buy a tin of biscuits (or similar) and say they're "from Uncle x" and they do the same.

I remember the good old days when WE (ie. ourselves and siblings) were the centre of attention at Christmas; now it has moved down a generation (as well it should)!

I have no children, and several nieces and nephews to buy for, which I don't really mind - but in an effort to be 'fair' my sister, mum and MIL end up buying lavish gifts for our dogs... which I would happily see converted into an extra bottle of wine or two.

Reduce the budget to £15 per child.

Use sales, bargains and BOGOF type deals:

20% off at ELC - can nearly always get that if you invite a child for their Birthday Club.

Boots 3 for 2

Playmobil is currently 50% off in manny places

Argos 2 for £15 toys

Book People for book sets

Methinks the meaning of Christmas has got lost somewhere along the line. Your OP makes it sound like you only give presents to get presents in return. Maybe you should have a think about why you give your nieces and nephews presents...

YABU

Yes- I have a friend with four kids, we just have the one- means I have to shell out for 8 presents a year (xmas and birthdays)- we only get 2 in return- shouldn't mind really, but it does grate a little.

I wouldn't spend anymore than £10 per kid anyway

We have 4 dcs, and one godmother provides a much anticipated selection box each; not one dc says, hang on, you spent £25 on little x, where's my Nintendo game?

No need to spend £25.
I think that you can generally get a nice present for children for about £15.
eg. really nice non-fiction book plus a little stocking filler,
A bag or lunchbox plus a paper back
Two paper backs and a stocking filler

You could cut it down if you look hard enough for bargains and good value items.

Or how about just talking to your siblings and see if they would be interested in doing presents differently this year?

We solved this problem very early on. My brother and I agreed to not buying each others children or even each other gifts.

It doesn't make us meanies nor does it mean that we don't love them.

Before this arrangement was made, I would regularly buy gifts for his children but his face when he couldn't reciprocate was awful.

It made his Christmas worse by worrying how he was going to afford gifts for us, let alone his own family.

for goodness sake, why did you EVER spend so much money on them??? Insane. £10 tops.

Why do you need to spend £25 each? That's a lot of money. Stick to £5-10 each. YANBU to want to spend that amount in total but fgs get them something.