to be shocked by how much people spend at Xmas?

[SantosLHalper]

There's a thread going on here about what we all got for Christmas and I am geuinely stunned by how much some people get. Its amazing what people have spent.

Im neither rich, or in debt

Ive spent maybe £800 on my 3 DC, each of them have a big present, 19month old had playhouse, 7year old had DSi XL, 12year old have £150 cash] lots of other toys, smellies, loads clothes, and their stocking fillers. If I could not afford it, I WOULD not get myself into debt, they would just have less

Im not shocked at other people spending less on their DCs.

Not trying to rub nobodies nose in anything by stating how much Ive spent etc, How much other people spend is their business.

My DCs are not spiteful, spoilt brats, they look after and value their belongings, infact went through DS age 7, toy boxes before xmas, and found loads of baby toys,[in mint condition] he has had since birth, gave some to 19month old, and gave the rest to a charity shop.

Yep agree with many posters: each to their own.

I think it's horses for courses. I budget and buy early to make sure I don't spend too much all at once, but I don't set out to buy expensive gifts, I go for what people will like. I bought my father a beautiful Ralph Lauren leather overnight bag which cost a lot, but my mother just wanted some Chanel perfume which was a 1/3 of the price.

My little brother got 3 scarves, as that would make him happy.

I think it varies from person to person, rather than set out and limit yourself to buying only expensive gifts.

I bought OH an Ipad, two pairs of cufflinks and a tie. Although the cufflinks and tie were from DC's.

DC1&2 - PSP, £75 and about £15 in stocking fillers each.

I got an Ipod and posh smellies.

The contents were expensive but we bought quality rather than tons of crap. Sometimes giving tons of gifts to kids is just as bad, even if it works out cheaper. Loadsa stuff for stuffs sake is not good.

but opening up the presents is the best bit- kids don't often care what's actually under the wrapping paper-- unless it's a good old-fashioned cardboard box: always a hit on Xmas day

generally I splurge at Christmas. I hardly ever drink, and don't buy the kids any toys all year round (no really, they get nothing ) so I do like to make it special. But it's mainly food I spend on, those things I can afford, but regard as being too extravagant the rest of the time (as another poster said).

I don't buy my DS lots throughout the year and he gets only a couple of presents for his birthday as we want christmas to be the one we celebrate more.

I don't drink nor do I smoke so the money that I would spend on those items I quite happily out away and then spend it on presents for DS and DH.

What I find shocking is that some people think their noses are being rubbed in it because they didn't spend as much as some other people (but I bet they spent more than others too but don't think about that). I have not seen a single nose rubbing post, certainly not on this thread. If you think your noses is being rubbed in it, then it is your issue nobody else's. So much for Christmas goodwill to all men from some of you that you can't at least be accepting that some people want to spend their own money to have a nice time one day in the year.

And Expat is right, some people are doing OK at the moment - if you have kept your job (and let's face it, most people have, unemployment is not running at 40/50/60%) and you have a mortgage which has felt the benefit of the fall in the interest rates, then it is totally conceivable that you aren't feeling the pinch that much or you have been able to accommodate whatever price rises you have suffered. That is nobody's fault and they shouldn't be made to feel bad because of it.