In thinking it has sod all to do with anybody else how much others spend on christmas ??

[ApocalypseCheeseToastie]

And yes it is a thread about a thread.

So long as people aren't starving the children or flogging great Aunt Ada in order to pay for it beaks should be kept well and truly out imo .

That's probably becasue you don't make a big thing of it Riven, it's just the way things are and an attitude we should see more of.

Apocalypse

No one said a child is a 'gloating little madam' for receiving nice stuff. The point being made was that people are entitled to feel a bit meh if said lucky kids then go into school boasting or jeering. Otherwise, no one else's business, because no one else will have a clue how much was spent.

We've spent a lot on my son this year - but we don't have many people to buy for just 3 other kids in the family. He has also been through one heck of a year. Still he has had less for christmas and has been equally as happy TBH.

DS has no grandparents so we do lash out at christmas. He only gets one other gift from is DU and DA. However I would never criticise anyone for not spending loads on their kids and wouldn't expect anyone to criticise me without knowing the Ins and outs of our situation.

I pick up on any child bragging on how much they had - that sounds more like the parents than the kids though.

I think it is very sensible of people to keep Christmas presents at a level they can afford. Far better to keep a roof over your head really.

However when you post on a public domain you are openly inviting critique.....

And I haven' seen any threads started about how little people spend at christmas....

Eh, there is one Apocalyse, and lots of balance to boot.

If I started a thread stating i'm shocked and horrified by how little some people spend at christmas, those poor deprived children, what are their parents thinking etc and so on it wouldn't go down very well and rightly so.

Read the Post entitled I didn't buy expensive presents for my children (or something like that).

I've refered to it.

The op also states she sends 2 out of her 3 children to private school and buys her daughter a lot more than her boys to help her fit in, hardly balanced ! No wonder the poor sods weren't happy.

People didn't say they're entitled to say anything to parents who spend lots, just that they feel 'shocked' and don't like them boasting about it to kids from homes where that amount can't be spent. Who on earth is going to go up to a parent at the school gate and say 'think of the peer pressure you're putting on my chidren'. Or are you saying parents shouldn't even think like that?

Altkin

The point I was making was that posters weren't all saying' good for you spending very little' most were taking a more in between point of view.

Well, we'll have to agree to differ. I think nice (or even really nice) presents if you can afford them, but not over the top, going mad just because I have the money to do so. But that's just me, maybe.

Oh I love a good Xmas thread - I spent :
2.5k on 18 mth old ds1
I spent £13.75 on my 14 year old dd.
I love it because I am a) inherently nosy
b)look forward to the subsequent thread in 6 months time:
my dh left me for my unreasonableness/ mad credit card bill I've been hiding/ tight-fisted-mean-ness.
Love it. Can't wait.

As a rule you're right, it's no one's business unless of course they ask your opinion, say by posting an AIBU thread about it.

Not getting into the debate but just have to say alkinkum that I'm sorry Christmas was like that for you as a child.

Looking back, my parents didn't have much when my sister and I were young but it was all about us. All year round not just at Christmas. If we had luxuries we didn't realise and if we lacked necessities we didn't notice.

You must feel very proud of the family you have created

altinkum

Its a thread about my thread which is about a thread in fact!

oooh, people have got very defensive over a silly thread.

My little kids got an obscene amount of presents this year BUT I didnt spend that much (IMO) on them.

So I could offend both sides couldnt I

I got about £600 worth of toys but due to Sainsbury's half price toy sale and a shed load of nectar points I spent just over £50 per child (8mths, 3 & 7).

So confound those judgy jugeheads Mwahaaahahahhaa!

BTW if you think the Christmas threads are bad on MNs you wanna see the ones on NMs . They are mad