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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to ask how much you spend on DCs christmas presents?

406 replies

Splatt34 · 02/12/2012 07:50

Just that really.

DD is 2 & have finally decided what to get her. Adds up to around £70 in total.

how about the rest of you?

OP posts:
melika · 04/12/2012 10:00

You can get Babycham (big bottles) Cherry B, and snowball in Iceland! Seen it yesterday, for the benefit of previous poster.

JugglingWithPossibilities · 04/12/2012 10:00

A big games table for them to share and other bits will be between £50 and £100 each in total I'd estimate. Birthdays too we tend to get them something from each of us but around £50-£100 in total, plus up to £100 for a party. We spend more on experiences (parties) than things (presents) I think. Like to get presents that will be well played with - games gadgets have been quite a popular choice especially with DS.
At Christmas I get something little for all my nephews and nieces too - or at least the ones I'll be seeing. Up to £20 for each of those I guess.

oohlaalaa · 04/12/2012 10:55

The only comment that's irritated me on this thread is this one:

Well that's ok if you have both sets of GPS and lots of relatives but I haven't and that's why I don't want sad little faces

Our children get £40 gifts from us, and gifts from GP aunts/uncles totalling about £100. My parents always buys clothes, and practical presents. DH parents usually buy books or board games.

There are no sad little faces in our house. I appreciate we're lucky, having the grandparents contribute, but I dislike the assumption that cheap presents equates to sad faces.

I grew up, with parents who did not spend much on Christmas presents, and it was fine. I was always happy with the presents we were given. I never went without, and was always loved. I understood that they could not afford expensive gifts. I don't remember ever being sad, they were creative with what they did buy us. I don't like this keeping up with the Jones, and rampant commercialisation.

Madmog · 04/12/2012 10:58

Last year we spent £150, but that's the most we've ever spent. This year I would guess it's going to be around £70.

melika · 04/12/2012 11:03

People who have lots of relatives who give their kids presents can afford to skimp on Santas presents but for the ones who don't they have to make up the shortfall. I guess some people are lucky to have a perfect family. Just tell me what you can get for £40 each child for the record?

Madmog · 04/12/2012 11:11

Just been going over the replies since posting. I think presents are important to children, but they probably don't realise all the other things going on around Christmas make it as well: for us Xmas Eve Nativity and drinks with friends, seeing family, hubby having time off, food treats for us. My daughter wants a couple of console games, but in reality she doesn't need the extras we're going to buy.

My daughter is 11 year and surprised me a couple of weeks ago. Granny can't come Christmas Day this year, so she was adamant she wasn't opening her presents until Boxing Day as it wouldn't be Christmas without seeing someone else. Luckily my sister-in-law has just come to the rescue and we are going there for a few hours Xmas Day.

Badvocsanta · 04/12/2012 11:14

Sigh....will have to go to Iceland now to get some babycham! :)

Offred · 04/12/2012 11:15

£100 max on each child. If they want some electronic thing they have to wait for it to fall low enough for that. Oldest this year has had £89 (7 - wii), next one £91(6 - bike), twins £45 (3 - ride on police car) and £25 (hop n cuddle bunny) but they have each got something they will really, really like so I don't really see it important that we spend more on the twins to make it "even".

oohlaalaa · 04/12/2012 11:28

melika - if you are struggling, you have no option but to skimp on presents. The priority is getting the mortgage paid, and food on table. DC still get lots of days out with mum and dad, even if it's the beach or local park/ woodland walk, rather than zoo.

We have young children, and £40 is not a problem. My DD1, loved her second hand play den last year. It's just a case of looking for offers, and sometimes buying second hand. DVD's, arts and crafts stuff, flower press, junior gardener mini greenhouse /propagator kit, scooter, playmobil farm, books, activity table, childrens chalkboard, second hand swing for garden....

I have no experience buying for teenagers, and might have to increase budget to £60. I don't see that they will need designer labels or status symbols though. I'm sure they'll survive childhood without an iPad.

I'm not against going crazy now and again, if they really really wanted a Kindle Fire, I'd save up to get it, just not every year. We have stretched our budget for bigger items, such as a bike already, but it's not an every year expense.

melika · 04/12/2012 11:32

We have lost 3 very close family members in 3 years, believe me you do what ever you can to bridge the gap. Yes I have teens, who haven't got ipads but had free phones on contract last year, which cost me £45 a month for the two. So can you see £40 would not cover 1 month.

santaNdeer · 04/12/2012 11:45

DD is 14 months old, we've really struggled with what to get her tbh. It adds up to

thekidsrule · 04/12/2012 12:38

I have no experience buying for teenagers, and might have to increase budget to £60. I don't see that they will need designer labels or status symbols though. I'm sure they'll survive childhood without an iPad.

i have 2 teens and funnily one is geting an ipad,i used to think along your lines and 3years ago would never of spent £40 on a xbox game now i have teenagers my whole life plan on teenagers has flown out the window Xmas Grin

along with my bank balance

its a fact of life that teenagers will want what their friends haveand think it is very easy to say "when i have teens etc they wont have the latest etc etc" but the reality is very different when this happens imo Xmas Smile

anothercuppaplease · 04/12/2012 12:42

I use Christmas as an excuse to get them things they need, plus a couple of actual toy presents, and my parents give them £30 each and we take them to the shop so they can choose something they want, usually a piece of plastic army stuff they play with for a while.

This year they will get:

  • Snow boots
  • Pyjamas
  • Slippers
  • A couple of jumpers
  • new bumper seats for the car (!!)
  • Battleship (can't wait to play that one)
  • a couple of educational games and puzzles
  • New teddies
  • one new DVD to watch over Christmas (Brave)
  • New Karate outfits and gloves

Some of these, parents would just buy throughout the year (My MIL thought it was very funny That I'd get them new car seats as a christmas present) same with pjs and slippers. They need new one but it will wait until Christmas.
And that's it. Don't know how much it comes to.

thekidsrule · 04/12/2012 12:47

anothercuppaplease

agree one of mine needs a new pairs of vans £50 ffs for canvas shoes Xmas Shock

but hes getting them for christmas so dont mind getting them at all

im sure he will cotton on one day that i would of had to get them anyway

kiwi999 · 04/12/2012 12:57

We have done all presents for 2 children for £40 total (Pillow Pet, Skip Hop baby toy, sweets, and books) and they will both be delighted (eldest even said "but I don't need anything Mummy"). I would rather save the money not spent on loads of gifts when they don't need them to help towards education or something that will really help them out in the world when they are older. Guess I am lucky that they seem to be in agreement with this ethos already Smile.

EIizaDay · 04/12/2012 12:59

We are very fortunate financially however we still don't spend more than fifty - sixty pounds per child. This is done under pressure too as I do find xmas completely over the top and tacky these days.

I truly cannot understand parents spending hundreds of pounds on a child and I do wonder what value of money that child will grow up with.

Frontpaw · 04/12/2012 13:00

Far too much! He did need a new bike though and it's just him...

BettySwollocksandaCrustyRack · 04/12/2012 13:00

Too much if I am honest but he is an only child, we have a tiny family so more or less the only presents he gets are from us.

This year we have bought him an xbox which is expensive in itself so he will just get a few small bit and pieces so he has other stuff to unwrap too.

Frontpaw · 04/12/2012 13:11

Same here - sadly some of my siblings think birthday and christmas is optional (a bit annoying when I used to send a fortune n their kids when I was a broke student).

melika · 04/12/2012 15:01

conclusion is,you can get away with small amount of money when they are young but not when they get to their teen years. End of.

SaraBellumHertz · 04/12/2012 15:31

I'm with msdevere for, I think, similar reasons: for me it's all about the pressies.

Partly because I didn't have a great childhood but at Christmas there was always a stack of gifts and it felt truly magical even if my mither stopped speakibg to me for some imagined slight by about 11am but mostly because when the kids in DD's class were asked what their Christmas wish was hers was that her brother was still alive.

So yes we are unashamedly over the top and full on and I want nothing more than for just one day their little world to be filled with happiness and laughter and to hell with it....stuff! If that makes me tacky ( and the idea is slightly ridiculous) then frankly I couldn't care less.

Merry Christmas Xmas Smile

mindosa · 04/12/2012 15:47

Probably about 130 for DD1 and 90 for DD 2 for toys.
PJ's for both about 30
Outfits for both about 130

KinkyDoritoWithJingleBellsOn · 04/12/2012 16:01

Sara I think many of us do this. I'm very lucky that DD is still here, but the past couple of years have been such a challenge and I did go crazy last Christmas with the presents. And you know what, sod it. Until someone has walked a mile in my shoes, I defy them to judge me. I cannot take her cancer away, but I can certainly buy her things to cheer her up. I think there is a sense of empowerment in doing that - it is something that I can do in the face of so much horror. I am so sorry for your loss, and I am, as always, thinking of MrsDevere Thanks.

AFingerofFudge · 04/12/2012 16:01

Although I do it myself, I don't think it's that fair to compare to "what happened in our day". I was brought up in quite a difficult financial situation, but my mum and dad saved massively throughout the year and we got one "big" present and a few little things and realistically they probably spent (I'm guessing here) the equivalent of maybe £100 on me and my brother.

The big difference though was that we got barely anything else, and I do mean that, throughout the year. I often buy mine this and that throughout the year. Worse for me as my birthday is at Christmas too so I had to wait all year.

My mum died on Christmas day when I was 15 and I hated Christmas for many years after that. In recent years, especially having DC's myself, I've done a massive u turn on that and probably go over the top at Christmas, making magical memories. But that's not just in buying loads of stuff, it's the doing family stuff and baking and all that kind of thing too.

MrsDeVere · 04/12/2012 16:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.