To ask how much you spend on your children's birthday and Christmas presents?

[pimplypoppet]

Yes I know it's rude to ask and it depends how much money you have. We live in a modest 3 bed, DH earns approx £35k, I earn approximately £17k part time. Shopping for DDs 4th birthday today and realised with all the 'bits' I'd got I'd already spent in excess of £60. Does that seem a lot or a little to you? Realise this is not important at all, just a bit interested!

What we spend on our dcs varies very much depending on what they need and we think they will really love.

Last year dc1 (then 8) got an ipod but this level of spend is unusual. That's the most I've ever spent.

Least was dc3's 2nd birthday present which was a football Grand cost of £4.

The saddest birthday and Xmas for DS was the day he was born three and a half weeks early. Poor little bugger got diddly squat and the shops were shut and then had to wait a whole year until it was Christmas again. That was my best ever Christmas present though and it has cost a fortune over the last nearly 19 years

Not a lot, I'm sure this will change as DC gets older and understands gifts better! I actually used club card points to buy birthday gift - wasn't a lot, but then felt between GPs, aunts, uncles and friends DC had a ridiculous amount of stuff, so maybe get a few new essentials like clothes, a toy and book or two. God that sounds tight! But I'm sure they will be demanding more bits soon enough.

DC are 5, 6 and 6. For Xmas, we have the grand total of £33 for all of them, with stockings costing £4 each. Total spend is therefore £45 for thre three. They are spoilt by my parents and this year are getting a big shared gift with loads of little things in it to open, so is as exciting as many smaller presents.

For birthdays, it varies. DTs had their birthday last week, and we spent £20 each, but this allows for a lot, we have a very good charity shop nearby with chikdren books for 10 for £2 (and great quality, wanted books too) which means we get a lot for our money. Freecycle and Gumtree means that usually we find a gift worth a lot more than what we pay (or even get for free) and our family overload them with gifts. DC3 however has his birthday this week, and is getting £15 spent, but that's because he only wants sme very specific things and we've for everything for that price plus some more token gifts, and he's very obsessive about this and that, so if we get him extra, it will make him upset/tense. They are having a shared birthday party costing £90 though, half paid by the ILs, which is going to overshadow the birthday presents as it involves animals.

This is due to temporary costs (well, they've lasted a few years) due to DH being unemployed and also due to having to pay for a lot of care and support for my DPs. This should be resolved in about six months, and then we will hopefully be getting them a lot more.

Although the presents might be cheaper in a way, because they are close in age and good friends, we usually get a large present (like a big craft hamper) for them to share, which means they get the excitement and their own things. DH's family shower them with gifts and we have many relatives and friends to ensure that they are always bursting with presents, which means we can pick carefully with our budget, because we know that even if it's only two gifts there, they will be special for them, and they will have a ton of other gifts too. We also have a friend who works at the ice rink so we get free tickets there sometimes, meaning we can take them ice skating or whatever for free.

I usually think about £50 for birthday and £100-£125 for Christmas, but I buy things and stash them as and when I see them so I probably go over that and inevitably it's getting more expensive as DD gets older (she's 9).

I made a Christmas list for her and totted it up the other week and was that it came to £280.

I get the pressies from me and DH, but I also share ideas with my parents so between us she usually gets most of what she's after. She's the only grandchild on their side so does get a bit indulged although DMum has refused point blank to buy her any more Lego this year !

Birthdays for older dc £60- £100 for the little ones around £30.
For Christmas £150- £200 for the older dc and about £50 for the little ones.

Ds' past presents have included an iggle piggle scooter and an almost brand new fisher price garage both £2 each in a charity shop. this year he had two action figures at £30 each. it really depends on what he needs/likes at the time. i do have to save/ budget well though if he is having a "big present" and i wont overspend.

For Christmas, budget is higher but given the MN mantra that anything more than an orange and a coin in the stocking is excessive i am not brave enough to admit how much we spend.

This made me laugh . So true.

I go over-the-top for Christmas in particular....I just love buying toys/kids stuff. I just do. I try to restrain myself the rest of the year.

The total spend definitely increases as they get older!
I'm a kindred spirit fixitup !
I do spend alot on Christmas, but I don't give my DDs toys and treats throughout the year like alot of my friends do, I save it all up for Christmas.
Also, most of their gifts include practical things, particularly as they get older - coats, clothes, shoes - stuff that we'd have to buy anyway but that is more fun wrapped up for Christmas!

It depends on what they need or want, no set budget and I don't feel the need to spend the same on each child. That said, if what they want is over about £60, I will ask my parents or sister if they want to come in on it.

I go nuts on stockings though and get a bit over excited doing them so they can cost the same as the present easily.

I save all year for xmas, start shopping in October and use boots and nectar points on what I can. Never get in debt.

FixIt, at least you are restrained during the year, i dont tend to buy big ticket items but do buy games etc throughout the year for DS as i do love treating him.

Nice to find a kindred spirit

OP it really doesn't matter. If you are happy with what you've got then you've got the right amount. If you find something else that's perfect, get it. If you feel that's enough already, leave it there.

Ignore the "you spend over £1.50 on your over indulged child???!!!!" crap that you see on here, trying to prove some ridiculous point of how little their Von Trapp child needs. I spend thousands on DS birthday parties and Christmas presents, but it's because I don't buy cheap tat, not because I feel I must spend that amount. I carefully source and put a lot of thought into it all. He's had a Victorian rocking horse restored for a present one year, this year main pressie will be a quad bike with helmet, boots, etc. £2k. He'll have about another £500 of pressies from Father Christmas, a very good telescope and large bespoke model of the solar system, he's hugely into science and space. If you met him, he is not a "spoilt brat" in the slightest. He appreciates it all, and really uses and loves what he gets as I try my hardest to really research his presents. It may not be the norm, but DP spends way more than that on his children (they are older) so it's right for me, and it's right for him, no one else's opinion is of concern.

Do what you feel is right for your own child. As long as you don't get into debt from over buying, then there's really nothing to worry about.

FixIt, at least you are restrained during the year, i dont tend to buy big ticket items but do buy games etc throughout the year for DS as i do love treating him.

Note I said try Happy, try....TBH I am the same as you when it comes to treating

it depends on what they want.

dd1 has just outgrown her bike, so I reckon we're looking at £250 for that, plus a couple of small presents and stocking, so easily £300 this year, maybe more. Last year her "big present" was a £40 lego set that we got free with clubcard vouchers, so we only paid for her stocking and little bits.

she had a £25 barbie set for her birthday, but had a big party, so in total that was probably a £200 spend.

dd2 will probably be £100 in total - £50 big present, £50 on little ones and a stocking.

our income is very similar to yours, but we do have some savings. i reckon it's perfectly reasonable to spend huge sums as long as you're not sticking it all on a credit card.

God I'm a bit embarrassed now, I've already spent £50 on books, activity books and puzzles for DD (2) and will be getting her a scooter, sing along cd player and some Fisher price little people stuff! Probably £180/£200 in all, is that really crazy? I thought it was restrained and it's all stuff I know she'll love and get good use out of? It's the first year she'll really understand and I'm so excited!!!

Always about £50ish for birthday and a bit more for Xmas.

Until now.........

This year DD1 is 9 and we have found it really hard to find a second hand bike for her that is the right size.

So we have been to Halfords and bought a new one £130 .

That will be her only birthday present from us and she is happy with that.

She will get a few other things from family and friends.

60 on dd who is 9 and 35 on Ds for Xmas. Birthdays are more as they have a party or day out so about 200 inc present.

DSD gets £40 at Christmas. She's older so gets more spent on her as she's a tech loving girl.

DS is only 5 and has £25 spent on him, and £30 on birthdays. Sometimes less, sometimes more. It all depends.

DTDs get about £25 each too, they are 4.

However, this year, they are having a shared present with a start up cost of about £140 between them (two guinea pigs, a cage, start up stuff/toys and so on), plus £25 on DSD, £20 on DS, £15 for DTD1 and £18 for DTD2 (due to different stuff being wanted). So between £50-60, but this is very much a one off!

when we were little (Im 42) we got approx £100 each for xmas, and around £25 for birthdays, I keep this tradition but with inflation so they get roughly the same amount and type of gifts we used to get eg, dolls , games,bikes, tv game etc just the updated versions (tv game what does that sound like!) so its all relative, also we are just average wage earners but spent the same when we were low earners too. I guess in todays money it works out about £300 for xmas now and £70 for birthdays. OMG how old do I sound!!!

generally £300-£500 for birthday and a party or special trip and about £500-£700 on christmas presents each. As they get older the gifts we buy tend to be laptops/ipods/ipads etc fo rschoolwork or university. Also a bottle of perfume or aftershave is not cheap these days.
I always say l am going to cut down but so far have not succeeded. maybe this year.

DDs 5th birthday is on Sunday, we've spent £100 on presents, for Christmas I spend about £60 on her (mainly because thats as much as we can afford as my youngest siblings are 9, 10, 13 and 15 and deserve spoiling too, they also get £60 each).

Not spent much on her party (probably about £10 on ingredients) as all she wants is her aunts and uncles round for a sleepover with "special 'ghetti and cake."

Spent over £200 for each of my sons. Both birthdays in September. Been shopping since march

It’s definitely got more expensive as they have aged. Just had two birthdays. First got a five day holiday in Valencia with her boyfriend (his 21st from us as well) came to £650 approximately plus a new suitcase, a bikini and a coat. She’ll want spending money too.
Older one got £300 cottage voucher, a £200 photographic print of the round the island race they were in, some Liz Earle bits and a serving platter. Plus a nice pub meal that was around £200.
So nice when a secondhand bicycle would do.

I think we spent £40 for DSs birthday (scooter and helmet from decathlon) plus we had a few toddler friends round for party food and cake.

Will probably spend £50-60 at Christmas, maybe less. planning to do 1 present from us, 1 from F.C. for as long as we can! Italian Ephipany Stocking on the 6th of Jan but the Befana (old lady/witch who gives presents) is poor and only gives things like colouring pencils, oranges and sweets.