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!

DD is 12 and her recent birthday was around £250 but that included a smart watch fitness tracker thing for £150

Christmas is around £350-£500 depending on main gift. This year she’d like a new phone as her main gift so it will be an expensive year.

We are not well off but I buy throughout the year and get bargains where I can. I think we overspend but to be honest I enjoy it and she’s a pretty grateful kid.

I always wonder when I read these threads what people manage to get for under £100. Don’t mean to sound judgy or anything. I genuinely wish I could spend that amount. The problem now would probably be that my kids have got used to more so to scale back would be difficult.

Household income of around 20k. Don’t think I’ve ever managed to spend less than £150 on a birthday, usually more, and then some if there’s a party. And Xmas usually 250 minimum per child. Although I know I go way overboard at Xmas.

Birthdays coming up. Younger one will probably get between 7-10 presents hopefully not costing more than 150. And then maybe a party maximum budget 150.

Older one has asked for several things but each costs on average £40 (teenager-clothes,trainers ect)

Sometimes a toy can cost upwards of 30 so do people that only spend 60 or 70 just get one or maybe 2 things or several little things?

Also, to answer an earlier question. Kids don’t really get presents from anywhere else, apart from one set of grandparents. And don’t get ‘presents’ throughout the year apart from the occasional treat.

So much more as they get older. I can spend £250 on one of my older dc now (10 and 8) and not have all that much to show for it.

Dc3 is 1 and last Xmas was so easy - I think we spent £50 and he had piles of stuff.

I spend about £50 on birthdays, £150 max for Christmas.

Most of it goes on books though, although last year it was decent child sized gardening tools which he loves.

All my son usually wants is either books, money (he is a serious saver) or colouring pens.

It surprises me people spend more at Christmas than birthdays, I won't go into amounts as that's dependent on income, but for anyone I would spend more on a birthday than Christmas, a birthday is special, it's just for them, whereas Christmas is something everyone celebrates. Mind you that will be irrelevant with this baby, due late December!

@Imustbemad00
It's because of what you clarify as gifts, I wouldn't see clothes or shoes as gifts for a child, they are just things they need and would be bought when needed, if everyone else added cost of clothes and shoes into Christmas/birthday budget it would look more expensive

@Imustbemad00
A lot of us spending less probably have toddlers or pre-schoolers. Their stuff is cheaper anyway plus they won't notice if stuff is 2nd hand (like the £5 balance bike I bought DS!)

Or the DC have lots of relatives, friends, and godparents.

We dont have a set budget but usually around £100 for birthday and £250-£300 for christmas depending on what their main present is. They dont get any toys throughout year however apart from whatever money they have themselves

Imustbemad, our children only get one present for their birthdays and then a few little things, like some sweets, a magazine and a book. Depending on the price of the main present we might spend anywhere between £20 and £100. Christmas, we spend £50ish for the youngest and £150ish for the oldest.

DS will be turning one in December and we’ve agreed on £100 for Birthday and £100 for Christmas.

Sounds like a lot but for Birthday we’ve bought a beautiful wooden rocking animal (£65), set of books, baby Jigsaw puzzle and some little wooden cars. I don’t think 4 gifts is excessive, and Christmas will be similar - a main gift with a few small stocking fillers.

We have a similar income to you OP.

We probably spend the same on the dc at Xmas and on birthdays.

The difference is about half to two thirds of the Birthday budget tends to go on a party for them...so they definitely get fewer gifts but the spend is still the same ish.