Competitive Christmas thriftiness on MN

[Imchangingmyname]

Just something I've noticed over the last few weeks on MN.

There seems to be a lot of competitive comments regarding how little you can spend on your kids. Let's be honest here, stuff costs. Whether that's plastic tat for the baby or an iPad for the teenager but mostly: Kids. Expect. Presents. At. Christmas. Don't they?

There's far too much of 'you spend £100 at Christmas!!??? I spend max £10 on little Jimmy and that's more than enough. I also throw in some chestnuts and a clementine on top of that'

Or 'mine is happy with our certificate for adopting a donkey for a year'

Really??! I think the commercialisation of Christmas has gone too far, granted but most kids I know would be upset if they didn't have at least a few presents to open on the day. I've noticed it's mainly from those who have the budget but refuse to spend to..somehow appear holier than thou??

My mum failed to get some pants the other year. I was really gutted.

Also we don't have stockings in this house. Just everything piled under the tree!!

I feel I have failed my children

I wouldn't call myself thrifty BUT we don't do big purchases on xmas, like computers, bikes, phones, etc. Those we will buy when we need and can afford -- anytime in a year.
DC get toys, clothes, dvds, books, and loads of sweets.

Yanbu. if you can't enjoy Xmas then what's the point.

I find spending shed loads unnecessary if it's just to out do everyone else.

however expensive long lasting presents that will see them. through for ages yet is better value than a pile of cheap crap that breaks .

looking fir deals -good

making out you buy a charity shop book and share a Christmas tin of cat food and anyone else who fares treat the kid is vulgar- well that's just bloody miserable

My dcs get nothing from anyone except me and their dad ( not even grandparent ) and I spend about £350 on each of them. No idea what they'll get from him.
I have just finished my Xmas shopping and now need to stop adding stocking fillers

making out you buy a charity shop book and share a Christmas tin of cat food and anyone else who fares treat the kid is vulgar- well that's just bloody miserable

You can do both though. I have when dd was 2 and 3 managed to get a large pile under the tree from presents sourced from v cheap sources. I mentioned this on a thread once, and still it wasn't good enough because it was still too many gifts.

I have to admit, I have brought more than normal this year as DD is 8 and I think it will be her last year of believing. Her last year of toys really, I want it to go out with a bang. Its such a small and fleeting window. But I have looked for reductions, ebay, 3 4 2 etc.

Someone recently told me they couldn't abide the 'commercialism' of Christmas and hates the way DC are 'spoiled'.

I had to smile. They buy all year round. Boat loads of tat. Her DS was just given a brand new car because...

i don't know but it gives me anxiety!

im an ott one,hell even the cat gets a special kitty advent calender,special kitty food,and toys

although i have bought my son a mog and wonder how the kitty will take it

I also hate the assumption that those who buy lots of gifts aren't as focused on family time/activities and don't understand what really counts. I don't understand how people come to that correlation.

oh and special kitty wrapping paper to wrap it all up

I've got ds2 a star wars advent calendar this year. Ds1 likes an advent candle so he has that.
I've even bought star wars xmas wrap paper this year :)
and tea towels, and hand soap and more tat from the school xmas fair this morning

I still get plasticine from my mum

YY fix

agree with that too fix

Going out to see the lights is magical and need cost nothing at all. We always went to a christmas show (puppets or something) when the kids were very small and we took their only grandparent with us and out for a meal - they still remember that as well as they remember the year that they got a ride on digger and dumptruck or the year they got a big garage or the lego set they'd been coveting.

We put the tree up together still and put christmas music on while we decorate it. We have a nice christmas eve movie though that is more difficult to find something suitable now they are teenagers. Instead of the puppet show now we do a family cinema night.

There is really just the 4 of us but we do our best to make it special family time......even though we spend a lot on gifts.

I also hate the assumption that those who buy lots of gifts aren't as focused on family time/activities and don't understand what really counts. I don't understand how people come to that correlation.

I agree. We have loads of time together. It's not linked in anyway to what we spend.

I have just spent nearly 3 hours walking round central London looking at Christmas lights, does that mean dd isn't allowed presents this year?

or the next two years! :o

My sil is like this. One year she got her boys a lunch box a tie and a book. I kid you not!

myotherusernameisbetter don't worry I covered dds eyes for most of the time, I know allowing your child to look at too many lights is just common

I also hate the poem. Something to wear is not a gift for a small child. If you have kids part of being a parent is making sure they have clothes.

But it is if you get them something they'll be genuinely excited about. DD is getting a My Little Pony dress she is going to just love. It's not something I'd spend the extra money on if she simply needed some new clothes. I think it's rather silly to be honest, but I know that she will wear it until the seams are stretching.

The something to wear is something they would love, not the every day discount T-shirts you get at asda to keep clothes on their back before they move up to the next size. When I was a small child the highlight of my birthdays was getting sheets with my favorite cartoon characters, because my parents saw no point in spending the extra money on fun bed sheets the rest of the year.

Last year we got her a ton of toys and the only purpose they serve is to get dumped out of the toy box and dragged all over the house. I don't want more crap to avoid stepping on.

But she's only 2, her highlight at this point is going to be tearing up wrapping paper. When she's older, we'll be able to gauge which toys will last and are worth buying. Her birthday is also a few months after Christmas, so any gift that she enjoys and plays with we can get more of that.

Something to wear is not a gift for a small child. If you have kids part of being a parent is making sure they have clothes.

Well, a school uniform wouldn't be a present, but something from disney shop or like -- my dc love getting that sort of stuff.

We don't spend much on Christmas presents but we are definitely not worth middle class frugal types. My children get stuff throughout the year and therefore there is not the pressure to create the perfect day in terms of presents. When DH and I worked the perfect day pressure came from trying to create "quality" time together and experiences in an attempt to make up for the time we spent away from the children. So we spend money throughout much of December on trips, we go away for a weekend - which is when we buy our gifts and we have big parties. Our house is lit up like Blackpool on crack and inside it looks similar!

We could afford to buy our children ipads or spend £350 each on presents but it would seem a bit pointless, I don't think that makes us mean.

I also hate the assumption that those who buy lots of gifts aren't as focused on family time/activities and don't understand what really counts. I don't understand how people come to that correlation.

I agree, personally speaking I can't be bothered to do the presents and family activities, my "frugalness" ( not that I am frugal) is probably to do with a lack of devotion on my part than a sign that I am some kind of earth mother.

I have to say that not ALL kids care about clothes so for those that do, their parents are lucky.

Mine both don't give a bugger. If they unwrapped clothing, they'd be non-plussed. It's something mundane to them like shampoo or toilet roll...just a necessity.

They show no interest in character clothing or dress up stuff either. I can't buy them things to wear....unless it's a lovely dressing gown and slippers, they do like those.