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??

Yes, I am with you, I have a far larger budget, i just wanted to make sure that people who are on limited funds are aware that usually their children are well aware of that and appreciate totally when they get a treat. I also think they would rather the £50 game that they really want rather than assorted tat that makes it look more.

I agree have never bought tat to bulk up the present pile,they have always had big piles but with stuff that will be used

I haven't spent very much but I am incredibly careful and never pay for delivery for online purchases, use codes etc. For e.g. for DD1s 4th birthday she got a Kidizoom camera, I managed to get it for £30. Her friend got the same one but it was £50. Identical toys, very different price brackets. I didn't get her anything more as frankly it was enough and i considered it a "big" present.

Similarly for Christmas she is having the GLTC dolls house and furniture, RRP £100+ but found on eBay, new but without the box, for £30.

I do think the "how much you've spent" threads can be misleading in this way.

Their stockings cost about £20 but its various bits they need with a bit of chocolate thrown in - I tend to just get the nicer version of what they'd have had anyway e.g. the Disney Princess toothpaste instead of big standard Boots'...

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

Hahaha what a load of bollocks

OP YANBU.

I spend about £300 each on mine (one aged 18, one 14) and have done for the past few years. Routinely when they were at school and went back after the holidays it would transpire they were about the poorest, most of their classmates had an average of £700 spent on them.

Or that is what they say.

And does it matter?

You know I was referring to that god awful poem. So if they want something to wear that uses up 2 categories and actually if they need a new top and it says "Spiderman" on it then that is all 4 completed and job done.

Honestly I genuinely didn't realise you were referring to the poem. That's why I was confused with the 'how does that work?'

I always giggle when I see that Little Jimmy will be getting a toothbrush in his stocking! I'll bet he'll be crying tears of joy.

I do Christmas extravagantly. I smother the house in decorations, stuff the stockings (not with toothbrushes) and pile the presents high under the tree. My DC don't get much throughout the year and I like to spoil them at Christmas.

Ah okay - I thought you were the poster who had been talking about it :)

I do put a toothbrush in their stocking most years - along with a lot of desired stuff- but it started off when they were small of getting a fancy character one and now that they are teens it's just a bit of a running joke :)

I often include clothes and other stuff that they need in with your christmas gifts but that gets added to the budget, not taken from it iyswim?

Not me. Ds is getting a PlayStation 4 huge stocking and Star Wars DVDs. He says he doesn't need anything, he's 14 and I had no idea what to get him so when he came up with the PS 4 I was thrilled. We can afford it, I save all year for Christmas so it's all paid for way before the holiday so no January guilt. I don't flaunt what we give and it's no one else's business anyway, but since you asked that's what ds is getting.

Plus those kids probably get more crap through the year than anyone. My hairdresser made a huge point of telling me that for her daughters birthday that they asked for charity gifts because they have so much. To me any good you did by handing out those charity gifts is undone by bragging about it. And don't even get me started on all the people that use the word 'blessed' in every sentence. It's the same crap bragging. Give but keep silent about it is my motto.

I used to put pants and socks in the stockings until dcs asked me to cease and desist with it

I used to put pants and socks in the stockings until dcs asked me to cease and desist with it

All the more reason to continue I would have thought.....:o

Meh. For every thread where someone's claiming to spend just £15 on their child's Christmas there's another who's spending £500.

Do what you want and stop moaning.

One year I put a load of books that were on dds higher English reading syllabus. She wisnae happy

Ooh a toothbrush, how jolly useful and the perfect shape for a stocking
< adds to stocking list, next to satsumas and sugar mice >

And do you have relatives that buy them anything?

We got one present (toy) each at Christmas. It was enough for me.

I don't understand getting loads of pressies at Christmas, but not my business what others do.

You gotta have a stocking Maryz

YANBU OP. I love seeing what everyone is getting their kids - it's fun and there's great ideas. However, even if the title clearly states what the thread will be about a bunch of people always come on to ruin it, make sad faces and proclaim that else is a brain-addled glutton. Very irritating.