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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU amount of Christmas Presents

156 replies

Tryingtostayyoung · 15/12/2016 08:31

Hi all. Just want to gather opinions as me and DH completely disagree.
How many presents have you bought your children for Xmas? Including stocking fillers? We're an average middle class family in a nice area and have a decent amount of money coming in but wouldn't say we're well off but are comfortable.
I think we've bought DD plenty but DH doesn't seem to think it's enough.
My AIBU is the amount I've bought but I don't want to say yet. Thank you!!

OP posts:
ghostspirit · 15/12/2016 11:18

I agree with others depends on age and price etc. My older and middle kids have about 12 items each including main present. I will probably top up with Some pound shop stuff. My toddler has about 8 things he does not have a main present. Baby has 2 things so far I will probably only get him 1 or 2 more bits. Partner will have about 5 items.

.having about 300 items including a cruise. Not really. Sad

NavyandWhite · 15/12/2016 11:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RebelandaStunner · 15/12/2016 11:22

Now they are teens, about half a dozen things each and a stocking full of nice chocolates. That's come to about £600.

When they were younger they would have a big present each, most of what was on their list, then a few surprises- books, games, dvds, sweets and a stocking full of bits. Probably 20+ presents each not counting stocking.
The important bit is to get them what they want and a few surprises not how many presents.

MycatsaPirate · 15/12/2016 11:22

Two girls here, 18 and 11.

They have 6 small stocking presents (things like bath bombs, make up stuff for teen, beads for making bracelets for 11 year old) plus sweets.

Then they have 10 presents under the tree. Teen has one main present and 9 smaller, 11 year old has 5 lego sets plus smaller presents.

So about 16 presents in total ranging from main present down to things costing a pound in their stockings.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 15/12/2016 11:23

I'm having to store a few of ds's presents for his birthday thanks to a family member buying him that anki car thing. It seemed a bit ridiculous getting that along side everything I'd bought for him.

Blueredballoon · 15/12/2016 11:33

My DC have about 10 ish each and then a stocking. The 10 includes things like new wellies (toddler obsessed with wellies), socks and new books, so not a huge amount of 'stuff' to store. I think I've probably spent about £60 each. We don't buy presents throughout the year though- I think that can make a big difference. My DC will also get a lot from grandparents and relatives which again does last the full year.

GeekyWombat · 15/12/2016 11:44

Trying Our daughter is a few months than yours and we've bought pretty much the same as you.

To be honest, I'd have been tempted to get one present less but I saw something on a Black Friday sale and cracked. She has lots of very generous aunts / uncles / grandparents so we try and keep our gifts relatively small, preferring to spend money on swimming lessons / days out / fun stuff through the year.

tangerino · 15/12/2016 11:50

My kids are 11 and 9. They are each getting a laptop, a board game and some books. Plus about 10 stocking fillers, mainly around the £5 mark.

That seems loads to me, both in terms of cost and stuff to open.

chocolatecakemakesmefat · 15/12/2016 11:51

I've spent over £200 on 4 gifts for my 2 ill buying more but just little presents

Katedotness1963 · 15/12/2016 12:09

My boys are 15 and 17. They've got about ten presents each and then stocking stuff. I feel kinda bad as it really doesn't look like much under the tree...

steppemum · 15/12/2016 12:28

We spend a lot less than others seem to at Christmas.
Ours is something like:
under the tree, main present £40 plus 3-4 smaller gifts £5-£10 each.
stockings - our stockings aren't that big and we have a rule that each item should only cost £2 or under. A full stocking is about 12 items.

bummymummy77 · 15/12/2016 12:31

We're going to the UK for Xmas (yayayayay) so have spent a shit ton (as my family are unable to put us up for different reasons Hmm) so ds who's 3 will be getting three small presents from us.

Feel pretty shitty about it but what can you do?

Lesley1980 · 15/12/2016 12:34

I don't think the quantity or cost matters. It's what the kids want & what you can afford to spend. I'd rather pay £200 & get a few decent presents than a pile of cheap throw away presents for the same money.

Theknittinggorilla · 15/12/2016 12:40

My kids are 4 and nearly 2 and get one present each and a stocking with small bits. They get plenty from extended family and I don't want the whole day to be about opening presents. We have pretty much stuck to that so far and will carry on as long as possible!

SatsukiKusakabe · 15/12/2016 12:54

Mine do get presents from family but it's mainly clothes or more flash in the pan type cheap stuff rather than things they actually want or would use a lot, so I still feel responsible for topping them up with nice things that have longetivity. I would like my mum others to tone it down a bit in the amount of stuff but it's not going to happen. We still only spend around 100 each though.

SeriousCreativeBlock · 15/12/2016 14:58

My DD (4) is getting about 10 bigger presents from me and then some smaller stocking fillers (tamagotchi, sweets, nail varnishes etc). Her father is getting her a dolls house, furniture for the house and then some blind bags.

ghostspirit · 15/12/2016 15:06

block what's a blind bag?

SeriousCreativeBlock · 15/12/2016 15:32

ghost they're little bags of plastic rubbish (usually a my little pony toy or a shopkins) that you can't see, so you're getting a random toy. DD is obsessed with them and would happily sit watching other children opening them on YouTube for hours. They cost about £2-£3 so they're basically pocket money toys.

ghostspirit · 15/12/2016 15:44

Oh ok. Grin I do pound shop for stocking fillers. They play with that stuff more than the stuff I made an effort. Xmas Hmm

MsJamieFraser · 15/12/2016 15:50

Why does it matter what others do? You and your dh need to reach an agreement, what everyone else does is neither here or there TBH.

SomewhatIdiosyncratic · 15/12/2016 15:51

Two DSs, 3 and 6. Three decent presents each (analogue watch, skateboard, thunder birds, hotwheels truck are featured on their lists this year.) Then a stocking with some fillers such as stationary.

I go for less (and their taste is cheap at present) because one DS has his birthday days before, so that's a double whammy (he's getting the big Lego set for that). The timing of his birthday means that it's unrealistic to try to meet his requirements for the next 51 weeks in one go, so they get what they need through the year. They are picky over clothes so trying to guess what they would wear without consultation has a low chance of success. They also get more from extended family.

We also don't get much time at home, church, dinner, visiting and staying overnight. They don't have time to unwrap a mountain!

Touchmybum · 15/12/2016 16:53

Mine are 13-19, and I always try to make sure I spend a similar amount each on them, and they have roughly the same amount of presents to open. This could mean putting 3 books in one, or wrapping them separately to keep the numbers right. They all open a pressie in turn so it would be a bit unbalanced otherwise! Though it doesn't matter now quite so much now that they are older. They do get quite a lot but they don't have any living grandparents to spoil them, and pretty much all they get is from us.

stopfuckingshoutingatme · 15/12/2016 16:57

I get very distressed by the waste that Xmas generates year in year

It's a sustainability nightmare !
Cards
Unwanted gifts
Secret santa shit
Fatty food
Wrapping paper

I have got my
Kids a stocking and then some £ but for anyone who wants to cut down in Xmas it seems to be technically impossible !!!!

SVJAA · 15/12/2016 17:01

I've told everyone we aren't doing cards this year because it's eco friendly. Really I just can't be arsed 😂

yorkshapudding · 15/12/2016 18:01

DD (3yo) will have about 12 presents under the tree from me and DH. These range from her 'main present' which was £35 to little things that cost about £5. She also has about 10 or so presents in her stocking which range in value from about £2 to £6.

I haven't paid full price for any of her presents (except stocking ones) as I tend to do my Christmas shopping throughout the year to get the best deals. I don't feel any angst about it to be honest as we don't spend more than we can afford.