To think it's about the thing rather than the monetary value?

[AnitaTeaBakes]

I've heard people on here and IRL talk about how they spent £x amount on each child/person. Am I the only one that finds this a bit odd, I'm not 100% sure how much we've spent on each DC tbh, although I doubt more than £60.
My DC are under 10 so I don't know if that makes a difference.
For example if one of the DC really wanted something that cost £20 but the other really wanted something that was £7.50 why does it matter?
Surely if they are going to be thrilled with their gifts that is the only thing that counts. They aren't going to ask for the receipts are they.
Or am I the weird one. There seems to be so much emphasis on the monetary value and slightly less on the 'So and so would love that'

I agree with you for small children - assuming you're not giving one a My Little Pony and the other an iPad.

But older children know.

I asked my eldest "is it about how much I spend on each of you or about having the same number of things to open this year?"
he said it's about having the same number of things.

I'll ask every year.

Does depend on the age of the dc.
When mine were little the important thing was that they had the same number of packages to open - we used to sit and open presents one at a time and it wouldn't be right if one child ran out long before another.
Then they get older and they get to understand that if you want one particular - expensive - thing, then you can ask for it, but you have to understand it will be the only thing and you won't get the several presents your siblings will, and that's ok too.
Then they move towards adulthood and understand that sometimes one dc just needs / wants a particular thing and it happens to be around Christmas, but maybe you've got a sibling a lot less at Christmas, but you've helped them out with car insurance payments for the rest of the year, and, by then they understand that you do what you can to help them as and when they need it and not necessarily all o one day of the year.

Thanks. Very interesting. I guess I'm just going to have to enjoy it how it is while they are little. I do feel a bit sad that it's going to come to that, but I guess that's the times we're living in... I sound ancient saying that! I'm only mid thirties!

We've never consciously spent the same on pur DDs, it's always just been what they've wanted at the time. Luckily neither of them note or comment.

I don't think it's anything to do with 'times we live in'.
I was born in the 1960s so am a lot older than you, but was confident that our parents treated us all fairly.
When you are small, that does reflect in material presents at Christmas - as an adult you realise life's not that straightforward, but when you are small, it is important to know all is fair and equal. There are threads on MN all the time about a sibling "always having been my parents favourite" and all the angst that creates.

I agree but then I only have one child so I don't really have that comparison thing. We certainly don't have a set amount that we spend, it depends on what she'd like, finances and what we happen to spot close to Christmas!

I lay out all my Dc present piles to make sure they look similar in size and amount. The ££ varies but not massively. My kids range from age 3-10.

Yes of course its about the thing. Its what they want. Little kids don't add up the perceived value and compare. Well mine don't anyway.

I wondered this earlier with my friends. They are married, I spent £35 on one of them and £6 on the other, I bought them things they will both love but it wasn't til i was driving over to give them the presents that I was worried that £6 friend might feel a bit miffed.

For little ones I'd say SIZE matters. Who cares if it cost only £5 on special offer when it is the BIGGEST box under the tree! Well actually the child with the expensive gift will and so will the one with small but several presents. It's important to know how easy it is to get it wrong! We have one nephew that prefers quantity over quality and size.