How much do you spend on dc's at Christmas?

[justalittlelemondrizzle]

I spend about £70 - £100 each. They're 8 & 10. But from what I've seen at Christmas time -on facebook- eek other parents spend hundreds.

£20 on the oldest two (17 & 8) and about £2 on the youngest (18 months) as I'm wrapping up DD2's old toys for him.

Life is pretty tight atm.

As the older, not favorite child grown up, please try to be even with gifts. It's not money, but "in kind" that I mean. I used to make a list for each child and make sure that they were even.

Now that they are older, they look at the lists and laugh. BUT the most important gift that I give the is their friendship and it's not possible if there is resentment bc parents play favorites. Trust me, dc notice, and it doesn't only hurt the left out child, it doesn't help one to think that he/she is a "golden child"

I'm not rich but probably spend a fair bit at Christmas.. Thing is though I would never buy things like consoles or mobile phones through the year, they would always be Christmas or birthday presents. Last year ds1 got an iPhone (contract upgrade, so nothing up front but £30-40 p/m across the year) and ds2 got an iPad (about £350) plus a few other small things. I also give things like socks / pants / pjs / hoodies, but in the characters or brands they like, so things they both need and want. It works for me, but I've learned the hard way not to get into debt for Christmas, and would never spend what I didn't have, even if that meant they got less.

What I can afford. I bought myself out of my phone contract yesterday and got an Iphone 6 as an upgrade which is going to be my 12yr old son's xmas present along with clothes, books and smellies. The youngest is getting a Nintendo switch and I will spread the payments over a year.

I have 3DD's and one on the way (due end of feb, beginning of march). The girls are 10, nearly 8 and 4. My budget is pretty much nothing as we've had a really rough year financially, but in reality about £30 per child. I've asked them to write a list and go from there - but I told them straight out it that we were concentrating more on having a nice family day than presents. The big girls want dolls which cost £20, so will do that and whatever I can get for £10 each. The youngest I have no idea atm but probably something barbie or frozen related.
Previous years have been roughly £100-150 each child but reality is we just don't have that kind of income this year.

£250 on each of my kids up to now. I budgeted £150 each.

italianwiking well done! I do love a bargain Amazon can be great- I got a pair of DM sandals in summer cost £42 including p&p from America to UK still half the price they were in the shops
Anyone else or just us two?

I've spent around £100 on each of them (8,6 & 5 ) And we've bought a switch and a couple of games as a family gift.

Last year was the first year we were able to afford a good Xmas and I went on a splurge and you know 90% of it was never or rarely played with so I've toned it down this year. The only reason it's at £100 each is because what they have asked for is more expensive (video games for example). I refuse to be sucked in to the Xmas madness, and never post present pictures on fb (not least because I don't need the local robbers seeing It!)

Ok so I am clearly a pretty mean mum! My 10 year old wants a Nintendo switch so I’ve told him he needs to save up for it- we do have a big family so he will ask for everyone to contribute to it for Christmas and his birthday (February). He will also contribute from saved up pocket money. I’m not going this because we can’t afford it but because it’s a life lesson - he will value it so much more this way and will learn that not everything lands in your lap.
I for one don’t need my house full of stuff they get for Christmas and don’t by really want / play with 😏

Yeah that is a bit mean

Nintendo switch is a big thing to save up for and Christmas isn’t about life lessons surely?

And don’t see how a console clutters up a house!

I think there's plenty of time for life lessons all year around, Christmas for me is a time of excess...pile of presents, lots of lovely food and drink, much more family time (extended family) than we get during the rest of the year. I appreciate this isn't a popular opinion on mn.

You sound fun Monkey

It's popular with me Watson totally agree with you.

I agree watson but that probably means I'm common / destroying the environment / living in a shit tip / in loads of debt / raising rude children etc etc etc

Saving up for your own christmas presents? When did that become a thing?

That's pretty awful :(

I don't think they mean saving for their own Christmas present! It's more that if they want it then ask for money to purchase it. Nothing really unusual about that.

Watson I agree too. I have always given dc lots of gifts even if they were sourced for free

My dc have lessons taught every day of the year, we are out they ask for something 90% they do not get. Thats if they ask which they usually don't.
Some dc get loads and are spoiled - but its the day to day living thats doing that not one day a year, some dc get loads and are not at all spoilt.

Some get very little and act spoilt. Its about day to day life, parenting and of course your child. And its not an either or situation you can still enjoy family, days out, playing board games together etc and have lovely gifts.

upside we ask dc to save for things they want too - but certainly not at xmas.

Under 1pp, over 80. As brought throighoit the year including something let over from last Xmas that was bought in 342. Was a bit old last year so lasted well. So two big presents and some smaller bits, books etc I only have the 1 and I can't imagine the budget changing for a while. Subsequent kids would have tel match so that might affect it.
Nieces and nephew all get the same until theyre working

I definitely don’t mean saving up for his own Christmas present - instead of getting lots of presents (from a large extended family) that he isn’t really interested in, he is asking for money which he will put together to buy a very expensive item which he really wants. He also has some pocket money saved which he will use. This was pretty normal when I was growing up.
In addition he will get a stocking and some other bits depending on how much we need to contribute to the big present. As well as presents from people like my mum who doesn’t like giving money. But I make sure they are things he would really like. It’s not helped by both children having birthdays close to Christmas. Most relatives don’t really know what to get children so I always get asked for a list and have in the past had to trawl amazon to think of ideas - tbh it’s great that there is something that he really wants that lots of people can contribute too.
My children live in a very affluent bubble and I work hard to make sure they aren’t spoilt and entitled.
Right I’m off to browse the Internet for ideas for my daughter

I think there's plenty of time for life lessons all year around, Christmas for me is a time of excess...pile of presents, lots of lovely food and drink, much more family time (extended family) than we get during the rest of the year. I appreciate this isn't a popular opinion on mn.

Very likely not, frugality seems to come out in force on here at Christmas.

It's one thing to club together for a large item if finances are tight but to do it at Christmas to teach a lesson and also take pocket money towards said Christmas present just seems a step to far. Where's the joy in that?

£100 on 2 year old
£100 on 1 year old

£170 on oldest 6

When they were small less than £100, variable now, probably between £200-500 each. I'm going to buy less this year, they don't need so much stuff.

Spend what you can afford ! I budget about 250 each