DH and I were talking last night and thinking that we buy the DCs expensive ish presents for birthday and Christmas (not huge,say £150 max for main present) but often find ourselves not taking them to places because we can't afford it. Sure we do plenty of free stuff but things like weekends away, tickets for things we just don't do much as it's so expensive. Eg Harry Potter Tour...£200 for 5! We're a blended family and therefore the kids get double presents and often we're stuck what to buy them and they don't end up using whatever it is that much. Has anyone else decided to do expensive family trips instead of main present? As my DH pointed out, the child who's birthday it was might feel put out the others got to go too (but then so would they for the other child's birthday)