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AIBU?

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Original poster

To ask how much you spend on your kids at Xmas? (AND if you buy clothes as gifts!)

321 replies

Zara87 · 11/10/2018 22:19

We are putting together our budget for Xmas this year. I'm on mat leave so it's quite tight plus we have a huge family.
I'm thinking ds age 3 - spend around £200
Ds age 6 months-spend around £100 (And put some in his savings)

So just curious really as to what you budget per child? I'm fully aware as they get older our budget will no doubt have to increase significantly.
Also I was surprised when talking amongst friends that they don't buy clothes for their dc as presents as they see them as a necessity and not a gift (unless it's something the kid wants such as trainers).

I just am trying to get a snap shot of Xmases to come :-)

OP posts:
SylvanianFrenemies · 13/10/2018 08:35

I think if money is tight you really can cut back massively.

I would say 30-40 for the baby, and 80-100 for the toddler is plenty!

I'm planning to spend 30-40 on my 2 year old and 100-120 on my 7 year old, and I kind of think that's too much! We could spend more but I think it's daft to waste money if they'd be happy with less.

Remember they will get presents from others (presumably).

Momasita · 13/10/2018 08:44

Fair enough poodles. Some people do go mad. I'll never forget neighbour who never seemed to have much ££ her and her partner seemed to pick up most of toys r us!! Tons of stuff.

We had sourced most things second hand.

We have a bit more ££ now but just break up money into specific savings so we know x fund will always have x going in regardless of what we spend on Xmas 🎄, if that makes sense? Savings, travel, education all have ££ going in all the time.

It's not just gifts that make Xmas 🎄 anyway, it's the decorations, the house dressed up, cooking smells gingerbread, oranges, carols, candles... Twinkle lights Grin

Cachailleacha · 13/10/2018 08:44

A question for those who spend less then £50, do your kids not ask for expensive things or do you say no? My daughter is 3, she's only asked for 2 things from Santa but they come to £70 alone before I even start a stocking. Toys are expensive.
Never asked for much. If he had asked for two toys totaling £70 he would have got those two toys. I've never done a stocking. I spend more when needed, such as on a new bike.

Girlsnightin · 13/10/2018 08:45

I did say earlier clothes aren't gifts in this house but do agree once they hit teenage years and want branded items, then yes clothes do become a gift item.

Momasita · 13/10/2018 08:46

I also wouldn't really buy clothes ie normal stuff but may throw in dressing up stuff or... Really pretty party dress to wear Xmas day..

Momasita · 13/10/2018 08:46

Most thing can be brought second hand though.. For 3 year old, buy second hand!!

SEsofty · 13/10/2018 08:53

But serious question how is a three year old asking for specific things that cost £70. How do they know about specific things?

Eg four year old might say football or Lego or something to do with paw patrol or animals and then I find something linked to that. Eg if a Lego set is on special offer will get a more expensive one

SoyDora · 13/10/2018 08:55

Well my three year old has asked for the Sylvanian families school, which is specific. Her friend has one, that’s how she know it exists.
DD1 (4) isn’t too bothered by toys so doesn’t ask for specifics, but DD2 often asks for things she’s played with at friends houses.

SEsofty · 13/10/2018 08:58

I guess my point is that would the child really be disappointed not to get the school rather than another similar toy

PodgeBod · 13/10/2018 08:59

3 isn't that little, she watches TV which has adverts, she remembers things that she has seen at the toy shop, we got the Smyths catalogue through the door so she had a look through that. She even sees toys in the supermarket. She's stayed pretty consistent about the 2 things that she does want.

SoyDora · 13/10/2018 09:01

No she wouldn’t be disappointed necessarily to not get the school, but she would prefer the school over anything else. Her sister has just started school and playing school related things is her current favourite. I could get her a Sylvanian families ice cream shop for example but it wouldn’t get played with as much.

katienana · 13/10/2018 09:02

I wouldn't get loads for the baby, just enough so that Santa knows they hadn't been forgotten!
I have ds1 age 6 and ds2 2.5 I will go up to about £150 for each - that may be items to that value but will actually cost less thanks to bargain hunting. They will each get pjs on Christmas Eve and an outfit from Santa means they are wearing nice clean clothes that I've picked on all the photos. Done it every year so ds1 expects it.

HashTagLil · 13/10/2018 09:04

OP, it really doesn't matter how much is spent, just spend what you can afford. Especially if things are a bit tight. You don't want to still be paying for something in March that broke in January.

tomhazard · 13/10/2018 09:04

My children are 3 and 6 this Christmas and they will have around £50 spend on each of them for under the tree gifts (a toy, a book and one other item- eg dd is getting a unicorn lamp). They then have a further £20ish for a stocking.
They get gifts from grandparents and other relatives too so they do pretty well. I could afford to spend more than this but I don't fee that they need any more to have a fantastic day and feel excited.
We are also going on a family trip to Paris between Xmas and new year which is a gift for everyone!

Maybe83 · 13/10/2018 09:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PodgeBod · 13/10/2018 09:06

For example she wanted the Play Doh crazy hair thing for ages so I got her a cheaper version that seemed the same to me. She thinks it's ok but she's worked out that it doesn't do all the same things that the actual play doh one does. She brings it up every time she sees the advert.

SoyDora · 13/10/2018 09:09

But if you can afford to buy the school why wouldn't you? It's hardly an over the top present

I will buy it for her Smile. I was just saying to a PP that the reason she knows she wants a school is because her friend has one. I think she’s also seen it in the Smyths Toys catalogue which came through the door.

Mammaof · 13/10/2018 09:12

I've budgeted for £300 for my 3 year old and £200 for my 1 year old

IJustLostTheGame · 13/10/2018 09:17

Dd will be 6. We'll probably spend around £100 on her in total. I do buy clothes, but not clothes she needs if that makes sense. More fun, party type clothes.
She's also quite happy to have second-hand things from ebay and charity shops. She loves Sylvanian families and knows she'll get more to play with if they aren't new.

Nellyelora · 13/10/2018 09:18

@oldgimmer78 my dd is 3. She's asked for a bike. We'll hopefully buy it second hand so we should be under £50 altogether.

@PodgeBod I just say no, for me, it's too much money.

Maybe83 · 13/10/2018 09:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Generousparents · 13/10/2018 09:39

Sylvanian school 20 quid on Facebook you can buy new up to you in just showing an example .

But If Dd asked for some thing expensive just because her friend has it we explain that we can't have everything we want or everything someone else has.

It's not about keeping up with the Jones's but a lot of people overspend, then pay for it all the way till next Christmas often at high rates of interest so the end up spending a lot more than they think e.g. bike costs 100 but have to repay 120

Momasita · 13/10/2018 09:39

Maybe I agree on the the spending time thing!

Soy Dora. I always find it a little back to front on Xmas spending.

If you are on budget and really don't have much ££ it's far more sensible to save what you can... And use that money. Rather than having no idea and just spending out of thin air...

SoyDora · 13/10/2018 09:47

But If Dd asked for some thing expensive just because her friend has it we explain that we can't have everything we want or everything someone else has

It's not about keeping up with the Jones's but a lot of people overspend, then pay for it all the way till next Christmas often at high rates of interest so the end up spending a lot more than they think e.g. bike costs 100 but have to repay 120

Agreed. But that’s not the case with us. She’s asked for 2 things which along with a stocking will come to around £110. So that’s what I’ll buy her. I could afford to spend significantly more than that, but as that’s what she wants and has asked for on numerous occasions, that’s what she’ll get. I won’t buy things for the sake of it (I certainly won’t buy things to make the pile look bigger or to reach an arbitrary budget) but I will buy what they ask for and I know they’ll appreciate if I think it’s reasonable.

averythinline · 13/10/2018 09:59

i havent bought ds clothes for xmas per se although have done xmas pj's and starwars pants for stocking type thing....
spend approx 200-250 but he is an only and we can afford it.....when he was younger and we had less money much less - often 2nd hand ...got a playmobil ship one year £5 in a charity shop that was great...
2nd hand kitchen at 2.5 that was another good xmas buy...

he writes a 'wish' list generally no more than 10-15 things of all types (and prices) and we n santa try and get what we can.... he knows he wont get it all....we often deliberately dont get something just to make sure he realises .. have done this since 5ish...

we have a small group that buy presents so they get given the list too -

often santa gets 1 of the top5 , we get one , grandparents get 1, they other gp always give money - sometimes we use that for 1 of the other top presents or a pass or tickets or a subscription...(they paid for beano comic for years- suited everyone)

it works for us and ds doesnt get overwhelmed or too greedy....but clothes are definitley not a present as far as he is concerned although heading deep teenage hood now so that may change (he knows not to put £200 trainers on his list until he stops growing!)

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