AIBU to ask how much you buy DC for Christmas?

[littlemisssunshine81]

Every year DH says that I ‘go over the top’ and apparently last year he had to ‘rein me in’.....I really don’t agree and as it’s me who does all the Christmas shopping I just want to sense check whether or not he has a point. Now DC are 4 and 2 and I’m thinking of one main present each (by big present I’m talking eg Paw Patrol Patroller) and 5 or 6 other things eg jigsaw, PJs & slippers, couple of action heros, book and some Lego. Really doesn’t sound like a lot to me! Will also do stockings with a few little bits, chocolate coins etc. TIA!

Oh, and bloody Paw patrol books as I'm spectacularly bored at having to re read the same ones over and over.

Watching

Santa brings fills the stocking at the end of their beds and leaves a pile of gifts for each DC downstairs. Probably 20-25 wrapped gifts plus stocking. Wrapped gifts include toys, games, jigsaws, bath stuff, dressing up outfits and books.

We don't do gifts from us (just pjs and a bath bomb on Christmas Eve) but they'll have gifts from both sets of GPs, aunts, uncles and family friends at some point over Christmas.

So let's see so I've spent about 200quids on my girls. i think im pretty much done. 2 reborn dolls, some disney dolls (second hand), polly pockets, kitty surprise, some make up, watches. will probably get my oldest a couple of books. and something else for my younger DD. my son will probably have less as hes only 18months and doesnt want/need anything much. i have a few toys already lined up but not much.

Sounds reasonable. By the time ive got stocking fillers, its 12 items each. My oh just rolls his eyes, but lets me get on with it lol. I don't do xmas eve boxes, nor do my kids have other family members buying them presents (never have). So i consider it reasonable.

Every parent round here puts old toys on free cycle, buys new second hand... And moves toys along!

Sounds fine amount to me, I buy more now but used to get lots second hand.

Two boys (11&12). They each get a stocking with little fun things (magnetic putty, yo-yo, puzzles, little games, chocolate etc) and then under the tree they have a main present from us and some smaller bits (usually books). This year DS1’s main present is a 3D doodle pen, DS2 is getting a laptop because he needs one for prep next year (DS1 had a laptop last year).

Your DH wouldn’t like me either, I adore Christmas. I always go overboard because it feels more difficult to make it christmassy in the middle of summer. It’s all my children have known though so barbecues on the beach and dog walks on Christmas Day are normal for them!

Sounds fine to me, mine will get 5 gifts plus stocking and pjs. No set budget really. Not inc stocking and pjs I’ve spent £90 on 3 year old and £65 on 1 year old

I would say my kids have about 20 presents each - I spend around £150 I would say but that depends on main present.

You are not going overboard at all. I tend to get mine (2&3yo) about 20 each, not including stockings. We get less for birthdays and next to nothing the rest of the year, preferring to go for the "Wow!" on Christmas like we had as kids.

It’s just one day folks, one day! The magic is in the build up and the joy of celebrating with others and enjoying family time, not tonnes of plastic and cardboard and over indulging and bragging on your spend and over whelming children, most children don’t even remember what gifts they received by the time they return to school in January.

I wonder if I'll end up spending hundreds in a couple of years time. Currently I've spent about £10 in my 2yo (2 diggers and a massive Thomas tank engine floor puzzle from charity shops). My 8mo isn't getting anything because he won't know and if it's something he needs he'll get it anyway.

Coming from a family where we would spend jan-march dealing with my mum's anxiety due to overspending at Christmas the idea of 30-40 presents makes my stomach churn.

I spend according to what they want. Bought eldest DD iPad last year plus other small bits came to £500
Younger DD got £100 spent on her.
But both same amount of presents to open. Not sure how long I can get away with this for.

I usually get mine about the same OP, maybe even more although I have gone a little overboard this year I blame online shopping; I was very late to the party and only started that in the last 2 years.

I don't bug mine anything during the year, other than their birthdays. I might buy my dds a small treat or two in Primark every few months, but other than that, I don't

Something to wear, something to read, something they want, something they need.

I'm completely bemused by people buying 30-40 gifts, especially for under-5s. Surely they get bored and overwhelmed after about #10?

OP, I think your haul sounds fairly reasonable, especially if they aren't getting piles of stuff from other people.

Well, DS is getting the new patroller thingy and the playmobil prison as his big presents

Is anyone else slightly horrified by the idea of a playmobil prison?

Your husband is being unreasonable . You have not gone over the top at all

Oh no, I feel so tight. We spend between £35-£50 each on our two. I wish we had more to spend but we can't without going into debt.

@ThisCollie Please don’t feel like this. Christmas isn’t just about presents. Everybody does it differently and has different traditions. I actually wish my tradions were more scaled back but once you start buying loads you set a trend.
As long as your children enjoy the build up and the magic and spend time with you on Xmas day then you’re doing absolutely everything right!

I love Xmas and I’m a sucker for a big pile. But I hate that it can make other parents feel shit. Children don’t remember the presents...

Wow, what’s wrong with something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read? I’ve bought my one year old 3 books for this Christmas. She doesn’t need anything! I cannot afford to spend hundreds of pounds on her (and any future siblings) in the future. All three books were from the charity shop too!

My DD has her birthday very close to Xmas; we tend to give her a big gift on her birthday, and some various bits and pieces at Xmas. We've spent about £100 on her Xmas stuff, but her birthday pressie this year is £300. She also gets plenty from family on both days. I thought this was pretty average until I chatted to an acquaintance the other day - she has 3 kids and they've spent, (so far), £6000. I felt like a right tightarse after that!!

My children are only young (4 and 2) so they don't get a main pressie yet from us though they will when they're older.

I do a big stocking (around 20-25 small things) and anything that doesn't fit is from us.

We have loads of nieces and nephews and both sets of grandparents, plus some great grandparents, that always ask what the children want so I choose quite a lot for them that is from others, and buy for lots of nieces and nephews!

@Eemamc nothing wrong with it but everyone does things different. People that do that shouldn’t feel bad but it’s notnfor everyone and the people that get loads shouldn’t feel bad either.
It also gets much harder as they get older. Mine don’t get a lot throughout the year, apart from stuff they Need.