To ask how much you spend on DC for Christmas?

[Lightbulbs]

I have 2 DC.... one is 5 months the other is 2 . They are so young, I'm not planning on spending much at all. A few very small gifts that I know they will play with. For the 5 month, I'll get down her brothers Jumperoo from the attic.

After reading a few post about Christmas on Mumsnet, I was wondering.... how much do you spend on each DC for Christmas and how old are they?

Mine is 2 and we'll spend £200 max. Planning to buy an easel and a little table and chairs. The second thing isn't really for Christmas though as we were going to get that for her anyway. Her real presents will be the easel, a dressing gown and some chocolate.

I spend what I can afford.

It's that simple.

There's no mandatory amounts. If you can only afford £10 only spend £10. If you can afford £1000 spend that if you want.

Threads like this never end well. People get judgemental about how much / little others spend, and other posters feel guilt that they may not be able to afford as much other parents.

My advice is spend as much or as little as you like. It' no one elses business. So long as you're not going into debt, or depriving yourself or others to do so, then do as you please.

Mine is 5 and I don't know how much I am going to spend tbh.

With a 2 year old and a baby I really wouldn't spend much. It gets silly sometimes imo. A few nice well chosen, cheap and cheerful gifts and they will be happy

Up to 100 for the 2year old. She's getting a bike. Probably about 10 for the 1 year old, he's getting either a doll or a ball- he's obsessed with both lately.
I can afford a lot more but I just really strongly feel that just because I can buy more, doesn't mean I should.

I'm with others spend what you can afford. I will have a new born who I have spent no extra money on ( some of the toys and teddies we had already got / been given have been wrapped and placed under the tree already). For the 7 year old we will get what we can afford off his Christmas list, I've got a lot of that on Ebay but being 7 he wont know the difference.

What you spend is individual and everyone has their own way.

Can't quite get my head around you gifting your baby a jumperoo that's in the attic though. Surely that's just a hand me down?

I didn't spend anything until 3 years old as they got lods of presents from family and they didn't have a clue about it all, so saved ourselves the money! Now I spend about £100 each (ages 5 and 3) That's more than enough. They will be expensive in the teens

We buy 3 or 4 presents. Depends what they want/need. £100 is a rough guide, but sometimes way under sometimes go above. When they were toddlers that was a lot smaller. They get loads from other people.

It's not as simple as there being a right budget.

Like a PP has said, we spend what we can afford. I have two DC, 7 and an almost 2 year old. I use an app to keep track of what I've bought (and spent), so far I've spent under £80 on both of them.

That's both of their lists almost complete too. I aim to get them a similar amount of gifts rather than similar spent, £100 on a toddler would result in a lot more than £100 on a 7 year old.

This won't end well. It never does because there are always people that judge others in these threads, especially about spending what they see as "too much" and it can get nasty. Its like a competitive "they get a tangerine and a £10" present that's all they need! Which is fine if that's all you can afford or want to spend. But people can spend what they like on their children. We've always spent a lot at Christmas and my 3 have few up grateful for everything they get and not spoiled. This year they are 26, 17 and 11. I will probably send about £200 between my eldest and his girlfriend. And then maybe around £600 each on the other 2, the 11 year old wants a Switch which is £300 and the 17 wants a VR headset which is £400.

And people always assume you have others buying for them but we don't.

It’s such an individual to the family thing. We spend what we can afford, yes we’ve saved up through the year to cover the Christmas period and I have been buying gifts adhoc through the last few months but I don’t have a set amount that I spend. As it turns out I’ve spent more on my mum than I have my DS.

I have no idea as I've bought bits over the year and put them away... probs around 3-400 pound I should imagine. But both their birthdays are early jan so I'll get everything out and stash some away for birthdays.

The 8 month old is getting sensible bits, so his back pack for nursery and his lunch bag. I’m going to do him a shoe box with sensory goodies in too. But no big, expensive pressies. He doesn’t understand.

Whatever is on their list if we can afford it 🤷‍♀️ I envy people who are spending like £20 but that would literally buy one small playmobil set for my 4 year old and we want to get her more than one thing so we will spend significantly more.

We’ve bought our (almost) 2yr old far too much!
It hasn’t been deliberate, just an accumulation over time!
We’ve probably spent £200 but that includes a large wooden train table with train set, an Echo (songs for dancing too and learning the actions) he loves the one at nursery!, a few Duplo sets, some other toys and books.
It’s his Birthday in 2wks and we’ve got him a Wooden Kitchen with all the accessories, books and a couple of smaller toys.
December costs a fortune so we start shopping early but it probably means we end up spending more.

3 DC. Spend $400 on each of them (that's about 200 gbp each). They're 14 (twins) and 10. That's this year. Other years have been less, especially the years we visit UK for Christmas.
Definitely agree with the spend what you can afford principal.
Kids were Deffo cheaper when they were younger!

Dds are 5 and 18 months. We're spending £20 on dd1 - a frozen dress and some rainbow cutters. £30 on dd2 - a doll and pram. With a few stocking bits and presents from family as well, they are both going to be thrilled on Christmas day. We're spending a lot less than most people we know, but it's what we can afford and we've chosen things we know they will love, so I'm not worried about that.

If I tell you I spend £1000 for ds at Christmas. What difference does it make to you?

I think that's sensible. Our dc are 11 and 6, it really just depends on what that present they want for Christmas is and what money we have. The last few years requests have been a dragon ( I ended up buying a £60 fur real pet on eBay!), a nurse barbie and ambulance (£70) and this year its a bit more extravagant: a Nintendo Switch and game (£200+). When dd was 2 we bought her a toy kitchen second hand, we didn't have a lot of money, we still have it and they both still play with it! I wouldn't have spent much on ds either at that age.

I’m planning on spending zero on my one year old dd. But that’s properly because I’ve gone completely nuts with her first birthday, the total is about 580/590 with a cake costing 135. going to save quite a few of her presents for Christmas, as she’ll get some at her party.

Spend what you feel is appropriate. I'm actually amazed that people stick with a budget. Surely it varies from year to year buying big ticket items like bikes & games consoles.
To the other years inbetween when its just toys and maybe a couple of games for the console?

And yes some kids will have just parents buying others will have GPs and Aunties.

I remember a few years ago trying to work out what was the 'right' number of gifts. I deliberately avoiding budget just the number, as i was aware i could pick up some low cost consumables to make up extra gifts. It was an interesting thread as some people confessed to splitting up book sets and wrapping individually.

It’s not an easy thing to compare. Some buy all year round (hobbies, experiences, clothes etc) and then claim to be frugal at Christmas and that others are vulgar. Some save all their purchases for Christmas and their children don’t get bought for the rest of the year. Teenagers are arguably more likely to want expensive items. Some people might spend hundreds on a bike or similar and that’s the only present, some will spend hundreds on lots of bits and pieces.

Personally I think children get overwhelmed by too many presents and it’s actually less satisfying. Also, landfill.

When DD was little most years I probably spent very little compared with the hundreds I spend on her as a teen (mostly clothing).

Probably about £150 each, excluding stockings and joint presents, I dread to think how much I've spent in total. However besides their birthdays they don't get much year round which makes these occasions a bit more special. They also don't get much if anything from family or friends.