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AIBU?

To spend less than £10 on Christmas presents for each of my 3yo twin boys?

117 replies

speedymama · 03/09/2007 14:32

DH thinks I am.

I bought their Christmas presents in a sale from a discount shop months ago. One cost £1.99 and the other £3.99. I don't intend to buy them anything else, especially as relatives will buy them a lot anyway.

DH says we can do better than that but I don't see why we should. They would appreciate a box of balloons if we gave it to them - they are not materialistic and I am determined to keep it that way.

The £1.99 gift is a numbers and letters book that lights up when they press buttons. The £3.99 gift is a craft set with sponges and paint. They have one each.

OP posts:

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Vikkin · 04/09/2007 12:36

No prob with black cardies. An essential wardrobe basic. Just not every school day for a year. Anyway, back to subj, sorry to distract.
I have also found that it is the least expensive items that get played with most anyway. Last year as a stockingfiller I got all the girls in my family cheap Woollies 'doll in a bath' kits, less than a fiver. They were a great hit.

Othersideofthechannel · 04/09/2007 12:43

Phew!

kindersurprise · 04/09/2007 12:45

We try to find the middle ground, as the DCs do get lots of pressies from relatives. Don't know what to get them this year yet, but I prefer to go for one biggish present and a few stocking fillers, we probably spend around ?70 each altogether.

My DCs also get presents from my parents, my PILS, my DB and my SIL. This year DB will be told not to spend so much money, as it was ridiculous last year. And hopefully SIL will buy something decent this year, last year just cheap rubbish. Saying that, it was the cheap rubbish that DD played with most

I think that the if the children are getting lots of pressies anyway, and the presents that the OP has bought are ones that the DCs will enjoy, then no, YANBU.

ThursdayNext · 04/09/2007 12:51

I would regard £70 each as a lot of money for such young children, not my idea of a middle ground at all

ThursdayNext · 04/09/2007 12:52

By which I just mean that it's very subjective, not that you shouldn't spend £70, or £5, if you want to and you can afford it

harleyd · 04/09/2007 12:58

i get my kids what they want for xmas.
last year ds1 wanted an xbox360
dd1 wanted a nintendo ds lite
dd2 wanted a new dolly
ds2 was only 4months so knew nothing
they got up on xmas morning to the things they had asked for and a couple of surprises

i dont feel the need to spend the same amount of money on each of them. some years they will get more or less than eachother. im sure it will work out evens in the long run.

if somebody wants to spend a tenner knowing the kids will be happy with that i think its great

kindersurprise · 04/09/2007 13:00

Thursday, it is ?uro 70, about 45 pounds, we live in Germany. And we can afford it, we don't give each other big presents, normally just a CD or a book.

kindersurprise · 04/09/2007 13:01

Sorry, forgot that MN doesnt do the Euro sign

ThursdayNext · 04/09/2007 13:19

kindersurprise, fair enough, euro confusion

haychee · 04/09/2007 13:36

Mine do not get all that they want, dd wanted a nintendo ds last year and didnt get it, even though her friends accross the road couldnt wait to rub her nose in the fact that they did! I dont encourage the competition amongst them - far from it, but unfortunately its out there

At least my dd could say that she got this and that and x y & z. Could you imagine her friends faces if she said she only got a book? (not meaning use the ops example against her - as i do feel 3yr olds dont have to worry about all the competition and her choice is tough but understandable given their age)

Overrun · 04/09/2007 13:38

No I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. We spend a bit than that on our dts (will be 3 in Oct), but they get so many things from other relatives that there doesn't seem much point

speedymama · 04/09/2007 13:47

Thursday, DH and I do not disagree on spending/saving. He just thinks that I am being too tight because it is Christmas and we can afford more (we both have well paid jobs and no debt other than mortgage).

I just do not see the point on spending more than I have already because I know the boys will be receiving gifts from relatives.

Last year, we lost track of who gave what, it was too much. One of the presents is still in its plastic wrapper, even now.

When they are older, I will do the stockings and treat them with more extravagent gifts. Right now, at this age, I think it is pointless.

Unfortunately, the only person who agrees with me is my DM but I am determined that I will not capitulate on this issue.

OP posts:

ThursdayNext · 04/09/2007 14:17

speedymama, I entirely agree with you, and think you are most reasonable
I think in your position I wouldn't make too much of a deal out of it if DH wanted to shop for something additional himself though.

whiskeyandbeer · 04/09/2007 14:29

i don't think you are being unreasonable to only spend this amount if your husband agreed with you on the matter thats your right as parents.
i think yabu if you don't agree to compromise with your husband when he obviously does not share your estimation of how much you should spend. you said in your riginal post that you don't want the kids becoming materialistic and i'm sure your husband doesn't either, he just wants to treat the kids on a special day.
you've set out how much you want to spend, why not just get your husbands opinion on how much he wants to spend and then take whatever figure is the halfway point rather than getting into an argument over what is essentially meant to be a happy and fun time.

MrsPuddleduck · 04/09/2007 14:42

YANBU

It is Ds1's birthday tomorrow and I am dreading it - in fact that reminds me - I must go and clear out the toycupboard to make room for the influx of plastic.

I have managed to buy him one present from DH1 and myself and a present from DS2 to DS1.

speedymama · 05/09/2007 09:05

Their birthday is in February and they will receive more presents then - we will be drowning in gifts that in all honesty, they don't need.

I don't want to come across as an uncompassionate scrooch but I just find the whole thing about Christmas and birthdays too over the top, too indulgent and too forced. How much plastic, wood, paper etc does a child, let alone two, need!

Thanks for all your comments and pov.

OP posts:

Surfermum · 05/09/2007 09:35

I collect bits and pieces from charity shops for dd and dsd's stockings. It's amazing what you can get that is either new or in really good condition. I spent £12.50 on dd for Christmas when she was 2.

I've always found that it's the cheap things that they seem to like the most. Dsd was over the moon with a balloon modelling kit one year and entertained the whole family with it, and dd has played and played with a little hairdressers set. Both came from Poundland.

I went a bit overboard last year for dd (she was 3) as it was the first year she understood what was going on, and I really regret it. I didn't spoil her by any means, but she didn't need half of what we got her. I'm going to be more restrained this year.

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