To wonder how much you spend on your kids Christmas presents

[Angelina82]

and what ages are they?
I probably usually spend around 200/250 on each of mine. As a single mum it’s a struggle though, and I’m starting to think that I should cut back on the amount I spend on the kids that have left home, are in full time work and have partners to spoil them at Christmas. WIBU to spend more on the two college attending kids I have at home than the other 3?

From the amount I was expecting your children to be much younger. If you can't afford it you absolutely do not need to spend over £200 on each adult child. A token gift should be more than enough - I would say maybe £50.

About £400 on DD1 this year and she’ll be nearly 7. She wanted a Nintendo Switch but I consider this a family gift as we will all be able to use it.

DD2 will be around 3m so I’m wrapping up some toys that DD1 had and I’ve bought a few things I think she’ll like playing with within a year. Probably about £100. I wouldn’t be bothering at all if it weren’t for DD1. She’ll wonder why Father Christmas didn’t bring her sister anything.

I don’t expect my parents to spend anywhere near the kind of money you do on presents. DH and my parents might club together to buy me a bigger item I need but we usually buy tickets for each other now as none of us need stuff.

I would say cutting down is fine!

Just one young child and no expensive school fees anymore! So I would guess less than £500 (hopefully) on Christmas gifting. But probably easily well into four figures as planning a Christmas New Year Lapland luxury holiday (if within Covid safety comfort levels) to reward growing child exemplary understanding, good behaviour and fortitude during past self hibernation Covid months of enforced lifestyle disruptions and inconveniences. As a side note and related to the original poster's question this will not be a celebration as such but just thankful that we have (unlike some Covid hit neighbours) survived unscathed so far owing to our proactive vigilance and being always ahead of the game in terms of now normalised excepted and expected global best practice Covid risk mitigation measures. Unlike the UK government(s) we are been super alert and not forever procrastinating and always late the the party with constant u turns hence our UK sad Covid outcomes performance track record which is getting worse daily.

People seem to spend a lot these days on Christmas. My family never went mad at Christmas (still don't) but I suppose it depends how much you can afford. £250 per kid sounds loads to me but if you can afford it, it's up to you.

I buy what I see when I see it. I've only got one child, though.

Max £100 each, for a 6yo and 2yo but probably less thanks to the bargain Xmas thread on here!

What you can afford without going OTT.
A person earning their own money is more than old to appreciate that money doesn't grow on trees.

£50-100, 14 year old. I'm a single parent.

I'm not sure because ex dh has always paid, I let him buy everything last year also even though we weren't together but this year I don't want to let him do everything but this is just a side note, I downloaded the "plum" app and it automatically rounds up your transactions and takes out a certain amount into a savings each week that it determines from your outgoings that you can afford, in the last 6 weeks it's put aside nearly £200!! And this is coming from someone who is usually left with nothing at the end of the month, I haven't even noticed the little amounts going out that have added up, so that's just a good savings tip if you needed one

I don’t have a budget, it will be baby’s first Christmas. So he will get something he needs probably. Happy to spend on something wanted and good quality though. Would not spend more than I could afford though, and definitely wouldn’t go into debt for Xmas.

Think I might order a small little toddler pikler climbing frame nearer the time this year (about £200)

I spend up to £100. Im a single parent and have one 8 year old.

£100 each on main presents I guess

Quite a lot on the stocking fillers..probably more but I buy stuff throughout the year.

£500 is absolutely ridiculous if you can't afford it

YABU to want to spend different amounts on different children - but YANBY to cut down for ALL of them if you can't afford it!

I can't understand spending more on some children than others - unless there is a very good reason. You don't punish children that are more successful or settled.

You can HELP the ones without an income, but that shouldn't reflect on their actual gift.

Just cut down for all.

When i got to secondary school the big presents stopped. £100 in an envelope was our main gift and then small stocking type presents So we had something under the tree to open.

My eldest adult daughter earns considerably more than me, but to be honest as soon as she was an adult with an independent income presents became tokens. Last year I got her a lovely bedside rug for Christmas, the year before that I made her a stained glass suncatcher.

About £100 on DS1, I've got 2 for the first time this year - I'll buy baby DS2 something but mainly so DS1 doesn't worry Father Christmas hasn't got him anything.

Might buy a few more presents than usual this year as there'll be less outings.

Budget £100 each for my DCs (age 5 and 7). That amount feels 'right' to us and our income and they always seem really happy with their pressies. Normally do a big present (e.g. scooter or something like that) plus some books and a stocking.

We're spending £60-£80 for our 2 year old. I expect it will go up when he gets older but I can't imagine blowing £250. I'd definitely cut it down for your older kids, £50 budget max is plenty at that age.

OP I’m an adult who has a mother. I also have a husband and a job. I’d be mortified if my mother was spending money she couldn’t afford on present me for me. Just stop it. Even if you spent £100 on each “child” you would still be more than generous.

Just for me, not me for me

Probably £200 on their main gift each, then I spend all year picking up bits and pieces for them, they probably get around £500 spent on them each.

They have nobody else buying anything at all for them though, its only me.

I start xmas shopping in January so it doesn't seem like so much, and I get some great bargains.

I budget like mad, and I would reduce the amount spent if it put me in debt or I couldn't afford it.

We spend approx £300-400 each. Christmas is a big deal financially. However, we do offset it by making birthdays a much smaller spend (10 - 20 pounds each).

My lovely mum still gifts me a £50 note every Xmas (I'm 47).

Usually about €400

2 DC, money no concern (2 highly paid professionals)...

It varies, but never more than about £175 each. But it could just as easily be £75. DD (11) will get my old iPhone this xmas plus a couple of smaller things (books etc). She had a Sonos smart speaker last time and that was £170 and probably the most we've ever spent on her. DS (7) will get a bike probably, so < £100, hopefully. Expect things will get a little more expensive as they get older.

You don't need to buy expensive gifts, and the older ones should be expecting a reduction. I think once at university I was getting household stuff, or hobby stuff.

Also my children are teens and I will include in that spend - trainers they need anyway. Underwear etc.

I miss the days when they were tiny and I could buy lots for £30!