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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Children’s birthdays and Christmas budgets

23 replies

Logiclady94 · 10/10/2020 11:27

Hi all, I am just wanting some advice on what to set as a budget for two children under two’s Christmas and birthday presents. I’m not asking for people to tell me exactly what they spend as I’m aware it is none of my business but I’m just wondering if £150 each for a Christmas budget for two children under two is a lot? And half of that so £75 is a lot for a birthday budget for each?

Our DD is two in October and we are looking to get her a few presents since we won’t be arranging any party or day out with the covid rates being what they are (personal reasons apply)

Our son was born in January but he was premature so he is going to be 10 months corrected at Christmas but will be 11 months from his birth date so his budget will probably spread a lot further.

We know family will want to get them some presents too which will help but we don’t want them to want a spend a lot.

My daughters 2nd Christmas but 1st memorable Christmas was a bit spoilt last year as we ended up going to hospital to check on ours son movements as couldn’t feel him. He had stopped growing it turned out and he had stopped moving in order to conserve energy.

AIBU to think that this budget is perfectly fine and it is my guilt at her Christmas being railroaded last year that is making me think it isn’t?

OP posts:
TeenPlusTwenties · 10/10/2020 11:29

Nothing wrong with that budget.
Enjoy.

Original poster
Logiclady94 · 10/10/2020 11:36

Thank you, I just think it is a lot of mum guilt as her birthday was taken up with a bad pregnancy waiting to see if we miscarriaged and Christmas was taken up the realisation that even though our son was alive inside, he wasn’t doing well and he was struggling.

Also I’ve returned to work and I’m full time, I am working from home but we’ve hired a nanny so I am watching them have fun daily with someone that isn’t me so now I’m doing the hours so they don’t go without anything but they are going without me

OP posts:
Bonniface · 10/10/2020 11:38

I don’t think it’s too much per se, but the children are very young so their appreciation will be pretty limited. I think you could spend a lot less and still give them the fun experience of opening a couple of presents, without spending lots when they’re too young to really understand.

Camomila · 10/10/2020 11:39

That's fine - you could do it for a lot cheaper if you needed to but if you want to get any big toys you'll use for years (eg, wooden kitchen, dolls house) then things get more expensive.

SahmedOut · 10/10/2020 11:40

I would say it's a lot, but if you can afford it, why not? All they want are a few things to unwrap that make lots of noise and your undivided attention!

daisypond · 10/10/2020 11:42

I’d say it was far, far too much. They are too young. Small children’s presents are usually very cheap, so don’t put aside a set amount to spend. You’ll be racking your brains what to spend it on. Save your money for when they are older.

Liverbird77 · 10/10/2020 11:43

It's plenty. This year we've bought a Pickler Triangle as a joint main present for our two under twos. That is expensive, but it's a one off that they'll use loads. The rest are just bits off Amazon and The Works...kids this age get overwhelmed with mountains of toys.

My boy is also two at the end of December and we've got him a balance bike and a second hand little tykes coupe. I love FB marketplace for stuff like this.

sandragreen · 10/10/2020 11:43

Honestly OP, I used to buy mountains of plastic tat for my DC when they were young, and it was such a bloody waste.

Remember they have no idea whatsoever of the cost of things, so if you find something they really would love and it's less money, stick to that.

Sarahbeans · 10/10/2020 11:57

My children have birthdays around Christmas and I found one way to make it easier for us to manage was making birthdays about the celebration and Christmas where they got most of their presents. So for birthdays, we spent no more than £50 on presents with most money being spent on the party or the celebration. These days, with teenage daughters they tend to get about £75 spent on their presents and they still get money for a celebration. These days it's money to go shopping or a nice meal.

Then most of their presents they get for Christmas. I found it managed all the presents they got given. Otherwise it was overwhelming and they just got too many duplicates and we never had the storage to keep it all.

Ellmau · 10/10/2020 12:02

Your budget depends on your income.

Original poster
Logiclady94 · 10/10/2020 12:06

@Liverbird77- I’ve just looked at a pickler triangle and that actually looks like an amazing idea. We want something which our son can gain strength on and our DD loves to climb.

I know the budget seems a bit high so at least that was our top end budget amount. We can always lower it if we don’t even come up with ideas. We know what we are getting her for her birthday but Christmas we may have to think of a rejig idea 😌

OP posts:
Liverbird77 · 10/10/2020 12:08

@Logiclady94 I know...they are bloody expensive in my opinion! Our son absolutely loves climbing though, and we've also added the slide because he loves sliding as well. Apparently, they can be used in a myriad of ways e.g. sling a blanket over it and it becomes a den. I'd rather spend more on something they'll love than a mountain of tat they'll forget by January.

Sally872 · 10/10/2020 12:12

Budget is fine, though you can give them a good birthday/Christmas for less than that if you want.
At that age, toys can be quite bulky so I wouldnt spend so much as that plus gifts from grandparents would be too much for our playroom/bedrooms. So i suppose it would be the size of the toys that would be a decider for me.

Original poster
Logiclady94 · 10/10/2020 12:13

@Liverbird77- I’m definitely going to rethink my list of gift ideas because you are right! She would forget all about the plastic toys by January, she has a playroom full of toys which she just ignores now (mainly because they are more her brothers age group)

The plastic stuff I know she loves is Duplo so I might get her a Duplo set or a playmobil 123 set and one of these pickler triangles. I want to explore her free spirited nature and her creative nature which she expresses through her Duplo and drawing Smile

Thank you so much!

OP posts:
TheSandgroper · 10/10/2020 12:17

Dd’s birthday is in January so while the local family bought for Christmas, I had them give me money for her first few birthdays and I would buy something big - climbing frame, dolls house etc. Overseas would send cash so I tended to keep that until mid year when she had grown and put it towards something appropriate.

But for early Christmases themselves, I would buy clothes, books, bath/pool toys. Nothing big, really.

User0ne · 10/10/2020 12:29

I've voted yabu because unless you're buying something like a puller triangle it's far too much money.

I've had 2 under 2's (now 2 and 3) and unless you fill your house with crap that they can't appreciate you are way over budget. This year I'm spending (have spent) £35 each.

They won't remember it. You'd be buying it because of how you feel not because of what they want. I know some people would say why not; for me I'd rather have some extra cash (to buy the next size of clothes etc) than piles of tat.

Notso · 10/10/2020 12:37

I think £150 is an awful lot for that age group. Particularly when they're close in age.

NoIDontWatchLoveIsland · 10/10/2020 12:52

It's quite a lot given that as PP have said, they will probably not understand or appreciate much of it. At age 2 I remember overdoing it for DS spending about that much, and he was overwhelmed and didnt actually want to open all the presents. Also the thing he loved most was something tiny and cheap. I would only spend so much again if there was a "big ticket" expensive long term item in there (a good quality balance bike etc).

No idea what you could actually spend £150 on for an 11m old.

I've got DS who will be almost 4 at Christmas and DD almost 18m. With DS I'm really wary this year about creating "huge pile" expectations for future years. when they are 2 or 3 or so everything comes in a massive box so a present from you, one from each set of grandparents and maybe a couple of aunts/uncles, makes quite a pile. It really doesn't need making into a mountain with extra presents from mummy & daddy. As they get older presents get physically smaller. Friends I know who spoiled in earlier years have ended up buying bulky tat for ever after to try and recreate the huge pile under the tree - it's really wasteful and misses the point of Christmas.

AmIACowBag · 10/10/2020 13:23

I don't think that's alot at all OP but just do what you can afford. I'm ridiculously excessive and will see if I can do better this year

AmIACowBag · 10/10/2020 13:24

At age 2 just give them a box and the wrapping paper tube tbh they wont care

OverTheRainbow88 · 10/10/2020 13:26

If you can afford it, go for that amount; if not don’t get yourself into debt! I would probably not spend more than £20 on my youngest!

GoldfishParade · 10/10/2020 13:26

That's a huge amount for kids too young to really care

Ellmau · 10/10/2020 13:42

I wouldn't spends loads on lots of bits of tat, if you have a bigger budget I would go for a few larger/higher quality items.

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