To ask how much you spend on your children for Christmas?

[chubbycheeks26]

I imagine this has been done to death.

I am sick and tired of my mum telling me that I've spent too much on my 2 year old daughter, around £600. However, she's my only one and if she had siblings my budget would still be the same, just between them. I can afford it, so AIBU to spend this kind of money? Or am I being ridiculous?

I was going to ask the same question, I guess it’s quite easy to spend that on teens if they want the latest iPhone or iPad. Dd1 is getting a ipad, I now feel bad as she doesn’t have much else but she doesn’t wear make up or perfume, has plenty of clothes and doesn’t want new trainers, she has a weighted blanket and a few other small bits to open but it’s also her birthday in a few weeks. We wouldn’t have space to put all the things you listed but our house is tiny 🤣, for me it’s not always about the money but more about the space.

I will say I was an only child my parents are no longer with us so nothing from my side of the family and dh was in care on and off and is no contact with his parents and siblings so apart from us they get fuck all else, the 3 present rule would not work for us as it would literally be 3 presents. I absolutely refuse to let my children miss out on gifts because dh parents choose alcohol and drugs over their son.

If you can afford it then I think it’s fine, things like iPads are great things to buy and will probably get used daily, I think it’s easy to spend that amount on teenagers but feel that amount would be wasted on a 5 year old.

@Juk3 ah cool thanks, appreciate you telling me as I hope it didn't sound like a judgey question! All i could think was like a Mac book or tablet but couldn't think what else! They will have a lovely day, I hope you like seeing their faces light up x

@Juk3 eeeee I'd get so bloody exited wrapping all that up 😍

I too refuse to let my daughter miss out because her dad decided to pretend she doesn't exist and hasn't got half of her family!

Our Christmas spend adds up to about £200 total on each child (from myself and two relatives). They are teens now but thats always been approx our Christmas budget.
Anything more is OTT imho.

£600 on a two year old is ridiculous.

@PenfoldPenny hit the nail on the head there - in your opinion

My opinion is the opposite

I've got a present spreadsheet so I can tell you exactly.

DD (15) £470
DS (13) £440

I spent £350 on DH

We are a small family. No grandparents left, no cousins or Aunts that buy for the DC - they literally get us and one small thing each from their godmothers. So I spend a tiny bit more than I can really afford to compensate.

A spreadsheet? Really

About £150 per kid this year. We are fortunate that we don't need to budget for Christmas, we buy what we feel is appropriate each year.

Both have birthdays in January and February too, I've spent more on DD birthday gift than her Christmas ones.

peace What's wrong with a spreadsheet? I love a good spreadsheet!

Easy to track ideas v ordered v bought/delivered, to check estimated spend etc.

Not mocking, I'm impressed.

@peaceanddove

A spreadsheet? Really

Why not? At least OP knows exactly what's been spent and isn't one of those people that go "Eek, I dunno,bit I've probably gone overboard 🙈..that's what the credit card is for 😂🤣 it's going to be a long day til pay day in Jan lollolol"

@peaceanddove

Not mocking, I'm impressed.

Whoops,. Sorry

Ugh this year has been expensive. DD - £1400
MacBook Pro + £100 odd bits and pieces ( books, pants, socks, make up etc) . DS new Xbox S + games and about the same in odds and sods dunno how much that cost tbh.

We don’t normally spend that much but dd needs a laptop for 6th form and it has been a spectacularly shit year. DH and I haven’t bought each other that much and we aren’t going anywhere. Recon all in we’ll probably spend £2300.

Normally 300 to 350. This year i dont even want to work it out as both getting ps5s as main gifts

I agree with those saying your child, your rules OP. It's not up to your DM how you spend your money.

We've spent about £250 on each child (age 2 and 7) plus stockings, which probably come to about £25-30 each and Christmas Eve boxes, which probably come to around £20-25 each. I've spent about £150 on DH this year. We never spend more than we can comfortably afford to, and I buy a few things throughout the year to spread the cost out a bit. I would never judge anyone else for spending more or less than we do, everyone's circumstances are different.

I think we’ve spent around £400 between the 2 kids. A bit more on the eldest as he wanted a micro scooter and a Nintendo Switch game and the youngest wanted a toy costing £15.

@peaceanddove

A spreadsheet? Really

Yep! A spreadsheet.

It has tabs along the bottom with DH DD, DS and Other, with the year eg: DD2020. I initially add things as they mention them, specifically request them or I think of them. Then if I order something, that line goes green and I put the amount in a column next to it, and when it arrives I mark it blue. So at a glance I can see what they asked for VS what I've bought VS what I'm still waiting for to be delivered.

I can also remind myself what they got last year and make sure that they are getting a similar number of gifts/budget spent.

It's a bit twatty but it's pretty basic and really helps.

We’re looking at 2k for the 14 year old and possibly 2.5k on the 11 year old.

Il be able to advise on Monday exactly what we’ve spent when we get ds2 main present (specialised gaming PC).

Hi, no comment re money spent because that’s up to each family to decide. There is no right or wrong. I do question why you’d buy so much of the same ‘type’ of toy though (ie peppa role play); I would worry that they’d get bored of it quickly and that there’s not much variety in terms of developing different skills. Not sure everyone gives it that much thought though!

It completely depends on what an individual can manage, this year has stretched us more financially so we spent £350 each on my 2 dc, no tat this year like I usually get I put more thought and got them about 7 gifts each in total and stuff I knew they would use as I’d had enough of finding lots of unused tat a year later. Previous years I’ve went nuts and spent £900 on my eldest dc and £600 on my youngest as she can’t play with toys etc due to her having cerebral palsy. My toughest year when I’d just moved and was paying for two houses and moving costs etc I managed £100 per dc and I didn’t feel bad it’s whatever you can manage with plus my dc say the best part of Christmas is having Christmas dinner, sitting in pjs with there sweets whilst watching films

Makes me feel a bit better seeing I'm not alone in the spending what I want camp

chubbycheeks26
Fair enough.

But if its £600 on a two year old, does that then become double that on a 5yo? Even more on a 10yo? A super yacht when they turn 14? Obviously Im exaggerating but at what point does the budget stop and you stop lavishing enormous quanitites of money on the kid - when you can no longer afford it? Or when they are a super over indulged brat?

I spent around £280 on my 14 yo DS this year. His Dad spent around £160. Other than that he got gifts of £40 cash. He gets more in total from me and his Dad now we are separated. I used to buy most of the presents before and his dad barely contributed. Now we buy the main present between us and both get other gifts too. I haven’t really reduced what I spend even though his Dad is buying too.

£600 sounds a lot for a 2 yo but if you can afford it.. Don’t feel you have to over compensate as a single mum though, not all kids have big families. I think at that age we were spending £100 or less. It got more expensive later when he started wanting tech.