To ask how much you spend on DC at Christmas?

[Iggleshmiggle]

My DC are 5 and 2 and, my DD has a huge list which adds up to about £400, just wondering how much you spent, although I’m guessing it varies depending on what they want.

I’d say around 1000 total on our 3 primary age kids, maybe a bit more or less depending on what they have asked for. It works out to around £250 per child (usually one main gift plus 3 or 4 smaller ones) plus a stocking that’s maybe an extra 75-100. The rest comes from our large extended family. It always feels like too much!

We try to give any really big gifts at birthdays instead of Christmas because it is more special and they aren’t distracted by other piles of stuff.

If they needed a new laptop or phone would you buy that as a xmas gift-or would they buy it themselves?

Children don't generally have enough pocket money to buy themselves laptops or phones. Unless I'm paying far below average

If it fell around Christmas time that a phone or laptop needed replacing I'd buy it then, but personally I don't like electricals (as we call them) as Christmas gifts so it wouldn't be wrapped, put under a tree and given as a Christmas gift. The same with clothing.

Their main presents were a parajumper for one which was £800. The other one had an iPhone 13 which was £700. The third had an electric motorbike which was a similar price. Plus a couple other bits. I spend a lot but they’ve got only got 3-4 presents each because they were expensive (most people I know get their kids at least 8 plus presents each). Between me and oh we take home around 3k a week so it’s not a struggle or a lot of money for us, actually most of that come out of a tax rebate oh just received, and actually the iPhone was a free upgrade we get every 2 years with our contract (could have sold it on for £700 though). They are not spoilt or ungrateful children. Different people have different budgets 🤷🏼‍♀️

What on earth is a parajumper?

It’s a brand of coat

Will probably be about £100-150 each this year. I don't want too much new crap in the house.

Around £150 each including stockings, Pyjamas and a shared board game for Christmas eve.

Oh, a brand of coat! I can't say I've heard of that brand.

See, clothes and electricals are things we buy when needed rather than for Christmas. So it's possibly understandable if people are saving them for a Christmas gift. Same with hobby equipment.

£100 each child, some are teenagers.
I could afford to spend more but as my income is variable so I like to keep expectations low. We have lots of Christmas traditions which they look forward to more than the presents tbh.

About 1500€ between four of them.

Yeh we also buy clothes and electricals when needed through the year, she’s already got a winter coat. When they’re asking for an £800 coat though they can wait until Xmas!

I've 1 duaghtet and she's 9 years old.
I spend £150-£200 on things from her list and about £50 on sweets and treats etc.

I refuse to go into debt for a single day so in times when I couldn't afford that, she got as much as I could afford. When she was very little, 1 and 2, she got next to nothing, a couple teddies and some bits.

Around £300 for each child and my parents spend about the same so they get more than enough.

Op, you are the adult, which means you get to decide the budget and number of gifts. You really should have managed your DD’s expectations before she made her list, however, it’s never too late to set out your boundaries.

Hate these threads you get lynched if you spend more or accused of competive low spending if you spend less.
spend what you want and can afford.
Most importantly have a lovely day x

Generally 50-100 pounds for primary age and below dc (occasionally less). More for secondary age DC. Would hate to have 100s of pounds of young children's toys (tend to be big and bulky)to have to find space for.

This is why it's madness to say all presents come from father Christmas. Stocking from FC in this house.
We've spent around £250, it was more last year as his bike alone was more than that. He's also just had a birthday and we spent more for that. I don't set a budget as such because I won't spend more just to fill the budget. We usually do a couple of main presents, or one big one eg bike, a few moderate things, eg wooden fire station with vehicles etc (thanks Aldi) some books and some smaller bits and pieces like bath stuff or yoto cards, hot wheels, painting supplies etc.
The most important thing is you can afford it without any essentials being affected.

When they were small - we started off spending about a tenner and it probably averaged out at about £60 (a lot second hand so they still got a lot).
I think £400 is a huge amount for a small child especially if it's just toys.

As they got older/teens it was probably more like £150-£200 but that was really just one big present plus stocking.

This year we are spending about £500 but that's because DD wants a new laptop and we've agreed to chip in towards car insurance for DS, so they are very much "useful" presents.

@RewildingAmbridge I dont think it's madness, but I do think it's important to manage expectations.

We spend about 150 - 200 per child

£200 each for 3 adult children, foster son and stockings for them all £50. Dgc £50 each plus a couple of outings to see Santa and paint a Xmas bauble.

I spend about £100 for each child, but I'm not a high earner.

Depends what they ask for, but generally we spend about £200 on each. Both have birthdays in the 6 weeks running up to Christmas, so often don't ask for much!

My 5 year old gets plenty from family so she is getting a few games from us, some character clothing and some essentials. Approx £50 all in. Second hand where I have been able to find it.

I wouldnt mind spending £400 on a teenager for whatever the in fashion branded item of the moment was and some luxury electrical products (ghd/Dyson straighteners or whatever the kids are using these days) as they should last into adulthood. Wouldnt spend that on stocking filler tat though. High quality, not quantity.

It's not ridiculous at all, if that's what you're happy to spend and aren't going into debt to do it. We happen to be spending roughly that each on our teen DDs, too. We're also taking them to Salzburg for 3 nights to enjoy the Christmas markets, and I'm taking them for a spa day at Ragdale Hall on the 28th. I don't see any of this as ridiculous at all, thanks.