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Christmas

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Original poster

People that only spend about 25 pound per DC at Christmas ....

101 replies

nappyaddict · 06/12/2010 15:29

Do they have winter birthdays?

Do they get a lot of presents from other people?

Are they too young to care?

Do they get toys throughout the year or just at Christmas and birthdays?

Would you like to spend more but can't afford it?

I know I spend too much on DS and need to cut back but unless I really couldn't afford it I can't imagine only spending that much. I mean even if you buy second hand stuff (which I do) it still wouldn't buy very much.

OP posts:
Original poster
nappyaddict · 09/12/2010 20:46

mj How much do you spend on the older ones?

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Iamcountingto3 · 09/12/2010 20:57

Do they have winter birthdays? Feb & March

Do they get a lot of presents from other people? DO pretty well, yes - biggest presents are from GPs not us.

Are they too young to care? 6 & 4. 6yo is becoming aware that his best friend has LOTS more 'stuff' than he does - but tbh that's more about what he gets year round rather than Christmas

Do they get toys throughout the year or just at Christmas and birthdays? A few little bits, but not much (see above...!)

Would you like to spend more but can't afford it? Not really. IN fact it took us ages to think what to buy dd - her list is mostly crisps, oranges, sweets....

tingletangle · 09/12/2010 21:36

solo I certainly do celebrate Christmas not least because we are Christians. We just do not really do the present thing as that is not what Christmas is about. I think it is quite telling that people assume you are not celebrating Christmas if you do not flash the cash.

nappyaddict we don't do birthday presents as she gets them from everyone else, there is no need for us to add to the pile of stuff. We do throw big parties though, it isn't so much about the money as not wanting to buy stuff for the sake of it.

mjinsparklystockings · 09/12/2010 21:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
nappyaddict · 09/12/2010 22:04

TingleTangle Roughly how much do you spend at Christmas on presents for her?

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tingletangle · 09/12/2010 23:26

This year she has a book which cost £8. I am also making her a nightdress, I cannot remember how much the material is. She will also have a stocking that will cost another £5ish. She also needs a new riding hat, I may give her that or put it under the tree.

I have spent money today signing her up for some art classes. DH paid and I am not sure how much it was. We tend to spend money on activities and days out.

We spend a fair bit on food at Christmas.

andchips · 10/12/2010 00:00

tingletangle- your child doesn't have any toys? Did she when she was younger?

Did people mind when you asked them not to buy her presents?

Meglet · 10/12/2010 00:01

Mine are too young to care. I get some second hand toys / books then pep it up with a new book each.

andchips · 10/12/2010 00:01

Oh I have just seen your most recent post. Ignore my first question then, but I am curious about the second.

Original poster
nappyaddict · 10/12/2010 08:56

TingleTangle I think that's a good idea. I have paid for my godson to go to Tumble Tots because I was going to get him a wooden walker with bricks but then found out his Nan was getting him a walker too. Couldn't see the point in him having 2 and couldn't think of anything else he really needed. I looked for a different toy to get him but after having my heart set on the walker there was nothing that really grabbed my attention.

Art classes sound good, how much are they? DS would like those but maybe a bit young. I don't know if they do them for his age? (4.6 and in reception)

He has expressed an interest in horse riding too but it is quite expensive and although I know they do lessons for his age I have been told they don't really learn much and it's just leading them around on the pony which makes it quite expensive. And then there's the equipment that goes with it. I presume that's expensive too? How much is a riding hat?

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SantasKnickersOnMyHead · 10/12/2010 09:01

Mine are young and have spent £30 max each on them, only because that is all I could afford. And they have been from bootsales/charity shops etc.

Got family's throughout the year to spread the cost a little.

dweezle · 10/12/2010 12:48

2 ds's, one Nov and one July birthday. When young (i.e. up to 10) used to get 1 x big pressie (and this could be anything from action man to Monopoly, depending on age and requirements, although big present often 2nd hand), book, game, selection box, new PJs and maybe something to go with toys they already had i.e. action man accessories.

Game and money from GP's and books/money from aunties/uncles.

Would not have paid more than we did.

Very rarely had other toys or games throughout year except birthdays. Big ticket presents such as bicycles/CD player always for birthdays, not christmas.

Always remember DNeice on her 5th Christmas in tears because she was completely overwhelmed (in a bad way) with volume of presents, including large amounts of complete tat and stuff which her mother admitted the following year she had never played with. Was awful. Vowed would never ever do same.

maxybrown · 10/12/2010 14:51

We've spent a bit more than that this year - we have an only and could spend more but choose not to. Prob we have spent about £40

We buy lots of things seocnd hand and don't buy plastic tat.

We do get him things in the year but charity shop or car boot and mostly he takes his own purse for things with money from his money box - that is filled with copper from us and my Mum pops money (£1) in occasionally.

Last year he had a wooden garage and cars second hand and a teeny bike off ebay that cost us 99p and was as new.

This year he has one new present and a couple of second hand things and second hand or small new bits for a stocking

He is 3 Smile

Abr1de · 10/12/2010 14:59

There is no need to spend more than twenty-five pounds on very small people--under five, say. They have a lot of fun with things that aren't expensive. Save the money for when they're teenagers, I say!

kormachameleon · 10/12/2010 15:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Go · 10/12/2010 20:39

It's more difficult as they get older, as they are more aware of things. DS is 8 and has asked for 2 Wii games, 2 DS games, a microscope, Knex, Lego etc etc. He knows he won't get all of these things, and he won't mind as he will get some and then the rest of his stocking will be sweets and small things. He gets a present from my parents, but no one else as his other grandparents don't celebrate Christmas for religious reasons and we have "done a deal" with other friends and relies not to buy for each other but to donate to charity instead. He had his birthday at the end of Oct so not that long ago.

DD is 14 and only really wants money so she can buy her own stuff. She will still get a stocking from Father Christmas Blush with sweets etc.

I really think you shouldn't spend beyond your means. If you can afford to buy things and think your children will like them, then fine. My parents really, really struggled when I was a child, and one Christmas bought me a completely unexpected (and pricy) present. I was stunned. So much so that 30 years on I still have it, and will never part with it as I know how hard they must have had to work to get it for me.

So whatever your circumstances, there will be pros and cons. Having a HAPPY Christmas is more important than having lots of stuff.

tingletangle · 10/12/2010 21:23

She did have toys when she was younger I suppose but 10 year olds don't really do toys. She has instruments, lots of crafty things, books and boardgames. She does like things like electronic/science kits or meccano and she has a teleescope that was expensive but that was as much for DH as her. But tbh when she was younger she never played with toys that much either.

Other people can buy her presents but we do ask that they don't spend a lot. She certainly gets birthday presents from people but again we ask them not to be excessive.

I think a riding hat is about £40. Her art classes we paid for as a package over the holiday, I think they were about £25 a day. It depends on what she does. Every school holiday she does a different course.

PinkElephant73 · 10/12/2010 22:49

tingletangle your DD sounds like my DS - he has never been into toys but loves reading and science kits etc.

he has over £100 of birthday money that he has not spent as he doesnt want anything!

my FIL always spends £100 on each grandchild but DS just doesnt want anything, so perhaps will just get him to put in the bank...

GrizzlyMacDuff · 11/12/2010 07:57

only Shock is that not plenty? I guess it depends on the age.

FiveColdRingsForSolo · 11/12/2010 11:29

Korma, I've PM'd you. Thank you for your lovely offer, but we are fine :) have fully explained in message.

DuelingFanio · 11/12/2010 11:40

Honestly, a friend of mine says she spends £200 on her children's stockings alone! EACH - and she has 3 kids. I find that incredible.

I am about to have my first child and we've not bought a thing as they just won't even know it's Christmas - nor will I! My friend said 'just you wait' but I really don't believe I will spoend anywhere near what she does. I plan to buy stuff through the year maybe but stockings in my family were always for fruit, nuts and felt-tip pens not for ipods and other expensive gifts.

FiveColdRingsForSolo · 11/12/2010 12:12

The thing I found totally sickening was a couple I know spending £1000 on their dog at Christmas (I kid you not). That is to me, completely ridiculous!

TorcherQueenie · 11/12/2010 12:28

DD is 7 We've set a budget of £30 so far this is 3 toys from Tesco at £10 each but 3 for 2. Then 5 books in brand new condition from charity shop at 50p for 5, A Hello Kitty poster Hello Kitty socks a bag of dinosaurs A pack of chocolates and a Hello Kitty tea set . We can't afford more I wish we could but we're going through a battle with the benefits agencys right now so practically no income.

The reason for the fighting with the DSS is due to my mental health issues I can not be left on my own in the house as I am such a high risk of suicide. I wish I could do more for DD like the childhood Xmas' I remeber. Its just not possible but shes so happy with what little she does get it makes me proud of her.

She won't get gifts from anyone else except my Nan who has spent £30 on a Hello Kitty art set and easel for her as my IL's plead poverty and I have no contact with my Mum or Dad.

thanksamillion · 11/12/2010 12:47

I don't know exactly how much we've spent but over the years it's probably been around this amount. In answer to your questions:

Do they have winter birthdays? yes Jan, Feb, March (coming up to 6, 4 and 1 so still quite young)

Do they get a lot of presents? I think so although not compared to a lot of what I've read about on MN

Do they get presents throughout the year? Some - we live abroad but have a lot of visitors in the year and they often bring presents

Would you like to spend more but can't affort it? No. We live in a country where most people live in pretty extreme poverty and my kids probably have more toys than most of the kids in the village put together. They know this (they play at their friends houses) and we encourage them to be generous in letting other children play here with them, and also in giving away toys at regular intervals.

We also have quite a small house (by UK standards) and there is only so much crap toy picking up that I can do in a day! I do have the advantage that we don't really have the peer pressure to get the latest thing (no TV either so no ads) but I genuinely don't think they're being disadvantaged by their lifestyle Smile

Original poster
nappyaddict · 11/12/2010 18:12

TingleTangle Does she do courses in the half terms as well as the big holidays? What sorts of things does she do? I think I would too prefer to put money aside that I would usually spend at Christmas so he can do things in the holidays. I know they do a football and swimming programme in the holidays around here.

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