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Original poster

If your DC are the only grandchildren how much do their GP's spend at Christmas?

54 replies

nappyaddict · 07/12/2010 11:43

My mum goes totally overboard with DS.

My grandparents only ever spent about 10-15 pounds on us and it didn't do me any harm although I remember being Shock when school friend's would say their GPs had given them 100 pound+!!

As much as I appreciate my mum's generosity there is far too much stuff in our house already that he doesn't play with!!

OP posts:
ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 07/12/2010 11:45

I suppose they spend around £50 per DS. I certainly don't expect it, and have tried to get them to cut down for years. At least I've managed to stop the Giant Present invasion. One year we had a drum kit, a football table and two bean bags. I wept

missorinoco · 07/12/2010 11:47

My Mum goes bonkers and spends loads usually.

Very very generous but I find it overwhelming, and they are at that age where a balloon would be an amazing present.

This year I suggested a couple of books they might like, on the basis she always brings something when she visits anyway, and we are due to have no 3 later this year so they could do with a bit of spoiling then. That went down well.

Having said that, I think it is my relatives entitlement to buy for their grandchildren if they want (excluding soft porn etc.....), and if she had said, No, I want to get X and Y, so be it.

missorinoco · 07/12/2010 11:48

I like Giant Present Invasion. I did have to explain we didn't need a second Art Easel, they could share the one DS received last year.

ChickensHaveNoMercyForTurkeys · 07/12/2010 11:53

I once had to step in because my Dad had bought a giant ride in car thing with a motor. It was the size of an actual Smart car. Dad phoned me to say he'd found the perfect thing for DS1 (2 at the time Hmm) and then proudly announced the car purchase. I gently explained that as he didn't have a trailer and lives 150 miles away he probably couldn't drive it here. And I only have one garage. Poor chap was terribly crestfallen. He returned the monster jeep to the shop and turned up on Christmas eve with half of Toys'R'Us instead. DS really liked the boxes.

mogs0 · 07/12/2010 11:58

Ds is the only grandchild and my parents are divorced.

My Dad gives ds £100 premium bond and £20 for him to spend on what he wants. My Mum usually gets him about 5 presents and if she hasn't found a suitable (in her opinion not mine Grin) 'main' present she'll give him money aswell. My step-dad gives him £100 for me to buy things for him as and when he needs them (is meant for school shoes/clothes/activities etc).

He also gets a LOT of presents from my 2 childless sisters - at least 10 from each.

They all think I'm a miserable arse because I always ask them not to buy so much for him. They don't appreciate how little space I have in my house to keep it all! Also, with so many gifts, he doesn't actually play with half of it.

I don't mean to come across as ungrateful because I really do appreciate the family I have, I just wish they didn't buy us so much.

Habanera · 07/12/2010 11:59

My 2 dds age 10 and 7 have an endless array of unopened kits, toys, etc, many duplicated. these are from my side (mum dad and my grandchildless auntie) and his (parents inlaws, 2 brothers, one of their wives, and one sis, all bloody childess!!!) I regift some asdds sometimes don't even remember that the stuff was theirs, never mind who gave it. Though they WON'T part with most items even broken baby toys.

The speciality of the PILs is to buy somthing several years too early, i.e. big Casio keyborad for 9 month old. After storing, dusting and keeping track of it for the several years before she got weakly interested, she then couldn't use it because toddler dd2 insisted on grabbing it and pressing START thereby putting on this extremely loud medley default, I just couldn't stop it or stand it and it always caused a huge row. I think it put dd1 off music!

Discourage them from thinking their genius grandchild wants stuff that is too advanced, if you can.

I especially hate soft toys.

GrimmaTheNome · 07/12/2010 12:06

Usually £30 - £50 but its one big 'special' thing eg a scooter. One year it was a lot more than that because Granny kindly stumped up for a Yamaha flute.

They always checked what we wanted - often we actually have to get the thing because they can't get to the shops.

mumoverseas · 07/12/2010 12:22

my mum used to buy lots of little bits for the children and loved making stockings for them and filling them with tat/little things. It was always a joke about which poundshop nannie had been too.
Sadly she died last year so christmas isn't the same Sad

DH's parents don't give a rats arse about seeing their grandchildren and don't even bother sending them a card for christmas (or birthdays) which makes me so very sad.

I'd give anything for a stocking full of tat this year

mogs0 · 07/12/2010 12:28

So sorry to hear about your Mum, mumoverseas. And sad that your PIL aren't interested in their DGC.

Would you like to borrow my sisters for the festive period? They are very generous and love to give! Grin

loonyrationalist · 07/12/2010 12:30

PIL - have to try to rein MIL in - normally about £50

My mum about £30 plus a sparkly dress each beforehand for parties

But tbh I think my dad has it right; he spends a varying amount depending on what they want/need. Ie christmas 2008 he bought them dd1 a much coveted dora duvet cover £8; he couldn't choose anything for dd2 (9 months) so gave me the cost of her weekly music class for 6 months. He would never buy something for the sake of buying it

Christmas 2009 he bought them a trampoline between them circa £200 each

mumoverseas · 07/12/2010 12:38

mogs thanks for the kind offer but I don't think DH could cope with any more girls in the house over christmas. DD1 (his step D) is a hormonal teenager and that about finishes him off.
Didn't mean to make the thread gloomy, sorry.

I read somewhere about 'adopting' grandparents and would really love to do that as I think the kids, particularly DC3 adn 4 are really missing out and don't have the lovely memories that DC1 and 2 had.

mogs0 · 07/12/2010 13:03

You wouldn't have to have them in your house - they'd just send presents Grin! You didn't make the thread gloomy - I was a bit worried my last post was a bit flippant.

Adopting GPs sounds interesting. I grew up with one GP but never felt any different to my sisters who knew 2 of our other GPs (they died before I was born).

craftynclothy · 07/12/2010 13:13

My kids aren't the only gc but my sisters kids are much older (18, 20 and 22) so just get some cash.

I expect my parents spend far more on the kids than I realise. I know the main presents they're getting (about £30 each) but they also buy lots of little presents (like clothes, sweets, cheap toys).

OTOH my aunty goes really overboard with them (she used to do it with me too). She sent £100 down for me to get some stuff for the kids (we have more shops here). Then on top of that she's spent another £50 each on them. Plus she's still trying to get the one thing dd1 wants which is sold out everywhere. I expect when the presents arrive there'll also be stocking fillers for them too.

I have no idea where I'm going to put it all. We struggled to get the Xmas tree in and I know there's one of those zebras you sit on and bounce round on, a trampoline, yet more dollsand god only knows what else. We only have a 2 bed house.

CherryTheRedNosedMonster · 07/12/2010 14:32

my mum spends £50 on each of the 4 dgc's. my brother and sister dont have kids, and my kids dont get anything from their dads side.

TeaOneSugar · 07/12/2010 16:30

Up until last year my dd was an only grandchild, she still is on my side but the pil have another now and a third on the way.

I have to rein both sides in, because they get competative, I give them both a list of no more than three things, making sure they are roughly the same in £ and that both sides have at least one thing I know she really wants. They still buy "bits" on top but mainly PJ's, clothes etc rather than toys.

It sounds contrived and it is, but the alternative is her first christmas when they both descended on christmas morning with two sacks full each and it spoilt my christmas.

I'd say they spend about £50-£60 on the three things on my list.

TeaOneSugar · 07/12/2010 16:36

Oh, and this year I've stressed that they don't need to worry about bringing the same number of gifts as last year, or making a similar sized "pile", naturally as she's getting older she wants things that are smaller but more expensive - if that makes sense - a wii game might be £20, it doesn't look as much wrapped up as a £20 plastic toy for a younger child.

Just trying to get that one in before they start comparing the "pile" for the babies with the "pile" for my year 2 dd.

posey · 07/12/2010 20:53

My parents spend £50, and make sure that they spend evenly to almost the exact penny.

Dh's parents are more likely to buy them what they want, so they would buy a a bike if that was asked for but equally would buy something far less if tht was what was wanted.

dbm · 07/12/2010 22:51

each set of ours spend about £20 total, we seem to be in the minority on this thread and I find the amount of presents given, as well as some of the money, quite mindblowing

TheOriginalNutcracker · 07/12/2010 22:53

My mum spends £10-£15 and my dad generally goes halves with my brother and between them spend about £30 on each child.

Breezy1985 · 08/12/2010 01:08

My mum goes way over the top too but she thinks I don't get them enough! Hmm I really wish she wouldn't because she cannot afford it.

Last year she got them both DS's aswell as a sack full of stuff.

My dad gets them a toy each from the poundshop.

The dads side goes way over the top to, buying to show love i think, they live 30 minutes away but only make the effort to come and see them on birthdays and xmas and then brings a lorry load of stuff for them
Last year she got DD 2 dolls pram which are exactly the same, whatever she needed 2 for i'll never know Confused

They are the first GD and GS on both sides, and sisters are childless too.

My nan always spent £15 on us, and still does bless her, did me no harm :)

happilyeverafter · 08/12/2010 01:26

PIL and my parents spend £100-£150 each on DD. Two sets of great grandparents spend £20 each, my db spends around £50, sil another £50 but often more, then assorted relatives spend £10-£15. It's overwhelming.

They would spend much more if given the slightest encouragement. When GPs ask what to get we usually suggest something for around £20, they'll then buy some bits that DD will have seen on adverts at their house plus a few surprises.

I find it excessive but it comes from them adoring her and getting pleasure from treating her, gps spend lots of time with her and enjoy shopping for her so much as we ask them not to go mad we'd never be too strict.

DH and I usually spend around £20 on her tops since the GPs and other relatives buy so much there's never anything she needs.

I used to get £15 from GPs and £10 from aunties, it used to be a fortune!

wangle99 · 08/12/2010 03:54

PIL spend about £40 per child (DS7 and DD13) they are the only grandchildren for them. My mother spends about £20 but moans even when spending that! (I don't tell her to spend that much she feels she 'should').

RubyGrace17 · 08/12/2010 14:19

My three girls are the only grandchildren on both sides and are completely spoiled by both sets of grandparents and great grandparents!
My mum and dad spend far too much on the girls. Probably around £300 per child and that consists of mainly toys but some clothes. It generally depends on what the girls want but it's normally one "main" present and a lot of smaller gifts. As well as this, my mum buys the girls their Christmas day dresses, tights, shoes etc.
My MIL & FIL spend around £125 on each girl. They're less likely to know what the girls would like so tend to ask myself or my husband what sorts of things to buy. This year, for example, my eldest daughter (4) is getting a new dollshouse and the remaining money (£25) is going into her bank account to save.
My own GGPs give each child £100 which goes straight into their savings account.
My GGP in law again give each child money which goes into their accounts to save- normally around £50.
I know that they're so lucky to be spoiled by their grandparents and I've now realised that no amount of asking the GPs to spend less is going to make any difference. So I just let them carry on now :)

Ruby

moid · 08/12/2010 14:26

Three grandchildren, my two and one other. Boys getting nothing from DH's side of the family.

Huge amounts - ipod touch are on their christmas lists this year and each year £3500 into a shareholder pension Confused - at this rate they will have a bigger pension than we do!

storminabuttercup · 08/12/2010 14:32

DS will be 4 months at xmas, my own mum has bought him the biggest pile of toys ever (they are all wrapped and in the corner of her bedroom) i know some things (about 5 things) which come to over £100, god knows about the rest, oh and as a seperate present for 'when hes older' they have got him a scalectrix....

My sis has spent well over £50...

My Granparents have spent well over £50 too

Mil has said she will give him cash...

I'm wondering where the hell i'm going to put everything, although i really havent helped matters with the amount of stuff we've bought.

i think we are all mental though!