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Christmas

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Original poster

So do you think I have spent an obscene amount on ds

63 replies

selphy · 21/12/2010 10:09

My family have always thought that I spoil ds who will be 10 christmas day he is my only one.
I have spent £400 that is christmas and birthday combined.
So do you think this is way over the top as all my family seem to think so.

OP posts:

AnonEnormousStuffedBird · 21/12/2010 12:47

Personally? I think it is too much. How much next year? £500?? I could "afford" that, without going into debt, but I absolutely never would.

I've spent £100 in total on their joint main presents (2 DC). They then have several smaller presents to open separately. Probably £30-40 each. And I think we have pushed the boat out a bit to be honest....

But, each to their own completely, so if you can afford it, and can afford it for years to come then that is fine!

MooMooFarm · 21/12/2010 13:00

Our eldest has a Christmas birthday and when he was our only one we would probably spend around about that amount. Now we have more children we couldn't possibly keep it up so have scaled it down a bit.

We probably still spend more than some people think is 'necessary', but we don't get in debt over it and only spend what we can afford - so I don't think it's up to anyone else to judge.

MooMooFarm · 21/12/2010 13:02

BTW - just read Getorfs post - and am a bit shocked at £900 tbh! But I'm not judging

sarah293 · 21/12/2010 13:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Hulababy · 21/12/2010 13:10

Can you afford it?

Does your child expect it?

Is you child a polite, well mannered child who doesn't tantrum over "I wants?"

The answer to te above make a difference.

We spend a fair bit on DD. She's an only child. We can afford it. But she is a lovely child who doesn't expect, is always grateful and is not spoilt in her ways at all.

IMO a spoilt child is not created just by recieving lots.

Being spoilt is all about attitude and behaviour, not by possessions.

Quattrocento · 21/12/2010 13:12

Hulababy · 21/12/2010 13:12

And it doesn't have to be the sameamount next year either - just because one year os £400, that doesn't mean a parent will have to outdo it the year after.

When DD was 6y we bought her a digital piano - cost about £800, plus some other smaller gifts too.

But the year after she didn't have that much spent on her. This year she is 8y and her main gift is £100, not £800 again.

GetOrfMoiLand · 21/12/2010 13:23

Well I never planned to spend that much.

DD asked to go on a trip to Berlin in the summer - I said at that price it would have to be her birthday and Chrstmas present combined.

But of course I paid for it months ago, so felt bad getting her nothing for her bortyhday (she got a blackberry) and nothing for Christmas (giving her a couple of hundred quid and her stocking stuff).

It's stupid, I am not getting her a holiday again for a present, I end up spending double.

But that's my own fault, dd is not grasping.

And I can well afford it, it is not a struggle. I would not in a month of sundays get into debt for Christmas.

LadyintheRadiator · 21/12/2010 13:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GetOrfMoiLand · 21/12/2010 13:24

Same as hula.

Last year dd got an ITouch - so £200 or so.

Year before skiing - so a grand

Year before that - digital camera, so £100

Etc.

ragged · 21/12/2010 13:33

GetOrf, You got her a BlackBery for her birthday but called that "nothing"? Don't they cost well over 100 quid? DC phones are PAYG castoffs from old friends and only cost us the existing credit, so they could be called "nothing". I don't understand...

Xmas + Birthday combined 400 isn't outrageous.
I don't think I would count things like school adventure trip or bicycles or even phones as part of a festive gift, though, those kinds of things are utilitarian in my mind.

Lego anything, DS games, Furreal toys, make-up, that kind of stuff is what goes into the Xmas pres budget for DC.

HolyTaxAccountant · 21/12/2010 13:38

You do what you want. You know whether or not you're being reasonable according to your financial situation, your child's expectations and whether or not it's money well spent on a child that will be grateful and appreciative.

We've spent £11 on dd because we're absolutely flat broke.

Will dd be happy on Christmas Day? Absolutely.

GetOrfMoiLand · 21/12/2010 13:40

No, sorry I typed that all wrong.

What i meant to say that after paying for her to have a holiday for joint birthday/xmas present, I was worried that she would not have anything to open on her bday, so got her a blackberry, and am giving her some money for christmas as well.

No, wouldn't say that a blackberry is nothing, they are quite expensive!!

GetOrfMoiLand · 21/12/2010 13:42

And with the blackberry, it didn't cost me anything upfront anyway, was an upgrade (I have just upped the monthly payment from £15 to £35 a month to get extra minutes etc).

HolyTaxAccountant · 21/12/2010 13:44

You can get blackberries for free here. They're in the hedgerows. Might be a bit late though.

I know they're something electronic but I genuinely don't know what. I'm still struggling with exactly what an iphone is. I mean a phone presumably but it costs a fortune. It must be something else too. I gather 'apps' are involved. It's all too much.

thisisyesterday · 21/12/2010 13:47

i don't think it's over the top if you can afford it

I think it's silly spending tons of money just for the sake of it though. if it's some things he will really love and appreciate then no problem really

ragged · 21/12/2010 15:28

So what do people IS excessive to spend, then, per child, per birthday or Xmas? Presuming an "ordinary"ish household income (under 70k/annum), and a child recipient between the ages of 4 and 14, and that the gift doesn't include anything like electronics/sports equipment/party costs or school trips? What would make you think WOW, you spent that on frip and frap??

I was imagining... over 500 quid, maybe?

Quattrocento · 21/12/2010 15:50

I think the presumptions are wrong. Firstly why presume an income of under £70k? Why, having made that presumption, assume that people spend similarly? They don't.

Christmas means more or less to people, people indulge children more or less depending on how flush they are, children ask for more or less according to temperament ... There's too many variables.

One thing I love doing is their stockings. Absolutely love that. So much fun and they don't have a clue what they are getting - unlike their main presents where they know exactly what it is they are unwrapping

sarah293 · 21/12/2010 15:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

SantasMadMissy · 21/12/2010 15:54

at some but then if you can afford it...

Tootlesmummy · 21/12/2010 15:56

If you can afford it then I have absolutely no problem with that amount.

I think you can spend what you can afford and IMHO only if the child/children will appreciate the amount.

mamatomany · 21/12/2010 19:08

I'd love to know how people manage to spend less than 150 on a school aged child.
My eldest is 10 and has some Lego, smellies, books and a DS game and I've spent at least £150 and feel like her pile is tiny :(

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 21/12/2010 19:28

Dd is 10 and has just had her birthday- £200 on an iPod touch and a couple of books and CDs.

We are sooo skint atm, so this Christmas she has no main present. A few games for the Wii, a DS game, a book, a board game, some CDs, then a few stocking fillers- bedsocks, earmuffs, chocs, stationary etc.

Her pile looks tiny
She would have loved a netbook, and despite us saying no already, I think she may hold out secret hope

I worry she will be disappointed, and if we had the money this year I would absolutely have got her one.
So no, £200 is not unreasonable imo.

mamatomany · 21/12/2010 19:37

Netbooks are so hard to use, I'd say you're saving yourself from wasting money that cold go towards a laptop next year instead.

MoreCrackThanHarlem · 21/12/2010 19:49

Really mama?

I've found it really hard to buy for her this year, actually.
Last year she wanted Barbie Camper vans and the like- I spent around £250, but the pile was huge.
This year it's tiny

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