Another question! I luff the Christmas topic!! How many gifts do you get your DC's (not including those from GP's etc)

[Pinot]

I do -

One main £100ish
Three medium £25-£35
a million lot of small ones £5

Plus a stocking.

Does that sound the norm? I'm having a budget Christmas this year so hoping you'll all say nooooooo that's way too much and I can bundle up present guilt and stuff it away until the finances get better.

TIA

This year dd will be getting the gift she has asked for (a £14.99 clock thing) and a stocking with obligatory socks/flannel/sweets shennanigans. So about £20 all in.

We do a Christmas Eve hamper too with a new book, pjs etc.

But we can't afford any more than that tbh. I think it all depends on how much money you have and children appreciating the value of what you give. DD will be giddy with joy.

I'll probably knit/crochet a few things like some jumpers etc so she has more to unwrap.

Well, we went a bit overboard last year as I kept finding things to buy for DS2 (who is my only toy-age child) so this year for him it will probably be:

One Harry Potter Lego set
A couple of books
New HP film (assuming it's out in time)

The oldest two are in their twenties and have far more disposible income than we do and we usually end up scrabbling around for something different to buy them. This year we thought, instead, we will give them vouchers and something small to open on the day.

They all three have stockings as well and DS2 has a present from FC.

Well this is good. I fecking knew I was spending too much. That's why all their toys have crawled out of their bedrooms and into the playroom, which used to be my reading room

We used to go a bit crazy at Christmas when our oldest were little as

a) we only have a tiny family so nearly all presents come from us, and

b) as parents, we loved that WHOOSH of excitement as they looked at the pile of lovely presents just waiting to be opened.

But we found that only a tiny core of the gifts were actually appreciated and so we cut back on the presents and upped the traditions instead.

So last year, what DS2 remembers isn't the toys but the jigsaw that I bought on the cheap from a charity shop and we all spent several days completing, and the Father Christmas Solitaire set that I bought from Paperchase as a decoration.

I also keep in mind my granny telling me it's 'common' to have too many toys

I'm new to this 2 dd's aged 2 and 7 weeks! Yet we r setting our traditions this year.

Stocking will be socks, underwear, toothbrush and an edible treat. For me Dp and both kids.

1 x big toy each
1x book
1x jigsaw
1x clothing

it depends on how much the items are, ie dd1 wants an ipad, so if i did that, it would be one and a few stocking fillers of books and sweets,
dd2 has 7 and will have some sweets and books for stocking, ds has 4 and again sweets etc for stocking, i have already bought dd2 and ds their presents. and dd4 she has lots as nothing expensive, but i have spent the same on the 3 youngest.

I buy a lot of ds' Christmas presents throughout the year when I see them on sale.

He asks FC for 3 small/medium presents -last year, one of the things on his list was a pair of joke glasses and another was a wii game to give you an idea of what he requests.

I buy him one large present (often my family contribute to this too), one or two medium sized presents and a million couple of stocking fillers.

The problem with buying things throughout the year is that I forget what I have bought and how much I have spent. However, I never feel like I've spent a fortune or spent money that I didn't have. I'm a relatively low earning single parent and just hate the idea of paying interest on credit cards becauseIamtight so only buy with the cash in my purse.

So far, I have stashed away:
Dart board - main present
Lego set (half price in tesco)
2 long sleeved tops
Hoody
Battery powered pencil sharpener
Lego ninjago (half price)
Magic beans (poundland)
Socks
Books
I'll also get him an annual, choc coins and a couple of other little bits.

The total for that lot is around £70. Some of the things on that list will be squeezed into his stocking and I'm sure I'll find more stocking fillers hidden around the house over the next few weeks!

I feel so much better at reading this. Laura you're so right - the pile of presents and the WOW faces that it creates - but we just can't do it this year. Or last year tbh, but we did it anyway and were paying for it in the new year.

You've all strengthened by resolve that traditions and feelings are the way to create a magical Christmas. the plastic tat can stay on the shelves this year.

all

My DD is only 5 so last year was the first year that she really 'got' Christmas and I have to admit we went MAD - way too many presents. Will probably still go mad but without the capital letters.

I'm not really encouraging her to tell me what she wants (plenty of time for that later) - but she doesn't really need a 'main' present, so will probably get a few medium sized ones. I do tend to make a few bits, get stuff from markets, pound shops (one of her favourite toys is a wooden bear dress up set that was from a pound shop) so there's a lot of 'stuff' but not that much money spent.

Her GP's always buy her way too much though but last year I asked for them to not buy her any toys (Pinot, I share your pain, I lost my 'library' which is now her toy room) and so they bought her a lovely duvet set from Laura Ashley, a beautiful winter coat, a fluffy dressing gown (and a few toys - they couldn't resist). She sees them over new year as well so it's not that daunting too many presents thing on Christmas day.

Don't know if I've answered the question now, but now I've written it down I would be a hypocrite to buy too much, so thanks :)

We all have 4 presents and a selection box in our stockings and then I have got ( or almost got!) 7 presents each for my 2 boys 9 and 11. They can't really think of what they want this year so I have bought things I think they will like but don't see the point in getting loads for the sake of it.

I have bought them a secondhand ps2 guitar hero and drum set and 20 games for £18 between them which I thought was a complete bargain.

Will have spent less than £100 on each child this time.

DD has asked for Sylvanaian Family stuff this year.She's got a house, some creatures and some furniture.
I've bought her the conservatory and dining room set for Christmas (the house was an early Christmas present, it seemed a bit mean to keep it hidden but she knows it's from her Christmas list.

Got her some dolls house pieces for her SF house, and some charms from Primark -£1- each, some belts,a model teddy bear to paint and a dolphin toy kit.

DS has got an Assasins Creed game on pre-order for his birthday (but we will give him it early as game comes out mid Nov)
Young Drivers Driving Lesson.

For his stocking I've got a dinosaur model to paint, a jigsaw, some torches,.Haven't a clue about his main Christmas present, I'll ask him.

My eldest daughter has not asked for an expensive main present this year.
We have spent around £110 on her in total.

For that she has got:
Peppa pig campervan set
Peppa pig rocket set
Peppa pig fleece blanket
Play-doh ice cream shoppe
Walking dog on lead
Peppa pig art set
Art tub
Make up set
Playmobil wheelchair set (she had the hospital a couple of years ago)
Playmobil stroller set
Playmobil beach compact set
Large soft talking peppa pig
Peppa pig fleece cushion

Will probably spend another £20 on pyjamas, slipper socks,dressing gown,hairbands,chocolate/sweets

Youngets will be 19 months at christmas and we have spent around £60 on her.
For that she has got:
Ball popping set
Peppa pig playhouse
Peppa pig books
Peppa pig soft ball
Peppa pig pillow/soft toy
Peppa pig coat

Still got to get her peppa pig fleece blanket, dressing gown,slipper socks, pyjamas so probably another £20-25 there

Also going to get them a joint gift of some peppa pig dvds (notice what they like???!!!)

We have not payed full price for anything

Ds1 asked for a ps3 this year

So found one on amazon for £175 instead of £250 !! and a couple of games with 75% off

Also, he has a couple of dvds, a toy car, toy lorry and a steering wheel for the ps3. Thats it for him this year, except for an xmas dvd and bath bomb for xmas eve!

Ds2 has got lots of little things...car, lorry, puzzles, play doh, dvds, thomas train sets. He will also get some chocolate (ds1 doesnt eat chocolate)

I may get them some other little things when I get my tesco vouchers, but thats pretty much it for them. They get so much from other...GPs, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends etc....

Last year it took ds1 45 minutes to unwrap all his gifts. madness

For DS1 and DD

1 main present
2 books
1 present from siblings
Stocking.

DS2 is more difficult. He doesnt play with anything as such (he has ASD) so have got him some books and sensory toys.

Bloody loads. Shoot me now.

I cannot help myself. I know it is wrong.