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Christmas

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Original poster

How much will you be spending this year on each DC?

92 replies

milk · 18/08/2012 18:55

How much will you be spending this year on each DC? Do you think age matters when deciding how much to spend?

This year my budget for DS's present will be £15 (1.5yo). At the moment I don't see myself spending more as he gets older, as fortunately my parents spoil him with bigger gifts.

OP posts:
boredandrestless · 20/08/2012 11:40

I have bought all of DS's xmas presents already, except for a 'main' present he can ask santa for nearer the time, and have bought for my neices and nephews already. Buying them throughout the year makes it less of a stretch for me financially. I got some real bargains in the January sales! Grin

MrsRobertDuvallHasRosacea · 20/08/2012 11:46

We only buy for the dcs..now they are teenagers, probably spend about £300 each on them.
They only get other presents from my brother (£25 each) and FIL (£15 each)

Ds is off to Oz on Christmas Day with dh again, so that is a hell of a stocking filler!

MarjorieAntrobus · 20/08/2012 11:55

boredandrestless, wow! I can see that spreading the cost is a good thing, but, some questions...

  1. Where do you find the space to hide the early-bought presents?
  2. Don't you find you "go off" the presents you have bought so early?
  3. Do you forget what you have bought and then duplicate the presents?
  4. Or is it just me who does the above whenever I try to get ahead of myself?
BabyDubsEverywhere · 20/08/2012 12:07

I have stuff stashed everywhere, the loft, top of wardrobe, under bed, garage, sisters garage, the study, above kitchen cupboards :) I love knowing its ready and seeing it I get that warm christmassy feeling - I realise i sound like a total nut Grin

Also have a spreadsheet about 12 pages long detailing everything... yes, really am that sad, tis how i get my kicks :)

DottyDot · 20/08/2012 12:12

I have a spreadsheet too! A column for each child, plus a column for ds1's birthday presents, plus everyone else we buy for also listed.

It's colour coded and everything Blush

I keep it on the desktop labelled as something boring so ds's won't look and between September - December start buying stuff and update regularly I get quite obsessed.

I tend to buy on-line through the Autumn and then take a day off in December to get any remaining bits and pieces.

The only person who tends to come off pretty badly is dp, as i can't put her on the spreadsheet Blush Grin

Original poster
milk · 20/08/2012 12:34

TequilaMockinBird - £500-600 seems reasonable when it is a laptop for school :)

I guess how much you spend on the present really does depend what the present is :) I can now definitely see my budget shifting upwards as DS gets older :)

OP posts:
DoubleMum · 20/08/2012 12:43

The thing is, once DS starts being interested in lego, a set which costs £15 will only have about 10 pieces in! OK that's a (very) slight exaggeration but you get my drift.
My parents didn't have much money when we were growing up but we always had a nice pile of presents - that's christmas for me, the special time when you realise Santa's been because there's a present at the end of your bed, and you come downstairs and discover a bulging stocking and sack. I want that for my children, and I keep my eyes open all year to get bargains so I can buy that little bit of magic.

iknowwho · 20/08/2012 12:50

Usually we spend about £500 on each DC and and about £200 at birthdays.
This year it has been reversed as DS1 wanted something in paticular that cost a lot for his birthday so he is on a cheaper Christmas present.

Original poster
milk · 20/08/2012 12:55

DoubleMum - Last year on the Amazon Christmas lightning deals- they were selling a XXL box of Lego (RRP £50) for £25 Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
milk · 20/08/2012 12:56

www.amazon.co.uk/LEGO-5512-XXL-Box/dp/B003ZOUBB6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345463772&sr=8-1 This exact one :)

OP posts:
iknowwho · 20/08/2012 12:59

Thank Christ I don't have to buy lego anymore!!!

SpanishFly · 20/08/2012 13:00

I'm another one with a spreadsheet! And I note next to the gift where I've stashed it so I can find it! We don't hv a big house so they're usually at the bottom of my wardrobe and in the bed's storage drawers. Last yr, DS1's batcave was on top of DS2's wardrobe wrapped in a blanket for 2 months!

Marjory, I buy my kids things thru the year. Every time I see something they'd like that's on offer I buy it and hide it away for bday or xmas. If I change my mind about anything, it becomes a gift for any child who invites DS to a party. Tbh it's fairly safe to assume a spiderman thing will still b a good gift in a few months. I've bought friends' DDs barbie things, again fairly safe.
I'd never buy anything really expensive until nearer xmas cos I know DS would change his mind by then.

boredandrestless · 20/08/2012 13:03

Marjorie -

  1. Where do you find the space to hide the early-bought presents?
I have a lot of storage in my bedroom in the form of built in wardrobes. One of which is a high up, deep cupboard, this is my present cupboard. In my old house they were stored under the bed - DS was too young to go searching at this point.
  1. Don't you find you "go off" the presents you have bought so early?
I buy things I know the children will like. My DS in particular has some long running obsessions that I know I can't go wrong with (trains, robots, lego, space, etc)
  1. Do you forget what you have bought and then duplicate the presents?
I have an A4 spiral notebook that I use for online banking written spreadsheets, packing lists, and lots more. I have a page for Bdays and a page for xmas. I write each child's name on it and when I buy a gift I write it down and the cost so I keep track.
  1. Or is it just me who does the above whenever I try to get ahead of myself?
Go at it from an organised start. I find the run up to xmas relaxing and enjoyable as I have no last minute hassle or stress Smile

Someone mentioned Lego being pricey - this was one of the main thigns I hunted for in the January sales. Debenhams often reduces their lego by 75% in sales! DS has some lego city sets and lego ninjago sets put away for xmas.

ArthurandGeorge · 20/08/2012 13:06

Hae no idea this year as I haen't bought anything yet! Last year tried to spend £150 on each but definitely went over budget for dd who got that plus a Vtech tablet thingy.

MarjorieAntrobus · 20/08/2012 13:11

bored and spanish, thank you both so much for answering so fully.

Many years ago I used to try to do it all early. Then I found it just took over the whole autumn so I pushed it (ie THE START OF CHRISTMAS SHOPPING) back to December 1st, which is where it has stayed for the last few years.

Hmmmmm. Confused

Original poster
milk · 20/08/2012 13:12

boredandrestless - thank you for the Lego tip :)

OP posts:
fuzzpig · 20/08/2012 13:24

I've usually stuck to only new stuff at Xmas (whereas any little treats throughout the year are usually from charity shops or used from eBay) but I think I'm going to change that this year. I'm thinking of getting one of the big playmobil castles so I would rather only pay for second hand. Although sometimes there is little difference in price when auction fever sets in!

BeeBee12 · 20/08/2012 13:29

Lego is a ripoff now.We have mountains of the stuff from dhs and my childhood.Once youve bought it keep it and save it for the grandkids.Its timeless and saved us loads of money as we dont have to buy any for our dcs as they have all ours from years back.

ImperialBlether · 20/08/2012 20:27

Please, please everyone with a spreadsheet, password protect it! Especially those who say where they're stored, too!

roughtyping · 20/08/2012 20:58

Think we'll prob spend around £150 on DS. It'll be his 9th birthday at the beginning of December too. I usually start buying in September an divide the loot between birthday and Christmas :)

Not sure about big present this year - think he will prob just want a couple of Xbox games and some books. Actually I imagine he'll ask for an iPad but there is no chance!!!

iknowwho · 20/08/2012 21:11

iPads are popular this year.
Ds2 is constantly asking for one so he'll probably get it as his main present this year.
Not sure about DS1 though.

StanleyAccrington · 20/08/2012 21:23

about £50 including stockings for DC aged 2 and 6
they are lucky enough to have 10 or so relatives who will buy for them, so regardless of what we spend there will always be a good haul under the tree.

we do spend a lot on entertaining around Christmas though

parabelle · 20/08/2012 21:24

Well dd1 wants a ds (that's a nintendo kind, not a dear son), so I'm guessing approx £150. DD2 wants the barbie puppy park thing, about £25. DH is very generous at Christmas so hopefully he'll be paying most of it!

iknowwho · 20/08/2012 22:11

I nearly posted about DS's (nintendos) yesterday.
I thought they had gone out of fashion and things had moved on. I went on mine last week for the first time in ages and it felt a bit old school.

skateboarder · 21/08/2012 12:21

Marjorie
1. Where do you find the space to hide the early-bought presents?
I have a lovely neighbour (no dc) who stores things in his house for me. Currently has 2 boxes of lego, a toy kitchen and a scooter for my dc stored in there. I take a day off work in Dec to wrap them and he then stores them all wrapped up in a santa sack until xmas eve when I collect when dc are in bed. He is fab!
Smaller stocking gifts and pj's are hidden in bottom of my wardrobe along with a list.

2. Don't you find you "go off" the presents you have bought so early?
I try and buy things which dc are into - dd likes craft things and games etc. Otherwise they become a xmas or bday gift for friends children.

3. Do you forget what you have bought and then duplicate the presents?
I have a spreadsheet and a physical list hidden in my wardrobe

4. Or is it just me who does the above whenever I try to get ahead of myself?
No!