North/South Pile or single gift?

[Luggage16]

Ok following on from the how many gifts thread I am really curious as to whether the differences in quantity of gifts is to do with where we live. So...

Where abouts in the country are you (dont be too specific!!)
Do you aim for couple of gifts, pile (20+) or somewhere inbetween on xmas day
and possibly (if you don't want to answer please don't feel obliged) do you see yourself as low/mid/high

I find the gifts threads fascinating as there is always such a mix of responses - but also people seem to have pretty strong opinions on it too (which ever end of the scale they are on). Personally we aim for a middle ground (usually 10 or less thought out gifts plus a stocking - from £5-£50), live in the south and would probably be classed as mid earners though we are paying of student loan and have single income so possibly upper end of low for family income.

I dont think it makes too much of a difference where on the scale you are. I know people who grew up with a pile of gifts who are really generous and giving as adults and not materialistic, and others who had few gifts growing up who have to buy the latest gadgets and must have items so I think outcome is probably more to do with personality than how christmas was celebrated.

gre up in Londaon, DH grew up in teh west country, now live in west country. - just one or two presents from any giver to any givee. DS will end up with a pile , but its from all his relatives. One of them will be from DH and I.

Dh from North, I'm from Scotland. Live in Midlands. Both of us are comfortable mid wage earners FT (approx same salary).

Pile of presents here (same for DH's and my childhood, in both low to mid income families).

5 Kids all on same budget of £200 each: 2 x under 6YO DDs = 30+ presents (counting every colouring book and £2.99 kids DVD here) plus 3 x teenage DSDs = 10ish presents and the rest made up in hard cash. Absolutely no tat for anyone - all considered purchases that they have hinted at or I know they will really love. None of it on credit, all paid for.

We know we are very lucky to be able to do this, and they are all nice kids who really appreciate what they get.

Live South West. My salary is a few grand above the national average, so I'd say mid earners. We're generally comfortable, but not rich.

Our DDs get the same as I did - a sack full of practical presents and thoughtful gifts (no tat here) and then 5 presents under the tree.

As a child, I had a pillowcase (DH had the same), the girls now have special sacks, but about the same amount.

But, you have to look at it in context of what the children get over the year. My children never get given stuff over the year, and their sacks includes things like socks and vests etc. I don't suppose my children end up with more over the course of the year, they just get more of it at Christmas.

Very interesting Preciousbane, I struggled with the concept of low/mid/high. This puts it in perspective, thanks.

Live in the north. Dh is midlands originally. I'd describe us as mid level earners but IFS says we're better off than 94% of the population (before dc2 gets born & my earnings drop).

Medium pile here for ds (3) but ILs go mental so he'll be completely overwhelmed on Christmas Day.

My parents much more restrained. Ethos in dh's family is to spend loads & have lots of pressies. My family get very little. Adults one small gift each. As children we got meagre amounts with clothes & essentials more than any longed for toy my mum (rightly) saw as tat. I don't like huge extravagance at Christmas and get at IL's waste and overspending.

I have gone bit mental for ds this year. Spent £120, hmmmm. Not great.

Live in NE Scotland, single earner family on an ok wage. £15k a year roughly. We've got 2 DC's (5yrs,2yrs) They probably have about 10-15 presents each from us, but that ranges from cheap dvds, charity shop finds and more expensive new toys.

Its been a bit of a shit year, so I've gone a bit overboard, but about half the presents have been bought with tesco club card vouchers donated by PIL and ive been buying since august to spread the cost.

DH from middle class background thinks we have too much, I'm from a lower income family who had piles of presents at christmas (not tat) when I was a child.

I've just measured on the link from preciousbane. We come out at better of than 52% of the population, so about close to middle income. We've spent around £1300 between two children (age 12 & 13). No idea how many gifts as there are big cost items in there e.g. Laptop, Xbox 360, other pieces of technology, computer games and loads of books, also includes pyjamas, slippers etc, magazine subscriptions, headphones and toiletries. We probably spend about £300-400 on each of them at Birthdays, but aside from the odd book bought for them as a reward for a good report etc then they don't get throughout the year.

that site is really interesting - we come out as earning more than 31% of the population. I guess that makes us upper end of low/bottom end of mid earners?

We are high earners from the South East and each DS will have about 7 presents to open. My eldest will have the most to open but his cost a lot less than his 2 younger brothers as he lives away from home and has a good full time job. We don't go as mad as we could at Christmas and on Birthdays as buy our DC quite a lot throughout the year such as if they have done well at school or been particularly kind and helpful or new games if we are going on holiday or new stuff for the school holidays. I've never thought about how others do Christmas presents or understand how others have such strong opinions on what is going on in other families.

The middle (Midlands/West Wales), middle income, have spent £150 or thereabouts on our DD so the pile is pretty large.

Interestingly, my family were often in dire financial straits when I was young but Christmas was always a big blow out with piles of gifts. DHs family, though better off finiancially often verged on the stingy (a mug and nothing else, for example.). That might just be my ex-stepFIL being a miser though.

I'm in Scotland, and according to that link on a higher income than 54% population - does not feel like that! We have Santa sacks and each will have about 12/13 gifts in each, they also get a big gift. I try not to buy any tat and look for gifts throughout the year. I would buy more but dh has said no. I have done a Christmas Eve hamper for dcs which seems to be continually growing!

Both dh and I are from working class families where Christmas was a struggle, but parents always went overboard.