How much do you spend on the children?

[weaselsquirrel]

Before joining mumsnet I thought most people spent £100s on each of their children, but now I'm noticing threads which are making me think dh is right and I go over the top. So without wanting to cause an argument, do you have a set amount?

No but about 50 each, they are only little kids though (3 and 5)

I spent about £60 on each ages 1 and 2 then stocking £20 each

Don't really have a set amount just buy what I think they will like with in reason I've spent about £200 on my 6year old
And about £80 on my 9 month old

I buy through out the year and don't realise how much I have until I get it all back out

It varies. Normally £200-£300, but we don't spend anywhere near as much on birthdays or give things (apart from books) through the year. We have spent a lot more this year as DS had a growth spurt and now needs a new bike, so we've bought him a new islabike. This happened after I had bought his main presents!

Really depends. 2 years ago we brought them joint present of wooden kitchen/ play till/ food etc and was about £300 total

This year we are just buying some brio train accessories ( ie new tunnel etc), and some Lego. Will work out about £80 each.
Plus stocking ( usually £50 ish. Has item of clothing, book, chocolate, something random)

I don't normally have a fixed budget though - it depends on what he needs, what I think he'll get the most out of in the year ahead. The GPs don't tend to buy him big presents either, I've seen threads on here from parents who don't spend a lot, but GPs buy big things like bikes, scooters etc.

I usually spend around £50 on the big present but sometimes that varies. This year dd1 and dd2 are getting more spend on a bike and a sewing machine. We also buy clothes and pjs and then there is stockings - which is at least £50 per child. I LOVE doing the stockings :) I never add it up but it must be at least £400 between three and possibly as much as £600.

We don't have a fixed budget - we just get one "big" present for each child plus a stocking. It depends what each child needs. The 4yo will get a violin, the 7yo skates and the 9yo a science set. So oddly the youngest gets the most expensive present (£100) and the eldest the cheapest (£30). Then they get stockings with equivalent play value but I don't do it on price. Probably about £50 to £100 in total on stockings.

I am consciously trying to buy less this year. My kids get loads of family presents, and it seems quite obscene, when there is a huge mountain of presents. We normally buy one big present each, often £100 but this year nothing big has been requested (well, DS has requested a Wii U, but already has an iPad, DS, Wii and access to an Xbox, so I have said no; whilst DS1 has asked for a weird scooter thing, but she doesn't use the scooter she has)

I have bought some colouring stuff, a jewelry set for each of the girls, a cheap tiara from the £1 shop, some bubble bath and a flannel, toothbrush and paste,

To be honest one of my jobs today is to catalogue what I have bought for who!

I've spent the most I've ever done on the DCs this year (aged 8 and 5). £100 each, including stocking. To me that seems like loads. We tend to buy bigger presents like bikes, scooters, for birthdays and not spend so much at Christmas.

A lot.
3dc, 10, 9 and 3. Probably £100 each on stockings from fc, one main present from fc around £50 each, then a main present from us and other present from us under the tree which comes to around £150 each.
So roughly £300 each, but sometimes more.
Last year they asked for the Wii U which was £250 but we also needed the new controllers which were £40 each. Aswell as all the other presents.
This year, I'd say about 1K which is about average for us.
When they were smaller, we spent much much less.

I spend £1000 on my 5 year old DS.

I had no idea some people spent so much tbh! I think its a bit sad if some children genuinely get no treats throughout the year in aid of a huge blowout christmas.

As long as everyone is happy with what they spend its a personal choice - but I'd not spend vast amounts even though we sometimes could.

It varies year to year between about £100 and £300 depending what I am getting them. But I buy throughout the year too. As they've got older the presents have got less but more expensive. I certainly don't think there's any set amount that you have to spend. Don't spend what you can't comfortably afford and don't just buy tat for the sake of it. Every year when they were younger, they'd open stuff in a frenzy of excitement and play with one or two things for the rest of the holidays.

£1000 on a 5 year old? Cripes what do they get?

I budgeted £150.... I totalled it up last night and have spent £269 which is ridiculous.

I had a backpayment of money come in so I had a bit more to spend, and some of the stuff was bought a while ago and forgotten about until I totted it all up

Oh dear. These threads never go well. it is a very personal thing what people spend at Christmas.

I wouldn't take any notice of what other people spend TBH. I think having a set amount is a bit daft.

Big things like iPads and bikes are normally bought for birthdays when we only have one to buy for.
There is also the problem that with 4, we struggle to get ds3 and dd toys that we haven't already got at home.

Just a thought, but what proportion of your net monthly household income do you spend on all presents, food, drink, tree, travel etc? Reckon ours is 1/5th.

We spend more on birthdays than Christmas too for some reason.

TheDogs, I wouldn't dare add that up! I spend a ridiculous amount of money on food at Christmas. Plus another ridiculous amount on decorating the house. I'm far more restrained with pressies.

TheDogs Including all presents, food, christmas activities I probably spend about a third of my income for the month on Christmas but I save for and buy presents throughout the year and use saver stamps for the Chriatmas food shop, as well as starting to buy bits and bobs in August (extra baking supllies etc). A third seems a hell of alot but over 10-11 months it doesn't feel like a big hit.

I think we've spent about £400 on ds (5) plus some days out - pantomimes etc. he's our only child though and apart from the odd token gift off friends (clothes or sweets or a book perhaps) no one else buys for him. Pil give him money which goes straight into his bank account, the rest of the family don't do christmas presents so if we don't get him much he doesn't get anything else.

Even though we've spent a lot I find it doesn't go that far. A big item of around £100, £50 on stockings and then some medium gifts of around £20 each.

I found that I spent loads when DS was between 5 and 9 because he wanted specific things like Lego sets.
This year is cheap because he actually only wanted a Xbox which I have said he can't have till he's s teen.
He is old enough to understand that the "house" present is something he wants too and he might just get a stocking. Have spent about £50 in total on a watch, a few books and some games.

£600 on my 2yo dd.