How many presents do you buy your kids?

[Tinkerboo]

I'm unsure if I'm mean or overly generous (meaning swept up with consumerism and excitement). Dh thinks I'm the latter.

We get the kids about 10 presents from father christmas, One largeish and then lots of lttle ones, chocolate money, felt pens etc.

How do I fare?

DD1 (2.4yo) is getting a play kitchen from Santa (but this will really be between both DDs eventually), a talking Fifi, a Little People house, a Magnadoodle, My little ponies, books, a Fairy outfit, some play food for her kitchen, a Bob the Builder digger type things (she is obsessed with diggers) and a few stocking fillers.

DD2 (9 months) is getting a teddy and a wooden walker things

Have asked GPs etc for money for new clothes etc

tbh I don't think thats a lot I tend to watch what DD1 plays with at toddler groups and see what she is interested in, she loves the Little People and has a few bits and pieces and I think they are a good investment for DD2 as well. I was stuck as to what to get her as she has 3 prams and about 20 dolls already.

Im another mum who goes overboard at Christmas. My ds's both have a small stocking that they hang at the end of their beds Christmas Eve, in these goes 2 or 3 smallish presents that they are able to play with if they should wake up at some ungodly hour Christmas morning, these are normally books, colouring pencils etc, then when they go into the front room theres a big pile of presents for each from santa, normally containing 1 main present £50-£100, 3 or 4 other (cheaper ie £10-£30) things they wished for and then about 10 smaller things, all under £5-£10. Then on top of that they have about 5 presents from us but they are always boring things like clothes, socks etc.

My Dh always moans that I go over the top but then he is the same, he will go out and buy things on a whim which means come Christmas Eve the boys have around 20 presents from santa. I also start buying for Christmas in June which allows us to buy more. I always had lots of presents from santa as a little girl and so doing the same for my children comes naturally to me.

I feel really embarrased!!!! My husband gives me £500 for her and I usually spend most of it. Having said that its only about £100 for her birthday which is in July. I don't really buy her toys in between.

eldest 2 are getting 3 big pressies costing around £20, maybe 5 or 6 at £5ish then 15 or so very small pound shop/ chocolate type things, some of which will be in sticking from father xmas. younger one is 2 so wont get as much but will get more then 10 def. dont get that much from aunties/uncles, grandparents will supply a few but are usually kept at their house

hmm, that sounds more than i was planning on spending come to think of it. i do start several months early however so its easy not to notice the odd £10 here and there

I reckon we will spend about £500 in total for 2 dds, yes I know its far too much but I really enjoy it. I am pretty strict and only buy toys at christmas and birthdays. Probably get them each a £50-£100 present, dd2 wants a dolls house this year and the rest on smaller ones and stocking fillers. DH and I dont come from large families so they dont get much more than what we buy them.

another overspender here, I have spent £300 on both of mine, my dh is the worst he likes to see presents and no floor on Christmas morning - I love it too

You're all coming out the woodwork now.
My DS is right he is being short changed by santa.

Don't have a set amount really. They get one largish/main one and then probably 2 smaller things that they have asked for and then I get bits and bobs for their stocking.

FIVE HUNDRED QUID????????

too meny

I don't have a set amount, and I certainly don't make any effort to spend the same on each child. They are 5 and 2 and wouldn't notice anyway. Last year I spent £25 on dd and £50 on ds (bloomin' expensive playmobil castle, Grrrr). Plus about £15 each for stockings, but like others I put in things like pants and socks. And of course satsuma, apple and chocolate coins

£500??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i actually wish i hadn't started off buying so much because i feel like they would be disapointed with less now.

i usually fill a stocking/sack with about 10-15 little things, mostly from pound shops and choccies etc
then i buy other more expensive presents depending on what they wrote and asked santa for.

this year they will probably have a nintendo ds each and about 100 quids worth of other presents each too. actually i think i need to start adding it up, i spent about 50 quid on books from amazon yesterday aswell......it's ridic i know

think I'm a bit like your cheeryface, wish I hadnt started because I feel like they will be dissapointed. DH had a single parent and my parents certainly didnt spoil me at christmas, I think its just because we are fortunate that we can go mad so we do go a bit mad. But as I said, its only really us that buy them presents,

I go totally overboard but I blame it on the fact that his birthday is in November so i tend to go and buy a load of presents then he gets some for birthday and (theoretically) the rest for Christmas. However, I cannot resist the urge to buy more between his birthday and Christmas so come Christmas I suddenly discover that I've got loads.

But I shall have great delight in telling my dh of the mn'er who spends £500.

I do think that as kids get older though the toys become more expensive. When ds was 2/3 he got bob the builder toys (about £12 each) that sort of thing, but now he's getting playmobil, and it's bloody extortionate!

And as they get older they are more aware of what they want so more pressure for parents, and pressure from friends with the what did you get for christmas which again turns into more pressure for parents

They get a lot from relatives so I've always kept it to a fairly small number, a stocking with a few things and then a few other presents too. The older ones get £200 for a Christmas and same for a birthday - how it is made up depends on what they want at what stage. It's generous but we're fairly well off and their father doesn't contact the older ones or remember birthdays so I have to be both parents in some senses.

Hi Tinkerboo!
Found it
I think thats about right!
ot too much or too little! Gotta have ickle pressies too keep the spirit going!!!!

Hi Figgypud
You are VERY commited to christmas with even a christmassy nickname!
Yep pleased to know I'm about average, but not surprised by the more extravagent gift givers,knew it went on.
I agree the cheap tat is irristable(?spelling) and usually what they love best.

edlest gets half dozen items of clothing and a new phone plus stocking (deodrant,hair jel, pen, sweets,hawkins bazaar stuff)

youngest, 3 biggish toys plus lots of smaller ones in stocking (cars, pens, dummies etc)

dont get a lot of family so more pressure to buy more or they dont get a lot

Bought DD (4) a coloured sticky tape dispenser for a £1 and i know it'll be her fave pressie even though she'll also have a dolls house, fifi skates, dora trainers etc etc.

Cheap tat always a winner!

before I even start this...

Last year we spent about £400 on DS1. Plus his stocking. Then his Christmas clothes.

My mum easily spent £200 on him too (and he gets a stocking off her aswell!)

Then he spends every New Year with his Dad and his other Grandparents and they probably spent about £300 on him!!

This year it'll be

ds1, nearly 10 - £200 main presents, easily done as he wants professional bow and arrows £100, then a few DVD's, some books, few Dr Who bits £200 gone! Then £30 ish stocking, then his clothes

Ds2, not far off 3, £100, plus stocking and clothes

DD, 1 in Dec, probably £100 again, plus stocking and clothes

But they all have birthdays close to Christmas so they have money/clothes then instead of presents and I try to buy toys that they will grow into as I don't get them much else throughout the year

When I was little we always had loads for Christmas, I used to get one sofa covered in presents and DB would get the other! So it seems normal to me to do the same for our DC but DP thinks it's crazy.

I don't really buy toys for dd (3.9) all through year and b'day and xmas close together so from october I seem to get possessed and just keep spending on lots of things spaced out until come xmas day when she sees it all instead of feeling great I feel mortified by the ridiculous amounts which frankly just overwelm her! DH is so sensible it upsets him. So far I have bought dance with me barbie(asked for!) poorly poppy doll, crayola huge selection box of pens etc, snap n style doll, snap n style wardrobe and extra outfits, barbie dress(asked for) dress up shoes, dora watch, disney princess clock, spinning shelly small doll, magic glow doodle bear. And haven't bought stocking fillers yet! We do come from small familys so she doesn't get much from relatives compared to some children I know.dd now has asked for a scooter ! I just think I really enjoy the shopping.