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?

We get ours one main present each (costing approx £40 max), one cheaper one (costing about £10-20) from 'each other' and lots of little ones each that go in their sacks. Nothing in the sack is expensive.. they range from foody gifts (choc and sweets.. only time we ever buy them actual sweets) to practical toiletry items.

We have five kids between us to buy for (even tho DH's older two are 18 and 20 so get the money instead of the main gift) and we live on a small budget so that's the abosulute maximum we can afford.. and we can't afford that really.

Having said that, even if we were richer I would not spend hundreds on them (and I know so many who do.)

I spend about £150 each but last year they got that AND then DP bought them a portable twin screen DVD player between them for another £150 (necessary and a god send for all the long trips we did this year to Scotland and Liverpool). They also get whatever they get at their Dads but that stays there so we don't know how much was spent. I will be sticking to the £150 each this year but don't know where to start! Not sure they actually NEED anything.

DD1 (10) doesn't believe in Santa anymore and knows a bit about the value of money and keeps trying to steer DD2 (6)away from the more expensive things in the Argos catalogue which is really sweet

Every year I start Christmas shopping for DD with the intention that it will save money as the festive season approaches, but all I am really doing is spreading the cost.

My DD has a middle size stocking and I always buy to much for that.

But her main under the tree present normally costs around £30, and then there are some other smaller £5-£10 presents from us under the tree.

The rest is in her stocking or scattered around it on the floor if I have bought too much.

I guess I normally spend about £100 on her - probably more as I have forgotten by the time December arrives exactly what I have bought.

probably about 200 - 300 euro per child (we have 3). Have just admitted this to dh who thinks it is far too much. But then they don't get a lot at Christmas from relatives -my dad has just retired and they have been forced to cut back financially so I'm trying to enforce a 'no more than 30 euro per child' rule for them; my brother gets them a little gift as does their other granny, nothing from dh's 2 sisters but to be fair, I don't buy for theirs, and thats about it. but bearing in mind dd would love a Nintendo ds at 150 euro exc games, its not as much, in terms of present numbers, as it sounds. Am trying to do as much Ebay as poss this Christmas - some great bargains out there. Have just bought ds2 a fort for under 7 quid with 8 quid postage. And am bidding for loads of knights, dragons etc which will save us a fortune if we win!

1 present

1 stocking (a real stocking. but boy those babygap socks stretch. nowt big in there)

1 communal kid present. this year I think a dress-up box

and then some extras for all the family. this year: a kite, some games, lots of books and a cd or two, prob putamayo.

um, I reckon around...£20 each max on main present (both homemade), £10 maybe on stocking...maybe...dress up box is charity shop stuff or homemade but do have to buy a box...and communal stuff...dunno, I guessing around £60, mostly from ebay.

£20-30 main present and £30ish on stocking filler stuff, £10 from dds to each other and £10 from me to them IFYKWIM

dd2 is getting playmobil castle and furniture and people £60 from ebay the bargain of the century
polly pocket bag and polly pocket doll
story tapes
books
barbie doll and cd

dd1 is getting (split between christmas and her birthday five days before) Nintendo Ds lite and Nintendogs
perfume making kit
oids
hair braider thing
books
horse puppet
jelly bean dispenser
story cds
stationery set
diary

both of them will get stockings full of sweets and stuff

have been buying stocking fillers from ebay for about four months now - mini old-school polly pocket sets, unicorn trinket boxes, snowglobes etc

A few bigger ones, and about...20 ish small ones? I loved seeing loads of presents on Christmas morning, and want my DCs to feel the same... and it take an hour to open them all

at enid's organisational skills!

I spend a maximum of £100 as my parents are so generous and aunts and uncles tend to buy for her as well. I like to save some small presents for the days after Christmas which I put under the Christmas tree and write pretend notes from Santa to keep the excitement going for a bit longer! My mom did the same for me and I loved it!

6

no idea why, hit on that number years ago and it has stayed since

one ahs to be a book, one has to be edible, one watchable (DVD or PC game)

Im worried now that maybe I am mean, but we are getting our two dd's a ride on tractor each one is 48euros the other is 35 euros then they will have a stocking each with probably about £10 of bits including chocs, toothbrush and a few little toys and maybe a dvd each so thats about £100 for the two

they do get a lot from family including 2xgp 3 aunties and uncles and two lots of great gps + other relatives

I haven't spent much more than £100 between the 3 of mine so don't worry. DOn't see the point is spending tons and tons, especially as they will get loads of stuff off relatives, 3 of the 3 have birthdays around Christmas, and they thankfully on't care how much something costs, just as long as they get something iyswim.
I've got 1 big present to share (play station2, which was on special) and a doctor who sonic screwdriver each, and a tatoo pen to share (dh will not be impressed). And they'll be as happy as larry., and spend the whole Christmas zapping baddies.