Do you spend same amount on each child, regardless? And help with 4yr old girl presents please!

[BastardGoDarkly]

We've got DS a games console, second hand so £90 we'll probably spend another £50 on bits for him, and that's about it.

I have no idea what to get DD, she's 4 and really arty, so she'll be getting lots of new paint, play doh, craft stuff, but I've no idea what to get her as a 'main' present.

Do you do 'exactly same amount' spending, or just stop when you're happy with what they've got?

No, but equal value to each child is best e.g. if you're buying DC1 a laptop because they need it for school then DC2 doesn't need to have hundreds spent but needs to have something they'll personally value just a much, e.g. being taken to see the ballet.

Or you can do it so that each child gets the same amount spent at each age. So for example they might get £30 in presents aged 0-8, £50 in presents aged 9-12, a big present aged 13, £80 in presents aged 14-17. So that way they won't have the exact same amount spent in any one given year, but it will be fair over the years.

The second method is my approach, and was the way my parents did it too, although they always tried to keep to the first approach as well.

I don't spend the same amount but I do try to roughly match the number of gifts and the value to the child.

This year DD1 is getting a bike, a box of lego and a Barbie. DD2 is too small for a bike type present so she is getting a moses basket for her doll, a Peppa pig toy and a secondhand doll's pram.

The cost is quite different but each will have 3 'big' presents and a stocking.

Does your DD have an easel or maybe a camera would suit her if she's creative?

We match number of presents and value to child as above. I'm sure this will change as they get older (currently 8, 6 and nearly 1), but for now I figure it will work itself out.

Not exact cost no, number of presents and importance to the child are my criteria.

I used to but then I realised that young DC don't understand cost anyway! (DD would never have guessed her Beano subscription was her most expensive present for example). I try to match them in number and how important they are to a child eg a big doll that costs £10 could be the equivalent of a games console if that's how the DC would view it.

No, not the same amount. This year they are both getting bikes. Both secondhand Islabikes, just the smaller one DD is getting used to be DS's. Too long ago for her to remember. They'll get a few other bits and pieces, but those are their main resents. £200 spent on DS, £0 spent on DD.

I do in terms of number of presents but not value. Last year DS1 got a new bike which was really expensive, DS2 got a new scooter which was much less but the equivalent main present.

No, like others have said, I match number and general size which is more important to my DC

We probably spend more with increasing age but for an equivalent type of present. For example, DD (2) will get her first scooter, about £15, DS2 (5) will get his first proper bike, about £50, and DS1 needs a bigger bike, we haven't got it yet but I suspect it will be a lot more.

No not at all though dd's are young. We get what we think they will both appreciate. Dd1 has a innotab and frozen lego, that's it except stocking. Dd2 has an innotab and some extra pieces to add to her brio then stocking dd2's will probably look more but possibly cost a bit less in the end. Each year it will be different though I imagine.

Dd1 is 4.5 and my little pony mad atm I imaginw the majority of her stocking will consist of mlp stuff, as well as various family mambers getting bits amd bobs for her. She loves the Equestria girls dolls too.

DD is 4, I've got her - Lego junior, duplo, care bear with dvd, MLP plushes ( £2 odd each from aliexpress) Bedtime fairy toy, fairy garden kit, dressing up dress, ds games (you can get a ds for £15 from CEX) and a small handbag. Ds is getting a Wii U, but I go with similar amount at this age rather than price. That will probably change as they get older. I just try my best to make sure that I get what they would like.

We're more at the stage where the relative sizes of the boxes are what matters. I think in years to come we'll probably try to give roughly equal value. I think I'd be more inclined to buy things like bikes etc for birthdays, so that, eg, the 14th birthday present is a bike each time (assuming they both want a bike at that stage). But then, we have summer birthdays, so that's a bit easier.

I think matching the value to the child is what's important. I haven't had to think about this yet, as my girls are still very young (3 years and 7 months at christmas), but I think that is how I'll do it as they grow older.
I suppose that the number of presents is a factor too. If one child had an ipad, for example, which would probably cost twice as much as a sibling's five toys, it'd be nice for ipad child to have some cheap gifts to open.

I'm so pleased to see this thread!

I've been wrestling with my conscience. I've a big age gap - 2.5 and 12.

How on earth can I make it equal when DD(12) will have approx £100-150 spent on her!? DS (2.5) likes dogs, cardboard boxes and rarrrs (dinosaurs)

My DD wanted a new laptop. I said that it would have to be a joint present between myself and GP's. She was most upset to learn that and also that there wouldn't be any other "big" presents. So, even at 12 they don't necessarily understand the quality/quantity thing.

no I dont spend equal as one is older.

I also hope things like hot wires and furby will be passed down.

I make it look equal though but younger one may be bulked out with pound shop or charity shop finds...

for dc I find its about looks and size of piles really.

i could never do one large box and not the other, and it wouldnt matter if one had a diamond ring and one a large cardboard house to paint, if i put the ring into the large box too it willl look equal to them, if you know what i mwan!!

no, I don't spend equally.

I do try to ensure that they have similar sorts of things - a new dress each, some craft bits each, a book each, a "big" something (likely to be a toy for dd2, a gadget or theatre tickets for dd1), some smaller bits. I don't worry about the size of the boxes - dd1 is likely to have a smaller "pile", but at nearly 9 she knows that the things she wants are costly.

Last year for their birthdays dd1 wanted a particular doll for her birthday that wasn't expensive, and dd2 wanted a micro-scooter. Christmas is likely to be the other way round.

Thank you all :) I think I'm going to get DD a dragon touch tablet, it looks really good for her age, but cost less than half DS console. She won't know/care, then they'll both have a gadget, and other cheaper presents to open :)

no i dont. i have two teenage boys who want expensive things like laptops, radio control cars and xbox games at 40 odd quid each. then i have two preteen girls who are happy with teddies, and moshi monsters etc who are getting a shared main present as there is no point them having a tv each when they share a bedroom.

As above, I try to pair up their gifts so it looks like a similar amount but I don't make them match financially.

We give bikes separately to christmas and birthdays. Partly because they both have winter birthdays, and partly because they are close together in age so any handmedowns would be very obvious and they'd make it difficult to be fair if they are presents.

what is a dragon touch tablet?

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00QRQBYZG/ref=twister_B016MS94JG?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

That's it Drastic

Mine are still very little. Last yr youngest was a newborn so no to value and amount. This year the same value but not amount of presents. My eldest gets bored opening presents and I can't see the 1yo will tolerate tons either. This year I'm buying more expensive items for the baby and only buying things they will love, rather than need. I've set the budget really to stop me going crazy and buying 30 presents!

I try and go for equality in the presents if that makes sense, so two main present each (1 from us, 1 from santa) and a roughly equal number of presents of comparable size. Stockings are relatively similar too, just differences due to boy / girl.

This approach is workable for us as the DCs are still small with only 2 years between them. Not sure what I will do when the kids are older, hoping that they will move onto the smaller more expensive presents at a similar time IYSWIM.

Having said all that, we've ended up spending pretty much the same amount on each one this year purely by fluke.

I don't spend equal. I have 4 dc aged 8, 7, 5 and 3 I buy them the same amount of items but what they're after differs greatly in cost.

I have max budget of £200 for all dc.