To ask how much you spend

[PixieDustt]

On your children at Christmas?
Of course you don't have to answer!
I have a DS and I feel i could be spending too much then I worry it isn't enough because toys are so expensive now!

These threads always have someone popping up to say ‘these threads always go badly’. I’ve done that now, so it is out of the way.

You will get wildly differing responses and some will say £££ and others will say a fiver.

Oh no 🙈 I didn't mean for this thread to turn that way! 😳 generally just curious lol

I could afford to spend thousands. I don’t, because it’s massively unnecessary. I get them approximately three presents each. One is from Santa, the other couple from us. Then a small stocking with Odds and ends in (chocolate, hair bands, build a bear voucher...) they get gifts from extended family, but I’ve asked them to stick to one each if possible. The first couple of years I found so stressful as they were inundated, I hated the consumerism, and the kids were overwhelmed and Mardy. So now I’m a massive Christmas Nazi and everyone is much happier. Including the planet.

Sadly too much. So far I’ve spent £455 on one DC and this excludes stocking fillers and the other bits I’ve yet to buy. I don’t believe it matters, it’s what you can afford and what you feel happy with.

I have spent 120 each on the main present and I will spend 30 on fillers reach but a lot of those are things I would buy anyway

I spend around £150 per child, including stocking fillers and a present from Santa. One big present and then a few little bits. Amongst my close friends we set a price of around £15 per child and all stick to it. We’ve all got at least 2 children and it’s become something we dread because of the financial implications.

Depends on their biggest desire/ need - they don't always know the monetary value

Also my ds birthday is 2 weeks before Christmas so sometimes do a joint present

This year is probably our biggest spend They have never had a console (age10 & 13) and ds may get one this year

All they have both asked for is a scooter (Chilli -£150 ish)

Dd is in year 9 so getting her a laptop

They always get a stocking of bits from 'Santa' (I know!) and around half a dozen relatives spend £20-30 each

@Mumofboth - I agreed with similar friends a couple of years ago to just stop buying for each other's children as they got so much else from others

All agreed and breathed a sigh of relief!

About £200 per child on average, in practice this is more like £300 for the eldest (14) and £100-150 for the yoyngest (3) with the others having 150-200 dependent on age/wants/need.

I have five children so try to spend a lot on their individual birthdays, christmas is less spendy than it used to be and all the better for it!

I think this also depends if they get lots of presents elsewhere too? Our family are now spread out and parents are old so one side gets nothing for them and my side give them a cheque. My brother and I still buy for each others kids and 2 friends and I exchange small gifts but that’s it! So if I did just one main toy from us and a stocking it wouldn’t be much to open on the day! So I go overboard and buy about 8-10 presents each. If I had lots of family buying and adding up to that amount I wouldn’t buy nearly as much.

I've older kids now so they have a few more expensive gifts rather than a few toys that could've been cheapish. I budget £4-500 on each, saved throughout the year and I enjoy spending every penny

We've had budgets from £150 to £600 depending on what they need /want and what we could afford. We spend very little throughout the year so I love to spend on Christmas. I wouldn't get into debt for it though

@HotSince82 I really like the idea of spending more on their birthdays instead of Christmas. I might give it a try next year thanks.

@SherlocksDeerstalker
Admire your sentiments but the cost of the small stockings you make up for your children might be considered expensive for some . You generalise on the cost of the three gifts each they receive . Does this mean you spend several hundred pounds on each child ?
No reason at all why you should be specific however that’s what OP was asking .

£50 pp

Late teens -£500 ish each. Far from piles of gifts, just trainers they have their eye on are £100+ a pair, make up and cologne are costly. All getting smart tv's.

DD3- £150. Mainly dolls, games and play doh!

It's always been reflected in the need vs want, so I'd spend more for say a phone, laptop, games console, but cash to blow I'd limit to £100-150 with a few stocking fillers to open. I'd also tend to buy bigger items for birthdays vs Christmas as it seems more special/memorable.

Around £350. This year general gifts will be less (aiming for £150-200) but we are getting a family gift of a gaming pc

I spend £100 on a few main presents for each dc. One of these is from us the others in sack. I buy stocking fillers such as new slippers, Marvel character dressing gown, pants, socks, selection pack, sweets, favourite shower gel. book, etc. to value of about £50 each child.

I could easily spend a lot more and I know some of their friends get a lot more presents but they get presents from 2 sets of grandparents, several aunties and uncles, a great auntie and sweet tubes from family friend.

I do take them to a pantomime they choose, visit to Santa on steam train, ice skating at Xmas and painting hand blown baubles at craft centre. We also make Xmas cupcakes together at home and decorate. These activities are expensive but really make Xmas special for us. Last year I took my dd to the Nutcracker ballet and she told me it was her best Xmas thing ever. There friends do not get as many Xmas treats as mu children do.

I want to create magical memories they can look back on. I was taken to lots of Xmas treats as a child and got fewer presents and when I look back I can easily recall the treats but have forgotten most of the presents I received even though I generally got what I asked for.

Thank you everyone who replied.
Some really good ideas. My DS is only small but Christmas is a big deal in our family and we all love it.
From grandparents he will get £100/200 from each side and auntie and uncles about £20 each so I know he will get a lot even if he is too young to understand.
I was aiming at around £500 but then again I've been looking at a lot of deals so could end up being less.

About £400-£500 per child (2 DS). I have roughly £800 saved up already.

A lot more now they’re older, but around £500 I guess, I’ve always been very happy to buy things like Wii games second hand and DVD’s when they used to watch them pre - Netflix.

Because i buy throughout the year I don't have an accurate figure but probs about £200 each child including stocking.

We don't have a lot of spare cash so we need to save for Christmas and tend to spread the cost throughout the year. It also depends on what the kids want/need.

I used to buy lots of stuff but mine really aren't that interested in the fillers tbh.

I'm just about finished for mine and have spent £400 including stockings for both - £210 on 13yo, £90 on 6yo + £40 each in stockings.

I don't think we've ever gone over £100 per child. They have big generous families and are overwhelmed without us adding to it. Stockings I go a bit overboard on but it's stuff that's used, like notebooks, toiletries, books and ski stuff.

This year we will be on holiday so it's complicated.

We have one child and have budgeted £250, original plan was £150, but it slipped...