How much do you typically spend on your DC

[GingerRH]

Making this post to satisfy my own curiosity.

There is no right or wrong answer - everyone is obviously welcome to spend whatever they wish on their DC, and I don't want anyone to feel shamed.

The reason I ask, is I'm on a FB group for LOL Dolls - SDD is obsessed. And I've seen several posts where children are being brought 100s of pounds worth of LOL's. When I say 100s one picture shared had £850+ worth of LOL merch for one child. Which to be is mind blowing.

So yeah, wanted to see what people typically spent. Wondering if we're being tight with her 😂🤣

@GingerRH Such a lot of money to spend and especially when it’s on one type of toy.

One year DS had a £000's rocking horse that will stay in the family forever I hope. The following year he had playdoh at about £40 the lot.

Last year was probably £400 on presents, then £000's on a week of Walking with Dinosaurs, Harry Potter in the Snow, Kew Gardens, and NY at a suite in Disneyland. This year, he's got a couple of board games picked up from the bargainous Christmas thread at about £28. Need to pick him up a pogo stick too.

We go on what he asks for, and if it's uber cheap, brilliant and I don't feel the need to get additional stuff he's not mentioned. We are fortunate enough that if it's not uber cheap, we can still do it.

Do what's right for you, what you and your family will enjoy. Don't worry you've not spent enough, and as long as there are no resulting implications, don't worry that you've spent too much.

I have a woman via FB who builds a present pile from the floor to the ceiling of what I would call tat. She has to have 100 presents each year for DD. It almost seems irrelevant what they are, as long as the mountain is piled high. That's the kind of overbuying I don't like. But she says DD loves it, so again, each to their own.

£300 each on 11 and 8yo.

@Courtney555 we spend about £100 on DSD and she genuinely is so happy with whatever she gets. Like ecstatic happy.

My mind just boggles at the money people spend - although it was more than it was nearly £1000 on LOL Dolls.

@GingerRH

That's perfect! DS will be really pleased with his games and pogo stick. I think it will come in all in all about £60.

I remember one year, my aunt buying my cousin over £500 of Pokémon plastic toys. Similar vein to Lol dolls but I suppose worse. That's something I'd never do. £500 on say, a brilliant telescope he'll use into adulthood, sure. But not on plastic merchandise. On the flipside, my cousin seemed utterly made up about it all.

Whatever works for each of us I guess

about £50 DS16

Between £50-100 here too. 4 kids, all under 7. The littlest got about £15 spent on him last year. I can’t bear the consumerism culture these days. I really really try to avoid it where possible.

I don't think a budget will actually be set. But like others, it really depends on age and what they are getting.

£500 on a laptop for a teenager seems very reasonable. £500 on plastic toys for a 3 year old is bonkers.

@Caspianberg if u could edit my post I would have probably changed it to DC under that age of 10.

Definitely agree at some point Christmas because all together more expensive as tastes become more expensive as kids get older.

About £150 per child max. My DD would like an iPhone XR too. When she can buy one for herself she can have it.

I upgraded their kindles mid year for the holiday journey as the old ones were on their last legs so not very much this year at all.
Historically max of £100, usually under £50, sometimes around £80.
Mostly they don't play with everything they already have and certainly don't need anything else!

About £100 each (maybe, probably less). Our budget for adult presents is £150 (and I have exceedingly expensive tastes!). Christmas all in this year will be £500 and we’re hosting this year.

It depends on what might be needed at the time. And it has changed as they grew older. If someone needed a new laptop it might be £1000 one Christmas or birthday or it might have been several thousand on a car or some other major purchase. otherwise it might be £400-500. More as they got older, less when they were younger.

About 50 on their main present and then about 20-30 for stockings. We have three ( eldest is 10).

I suspect when teens it will go up as they want electronics etc but for now they didn't need or want more. Plus part of me is trying not to make them too materialistic I want them to value gifts due to who as purchased them and the thought that has gone into them rather than the price tag.

It varies per year. Last year I spent around £400 on each child (2 aged 8 &4). I started early to spread the costs. Realised how ridiculous it was to spend that much and aiming for £200 each this year so cut it in half. I do like them to have a good amount of presents. Both DC have autism. They don’t have any holidays, parties or many days out during the year so I feel we have more money to spend at Christmas on them.

Also cut down on what I spend on relatives etc. Sometimes I buy nice gifts and get nothing in return. I know that’s not what it’s all about. But I’ve always bought my own siblings and my partners siblings something nice for them not to bother back so I’m spending a fiver each on them this year compared to £30 each in previous years. I can’t afford it anymore!

A lot less than their birthdays.

DD will be nearly 2 and will spend about £70 on her. I think it would overwhelm her to get too much stuff tbh. Budget will obviously increase as she gets older!

I always got a mountain of presents at Xmas and in hindsight I feel like it was too much

Usually around £150 each, 3 DC now aged 10, 12, and 17. Some years less, some years more...this year will probably be around £200 each. No issue at all with people who go mad and spend huge amounts with huge present piles, it's just not something we've ever done!

DS is 7 and an only child.
Just added up and including 1st December bits, stocking and actual presents it’s £300 but he really really wants one more thing. At the moment I’ve told him he must save up but may twitch and get it, it’s £75 though!

About £250/300 each. All late teens,early twenties

Older teen and adult dcs here so about 200 each. Gifts for that age are small in size,like perfume, but expensive in price. We pad out with cheaper things like books, scented candles, gin/baileys etc.Ds wants a new bass guitar at a cool 2.5K. Oh, how we laughed....

250-300 per child. They get money from most relatives. For their birthdays usually under 100 plus a party

About £700 for DS1 and £200 for DS2.

@Morgan12 May I ask why the big difference for both children and not the same ?

About £150 on DS for Xmas - (but that usually includes some non-toy items e.g a dressing gown and books.)

Birthdays tend to be smaller affairs in our house - usually about £50-60