Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

Really panicking that the Dc won’t have enough!

132 replies

Foxton20 · 05/12/2019 13:41

Dh has taken it upon himself to do the Xmas shopping this year because “I go over the top”.

He’s gone for quality over quantity.

Dd11 has-

Holister jumper
Vans
2 x tshirts
Anne frank book
Reed defuiser
Starbucks mug
£10 Starbucks voucher
Another book
Wreck it journal
Cajigprahy set

Ds10 has-

Nintendo Ds which he wanted
Nintendo game
Youtuber merch
A book about space
Guinness world record book
Nasa top
£10 Greggs voucher 😂
Another Ds game

Dd3

Barbie set
Cinderella doll
Book
Pants
(Not finished her yet)

I’m in charge of stockings and no idea what to get?!

I want to get the exploding kitten game for ds.

I’m worried they will be disappointed 😩

It’s most of their stuff off their wish lists

OP posts:
DarkMutterings · 06/12/2019 08:47

Clothes aren't presents, they're an obligation as a parent to provide for our kid
DS 13 yrs old - 2/3s of his wish list are clothes - band tee shirts, expensive trainers and branded hoodies!

Op you've got plenty. Now kids are older we've made a family rule, birthdays are for big gifts, Christmas is more low key.

whyamidoingthis · 06/12/2019 08:48

Clothes aren't presents, they're an obligation as a parent to provide for our kids.

Of course clothes are presents. My dc, particularly the boys, always ask for clothes.

I routinely fulfil their clothing needs as part of my parental obligations. However, I am not willing to fulfil their clothing wants, as I think high end stuff is a luxury. So they get the likes of the Hollister hoodie for Christmas or birthday.

It's important for kids to understand the value of money. Differentiating between routine and luxury items helps them to do that.

ZenNudist · 06/12/2019 09:00

You bought a Nintendo ds for your ds and no main present for your eldest daughter? If you spend the same on both thats nit nice. If you usually do unequal giving so she got more last year then I think that's fine.

Otherwise it looks like your ds is good at thinking of gifts and has written a longer list than your dd and you just bought the list.

Your youngest dd will be fine assuming the pile loiks the same or better than her siblings.

The list for your ds looks excessive and fine for your dds.

whyamidoingthis · 06/12/2019 09:01

@ WeBuiltCisCityOnSexistRoles - Anyone who judges this is privileged enough not to realise that things like clothes are treats as the DC perhaps have less bought for them throughout the year and they tend to be functional and affordable and needs, rather than "treaty" clothes that are a want not a need.

It's not about privilege, it's attitude and outlook. I could afford to buy my dc's more expensive, designer'y wants throughout the year, but I don't, as I think it's important they recognise the value of money and the difference between luxuries and necessities.

Lovemusic33 · 06/12/2019 09:52

People commenting about OP spending more on her ds than her dd, I’m pretty sure she hasn’t, as she explained her daughter is getting Vans (these cost around £50?) and a Holister jumper (another £50?) which is about the price of a DS? DS games don’t cost much now as the switch is now the main Nintendo games console and they are not releasing new DS games.

My dd’s lists look similar. Dd2 is getting a Lego set which cost £100, her sister has a hoodie and some other items of labelled clothing which come to £100. Its doesn’t look like I’ve spent the same but I have and I have got what they have asked for.

SatsukiKusakabe · 06/12/2019 11:12

@rhubarb I think I am in agreement with you Smile sorry if that is not coming across. A pair of jeans that you need is equally as nice a gift as a designer jacket you want in my opinion (and experience) It’s the thought that goes into a gift that makes it regardless of if it’s clothes or whatever.

My kids need new swimming costumes and will be getting them for Christmas. They’ve been excited about blu tack and post it notes and peanut butter before now and yet I’d have a hard time making a case for them being presents, but I know my kids and what they’ll appreciate as I’m sure everyone here does.

snowybaubles · 06/12/2019 11:25

My kids need new swimming costumes and will be getting them for Christmas.

But why? Can you not just buy them new costumes because they need them?

SnowyChristmasTree · 06/12/2019 11:34

I also disagree with the clothes can't be presents mentality.

I could buy my 11yo clothes from Primark/Next but he likes stuff from JD or expensive football tops/tracksuits at twice the cost. Therefore I often incorporate things into presents. He understands that if he wants more expensive clothes sometimes they'll be gifts.

I DO buy him clothes throughout the year too but he's massively into clothes/trainers/footie stuff so he'd be over the moon to receive these things as gifts.

He actually asks for JD vouchers.

rhubarbcrumbles · 06/12/2019 12:27

@SatsukiKusakabe I think we are agreeing, it's other, more vocal, posters (well one in particular) who is being rather strident in their views.

rhubarbcrumbles · 06/12/2019 12:28

But why? Can you not just buy them new costumes because they need them?

Why not let them have them as Xmas presents if it's what they will appreciate? Particular if they are competitive swimmers when jammers/costumes can cost £70-£80 plus.

ChizzleMeNizzle · 06/12/2019 12:31

Stealth boast much?

whyamidoingthis · 06/12/2019 12:37

Particular if they are competitive swimmers when jammers/costumes can cost £70-£80 plus.

Good luck getting a decent pair of jammers for that!

I agree with you. When my dd was swimming competitively, she went through a lot of swimming costumes. I was willing to buy plain ones as they are cheaper, but are the same quality. If she wanted fancy patterns or styles, that was christmas or birthday.

rhubarbcrumbles · 06/12/2019 12:40

Good luck getting a decent pair of jammers for that!

Quite, cheap they aren't! We'd buy them at the stalls at galas or buy 'last seasons' colours so they were the cheaper ones.
.

SatsukiKusakabe · 06/12/2019 12:57

If the need had arisen several weeks ago when they still had a lot of lessons to go before Christmas then yes of course I wouldn’t have made them uncomfortable. But I’ve also had to buy new shoes, new football skins and pe kit in the last month or so that they had to have then and it all adds up. What if some needs fall at the wrong time and you can’t afford the thing they need and an extra present under the tree? That’s the thing. I try hard to get them the main things they want toy/entertainment wise but yes, also some things I would have had to get anyway. I think it’s good for Christmas to mean variety it’s part of the fun. I know they’ll like them. They haven’t even asked for that many toys - do I spend money I don’t really have getting things I know they don’t really want or buy useful things I know they’ll enjoy getting too?

Dd needs new goggles and will be delighted that Santa knows this and put them in her stocking. There’s no right way to do it, and I think I have a fairly middle of the road approach really. There are always such extremes of a satsuma, pants and a lick of the gravel if you’re lucky or absolutely everything they’ve ever glanced at in the Argos catalogue and I just think most people are somewhere in between aren’t they?

snowybaubles · 06/12/2019 13:06

Why not let them have them as Xmas presents if it's what they will appreciate? Particular if they are competitive swimmers when jammers/costumes can cost £70-£80 plus.

Quite. But the whole point of my question was that I was asking 'why' not 'why not'

snowybaubles · 06/12/2019 13:08

@SatsukiKusakabe

I absolutely agree with you. Most people are in the middle. Asking 'why' about the swimming costumes wasn't a criticism. Merely a 'why' and I totally understand why.

GingleJangleScarecrow · 06/12/2019 13:10

Definitely calling stealth boast.

Guilt? FFS - I'm sure it's nothing compared to the guilt of some of the posters on here who are trying to make a magical Christmas for their child(ren) on next to nothing and have no idea where the next hot meal is coming from.

Why don't you just get them a new £70 swimming costume if they need it

Do some posters really live in such a detached from reality bubble?

SatsukiKusakabe · 06/12/2019 13:29

Ok snowybaubles I see (I think!)

And I didn’t spend 70 quid on his swim shorts, but they are considerably better than his current ones and were still (to my mind) quite expensive in the sale. And I think he’ll be pleased with them which is the main thing.

I think everyone is advertised to so much now and also so much more aware of what others have, perspective gets a bit lost along the way.

rhubarbcrumbles · 06/12/2019 13:40

Why don't you just get them a new £70 swimming costume if they need it

Do some posters really live in such a detached from reality bubble?

Apparently so Hmm It must be lovely in their naice, cosy, have plenty of money world.

snowybaubles · 06/12/2019 13:46

I didn't see anyone say

Why don't you just get them a new £70 swimming costume if they need it

Whattodoabout · 06/12/2019 13:47

Sounds like more than enough to me.

BlueEyedBengal · 06/12/2019 13:49

my eldest would love the Greggs voucher as he's always there right from 12 yrs through secondary school then college and university. He started work still there (he's 29yrs now) so you gave me a great idea with a stocking filler, I'm off to Greggs for a gift token! He's going to love that.

firstimemamma · 06/12/2019 13:52

That's loads of stuff op and if they're not happy with it or don't think it's enough then something has gone wrong.

Oly4 · 06/12/2019 13:58

Sounds great OP.
I don’t agree with those saying this is a stealth boast. You shouldn’t feel guilty for spending on your kids at Christmas if you can afford it.
Mine get sod all all year and plenty at Christmas.
People shouldn’t be nasty just because we all have different circumstances.
You can still raise mindful, lovely children who get lots at Christmas. We give to charity and the foodbank, the kids are aware how lucky they are. But I don’t want them to be made to feel bad and “taught a lesson” at Christmas

GingleJangleScarecrow · 06/12/2019 14:51

@snowybaubles Hands up - I have conflated a few posts there for brevity. Here they are individually:

"My kids need new swimming costumes and will be getting them for Christmas"

"But why? Can you not just buy them new costumes because they need them?"

"Why not let them have them as Xmas presents if it's what they will appreciate? Particular if they are competitive swimmers when jammers/costumes can cost £70-£80 plus"

"Good luck getting a decent pair of jammers for that!"