Am i tight arse mummy if i give my dd these for Christmas?

[huffpuff]

DD (5 2 weeks before xmas)

Big pressie:
New bike

Other pressies:
sticker maker
game of some sort
book of some sort

Stocking:
tape dispenser (she LOVES cellotape!)
torch
disposable camera and album
chocolate coins
glitter pens
notepad
hairbrush and grips

I normally go mad at xmas but need to budget this year - does this seem ok to you or is it a bit stingy?

PS: her birthday is just before xmas and she is getting a bunny and hutch etc and a letterbox dressing table (2nd hand!)

Sounds like your DD will get more than some on this thread and less than others. So middle ground. Sounds fine and much more sensible to stick to your budget.

We are financially OK and could go mad on DS at Xmas - he is an only child too and I do feel guilty about that. He wants loads of things but is not getting them! (he spotted a walk-in toy kitchen in a catalogue a few weeks ago and wants that - 300 euros!!!!).

He will get Fifa 08 PS game and Ben10 Nintendo game (the PS is DH's and he bought the Nintendo himself with birthday money). Have got him 2 sets of Lego as we are big Lego fans. Set of Famous 5 books. Some activity books. Star Wars Monopoly as he loves Star Wars and we all like Monopoly. He really wants an electric guitar but we are not keen - well DH isn't! Am contemplating a scooter instead which looks like a big present but isn't expensive.

I know it is much more than some children get but it is less than others (including his cousins usually although am hoping my sis will be more sensible this year - she says she will!).

We also will do a clear out and sort out some toys for a local orphanage. And we do a Xmas Heart gift that is organised here - I have taken 2 this year. Basically organised by a group here to make sure that all the children in the orphanages and disabled homes that we support have a gift to open. So we have 2 requests from boys the same age as my DS and they both want a toy car - so DS will come shopping with me and we will buy those presents and some other bits and bobs and he will help wrap them etc.

Ds1 will be five in April, and he will be getting...

A Hotwheels CrissCrossCrash (£19.99 from coop)
2 boxes of 10 hotwheels cars ( £15 for 2)
An Etch-a-sketch thing (from qs, £3)
Playdoh (99p)
probably some new pants, some new crayons and drawing paper, and some chocolate coins to eat for breakfast.
A dressing gown from his dad

I hope he won't be disappointed, because some of his friends routinely have £200 spent on them but I think it is an obscene amount of money to spend on a 4 or 5 year old unless that child has just come out of an orphanage and has nothing.

Ds2 is getting bugger all this year, just like last year. He will only want to play with his brother's stuff anyway. I'll wrap him some clothes up - for some reason exps family seem to spend more on him than on ds1, but heyho.

I think thats plenty for a 5 yr old.

I am not spending lots on my 2 dd's who are 3 and 1 this year. They are young enough to not need much.

However my ds1 who is 16 has asked for a PS3 package which is £450 and we have bought it for him. He is working part time now and staying on at school so this yr is the last time he gets a big present.

Ds2 will get more than the girls but less than ds1.

Moondog, do you mind me asking why you've asked party guests not to buy any cards or presents for your dd's birthday?

In reply to my earlier thread, the pink tv/dvd combi cost me £65 from asda. I think bargain cos 1 I was planning on getting was £129 and on the plus side its the exact same shade of pink as their ps2 which they got last year (i tend to buy a big prezzie as joint seeing as they share a bedroom)

and in reguards to ''extra'' prezzies i went to my local wilkinsons store today and found some fab plastic storage baskets which were a fair size for a 'gift' basket
2 for £1.25!!!! in a nice sunny yellow
and to give idea on how big you can fit a ps2 and 8 games inside and still have room!!!
so bought 4 for £2.50....
Also found a pack of 6 felts 15p, 6 colouring pencils 15p and box of6 crayons 12p!
so picked up 3 packs of each for DD's
A good start to their 'gift baskets' and less that £5 spent...

I am so happy with myself lol

I win the 'stingy award' I think. Dd is 2 this week and I don't think I'll get her any present for xmas.... She'll get lots of stuff from relatives. We live here in the UK but go back home for xmas so all the relatives that don't get to see her all year round really spoil her at this time. She won't know who gave her what, so she won't know mummy and daddy haven't given her anything . As it's been said before, it's all plastic tat, she'll ignore, destroy, forget about in no time.

We might get her something for her bday this week, 1 small present, maybe £10-20. But not sure yet.

Do you know what after reading these threads I feel so much happier in my decision not to buy my 3 DD's any other 'big' toys.....
Just sticking to their TV and gift basket of goodies, which if i keep finding bargains like I have will look more like santa's sack than 'basket' lol but when they open it and see whats inside will look like i have spent hundreds of pounds instead of well you get the point lol (well thats the plan anyways lol)

being 6 months pregnant I need all the spare cash I can get to buy another lot of baby stuff, esp as have 3 girls and am having a boy this time round lol

Luckily my DD's understand that while it'd be nice to get everything they want, they dont need it and they'll appreciate the little things....Besides they'll be getting stuff from Family members too so will soon mount up

Hmm! We have a double whammy as DS will be 5 on 20th December. Of course he wants "EVERYTHING"!
I have made a small scrapbook of toy piccies and he now understands that if it's a big pressie then there will only be one.

I am considering a V Smile pocket which will be around £60, however, he will get a 20% off voucher as part of the ELC's birthday club so will probably buy it with that.

For Christmas it will be some extra "Take Along Thomas" stuff which he still loves.

Haven't read all the replies, but I think the gifts listed in OP sound plenty. Our DD will only be 6 months this Xmas, and we have got her 3 medium/small size toys from a 2nd hand sale at the grand cost of £4.50. Now maybe that could be called stingy

Because Missy,what kid really needs more tat?
I'm so bloody sick of the compulsion to buy, buy, buy.

She doesn't care a jot.
She is more excited about the chocolate cake we will be making for it.

Just read OP.

That sounds plenty!!

Any child who gets a new BIKE for Christmas, never mind the other stuff, ought to be over the flippin' moon. If you get whinges for that, they're a spoilt little git.

I started my xmas shopping in the summer, get stuff in the sales etc.

I don't buy tat, would not dream of filling his stocking with cheap plastic crap that will only break.

He is 2 and a half and I have bought mostly, jigsaws, puzzles, sticklebricks, books etc, things that are educational, these were all toys that needed updated as he has grown out of most things.

He loves cars so will get a few of them.

He doesn't know how much things cost, he just gets things he likes.

Relatives usually buy him big things, first grandchild on both sides so I don't mind, think he is getting a wee keyboard thing from his nanny. Prob clothes from my folks.

If you have the money and want to spend it fine, no-one should have to justify the amount they spend or don't spend.

Things will be very tight in the pixi house this year. Have DS1 (4) and DD1 (3) plus it'll be the DTs 1st Xmas and 5 days later their 1st birthday. It's DS1s birthday in Feb and am also pg with no 5 due March .

I have been trying to explain to the older DCs not to expect too much this year, we all got spoiled last year by the lovely secret santas on here. DS1 is really keen on a bike but I've explained it's not an option.

I have bought DS1 a car transporter which came with some cars and space to hold the others he has already. DD1 is Disney Princess mad so I have bought her a reversible sleeping beauty/cinderella dress and a disney blanket. For the DTs xmas/birthday they have got little wooden baby walkers each and a few other wooden bits (shape sorter/ ring stacker). They'll also all get a pair of pjs and a book.

I buy presents through the year when I see them on offer.

wow pixiemon, u are a busy mum,

I thought I was mad having baby #4 due 2nd of feb, my eldest DD is 8 (9 in jan) then DD2 is 7 (8 also in jan) and DD3 who will be 3 in april, but you got 4 under the age of 5!!!

Hugs and respect to you xxx

Hope all goes well

Bleurgh at threads like this...

Lots of sharp intakes of disapproving breaths and "that's way too much you materialistic so and so's loads(judgy judgy judgy), we only give ours a piece of a string and a pebble for Chrismas"

Isn't the traditional "all we got for Christmas" gift a comb and some tissue paper HMC?

Threads like this?!? I thought being judgmental was a requirement to post on MN!!!

huffpuff, ive only read the first OP for some reason this thread has kicked off. I read your list and it seems lovely to me. Maybe add some bathtime smellies for her to feel pampered, oh and dont forget the tangerine!

Thanks leggylil, you are catching me up . Best wishes and good luck to you and your growing family.

I started my Christmas shopping early (for me that is) I have last bought 1 Xmas prezzie. At this rate I will be doing the usual last minute last 2 days rush. But I do have Mums Birthday prezy (Mid nov.) and sisters Bithday (early Dec), in the 'Past Times' relocation sale.
Ds2, the only one who still believes in Santa, will probably get a load of money from Grandparents etc, and we will go to the sales with it in January and let him get what he wants with it (within reason). But there will still be loads of things under the tree, even if its a small thing wrapped in a big box to make it look festive.

I think your DD will be really happy with the gifts you have got her.

I think that this thread has shown that there is a range of views on xmas gifts which is v good to know - I find that I can feel a bit pressured by DH's family to get more expensive pressies although they are all a lot better off than we are - I think they thought I was a bit tight but DH's brother and sister now understand and appreciate that I think hard about what to get for their children (which i really enjoy choosing!). My biggest prob is FIL who is MUCH better off than any of us. Last year he told DH that we were v stingy because we had ONLY spent time (ie about 20-30 HOURS) editing and putting together some work that FiL had done. FIL was p*d off because we did not contribute to the laptop that SIL And BIL bought him!!!!!!!!! He said that we were stingy - this would have been peanuts for him and way over my budget for the whole family for us. What really annoys me is that I feel I should spend more money on him than on anyone else altough he never spends time choosing presents for us - just chucks a cheque at us (which I am not complaining about - comes in v useful at xmas but it seems to miss out the meaning behind the present) I take great pleasure in finding something for him from a charity shop so he thinks I have spent £30 on him and really it is only "1.50!!!! Actually, that is a good point - I go to charity shops for books/vids for DS at Xmas. Sorry - a bit of a rant but it annoys me!

huffpuff, I think your list sounds very balanced, but if you think she's lonely could you possibly substitute a few items for toys that are designed to be shared? You could make it part of the present - this Twister game [do they even sell that any more?] is for when you have your friends over to play.

Huffpuff. Thats not stingy. When mine ywere that age we paid about £20 for a main present and anther £20 on stoking stuff. They are now 20,17,and 15 and our budget for a main persent is £50 and about £30 on stocking stuff. Yes they do all still have stockings they ask for them. So as you can see our total budget for each oneis around £80.