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Christmas

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

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Original poster

Slightly disconcerted, and wondering if I'm a stingy mother

21 replies

SpawnChorus · 05/12/2007 12:49

DCs are 2.11 and 16 months old. We're only planning on getting them one present each, and won't be spending more than about £20-£25 on that present.

It seems like all of my friends are getting lots and lots of presents for their DCs.

One of my friends was commending herself on being so restrained this year as she had only bought her DCs 7 presents each. Seven?? They were all quite expensive too.

TBH I know my DCs will be fine with it...they will probably receive quite a few gifts from relatives etc, and they are too young to have any expectations really anyway.

So why do I feel embarrassed about 'admitting' to it?? I don't consider ourselves as being particularly skint...we could probably stretch to more if we wanted to. So I guess that just makes me a bit of a stingy bah-humbugger?

OP posts:

quickdrawmcgraw · 05/12/2007 12:53

What?! You're not a bit stingy! I'll be spending a similar amount on dd and ds who are 5 and 7. Birthdays are bigger in our house anyway.
Last year my nieces and nephews got ponies and quads from santa. My nephew (6) asked dd what she got and she said a tamagotchi and didn't see any difference between her present and his. Don't bow to the consumer pressure.

agalch · 05/12/2007 12:54

Not stingy at all IMO.

When my ds's were little i used to spend small amounts too.

Now they are teens they cost me a fortune. I got my eldest a PS3 package and younger ds a freestanding basket ball hoop thingy.

I have spent very little on the dd's so buy little amounts when they are small and you can get away with it.

Sherbert37 · 05/12/2007 12:59

Agree - get away with as little as you can when they are young because everything is branded and expensive later. They will have a ball with whatever you buy.

Also, your presents will be surprises. I'm struggling to get my three surprises as they are so specific about what they would like. DS1 walked in on me ordering on the internet last night.

Original poster

SpawnChorus · 05/12/2007 13:01

quickdrawmcgraw - that's sweet about your DD and the tamagotchi :-)

agalch - I think you've summed up my attitude. I know I'll probably feel a lot more pressurised into bigger spending when they get older, so I'm making the most of their current naivety iykwim!

I'm just annoyed with myself really for not being stingy frugal and proud

OP posts:

evenhope · 05/12/2007 13:01

We have never gone over the top on presents and our older kids grew up not making demands. They were always really happy with whatever they got (and still are).

I think I've spent about £25 on each of them this year and they will all get something they have requested. They just don't ask for silly money presents because they know they won't get them.

meglet · 05/12/2007 13:02

Not stingy at all. We're spending a tenner on our 1yr DS. He will get plenty from relatives.

redrosebug · 05/12/2007 13:02

NO YANBU. We're only getting DD (17 mths) one pressie this year (oh and 3 books I bought for £1 each!) as the house will be FULL of pressies for her from relatives and friends. They don't get chance to play with everything and usually prefer the boxes etc anyway ! DD still plays constantly with a gift bag she got last year, she spends all her time filling it with bits then unpacking it and starting again .

Louandben · 05/12/2007 13:02

No, makes you sensible. Frankly, you could give the 16mo an empty box and he/she would doubtless be delighted. No point going overboard at this age, chances are they would be completely overwhelmed if you did, esp with other presents from family etc.

If you really feel you are being a bit tight, stick a bit of cash in their savings accounts, dont waste it on mountains of useless plastic.

Original poster

SpawnChorus · 05/12/2007 13:02

x-posts with you Sherbert. Aw...bless your DS1 (hope it didn;t shatter any illusions of Father Christmas!)

OP posts:

Original poster

SpawnChorus · 05/12/2007 13:06

OK, so where are all you like-minded people on real life??! lol

I've been given so many looks whenever I talk about the single xmas present per child. Was sure that I was a complete odd-bod.

OP posts:

leggylil · 05/12/2007 13:06

I totally agree, while they are young it's easier to just buy 1/2 smallish items that DC's will enjoy playing with time and again....It is hard cos we live in such a consumer mad society and there is a small amount of peer pressure to buy DC's loads and loads but I find that by only getting a few prezzies even as they get older they learn to appreciate what they get rather than how many they get IYSWIM

SO no hun you're not being tight stingy or whatever word you may wish to use.....stick to what you feel is best and whats in your heart and you cant go far wrong IMO

SantaKLAWs · 05/12/2007 13:19

Erm.... I'm going to collect a Doll's travel cot with some dolls and accessories from someone on my local Freecycle. I'm hoping they will be in good enough nick to use as Christmas pressie for dd, 2.6. Does that make me stingy?

I would also like to get her a keyboard with stool thingy which will be her Santa pressie (hopefully from ToysRus where it's £15). The doll stuff will be her pressies from me and dp. Oh and I got her some music stuff from Aldi, that'll be from ds, 14.

He just wants money so we can't do that the easy way. He'll get about £50.

Until they are old enough to realise about Santa there is absolutely no point giving much so dd hardly got anything previous Xmas's.

I scour charity shops also!

GooseyLoosey · 05/12/2007 13:23

All presents from all family members restricted to around £25.

They get one from us, one from each set of grandparents and one from Santa.

I worry that they get too much.

OrmIrian · 05/12/2007 13:25

You aren't being stingey. At that age they won't care at all.

rebelmum1 · 05/12/2007 13:43

agree wholeheartedly, too young to be victims of consumerism thank god! Enjoy it while it lasts and ban them from looking in catalogues and TV ads for the forseeable future

Besides overindulging teaches them nothing but to expect things and want more.

rebelmum1 · 05/12/2007 13:46

Instead enjoy the decorations, tree and christmas treats, carols, mince pies, father christmas all those other things that are exciting for little ones and mean so much more to them.

rebelmum1 · 05/12/2007 13:50

my dd got a book for her first christmas and trainset for her second. I'm branching out to a kitchen this year but it's from ebay and will come in on budget.

BeeWiseMen · 05/12/2007 14:03

in answer to op, you're not stingy, you have self-control and if you can pass that on to your DCS that's much more valuable than an avalanche of christmas presents. Your worth as a mother is not measured in how many presents you buy or how much money you spend, though a lot of people think that it is.

Fancy chucking a bit of that self-control my way. I'm trying. I really am but I think I'm mostly buying DD things to cover up my lack of imagination when I'm playing with her.

leggylil · 05/12/2007 14:51

Now why can't i write stuff like that????

you all seem to sum up what i mean to say but it always comes out wrong and long winded!!! LMAO

good though that we all agree

selby · 05/12/2007 20:20

DS(4) is getting a JL bargain Playmobil Knight's Castle and my 10mth old DD is getting a wooden doll's pram which cost me precisely £15 in the ELC Summer sale. I'm a self confessed bargain hunter and proud of it! They do also get stockings but we're only talking a book, puzzle, novelty choc, small toy, etc that actually fit in the stocking.

selby · 05/12/2007 20:20

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