How many gifts per child?

[Smarshian]

I am just starting writing out my lists for the kids.
so far I have a Xmas Eve box each (I know these aren’t universally loved!) with hot choc, new pjs, a mug, a bath bomb and a book. Total cost £10 each.
then stockings with sweets, fidget spinners, small toy (Gu jitzu dinosaur for him, uno for her), oodies (fake £10 ones), selection box and cans of pop. Total cost approx £25-30 each.
then under the tree maybe 4 gifts each. The cost will be quite different for these I imagine as he doesn’t want much and she is after a switch, so will get that and 3 very small other gifts, he might get 2-3 medium gifts and 1-2 smaller.
what is everyone else doing?

Yeah I do… while I have the extra money to treat my kids I will.
When I don’t have the money then they won’t be able to have it.

She has a summer birthday but still buy stuff between.

I upgraded my daughters iPad last week just because it was a good deal and bought her a new book today.

I tend to buy about 14 gifts for each of my 3 kids. My 10 year olds cost £300 all in but his stuff is more expensive as he wanted a mobile phone, musical keyboard Lego etc. My 3 and 6 year old wanted toys including bluey toys, Disney Lego for the 6 year old, playdough and craft sets etc. It cost £140 ish each for the same amount of gifts. They get stockings on Christmas day but they tend to have pringles, chocolates and one small toy in them.

I also do a 1st December box in which they get Christmas PJ's, Christmas jumpers, advent calendars, chocolate coins and a Christmas family film voucher were they get snacks etc. It doesn't cost more than £20 as I buy it all on sale in Jan.

I only really buy them toys for Christmas and birthdays and save all year

Not really, birthdays and Christmas’s mainly. We don’t do big holidays but they will usually get treats/souvenirs if we do day trips. DHs family will get them a present each but they get nothing from my family.

Sorry, also yes, I buy through out the year. A lot of the things I buy are usually on sale, DD3’s main present was a 3rd of full retail in the prime day sale. I also have no problem buy 2nd hand.

Yes i buy through the year, example a barbie for a good report or good parents eve, head teacher award etc for 4 year old

Plus they get money from grandparents so often go to smyths or wherever throughout the year

2 year old gets things as and when if I see something they will like.

Eldest gets cash or whatever most weeks not loads though

But we clear out lots throughout the year and donate toys that aren't used much

I only buy presents at birthdays and Christmas - they might get a comic or pocket money toy or something but not a present any other time.
Also they get a lot of things they 'need' at Christmas as well as 'want'.
So, lego sets, computer games, playmobil that they want.
But also getting new bikes/scooters as they've outgrown old ones, new trainers, pyjamas, clothes, laptops needed for school, blankets or duvet covers etc.
Lots of things to unwrap but half of it we'd need to buy anyway!

For some reason, people call sacks stockings. I've never found out why.

We only buy presents at Christmas and birthdays also. The rest of the year she gets pocket money to spend though.

@NCcoziwannaNC yes this is exactly what we do, although I am trying to be more restrained as we have (IMO) just too much stuff, although if I had my way we’d live in a minimalist house 🙈. The second DD gets less bought for her spontaneously as she has all DD1 old baby toys, I also regularly go through and give away toys and books that aren’t used

Mine are 4 and 5.

I have got Christmas books to wrap so that they have a new Christmas story to share at bedtime each day in December as a kind of advent calendar to go alongside the chocolate ones.

Their presents from me follow the something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read formula, plus a chocolate Santa and one bigger surprise for each child.

For their stockings they will just have smaller things as it's mainly about the excitement and unwrapping:

Craft/ drawing materials
Small lego kit
A book
Hair clips/ beading kit
Joke box
A soft toy
Christmas hat and snapband
A box of jokes
Slinky
Fluffy socks
Playmobil carry case
Mini microscope
LED scooter wheels
A small game
Wind up toys
A festive jumper
Sweets/ chocs
The obligatory satsuma!

Standard size stocking, but i have it overflowing into end of the bed. Some bits are like keyrings for their bookbag or whatever so is tiny. But some things like books i have poking out at the end.

I put a link with a similar stocking to ours. It’s definitely a stocking not a sack.

We don’t really. I mean I’ll buy stuff they need, and on holiday they get a bit of spending money to buy whatever they want with. Older dc tend to get a nice dinner or pudding to celebrate results etc. 6yo has been struggling with her sight words and got them all right this week so she got a gingerbread man (and fleeced me for some pudsey ears whilst in there). I mostly spend a lot of time saying no you don’t need that to the youngest!

I would say we do buy throughout the year sometimes but NOT xmas presents level stuff.

Its not that our kids are deprived throughout the year but Im not buying them lego or a doll & pram randomly in march for no reason just because they asked for it in Asda on the spur of the moment, those are 'xmas' level gifts... but I think very few people would do that anyway.

If people did buy their kids anything all through the year as they ask for anything then their kids would grow up with an entitlement to think they only want something and instantly get it.

They obviously get all their needs throughout the year so xmas gifts don't including day to day clothing and toiletries.

They get things on holidays or random 'little' things occassionally just like every other kid I would say.

I will probably spend around 100-150 on my four year old this xmas but for us - we do get them lego sets, bikes, books, random toys throughout the year. I also try to buy his xmas present on vinted to keep the costs down.

@Toomanypressie I wouldn't buy something as big as a doll during the year. That's a christmas or birthday present. Maybe a little car or pocket money toy as a reward.

The only exception really is outdoor toys. They both have winter birthdays so I'll buy those in summer. Grandparents also give them spending money when we go on holiday

so far I have a Xmas Eve box each (I know these aren’t universally loved!) with hot choc, new pjs, a mug, a bath bomb and a book. Total cost £10 each

I am intrigued as to how/ where you got all this stuff for a tenner! Is it naff pound shop stuff?

This thread makes me think of Dudley in Harry Potter counting his presents 😂

Surely you just consider what you can afford and what your kids want and meet somewhere in between? Do you need a number?

That’s what I was thinking. It’s hard to find a pair of kids pj’s for less than £10 nowadays, let alone all the other stuff on top.

apart from the PJs its not hard.

I mean how much can you honestly spend on hot chocolate and a mug???

Kids dont need Lush bath bombs they are perfectly happy with the ones from homebargains that change the water colour or have a suprise in for under £2

Books for kids can easily be got for a pound or so it does NOT mean they are 'naff' (whats naff is think your better for spending £6.99 RRP in WHSmiths for something you can get exactly the same in B&M for £1.29).

As for PJs little kids and girls/women really dont cost that much especially in the sales... gets harder with teen boys just due to lack of options for that demographic.

Honestly except possibly PJ I would find it hard to spend MORE than £10 on the rest, just unnessaceraly wasteful for no reason.

I mean its really not THAT hard for young kids... a 2 second google brings back these all under £10.

I got the kids pjs in the sales earlier in the year @£4 and £5 each. Books brought out each year (night before Christmas and the jolly Christmas postman). Bath bombs, I got a set of 9 for £8 from B&M and the others are part of gifts for other kids. Hot chocolate dinosaurs were also in a set of 8 for £6, again I have split the rest around other kids. Mugs were £3 each in Asda.

Fair enough, I stand corrected.

I’ve just bought PJs for my DDs today, £5.50 for my youngest and £6.50 each for my older 2 from matalan. They are nice soft pjs that all 3 exclaimed they loved when I got home with them. Bought several Christmas books from the charity shop last week 50p each. One DD used her own money to buy a bath bomb from home bargains, I think it was 99p. And almost everywhere is doing something hot chocolate related at the moment, costs vary but they are really not that expensive. Poster didn’t mention but the mugs maybe used every year, we have Christmas mugs and plates that come out every Christmas.

it’s actually not that hard to get these things for under £10 if planned.

It varies

I spend about £750 per child all in (17&16)

I spend less than some of their mates

all northern comp kids

mine get 20-23 gifts plus stocking plus Xmas Eve hamper

im notmal in my area

many do more for this age group

I don’t know anyone - no one who buys less than 10 gifts and I’m not rich by any means