If you’ve bought 15+ gifts for your child/ren where are you from?

[PinkyU]

I have a theory that different parts of the UK view giving Christmas gifts differently (based solely on anecdotes and experience, so very scientific).

I’m from the Scottish central belt and don’t know anyone, regardless of income (in fact more so for working class families), who gift less than 12/15+ presents to their children, nor do any of the NI parents I know.

Conversely my experience of English families (almost exclusively on here) is that there’s competitive minimal gifting regardless of financial situation.

Is it different traditions across the nations?

Prove or disprove my very scientific theory.

(Apologies to the Welsh, I have no experience but am happy to be informed)

I don't like the idea of buying cheap stuff for the sake of having lots of stuff under the tree tbh. I don't find that buying lots of cheap stuff works out cheaper than buying few but higher quality or more desirable bits (obviously!)

So I'd just be gutted over the fact that I'd bought stuff I really didn't want to buy, and more of it, over making peace with buying less but having it stuff that they really want.

Of course, sometimes what they really want doesn't cost a lot!

Central England, spend around £400 per child, about 50 gifts in total (I include everything in that total from a box of Toffifee, to a hair curling gadget to a pair of trainers as I have 3 children and I track what I buy over the year on an app so a don't forget about, lose or repeat buy things).

My DM is the same and always buys loads for my DC, and when I was a child I also received lots of gifts from her.

My MIL is from London and she is also very generous. She is gifting one of my children an iPhone 14 plus, and the other a laptop this year. She normally buys a selection of things but as they get older, she is going for a smaller amount of gifts.

I have discussed how we celebrate Christmas with my children many times and they prefer that I surprise them with things that they didn't know that they wanted rather than asking for one large gift (if they want an expensive thing like an iPad it would usually be a birthday gift anyway).

I agree with the mc vs wc theory.
I was born wc, parents went OTT at Christmas and I had loads of siblings too. Parents went massively into debt to get us all a massive pile of gifts each.
I'm still wc, I like to go OTT with my two (but don't go into debt, I save up but probably would go into debt if Dh didn't rein me in) and get them massive piles of gifts but it's always a bit of a battle agreeing with dh (mc upbringing) who usually had one or two gifts and if it was over £100 he'd have it as his Christmas AND birthday present with no other gift. If it was up to him they'd have 3 gifts each and no stocking.
I was chatting to a well off friend yesterday and she told me she had bought her daughter a toy smart watch for £10 and that was enough! I was 😲

I live in London and my youngest (8) will probably have around 15 present but the elder will have less as his cost more but probably around 10. I grew up fairly poor and I know I overcompensate for that now with my kids but I love their faces in Christmas morning!!

I’m from west Scotland and we were a low income family. But yes, even in the 80s/90s we were completely spoiled at Christmas . Friends from more middle class families in the East of Scotland definately got a lot less than we did

I am Irish, living in Scotland. I do not count, but I am sure there are already at least 15 in the Santa pile. We will have 1 present under the tree from us. Then all the relatives etc.

I think there’s a difference between how the middle class and financially struggling gift to the affluent middle class.
3 of my DC are in private school; DD has been there 6 years now and not once have any of her friends received 2/3 gifts. It’s usually a good number of expensive items and much wanted gifts.
Last year many of them received airpods with either a new iPad or new iPhone. 2 of them (twins) got a new horse each. From speaking to the mums; many of them seem to want gaming chairs & VR sets this year. The majority also spend time abroad over the holidays; us included.

I'm from Scotland but live in England. 6 figure household income. Not including stocking gifts the DC get pyjamas, 1-3 books, and a main present (varies a lot, could be something really big and expensive like a bike or a camera or something smaller like roller skates or a big lego set. I don't have a set budget).

TBH I think the biggest factor is the size of the extended family that gives gifts. As a child we only got an annual from my parents (plus all the stocking presents which could be quite expensive, e.g. good quality jewellery) but got loads of presents from other people. I was amazed at how many gifts my schoolfriend got from her Mum until I realised she didn't get from aunts and uncles so it balanced out.

Interesting - I wonder if this explains my DP!

I'm from central belt Scotland and they're from the south coast. We had one big present and a fair amount of small / medium ones - not tat but jigsaws, cuddly toys, sparkly hair bands, books. I loved the pile of presents because I knew there was going to be things I hadn't even thought of as well as (usually) whatever it was I had really really wanted. I think it made Christmas more magical, the idea that Santa knew what I'd like. We didn't have socks or fruit or anything like that.

DP had a stocking that was a small toy to play with so that they didn't wake the parents, a satsuma and a probably something to read. Then one present that was from the parents.

It's really hard to mash traditions because I think their background is so miserly! And it's not about buying rubbish, but there's a bunch of small things that I think DS (who's 3) would like that are of a standard that you wouldn't ask a relative to buy - mechanical switches for his wooden railway, an Octonauts book, scissors that cut a zigzag pattern.

My children will probably get 15-20 gifts each to unwrap each. This does not include stocking items, but does include toys, clothes, PJ's etc. We're from the South. Husband goes overboard every year.

Here in the SE I definitely don't give or have ever received even half that number - how on earth do people afford it?.

Stocking is la big sock so only fits small items - couple of makeup bits, a game, nice pair of socks or knickers, chocolates, satsuma, coin and a magazine rolled-up picking out the top .
Main present usually up to £200. Last year for example I got a £180 wool coat, hoping for GHF Helios hairdryer this year c.£130 possibly less if DH nabs a Black Friday deal. Then add 3 or 4 smaller/cheaper items like perfume, body creams/bath bits, maybe bits of clothing makeup or similar.

I am lucky that parents also buy similar and have 2 siblings plus a few aunts & uncles who all buy something so total may end up over 10.

How the fuck do people afford 20+ presents?

My husband and I always disagree. My family is Dutch/Scottish and we always did more for Birthdays than Christmas. My husband is British/Armenian and everything got wrapped, underpants/socks/PJs. He doesn’t like clothes to be included in Christmas but wants to buy everything for our daughter she asks for (only 1 child, aged 13). I like one main gift and a few fun bits. We have had a bad year and he now has a good job so he’s spent far too much (but no debt).

Wow I'm in shock at the amount of presents. My 3 kids get about 3 or 4 Santa presents and then we get them a few bits, usually books and clothes. They get a present each from aunt's and uncles etc and their Nana's would buy them a gift each, probably worth €25-€50 each.

I'm in Ireland, anyone I know do similar amounts of presents but I don't know if that's representative of the country overall.

From the South East and ours always get alot of presents (usually 15+ presents) and a stocking full on top as well.

It varies where I am,some friends buy they're children alot of presents and other friends buy 2-3 items.

I'm in SW London. If we aren't including stocking then mine probably have about 5 presents to open each from us.
This will include fluffy pyjamas or a onesie each.
A couple of special books or book series.
A nice outfit each.
And then a couple of proper presents each- this could be anything from a dress uo costume to a games console to a lego set.

However, I spend a fair amount on my stocking presents too and my stocking are big stretchy socks.

South East (Suffolk) here. DSS will be getting about 8 under-the-tree presents from us. That being said, I get very into doing him a stocking too, and that probably has another 10 gifts in it.
I wouldn't mind doing more, but my MIL will bring round at least £50 worth of tat exciting gifts on Xmas morning and I don't want to encourage her into making it a competition.

I think you are right OP. I think there is north/south divide on this. I am in Yorkshire and round here people like to give a lot of presents- not necessarily expensive, but lots of stocking fillers- usually things you would be buying kids anyway- pyjamas, socks, craft stuff, books, a chocolate orange, clothes, bubble bath etc.etc. My Scottish MIL definitely is from the huge pile of tat you really don't want rather than a couple of nice things you really like brigade! She insists on buying me a bag full of cheap candles, bayliss and harding sets, cheap chocolate, picture frames, packs of knickers and tights in the wrong size, scarves in the wrong colour etc.etc. I would much rather have one nice gift!

Well from us around 5 in their stocking and one under the tree. But they get lots from family so total will be around or over 15. (South-West) They are 2 and 4.

Born and bred in North East England.

Always done big xmas... as a child it was xmas eve box (not in a box on the end on the bed) then everything which was TONNES of stuff was unwrapped on the sofa or set up like walking into a toy factory, we didnt really do stockings (and I assume it was all meant to be from santa but never asked as I didnt believe).

Now we do xmas eve box, half out on sofa and half wrapped under tree and we completely added a sack from santa and also do stockings for fun too (wrapped gifts are from family/friends, santa delivers things but only the sack is 'from' him) so changed it up a bit for our kids adding more.

I have heard our childhood way is far more like Scottish people than southern English people (London etc...).

I do think its middle class vs working/lower class but I do think that devide also often shows in North vs South.

North and South can vary though as I think of London as 'south' but 'devon' as pretty similar to us even though they are more southern (so maybe more a 'big southern city' thing) lol.

Mine gets more than that but it's mostly craft / art type presents at the moment. We also don't have any family so she doesn't get from other people.

West Yorkshire.

I don't have a clue how to give more presents especially for DS who has only ever asked for one or two things for Xmas at most. His birthday is also close to Christmas. I'll be taking most of his gifts from last year boxes unopened to charity shop. I'm sure if I put 15 presents under the tree for him he'd be really excited to see and open them but whatever it is would be ignored after. DD is now at an age where she's hoping for one quite expensive present which I'm happy to give as I know she wants and likes that. I do have a few more ideas for her as she's easier but without counting stocking fillers etc I would be stumped to get 15.

Ah interesting. Yes I follow that trend and I am Scottish (but don't live there anymore)

Forgot to say I'm in Kent and I'd say my friends are just a few presents and topped up by family etc but classmates families have a lot.

My kids are getting loads but £200 on just 1 gift is more than than my budget.

My teen DS is getting a fridge as his 'big' gift which was £30.

I've never given that much, perhaps 6-8 stocking fillers plus 2-3 gifts of more substance. They also get new pjs on Christmas Eve (even though they are now adults!)

Christmas isn't about conspicuous consumption, and anyway I would rather buy fewer quality gifts