Ok, how much have you spent on the kids?

[Kibble29]

And did you stay within your intended budget?

I just finished ordering the gifts for my (just turned) 3 year old and is came in at about £250. This was pretty much bang on what I intended, and this also includes the stocking and that bastard Christmas Eve box that I wish I never started.

Of course the amounts will vary wildly in the thread, I’m just curious really!

Thank you! I guess I'm feeling super rubbish today anyway - both kids are ill, I spent a sleepless night with a very feverish baby, and we were supposed to do some Christmassy baking this weekend but we were all unwell and I also argued with my partner, so I'm already feeling like I've failed at Christmas! Time to stop whining, pick myself up and make up for it during the next 2 weeks 💪

Probably £500 on main, present, sack and stocking. Ds's Christmas list totalled about £220 which was very doable. That's between myself and dh. He's an older teenager and it's quite a light year as PS/Guitars cost us a lot more.
Although i have asked for a list since he was a child, he doesn't automatically expect to get it all, although he usually does and is always very grateful. He's a really good lad, appreciative, thoughtful and kind and I love surprising him.

About 100 each (11 and 14). But my children are grateful and reasonable so I'm lucky:)

For my 3 year old it’s worked out at about £250-£275 and for my 6 month old about £100.
As they get older they will have the same amount spent on them but whilst my youngest is a baby and doesn’t really need anything it would have been a waste to spend more. Most of her bits are stuff for when she starts nursery next year, a bigger baby bath, weaning bits ect.

I have managed to stick to a budget this year as I am on maternity leave but usually I got crazy at Xmas for gifts for all the family

About £200 on my four year old, gone a bit overboard this year, started shopping too early! A lot less on my youngest but he’s one so knows no different.

Apparantly my children will get anything for christmas then...

Not all teens want brands and tech. If they want/need a new phone, that's obviously going to cost a lot more than the one who wants books and a primark hoody

Hey don't feel rubbish. I'm sure your kids will love what they will get. 2 & 4 are tiny.

They'll barely have their heads around Christmas and certainly won't be asking for expensive clothes, trainers or tech.

While many are spending £££ they probably only have 4 or 5 things for the kids to open, inc selection boxes.

£50 - £80 each for a 2 and 5 year old. But we have a large family so they also get plenty more gifts.

We also have to get presents for this large family and friends! I've accepted that it's a nice problem but it means our budget has to go on everyone and it adds up to about £300 between everyone else.

So our total Christmas present budget for kids and family is about £500 which I think is enough.

I think there's too much pressure to spend.

I've just gone over £500 because I caved in & ordered the £90 adidas campus trainers she loves, they'll be reduced in Jan 😂I only have 1 she's 15 so every seems more expensice now, new phone, concert ticket, soap & glory, Crocs & Trainers & a Handbag & Purse.
She's got a Sat Job so is giddy to be buying us this year and experiencing the gift of giving xxx

19 year old , around £1000 so far

I don't have a set budget. I never have.

Please don’t feel rubbish, Christmas is what you make it. Whilst I know we’ve spent silly money on our 8m old. Its very much not in keeping with our christmases and I am VERY behind this year with everyone else due to various financial fuck ups this year has been (actually not our fault which is nice I suppose!).

Yout Kids will be so excited, no matter what’s been spent. You make the best of it.

I’m with you on feeling really unwell, we had DD in hospital this weekend with Bronchiolitis and now I’ve caught something, DH and I keep arguing because we’re knackered.

You haven’t failed, it will come together ❤️

I was thinking this too. Some pp's were quoting even lower. Obviously if £100 is the budget but that would be eaten up very quickly.

Meant to read if £100 (or whatever) is the budget, fair enough.

Three children presents from us, Santa, stocking, Panto tickets and another christmas event £500. Budget all year so we can have a stress free one and sorted near enough by first week of December. Good kids and worth every penny. It doesn't matter what you spend though as long as you're all together having fun and healthy.

About £700 ish on my DD17. I haven't added precisely. I don't generally have a budget in mind. Her main gift she wanted this year was a garmin watch so that's about £300 of that figure. I save all year so I can manage the budget for Christmas for everyone, not just my DD.

@LuckySantangelo35 dunno if it's that shocking tbh?

My eldest has a gold bangle, a heated blanket, some aquamarine earrings and a Ninja creami

My youngest has a Boss tracksuit, some headphones, some trainers and a Philips one blade

Total spend on the above was £400 each, give or take and I'll do stockings on top of that.

I can afford it, they like it, I like it, I don't care what anyone else might think

Shoot me

I haven't counted it up but I'd guess maybe £1700 between the two of them so far. Still have stuff to get though.

£100.00 each on their stockings (pillowcase full of low priced items) and another £100.00 each on their main present (one item each).

It's the last minute stuff that always adds up

Over the course of the year we have been passed on a kitchen, a bike, dolls house amongst lots of other things - we had a toy supermarket but passed that on since. So we are quite lucky that these bigger items we haven't had to pay anything for. A lot of the items look brand new i would really encourage other people to set up similar groups to pass things on. Just a simple whatsapp group with someone posting a photo saying 'anyone want this' is all it takes. In a few months or a years time the same item is back on the group looking for it's next home.

I'm finding it interesting that many people spend less on their adult DC or drop the budget when their DC become adults. I'm feeling a bit sad for all those adult DC not getting very much while their younger siblings are getting loads more.

My DM spends the same on all her DC and GC regardless of their age/income/partner or no partner etc. MIL spends more on her two DC than anyone else.

I'm pretty much finished and £115 each (x3).

£85 Presents from me
£10 Present for santa sack
£10 Christmas eve box (PJs, toothbrush, book, gingerbread etc...)
£6 Stocking (just sweets, stickers, little novelties for less than £1)
£4 Christmas jumper (which they already had at the beginning of December)

I've not calculated properly but I reckon about £1200 on dd, but this is split between Christmas and birthday (a few days before Christmas she will turn 11). And it's much higher this year as she's got a new iPad Air and Apple Pencil pro for her digital art which took up a large chunk of that money.

I don't tend to have a set budget per year - sometimes it's much lower and sometimes a bit higher depending on what she has asked for, or if she needs something such as the new iPad as her old one she's had for years and it's on its last legs. She's an only child and it would be much lower if we had more than one to buy for.