Doesn't look much

[DeeDees1]

I had set myself a budget of £250 for the eldest but realising that for DD 15 that doesn't go very far.

Iets frans joggers £50
Adanola hoodie £60
New balance trainers £80
Miss Dior £50

Those with similar age girls, how much have you spent and does it not look much as well?

DD knows the price of most things so will understand but keep thinking maybe I need to forget about budgets now she is older or just go for cheaper things?

You wrap the presents to make opening it more special. You don’t need to buy more presents.

So put the joggers and hoodie in a big box, stuff with tissue. Wrap and put a big bow

The miss Dior, you wrap in many layers of wrap with lots of tape, so it’s a challenge to get through.

Trainers you put in another big box and stuff with cheap sweets all around. Again wrap and put in a big bow.

All it will cost you extra is tissue paper and sweets.

£250 is a lot of money to spend and I’m sure your DD will be thrilled with her gifts.

Mine are 16 and 17 so similar ages, I’ve bulked it all up with pyjamas, dressing gown etc (primark do beautiful ones) x

DD 14 just had her birthday. We've gotten her competition numchucks and kamas. Score keeping basketball hoop, jewellery box and heated blanket. Lots of stocking bits such as face masks, chocolates, guitar picks etc.

it really doesnt go far when they're older. ive spent over 600. my DS is 14, requested clothes for christmas. he also needs a new phone hes been without one for 5 months.

hes got:
sliders
a book
bath bombs
2 tracksuits
5 t shirts
2 jumpers
tracksuit bottoms
pjs
shorts
a bag

smelly stuff

some chocolate bits.

second hand phone

I don't think this is required, if she has already got some nice stuff for her she will and should appreciate them. We don't need to buy a ton of cheap stuff just to open a ton of presents and at the end of the day most of them go unused.

A few meaningful presents makes more sense and she is 15 so she is old enough to understand especially as OP said she is aware of what things costs.

Without sounding like a snob, who gifts Primark stuff if you’re giving decent gifts to begin with? That’s literally a gift for the sake of a giving a gift. Unless you are totally broke no one should be gifting Primark garbage simply to bulk out a pile of presents.

We teach children to be grateful for what they have received but even me as a child would be like what the hell is this toxic landfill shite doing under the tree, Santas been on the wine again 🤣

Some parents have zero taste or clue about what teens like. I saw a suggestion for a period hot water bottle!? Lovely 😏

Why the obsession with big piles of presents?

Exactly it just becomes stuff for the sake of it.

Does she want that specific perfume? I just got dd a 100ml Moschino perfume from House of Fraser for £25. Would free up some budget. They also have huge discounts on trainers if you haven’t already bought them. Some nice pj’s with any saved money and some Ugg style boots/slippers maybe? Dd15 loves her comforts

I think she will be over the moon with what you've bought her. I don't think you need to add unnecessary things

Last year eldest DD had just turned 16 and similar to others I prepped her. She knew - rationally that we had got her an invisible big ticket item (Reading ticket!), but I needed her prepared for a visible disparity. I reminded her a few times in the run up to the day!

My goodness the competitive underspending on here this year is out in force!! Do your now adult children get presents bought for them from anyone else? At what age did you start buying them a singular gift?
Tbh it sucks the joy out of Christmas coming downstairs to a single solitary present underneath the tree. I get budgets are different and no one is suggesting spending thousands of pounds but giving your child, whether they are a child or an adult 1 gift is actually very sad! My DS1 who is also an adult at Uni will have a pile of gifts to open and a stocking full of useful things as well. Not tat for landfill but socks, boxers, shower gel etc. No we have not spent thousands of pounds (we are doing that paying for his Uni house!) but he has got thoughtful gifts which he will appreciate and need. I don’t feel the need to give him 1 gift for the sake of giving him 1 gift. Both my boys have never received presents from anyone else (well DS1 does now as he has a girlfriend) but not from family etc.
To the OP, I totally get where you are coming from. I have a 15 year old DS with a similar pile . Does she have a stocking? I would perhaps stretch the budget a little (if you can) and get some pj’s, body sprays, shower gel etc, book, sweets. All stuff that will hopefully be used.

Thanks for your snipy post.
My adult children are fine thanks. They are in their 40s. They like things for their houses, gardens, and their own children. If they have a wish list we will buy something but most of the time they don't want much (and can buy it themselves as they have good incomes.)
Christmas is about being together, not spending £xxx money on gifts.
You might find the same with your kids in 20 years time.

Quality, over quantity every time

No. My children (now 21 and 15) have never ever had gifts from anyone else other than me and DH.
DS1 has a girlfriend now and she obviously buys for him and gets DS2 a little gift too.
I have no siblings. My Mum and Dad when they were alive gave £10 between them in a card. Suppose you could call that a gift but obviously not wrapped up.
My in laws put money directly in their savings accounts. Again very generous and has been useful now DS1 at Uni but nothing to open.
DH’s sister has never given them gifts.
Not christened so no Godparents.

So yes the pile of presents they had every single Christmas came from only us.

We usually do a pound shop trip to buy things like shower gels, chocolate, biscuits etc

@mrs
bloody primark 😳

Is everyone on MN obsessed with “fluffy socks”

Wasn’t intended to be snipey but you have made a rather intentional dig at another poster with fake shock that someone dared to buy more than one gift!! It’s competitive underspending at its best. Most people on here have young children, teens or young adults…and it’s the norm to give more than 1 gift. There is absolutely no need to make others feel bad or be “shocked” that they are daring to give more than 1 gift at Christmas. It’s just not necessary. You failed to mention that your “adult” children are actually nearly Middle Aged which is a completely different thing and not at all relevant to the post about a 15 year old girl.
Im sure I will probably feel differently in 20 years when my 21 year old is 40 but that’s not the point of the thread. So stop trying to make the poster feel bad about daring to buy her 15 year old a few presents. My point was when your now middle agesd “child” was 15 I’m sure they didn’t come downstairs to 1 present.

For a 15 year old, Christmas is also about presents no matter what you might think. Appreciate that’s a long time ago for your children so it might be harder for you to remember but as the parent of a 15 year old I can promise you most of them care more about the gifts than spending time with their family.

Does she get presents from other family members too - grandparents, aunts & uncles? I spent around 300€ on DD this year and got two main presents (boots and ghd straighteners) and four smaller things - a matcha set, bag with bits of makeup she wanted from Sephora, Korean skincare face masks and hair rollers. I’ll do a stocking too with mainly chocolates/sweets and a couple of other things like hair bands and clips etc. She’ll also get presents from three sets of grandparents and my brother and sister, as well as from her great gran, so that’s loads. It does take the pressure off us a bit, although we do live in Spain and the massive present pile isn’t a thing here. My Spanish in-laws were surprised with how much she got the first Xmas we were here.

And PJs!

If I'd had either of those things in my stocking when I was a kid I would've assumed my parents had gone insane

I read your list & thought how lovely that all sounds, I’d have been over the moon with that & especially the Dior perfume. You’ve done quality over quantity & if I was going to add anything else for £10 it would be a Starbucks / Greggs / Costa card

Yes, they are amazing. 😂

I don’t understand people who think that £250 is a lot for a teenager . The clothes are necessities which you would buy anyway . Ok you may not buy pricey names for her but I’m sure you would spend at least half of those prices so therefore your DD is only getting maybe £150 of gifts . I can understand it if you have no money but spending so little just to make a point is bonkers .

I agree with others , maybe buy her a Sephora voucher or something else to top up her gifts .

Thanks for all the replies.
Yes, two siblings. One 11 so pile a bit bigger and then 8 year old with quite a big pile.
We could afford a bit more per child but do buy regularly throughout the year and eldest two have expensive hobbies, so set a "budget".
I do like the idea of padding it a bit like suggested with fluffy socks, nice chocs, scrunchies etc.
I was just surprised how small the pile is becoming and listening to some people at work it sounds like our budget is exceptionally small and some people don't even budget.