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Christmas

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

What do you spend on your adult children at Christmas

186 replies

Sliverreindeer · 13/12/2025 11:51

I have 4 DC
Two of whom have birthdays on top of Christmas
I've never managed to get Christmas under £1000
I have to save for it through out the year .
Inspired by the thread on what grandparents spend on grandchildren
I'm thinking,
do people reduce what they spend on their children,when grandchildren come ??
Currently I'm giving £200 cash to each DC and about 12 little stocking/ under the tree presents to each DC consisting of about £60/£70 each ....that £1000 does not include family presents or Christmas food .
So I probably do need to cut down ..but I've been giving this amount for years .
Can I ask if you have adult children mid twenties heading to thirty,what do you spend on them Christmas..and birthday if your happy to say .

OP posts:
willitevergetwarm · 19/12/2025 14:14

We do SS for adults, or as we call it not so SS.

Myself & DH, DD1 and her DH, DD2 and her GF.

Budget is £30.00 and if any of us want something more then we contribute or get the gift as money. Or if we are feeling flush, the buyer can add the extra.

We usually all know who is buying for who so we all get what we request.

DGC get all the money spent on them now.

DSC who has her own children has the same budget and DSC who has no children gets a bit more as it's just her

Parker231 · 19/12/2025 15:25

willitevergetwarm · 19/12/2025 14:14

We do SS for adults, or as we call it not so SS.

Myself & DH, DD1 and her DH, DD2 and her GF.

Budget is £30.00 and if any of us want something more then we contribute or get the gift as money. Or if we are feeling flush, the buyer can add the extra.

We usually all know who is buying for who so we all get what we request.

DGC get all the money spent on them now.

DSC who has her own children has the same budget and DSC who has no children gets a bit more as it's just her

We do something similar. Three generations extended family including partners of DT’s and their cousins.

£50 budget and there is a theme each year as a theme for the present. This years it’s travel as the theme - we have the same theme for the annual pj competition. All a big secret until Christmas Day when everyone turns in their pj’s (a very serious judging contest takes place).

Namechangefordaughterevasion · 19/12/2025 21:14

As an extended family we don't exchange gifts so the only presents my adult DC get are from me and their dad. It all goes in their Christmas stockings. I probably spend about £300 each on them. This year it includes socks and pjs as well as a cashmere jumper each. We don't buy presents for their spouses.

Fernsrus · 19/12/2025 21:36

We probably spend about £80 per person, or up to £100, and we also buy for their partners.

CharlotteCChapel · 19/12/2025 21:42

We spend £75 each on the DC and spouses. Grandchildren are £50.

They were always aware that Christmas was about family and good food and drink rather than presents.

Sesma · 19/12/2025 21:56

£100-£200.

Aimtodobetter · 19/12/2025 22:05

Don't they buy each other presents as adults? If they don't, doesn't that tell you that they don't value the present tradition the way you do? You could also have a chat with them and suggest "smaller" christmas presents this year.

MyDenimShark · 19/12/2025 22:25

It’s all relative though isn’t it! If you can afford it it’s not a problem but if you can’t it is. Personally we only have one adult DC and we like to spoil her because I want to and I can. Maybe £600-£1000, which for us is ok but in years gone by it’s been as little as £100, depends what’s going on and what I think I want to buy for her. No one should feel bad for what they spend big or little, we all have budgets and ideas of what is right and wrong, it’s for you to decide what that is!!

francy99 · 19/12/2025 22:54

I have 2 kids, ages 20 & 22. I think I have spent £200 - £250 on them each. They are both working so have their own cash. Both sets of grandparents spend around £50 each on them.

janj52301 · 20/01/2026 17:55

nothiing. I send my daughter £100 for my grandson and £20 to buy advent calendars, I buy the daughter who lives locally a chocolate advent calender.They both have much more money than DH and me and I told them not to buy for us as well.

Bitolderandwiser · 13/02/2026 10:19

Judging by replies, I thinks a lot depends on circumstances. How old they are, what state their finances are in, how well paid they are and how good your finances are. Also there can be a big difference in your adult children's circumstances. One might be very well paid, no children or one could be not so well paid with a family to look after so I can't see how you can really compare.
Must say though the OP seems very generous!

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