How much will you spend on your DC's?

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Completely nosy question, I know .
I tend to pick up bits in the sales and things which catch my eye throughout the year. I think of this is being 'sensible'. However, have just mentally totted it up and have spent £250 (including a bike) on DD. This seems ridiculous. Am going to probably hold some back until her birthday. However, she doesn't have presents / toys outside of birthdays and xmas. What does everyone else do / spend? How much is too much?

It's a good thread.. because you generally don't ask people what they do spend.. It's interesting to know.

Korma....I think that traditions do get passed down.. I do the one big pressy, a middle size one, small and stockings.. as my mum did ( ds1)is a bit older so will guide me more as to what he wants.

£80-£100-ish. This year though the oldest really needs a bike, so we might spend a bit more (and then pass it down).

Usually goes:
-one biggish thing:lego/doll's house/CD player
-cheapish game or DVD
-pyjamas/other useful garment
-chocs, socks, books and tat in stocking

i wish i could just spend £50 that would give dd / ds about 2 preents each what the cost of things they want this yr

I start every year.. I put by..£10 more if it's avialable, less if it is tight... a week.. tbh.. christmas food is bought out of the months food budget... as it's only one day!

We are spending less this year as we found she ended up with so much of other people last year. So will be about £70, which will include one main pressie and some clothels as well as a few little bits and pieces.

I think it all depends on each families income and what they can afford really.

Depends on whether I get them the trampoline they have asked for. If I do that could easily be the best of £400 if you include the safety net. Between the two eldest that would be £200 each - which is actually more than I would normally spend on them. If I don't buy the tramp for xmas then I may end up buying it anyway in the summer as a non-xmas/non-birthday thing....tricky decision. DS3, is 2, I'll probably sppend about £60 on him - he fancies an ELC keyboard and stool.

I only have One Ds and I dont set an amount to spend. I just buy one nice present whether it costs £15 or £50. He is still young yet so I cant speak for the future. He does get gifts from the rest of my family as well though.

As children we had a fortune spent on us at Christmas (more in quantity than quality) and I think it really spoilt us. We didn't look after our toys and none of our things lasted longer than a couple of months. I see this more with my sister who is a lot younger. She still has a fortune spent on her. She has so much stuff that it just gets stuffed in a wardrobe and forgotten about. On the other hand I do remember the feeling of having lots to open on xmas and being really excited. I guess its all about balance.

Not a great deal. I am building a dolls house for DD which has been a work in progress for ages, but almost done, I've also got her a scooter. DS is getting a 'like a bike jumper' from my parents so I will probably just get him some new playmobil and a few stocking fillers.

I also have no doubt xh will go overboard this year as it's his first christmas without them so I'm being much more careful.

Yes, I usually only had one, not huge, present from my parents at christmas, plus stocking presents - and so it seems to me that is how it should be I suppose. I knew that friends got more and I was flabbergasted eg that one friend got a TV for her room one year - but oddly I wasn't jealous.

I think I like the idea of doing a stocking for DS. What sort of thing do you put in it? He'll be 2.

New crayons? I just discovered twistable crayolas, they are great. Colouring books, chocolates, dried fruits (mine love pineapple and apple), toy cars?

Brill - thanks!

Our local poundland has giant rainbow slinkies, and bags of punchball balloons, both £1 (obviously!). And small selection packs of chocolate at 4 for £3. All good for stocking fillers for that age group. And a proper metal harmonica which will go into ds1's stocking (though I might live to regret that one!).

lunarsea, I read about those punchball balloons recently, apparantly they are dangerous, not to ec standards and can burst as you are blowing them up.

Stickers, fun xmas socks, chocolate coins, pens, little clockwork toy, plastic dinosaur etc. Also have a little tub with a magnifying glass lid that you can put bugs or anything else inside to look at - got that from a museum shop; they're great places for stocking fillers.

Normally we aim to spend about £50 each, have 2 boys who will be 6 and 4. This year however they are having a wii between them which obviously bumps it up alot. So I expect this year it will probably come in about £100 each.

Normally we aim to spend about £50 each, have 2 boys who will be 6 and 4. This year however they are having a wii between them which obviously bumps it up alot. So I expect this year it will probably come in about £100 each.

I spend about £60 on each of mine
2 or 3 gifts about £50
Stocking bits £10
Then they get gifts from others. Dh would spend a fortune we don't have but I insist on a limit of 3 wrapped pressies from us and Santa does the stocking

Any big gifts ie bikes dolls house, are saved as birthday gifts

I meant thats what we get them for their birthday - we don't save presents from xmas to giive them on their birthdays

Very little,

S will get a bike on his birthday which is the 13th Dec,

but for christmas they have had bits bought and put away over the last few months and I will probably spend another £25 on each of them.