Go on then.... how much do you spend on the kids at Xmas?

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We've got one 18 month ds and I doubt we'll spend more than £30 as he'll get so much from grandparents.

That's just it isn't it?? You start out being sensible but end up going crazy!!!

I will probably spend about £200 on dd, I am getting a baby annabel or elc baby millie, some dolls clothes (wontbuy annabel stuff though) , aquadraw, some games, books, lots of little things,I dont mind doing it xmas as apart from her birthday most of her stuff is from charity shops or car boot sales so I save quite alot all year by doing that, and also I am making her friends presents so that will cost hardly anything - ooooohhhhh I am getting all excited

The plan was about £30 for each on a main present then stocking fillers, but it has crept up to £65 for a dolls house for DD and £45 for a farm for DD. I've made the mistake of spending what I now consider to be too much on DD in the past as it was just her for nearly 5 years. As a result I'm embarrassed to say I have a girl who does a pretty good impression of a spoilt brat at times - she is gradually improving though. I've found that the more toys there are in the house, the less they get played with.

We're going to do more of the christmasy things this year - carol singing, free children's show at theatre, children's christmas parade, one of the Christmas weekends at Stapehill Abbey, going to local woods to collect things to decorate the house.

I'm trying to get dd (3) into the whole meaning of Christmas thing, so I've got her the advent nativity velcro thing from letterbox and other catalogues. I'll get her a Madagascar choccie advent calendar as well so she can be the same as her friends. She is also looking forward to the nativity they do at school and at church. We also have a big crazy christmas day with lots of food fun and presents. It's our last with dd before db arrives in the spring so we'll have fun the 3 of us and see lots of family. They all really spoil her so we don't have to get her much but always do!

This year I have spent £30 on her big present My First Leapfrog Learning System and backpack for it (we'll ask the rest of the family to get her the books for it) and about £20 on stocking fillers so I guess £50 total. I also tend to buy her a new dress each Christmas and tights etc as a special outfit to wear on the day.

£100 ish on dd who will be 3.10 and probably about £50 on clothes and bits for ds who will be 3 months. They will get loads from everyone else though. Last year dd head 3 bin bags of presents waiting at the in laws and about the same again at my parents as well as all the stuff under the tree at home and she just got really fed up of opening stuff. So we will get her 1 big present and a few little bits including a nice outfit to wear on the day.

Have never really costed it out! DS is 4 and gets bits and pieces all year really - nothing big usually - he's mad into cars so gets them on and off. I also love books so buy them throughout the year.

Last year I went a bit overboard and am determined not to this year. He wanted a workbench so got one and has only ever played with the hammer - which I then confiscate as I can't stand the noise! I should have bought him a kitchen!

This year I've got some books and some lego already. Planning on buying a few Brio train bits to liven up his basic Ikea train set which we keep adding to. He loves building a track but then gets bored so I thought a remote control train and some smart track stuff might regenerate some interest.

A few cars and bits as stocking fillers and that it about it.

He has mentioned a kitchen and if he seems keen I will get one as I think he would play with it and it's always useful when little girls come round - they get a bit bored with all the boy toys! And my DH does most of the cooking as does my Dad when we go there so need to keep up the "men in the kitchen" influence!

i am spending £30 on DD. and £15 each on her 2 cousins.

£120 on ds (4)
£80 on dd (1)

And thats IT!

We'll be spending rather more than in previous years as ds1's present this year will be an attachment for dh's bike so he can "ride" along behind him. Dh takes ds1 to school a couple of days a week and he's way outgrown the bike seat so needs the trailer. I don't know what to get for dd yet, but with stocking fillers it will probably come to about £80, and ds2, who will be 3.5 months, will get a tree ornament, some books and lots of cuddles!

dd £3.15

ds £1.85

god i must be really tight or poor. i have spent £20 on my dd. i have spent no more than £120 on all the xmas presents i need for everyone. and i have them all already. although some i am making and still have to make but i have everything i need.

No juice, not tight (dunno about the poor though)you are quite simply very wise indeed.

DD will have just turned 1- probably £20 max. Big family who will overload her with presents and tat. In fact, my biggest worry at present is how to limit the amount she gets from others. And seriously, how much will she really be aware of anyway?

Have absolutely promised myself to stick to £100 each. Not sure if I'll keep to it though .

Wow, I'm so impressed that so many people have sorted their Xmas presents. Dh thinks I'm mad for already planning what we're going to give ds. We'll probably give him a few brio railway pieces so don't expect to spend more than about £30 (plus bits and pieces for stockings). However, my parents want to give him a toy kitchen to play with. I've seen several nice ones in John Lewis, ELC and Argos (but not the CE safety mark - their own Lion brand). Do people have views on which kitchen is the best? Ds will be just over 2.5 by Xmas but loves this sort of imaginary play.

My DS will be 9 months at Xmas - I've bought him a Peekablocks train for £20.00. Planning on getting him a hand puppet as well. I'm sure he'll have absolutely TONS of other stuff from relations and will probably most enjoy eating wrapping paper and charging about the living room giggling. I can't wait.

I don't feel tight at all - my parents always bought us lovely gifts, but didn't go mad, and a lot of the presents 'Santa' delivered on behalf of family, it's not like you have to buy a whole sack and pretend they're all from him.

My house is full so I am buying based on size not cost this year

i havent got a clue what im buying dd1 whos 3 and dd2 who is 1 on the 2nd nov so neat to christmas
they have too many toys and hardley play with them
but they will only get about £100 each and none of us work

I'm going to make myself sooo unpopular now and say I am really shocked by how much money some of you can spend on presents!!

I am buying a baby anabel and that is it. Dare I suggest that we all donate something to a local charity or to a disaster fund this year too? I am sure many of you do already. I really don;t want to sound bah humbug - I guess it just shows how lucky we all are to have so much spare cash!

It's coming out at about £100ish.

Everyone is so different I am trying to work out what I normally do. I buy one thing from Father Christmas, last year a baby dolls cot for one and a barbie horse for the other £12 each. One main pressie from us. Leappad for one, CD player for other £35 each. One DVD each £10, Couple of cheap books (book people) £5 each. Stocking fillers £10 each. Also Chanukkah pressies (mini things for 8 days) £12 each = £84 EACH - Blimey I though I was being careful too

This year will be about the same I guess My kids are 4 and 6, but their main pressies maybe smaller as there is nothing they have specifically asked for, save a Rapunzel Barbie and a cd player

EVERYTHING GETS PLAYED WITH THOUGH

Not very much, I've just ordered piles of books as pressies for EVERYBODY from the book people - not sure about anything for the dd's yet! problem I find is that all the rellys ask what they can buy and I never have a clue - just no more tat please!!!!!

Hellmouthcusty pmsl at the white board. Very very good idea. Will try that when DS is older.

I am only going to spend about 20 quid. My DS has just had his 2nd birthday party and I kid you not. We have not opened all of the toys. Yet.

Also at 2 he doesn't really seem to play with anything apart from my dustpan & brush, remote control, DHs watch. It's very frustrating.

I may buy him a fimble that does stuff as he seems to like them. Runs around shouting fimbaaaaaaallll alot.

I think that I will enjoy taking him to see Santaland and we light our house up so that its the chavvist one in the street, so he will like that.

Oh and I know it's boring but when anyone asks what he would like for Christmas. I say clothes every time.