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Original poster

is this a good idea or me being tight..........

38 replies

Titania · 29/10/2004 09:22

ok.....as well as everything else I've got to worry about at the moment, we are severely in debt......by over £25,000.....I have no idea how we are going to afford christmas......so this is what me and DH were thinking....

Let the family buy the kids their xmas presents and we buy them one each as well....then go to the sales straight after and buy the kids the rest of their presents for new year instead......they get 2 celebrations then as well?

I feel really tight even thinking about it but we really can't see any other way around it..... unless any of you lovely ladies can think of another way (or give me the winning lottery numbers!!! )

Please don't lynch me!!!!

OP posts:
throckenholt · 29/10/2004 09:51

we made a deal with some of our family - either no presents at all, or with some only presents for the kids - makes things much easier and cheaper all round.

JoolsToo · 29/10/2004 09:52

maybe this thread will bring us all back to reality - cost, size and quantity DOESN'T MATTER!!!! Buying mega chrissie pressies doesn't prove you love your kids anymore than the next parent.

Like the boys said 'Love is All You Need'

Kittypickle · 29/10/2004 10:08

Totally agree with Jools. At this age they have absolutely no concept of the value of money. If your family are like mine, they want to know what to buy for the children, so they get the things they really want anyway.I used to have fraction of what my children receive for Christmas and remember the delight I used to get opening my (very small by today's standards) stocking and taking out the bits and pieces and the satsuma in the heel etc that would be in there. I'm cutting back this year, we are fortunate enough not to need to, but I've found that the fewer toys that are around, the more my DD plays with them and uses more imagination whilst doing so. Please don't feel that you are depriving them, they will benefit so much more from parents who are taking a sensible approach to sorting out their problems, then a big pile of presents - also I think it's important for children to learn that you can't have everything you want. Good luck getting things sorted.

PuffTheMagicDragon · 29/10/2004 10:19

Think its a brilliant, sensible idea Titania.

As others have said, the age your children are - a "present mountain" serves no purpose anyway. Actually buying them fewer toys that they can concentrate on properly will make for a much more calm and pleasant Christmas morning.

Will look up some gift ideas and try to post them later, but my first port of call is always a big Woolworths - good quality toys at good prices (all I need to do is add the jingle there .

puddle · 29/10/2004 10:20

Titania - agree with everyone here who says they are very young, they won't care what they get!
We have been spending money doing work on
he house and will be on economy measures by Xmas. DP and I also have christmas birthdays which is more expense. So we are just doing presents for the children in the family this year, no birthday stuff for us either and we're going to treat ourselves to a weekend away without the children in the New Year when we are more solvent!

WestCountryLass · 29/10/2004 13:41

I don't tink you are being tight, that would be if you had £25K and only ought them sale presents kwim?

How old are your children? Will they really know if they don't gt much for Xmas? Can you just give them a reasonably priced gift and stocking filler stuff on the day and leave it at that? They will get lots of stuff from other people, no?

Have you spoken to a debt consolidation company or anything yet?

Good luck, BTDT and it stinks!

misdee · 29/10/2004 13:47

i;d call the rest of your family and tell them you arent buying the adults rpessies. thats what we mainly do. i get my sisters and bro somethign small, and focus on the kids.

but i think your idea of having a 2nd xmas is a good one. 2 of the toys i bought for dd2 last year went to half price just after xmas. was i p*ssed off or what.

subs · 29/10/2004 13:54

think it a great idea - as is the adult secret santa (not that kind of 'adult'...)

i bought a wendy house in charity shop and making new cover for it - also do this for b day presents - got a dolls crib ages ago in charity shop for borthday next month and painting it - think key is to get it when you see it...

other fun christmas things - making decorations, cards, wreaths etc will make you all feel festive and happy together -

you sound like a lovely mum.... xxx

jampot · 29/10/2004 14:01

actually a good idea is to get the children to make a set of decorations for each family member - you can use dough and bake and glaze them for next to nothing. Get some boxes from warehouse type place or £1 shops and tissue paper.

helsy · 29/10/2004 14:06

Sounds like you've got them great presents already - all they need is something nice for under the tree/in a stocking and they should be happy! We just got our dd clothes (which she needed anyway)for her first Christmas and let her unwrap them.
As everyone else seems to be saying, it's only the adults who feel that children should get lots of stuff. My sister and I had school shoes every year for our birthdays (using the money sent to us by relatives and made up by our parents!) because they were in August and October, and I never felt I was being hard done by.
Can't help feeling that by the time the sales start the moment will have passed, they'll have had their pressies as far as they're concerned, so why incur more cost in the sales? If you have got some cash for the sales, you could get next year's presents - I do! Would also recommend ebay but only based on one purchase.

Caligula · 29/10/2004 14:16

My attitude is that just because it's Christmas, that doesn't mean I'm suddenly rich. So my kids get what I can afford. I don't think you're being mean at all Titania, in fact, I think you're remarkably generous to think about buying them new year's presents! I won't be!

Grommit · 29/10/2004 14:21

Titania - car boot sales are great for toys. Also try Wilkinsons and Boots have a good 3 for 2 att he moment.

acnebride · 29/10/2004 14:26

sounds like you're well organised Titania and hope you're on the way out of debt soon. Your plan sounds more than generous.

When I was about 10 mum said I didn't need a stocking any more - clearly I didn't but I was upset not to get one. she said the reason was that we had no money, so i asked for a compromise which was that she found things around the house/attic/backs of cupboards and wrapped them up, with the standard apple, satsuma and 10p, so that I had a stocking to unwrap. that was fine. after that for a couple of years my sister did me a stocking as her present to me.

anyway, hth and don't murder your january budget with loads of stuff?

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