How much do you spend on your DC's at xmas?

[CharlieBoo]

Just interested as am having a nightmare with my two. My ds is 5.8 and is having a ds and lego police station, both of which cost over £200.00, this is before a game has been bought for the ds or any stocking stuff...or the little bits and pieces. All a lot of money, but in terms of wrapping up it looks sod all. Compare this to 18 month old dd who has big boxes, dolly's, buggy's, coupe car and it looks loads but has actually cost me half as much!

How do others of you do it with your dc's? I don't want it to look like dd has got loads more than ds and for that to register with him, but tbh he has had loads spent on him but he isn't old enough to realise and thinks he can ask Santa for what he wants...

Very variable amounts on here, but what I'm not sure about is whether some families who seem to spend a great deal per child, ie, above 100 IMO, also have grandparents buying expensive presents and lots from friends/family too. For example, in total ours probably have about 250 each spent on presents (they are the only gc), but I would feel very uncomfortable if we were spending that and they were getting even more from other family members. We have two great aunts who between them send about 80 every Christmas and I always put this towards a theatre trip (used to be a panto)because it is fun and memorable and dilutes the materialism a bit.

From this we don't seem to go over the top as much as we (DH) thinks we do.

Great thread, and have realised we're probably average based on previous posts.

Spend £120-£140 on pressies and stocking fillers for each of the 3 at home (23 & 13 times two) plus £100 each on the other 2 SDCs.

This budget was set quite a few years ago and we probably could increase it.

However 4 of the 5 DCs have birthdays in the 7 weeks following Christmas so we have to consider it all together financially.

Thank goodness for the sales

Our budget is 100 per child although ds's has gone up a bit as he is a teenager and it is all so expensive.

This dosen't include stocking fillers.

My Mum also spends a 100.00 on each grandchild I have tried to stop her but she enjoys it.

My mil also buys them a decent present each and some small stocking fillers.

They also have relatives who buy them smaller gifts.

The are aware they are very lucky and have to write thankyou notes to everyone who has given a gift.

I don't think I go ott at all Christmas is fun and only comes once a year you can't spoil a child by indulging them on one day.

The only rule is that we can't get into debt for Christmas and ds is 13 now and we never have.