how much do your parents buy your kids at Christmas?

[sugarbaby]

Today my mother came round to drop off some cards and I casually asked her if she had finished her Christmas shopping. She replied that she only had a few things left to buy but that her living room was full of presents, and that they are all for my DS and my nephew. I asked how much she had bought, to which she rattled off a long list of things she had bought for each of them! She must have bought them upwards of 15 presents each and I would like to bet she's spent probably between £150/£200 on each child! Now I realize that grandparents wish to indulge their grandchildren but isn't this just a bit extreme? i feel almost as if it's like an obsession with her! to see how much she can spend. Last year when I pointed out that perhaps she had spent enough on the kids she replied "how much is enough?".

So was wondering, am I the only one? or is there anyone else out there whose parents try to outdo you when it comes to buying presents for your own kids?

My mum spends £10- £20 per child but she does buy them bits and bobs when she comes to stay at other times of the year. Also, she always asks me what to buy. PILs probably spend £50+ per child but they live abroad and are quite comfortably off - but they never ask what the children might want so they often end up with things they've already got,don't like, don't fit etc.

My mum gives us £50 to either save and put in her account or buy her something.

This year it's going towards a playhouse we've got her.

My MIL has done the same but buys a ton of other bits too.

My parents spend about £10 each on dd and ds. My pil's spend about the same although give more toys - all salvaged from jumble sales throughout the year! If they find something 'bigger' at a bargain price (always second hand) they will buy that as a special treat (like a trampoline or ride on toy) but tend to try and save them for birthdays when possible.

my mum spends about 50 i think,my dad(they are separated) about 30,usually a cheque coz he can be arsed shopping although this year he has posted a couple of little things.PIL spend about 50 but just give cheque/money as they think she'll appreciate it when shes older.this is true but i would prefer her to have a small present at least.dh thinks i'm mad however!I can't help feeling envious of friends/my sister who have gparents who spend hundreds but then i would hate it if dd liked their pressies more than father christmas's!

m,y parents have got them nothing.

my mum and dad go ott, they spend about £100 each on my 2dds and the same on my 3 nephew and nieces.my pils spend around £70 and they have 6 grandchildren. my dd1 has a different dad and him and his dps spend around £250 between them all so she gets really spoilt.

My mum spends about £50/60 per grandchild but she buys mine something every week as she looks after them while I am at work or college. I have told her to stop as they are getting to expect something from her but she doesn't listen to me

£20 per kid
she has 7 gradnkids

My parents only have the one grand child (my dd) and I would say they've probably spent > £100. I don't have any problem with it really

sugarbaby, my mother is exactly the same. she spends far more than she should on each of her grandchildren, who all end up with about six huge parcels costing god only knows from £80 upwards. she has five grandchildren, and its drives me mad, as they get so much stuff from her they dont even stop to appreciate it before tearing open the next gift...... My mother is totally OTT, but if I dare question it, she can rant for england about her right to indulge her grandkids...
my inlaws do spoil the kids but in a more restrained way. either way my children are spoilt and horrible all christmas day and boxing day. I feel like sneaking gifts away and giving them out over a few more days ....

over £50 is s poiled imo form grandparrents

My mum usually spends between £30-£50 each on them.She tends to ask me what they want and give her deas usually in the 20-30 pound range and then she also buys othr things for them as well.My mum is really thoughtful with her gifts thouh and really thinks of each kid when choosing presents.
My dad usually sends £5 gift vouchers to each child.He was sending vouchers for places like dixons which is pretty useless for my kids(5,3 and 22 mths now) as they aren't old enough for the stuff in there.So I asked him to get them vouchers from a book store.He's got waterstone vouchers which is great.It'll make a great day out nxt week with the kids to choose books. He also sends a selection box each as well.
My PIL's spend about £50-£60 on each child,they tend to get one big present for each of the kids

Nothing as mine and dh's parents are all dead.

my mum spends £50 on each grandchild.
fil spends about £5/£10 on each.

My parents don't go too mad,even though they are quite well off.They never used to over do it for me,when I was a child either and I think not being "spoiled" was one of the best lessons they ever taught me.
They have spent about £20 on toys each and have also bought the DS's a shirt each,which is fine.
MIL is less well off and spends a bit less, which is also fine.

DM has spent about £50 on each of the DDs this year. Previously she has spent a lot more, but then that was when she knew that DH and I were skint. I have to be firm about it with her though, she would spend more if I let her.

i'd say around £30 and IMO that's plenty. she likes to get a balance of nice toy and clothes/books too which is nice and not hard at the moment as all the grandchildren are under 4.

My parents spend £25 each on the five Grandchildren. Taht's a lot, as both their pensions have collapsed and they have NOTHING to their name. MIL spent £150 on a joint present but is struggling with her mortgage. Wish she wouldn't, but hate to be ungrateful. would rather they had a t-shirt and she was secure

But as my Mum says, she's a grown woman

I have already posted on here about how over the top my mother goes on the kids, but need to add a rant about my father and step mother. They live in the US and my father abdicates all responsibility for this kind of thing to my step mother. She usually sends a stocking for each child as well as for me and dh (she got us all personalised ones that she refills each year). Yesterday, a package arrived with: one present for ds1 (a book - I can tell through the wrapping), one each for me and dh which are very badly wrapped in tissue paper so I could see they were wooley scarves) and NOTHING for ds2! There was a card which said she got behind this year and will do better next year! She is not old, by the way, and they are very rich. I doubt my dad even knows that ds2 was sent nothing as he really does leave it all to her.

Now I don't know what to do on Christmas day when we speak to my dad. Do I say "Thanks for the book for ds1 and I was a bit suprised that ds2 didn't get anything" or do I just say a general "Thanks" and not let on?

My parents and my in laws spend way too much.

I estimate my mum has spent about £100 on each of them. I'm not sure yet just exactly what mil has bought but from what I know I would be surprised if she had spent less than £100-£150

I really wish I knew how to curb them.

Mum and dad would go for £5 each as long as it's boring and educational. In laws would easily spend £100 each on cr*ppy rubbish per child though dh's sister's kids are no.1 - in laws refuse to accept their surname (mine) and even spell no. 4's name wrong on the vile cards they send. Dh has to keep me off the sherry so I don't get stroppy!

I would guess my mum spends 30-40 - one toy-like present plus a top or an outfit. 15 sounds way ott - and, tbh, leaves you in a difficult position if you don't want the kids to be over-indulged. I'd drop a few hints eg abut them being a bit overwhelmed - try to persuade her that one or two really special presents will be remembered adn appreciated more.

IlanaK-can you give the book to both dss? And make a point of saying you've done it, eg "Thanks for the book for dss, I'm sure ds2 will grow into it and meanwhile ds1 can read it?" At least that might make her combine pressies if she gets behind next year. Or give him a woolly scarf!

I would be so though. Is he old enough to notice?

No, thankfully he is not old enough to notice. He is 18 months. But ds1 who is 4.5 will certainly notice that ds2 did not get anything. I like your idea of saying the book is for both of them.