How much do you spend on DC at Xmas?

[Starlive23]

I know its only September! Just wondering how much the average family spend on presents. DH thinks I'm insane for spending about £100 on each child (3 and 1) but from what I've seen on fb it looks quite reserved compared to some of my friends, some of them seem to rival a toy factory.

I think £100 each is more than enough. I assume as they get older they will want more but I still can't imagine spending more than that.

Our daughter will be nearly 1 and we are wrapping the toys she has already up. No point buying anymore as she has lots already. Plus, when she gets a present, she's more bothered by the wrapping!

That's £95! I can hardly wrap 3 presents for Xmas and go 'there you are!'

Of course you can! DC are either young enough that they don't know the value of things and therefore a pile of cheap things are appreciated more than branded hoodies and perfume. Or they are old enough to know the value and therefore should appreciate having less, but more expensive, things.

@StarfishDish

Our daughter will be nearly 1 and we are wrapping the toys she has already up. No point buying anymore as she has lots already. Plus, when she gets a present, she's more bothered by the wrapping!

That's a really good idea for the littlest ones, I don't know why more people don't do this actually it never occurred to me. I've got some of DDs baby toys at my mums in the attic and will totally be wrapping these up! Thanks for the tip!

@Starlive23 You're welcome 😊 I'm glad you're a fan of the idea because some people look at me like I'm being cheap!! 😂

It depends, mine are both under 4. They don't 'want' anything and it's only this year that the eldest really understands anything. Last year, I spent about £60 between them. This year I've picked up some great bargains in the bookshop sale, so probably around £20 spent on books which the eldest will love. DH wants us to get a toy camera for eldest, which is a great idea and he'll love. My only other plan is something to go with the farm animals that youngest loves. I'm going to buy them an embroidered stocking each with their names on for Christmases going forwards.
Like other pps, I'm going to enjoy the cheap years before they're influenced!
My mum always buys way more so they certainly get lots.

That's £95! I can hardly wrap 3 presents for Xmas and go 'there you are!'
Of course you can. If she is old enough to request a Hype jumper and £40 perfume she is old enough to understand that those things are expensive and there isn't an endless money tree.

@Nutrigrainygoodness

When dd was that young then we used to spend about £50 on her - but she's 12 now and wants an samsung tab6, go pro and an oodie for Xmas so we are going to be up nearly £600 before I've even thought about anything else.

You can say no. Absolutely no way would my parents have spend £600 on stuff i wanted and I will be the same with my kids. She could save up for those things...

I have 3DC in their 20’s and 30’s and spend £150 on each of them. When they were babies and toddlers I spent hardly anything and the teen years were the most expensive.

Get mainly secondhand so never more than 100 for everything including stocking. Just spent 70 on 4th birthday on ipod and headphones, transformer, lego and lucky dip stuff for party. All off ebay apart from the headphones which are special kids ones. Think it's crazy to buy new plastic stuff for both environmental reasons and also because you can get everything on ebay usually in really good condition much cheaper! Last birthday I got a balance bike and Playmobil pirate ship off ebay in perfect condition, would have cost 150 new but instead paid 50.
Am aware though that as child gets older doing second hand may be more difficult. Still never want him to think it's okay from consumption or environmental point of view to get 100s of pounds worth of new stuff twice a year though

Christmas represents an excellent opportunity for teaching our children about other children who will never have what they have:

I actually spend less on DD(19) now. She lives with her Dad and Nan but has a pre-Christmas with her stepdad and me.
This year totting up: About £50-£60 but then another £30 for a family board game.

@CoastalWave

i don't know how anyone only spends £100!

I've just bought a pair of new boots for DD (£35), a Hype jumper thing she was after (£40) and some perfume (£20)

That's £95! I can hardly wrap 3 presents for Xmas and go 'there you are!'

I buy 20 small presents for each stocking (reackon that costs £50 per stocking) and then spend about £350 on each child.

I don't think they even have that much to open either which is a scandal really! Mind you, my kids don't have any other presents to open as no relatives, so they all have to come from us.

You don’t know how anyone spends less than £100. 😳 Where to even begin….. 🤦🏻‍♀️