How much are you spending on Christmas?

[Itsbrtnybish]

I want to preface this with a) this is not a competitive or flex post b) we all do what we think it’s best for our families and we’re doing the best we can and c) I don’t believe Christmas or anything really is worth getting into debt over.

now with that said, how much do you spend per child?

I have 2 lovely dc. Due to personal beliefs we don’t really celebrate Christmas too much, more really due to my parents. In the past we’ve been guilty of overconsumption. January is an expensive month for us, 2x car insurance, MOT etc. I was going to do a big (£250) joint present for the kids and then just smaller cheaper bits, but I missed the window for Xmas delivery for the big present in question. So we went to a toy store yesterday and got presents for them, all in all £250. All things that they really love, play figure sets and playmobile sort of thing. We have a few other bits at home already, chocolates, pjs and socks.

queue husband moaning we’ve overspent yet again and he didn’t want to spend this much. Giving me a bit of a hard time. BUT I think it’s less than we were planning to spend with the big shared gift plus additional little bits. It’s £125 each. And we’re not getting each other gifts.

come home, DM visiting, showed what we’re getting them after kids had gone to bed. Then she starts having a go at me for being tight and them having nothing to open. How unlucky they are, how I’m spoiling the magic etc. How she was never this tight with me. Laying it on thick. Feel like I can’t sodding win.

im now simultaneously worrying I’ve over spent and feeling like I don’t give them enough.

how much do people tend to spend?

How old are they? I think 125 each is plenty.

I'm currently battling with myself about whether to spend much at all on my dc2 who is 8 months and obviously has no idea it's Christmas. But if I don't spend much I will feel very guilty!

5 and 3

as a household we aren’t Christian (other religion) so we shouldn’t really even be doing anything (part of dh’s point) but we do it to maintain ties with my family and because you can’t really escape Xmas in the year

It varies so much fron family to family. Spend what you can afford and are comfortable with. It sounds like your dc are pretty young and that you have chosen things they will actually use and enjoy which is the aim of buying them presents. Quality over quantity.

Mine are teenagers, I have set aside £300 each for them this year, I do it monthly so it doesn’t come as a shock in December!

I've spent probably around £700 on 2 dc, but 11 & 12 and first year of asking for branded clothing, trainers etc. I don't really set a budget, I buy what I think they'd like but don't go crazy.

£250 on 2 little ones is perfectly fine, not too little and not too much, I probably spent around that when mine were little

Which is ridiculous imo. A child that age is not even aware of what day it is.

Plus I feel like for young children, £100 odd can go quite far.

theres always a fair few offers on for things they like. It worked out as a big ish present, a medium is one then a few small ones

About £250-300 each, which is what I budget. DD2 is only 2 and we wouldn't usually spend that much at that age but she's getting a new Micro Scooter and helmet which is about £160 on its own.

Between us my family has spent £200 on my 5 yr old. That includes grandparents and siblings though. My own spend was about £135. I spent more last year and definitely felt I'd gone overboard, so far it feels about right this year. I think your spend is fine.

I spend about £150 now mine are older, but around £100 at those ages. However, I also keep an eye on offers from September onwards, so they end up with quite a lot for the money. If you just did one big spurge, their pile might not look as big, despite spending quite a bit. (Though is probably more in keeping with your choice not to do Christmas, then months of shopping/thought)

I think what you spend is absolutely fine for those ages.

I do think you need to plan for Christmas throughout the year though because January sounds like an expensive month for you but you know Christmas is coming so should plan for it.

2 dc aged 9 and 11 I’ve probably spent about 800 on them.

We don't keep a budget in mind really just depends what he needs/ wants. We spent very little on DS' (10) birthday this year but it's probably around £600 on Christmas as it includes a games console.

ETA - id estimate we were spending well under £100 when he was pre schooler.

You've spent sufficient and that's enough. The magic goes when children have so much that they actually get bored of opening gifts. Wrap them up and enjoy watching their faces on the day.

I should’ve planned better gift wise but cash wise it’s on the same sort of money we were always planning to spend, well actually it’s less. But as we don’t really/ shouldn’t really celebrate Xmas, I dawdled getting the show stopper gift (for mine it would’ve been). Thinking oh if I get this am I making too much of a big deal out of x mas etc etc

Ignore your mum. She's not the one paying for it, and also many of us are far more aware of the environmental impact of overconsumption thqn back when we were kids ( I had to "train" my family to buy my DC 1 or 2 nice things rather then mountains of junk).

Your husband's view needs to be considered, obviously, but £125 really doesn't go as far as it sounds like it should - unless you're really struggling I think that sounds like an ideal amount for young kids.

When mins were young babies they just had a few second hand toys wrapped up - they have no concept of the value, and half the fun is in the unwrapping.

About £450 across 3 kids of similar ages but night hold some back for birthdays. I think it's a decent spend once they get a bit older and includes a big toy for the garden we wanted anyway. Little ones are the hardest to buy for as it's generally small and expensive or big and tat.

Usually we are anywhere from £125-200 per child with mix of types of presents. This year they have a one-off expensive present, there is a specific reason for it and they would have had it later in the year as an extra anyway if not gifting it as per of Christmas now. I have then tried to keep the rest of it smaller/lower budget but they are still young so will want a few things to open under the tree even with them getting the big one-off present, it's still added up to my usual £ but less items somehow!

I've spent about £160 in total on DD 12 months and DS 5. Only £30 was for DD mind.

I think it's loads! We've struggled a bit financially this year, but we could comfortably afford this.

My DS loves unwrapping so we'll wrap up everything separately (we got several Bluey toys on vinted, and we'll wrap them all separately).

Presents are just a small part of the day, and it's easy to rack up huge debts.
I spent about 300 on DS last year (aged 4) and regretted it a few days later. Just more stuff clogging up the play room!

Mine are 20 months and just turned 3 (on the 12th Dec)

They're getting a yoto player between them with 3 cards £105. Then £40 between them on other gifts (6 small gifts each). So £145 all in. Only so high because of the yoto.

3 year old got £43 worth for her birthday a few days ago. That included 1 free thing I got second hand.

We buy through the year when things are on sale, and there's a small ball for toddler we got free at an event. I also pick things up from a 'freebie table' at playgroup and put some of it away in a present drawer. A stash for them, birthday parties and other family.

Mine are 15 and 13. Spending £150 each on them plus £20 each on a stocking.

That's basically three presents each - each item of teen clothing/tech/beauty tends to be around £50.

Overall Xmas budget is £1000 each year (spend £20 each on about 15 family members, £100 on each other, £100 on tree and decs, £150 on extra food and then a few other things.

I probably spend around £250 each on my children who are older. But it depends on what they want each year, sometimes it is a bit more, sometimes less. They take up most of my budget, I have a small family and don't need much for other people.

Totally depends on what you can afford.
Small children are very easily pleased. You really don’t need to spend much for them to be happy.
Comparing to what others have and give doesn’t help really.
If you tend to buy stuff through the year as they need it, then really do t need lots.

And the ‘tone’ you set in your house for Christmas and how much of it is a focus on how much spent, is something you can choose when they are little and which then remains. Often little kids especially don’t ask for much….if you give them lots, it’s to please yourself rather than them. Understanding that helps.

Sounds like you could have been better organised to get the gift you wanted in time and to what you’d agreed. Did you just go and buy random stuff yesterday or have a list? Apart from a few stocking bits, I’d always want to be quite intentional and not just buy for the sake of it,

We aren’t Christians but we love xmas, probably spent about £120 on stuff our 4yr old will really love. We aren’t short of money it’s more that we buy what we think she will like. I think that matters more than anything else. I do actually think we should probably focus more on people than things generally so I’m not keen on the idea of loads of presents for the sake of it. I know bah humbug and all that. Happily DD is more of an experience person anyway.