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Original poster

Is £150 enough to spend for christmas...

145 replies

YummyorSlummy · 09/10/2009 11:51

For a one year old? We were thinking of spending £150 on ds's xmas presents and the same for his birthday which is on the 23rd but I don't really feel like this is going to get him very much.Dh was even questioning if we could afford that (he's a bit tight thrifty)What do people think??

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Knickers0nMahead · 12/10/2009 12:54

I wont. And havent spent anything like that.

NightShoe · 12/10/2009 19:52

I'll be getting DD nothing and she will grow up grateful, not materialistic and perfect in every single way.

Actually I've spent £200 on a kitted out wooden dolls house, her stocking and two puzzles. So is it more crass and common on mumsnet to spend a certain amount on, for example, a large well made present that can be played with and passed on and is affordable to the individual or to spend £40 on a large number of presents which are effectively tat? Doesn't it boil down to quality over quantity pending affordability?

Also a child is not spoilt by a magic number of toys/gifts, they are spoilt by parents who don't teach them to say thank you, be grateful or to appreciate what they have and to reciprocate and be thoughtful of others. They could have £20 spend on them at Christmas and still turn out spoilt.

scattykatty · 12/10/2009 20:19

Wow I totally agree!

It's partly what the money is spent on, how long it'll last etc and also what the parents can afford.

However, the most important thing is that the child is taught to value their things and be gracious in accepting them.

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LoveBeingAMummy · 12/10/2009 20:21

I would suggest you have a look and see what you woul dlike to buy rathr than you have to get up to £150 x 2.

star6 · 12/10/2009 20:33

Agreed, nightshoe That is exactly right IMO. I want ds to appreciate what is given to him regardless of how much or how little it costs.

BabyDubsEverywhere · 12/10/2009 22:26

Completely agree.

Also, visits to santa and seasonal movie and new PJ's etc are all part of the christmas experience for me, and even if my little ones are two young to have a clue what nutty mummy is on about this time, i appreciate it, i enjoy it, and thats enough too sometimes, that the parents get enjoyment from all the 'trappings' of christmas. My kids wont be spoilt by materiallism, i wasnt, they may well set their priorities to saving a little each month to have a good blow out at christmas and enjoy the season to the max like i do. But its all graciously earned and very well appreciated.

75 days to go! x

carriedababi · 12/10/2009 22:47

well if you don't have holidays and cars thn i can kinda see your point that this is what you choose to do.

maxybrown · 13/10/2009 14:18

For me personally, I don't spend this much, can't and wouldn't. We will prob spend maximum up to £50 (we have 1 child) but it will not be tat at all. Mostly it will be second hand stuff, but all in excellent condition. We don't buy him loads of tat just because we don't spend a couple of hundred pounds I put a lot of thought into ANY presents I buy for ANYONE and don't have to spend a fortune. DH had same upbringing as me and so we are very like minded when it comes to things like this.

DS is last of 7 grandchildren too.

When he's bigger, if there is something he really really wants and it is worthy but expensive then maybe, as a special gift. But then it's never been about how much to spend for us. My sister has got herself caught in that trap and this year she has NO money at all and I know she'll be panicking. Kids always say thank you etc etc and look after their stuff well but they have NO IDEA of the value of money at 11 and 14

NightShoe · 13/10/2009 19:01

I knew someone would misinterpret what I was saying in my post, Maxy. I wasn't saying that people who do spend £40-50 are buying tat, I was asking whether it was seen on mumsnet to be better to spend £200 on one present or £40 on a load of crap. I was making the point that it wasn't a certain number of toys bought or amount of money spent which spoils a child, but what they are taught/modelled by their parents.

I spend £200 because it is what I chose to buy this year and have saved for. You spend £40 because it is what you choose to spend and have saved for, it makes no difference because I suspect that we both take great care in teaching our children the value of money and appreciation etc.

maxybrown · 13/10/2009 19:15

No, I didn't REALLY take it like that, tbh. the word Tat has been mentioned a few times throughout this thread......I think and I agree with what you said about the principle thing. But as i mentioned also for my niece and nephew, as polite as they may be and do really look after their things, they seem to think money grows on trees and that £30 might as well be the equivelent of £3!!!! Although my nephew's birthday recently, I bought him a psp game off ebay, brand new cost £5.95 inc postage and he was over the moon! However, he thinks games cost about £30........he will seriously think that's what i spent

WriggleJiggle · 13/10/2009 19:26

Do bear in mind that at 1 year old, your son may not even enjoy the whole present opening experience.

At dd's first christmas she opened one present, played with it, and then refused to open any more. It was all just too much for her.

Sigh, those were the days

janeite · 13/10/2009 19:29

Sorry but the idea of spending a thousand pounds on a teenager for Christmas makes me feel a bit sick.

notcitrus · 13/10/2009 19:45

I agree with Wriggle - ds and dnephew both had their first birthdays at my house recently, and being long-awaited grandsons with loads of rellies, literally disappeared in the wrapping paper and found it rather overwhelming. ds opened one card with a '1' badge on it and spent the rest of the day playing with that.

I thought the thread was going to be about doing the entirety of CHristmas - food for everyone, transport, parties, cards, presents for everyone, on £150. Which I would have difficulty with myself - I spend about £200 on food and drink and probably £150 on everything else. We tend to do small pressies for adults and then play games and feast, although get the ILs stuff they need and wouldn't accept otherwise, eg last year we found out FIL was using his digital radio in the bathroom with an extension lead, so got him a portable one so he wouldn't risk electrocution.

Bumperlicioso · 13/10/2009 19:54

Good grief, what can you possibly be buying a 1yo for £300? Notwithstanding all the competitive miserliness you get on mumsnet really, they won't know, really, save it till they really appreciate it. Please don't bow to peer pressure, in 10 years time you won't remember what you bought for all that money.

cece · 13/10/2009 20:02

I've never spent that much on any of my children at xmas! And DD is 9! My limit is about £60 per child but that would be school age. DS2 will be 6 months old this xmas and is likely to have a present that cost about £10 (at most) from us.

mumeeee · 13/10/2009 21:44

I.m another one who thinks that £150 is too much for a one year old. I don't spend that much on my teenagers.

seeker · 13/10/2009 22:01

I can't get my hear round #1000 for a teenager. What on earth would you buy that cost that much? And since when did magic=spending lots of money?

janeite · 13/10/2009 22:06

Seeker - I totally agree. 'Magic' for my girls has sometimes been as little as the bag of dried mango or the jar of Nutella in their stockings. You don't need to spend a grand to create magic!!!

maxybrown · 16/10/2009 17:01

The Christmas the polar express came out, I went to a lot of trouble to find 2 large bells, boxes etc (if you've watched it you'll know!!) for my niece and nephew. We put them right back under the tree and they saw them last.

It cost me less than £5 for them both. They were absolutely over the moon and said it was their best gift ever (obviously didn't know it was from me) and talked about it all day!!! Was very nice.

leamac · 21/10/2009 10:10

I made the mistake of spending a small fortune on my kids who came to expect masses on Christmas day, lesson learnt i now allow them to choose one large thing and 2 small things, I feel it is difficult to put a price on it as it depends on what they are asking for, obviously a computer for one is going to cost so much more than a bike for another, this year my 10 year old is getting a pc, but only becaise he has motor skill problems and is being introduced to a lap top in school to replace writing so needs it to practise on whereas my daughter want a £40 punds doll pram, my 18 month old is only getting a total of £50 spent on her as I have so many toys left over from my older children there is nothing she actually needs. so really it depends but remember just because you can afford a lot this year doesnot mean you will always be able to afford it but the kids will expect it

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