Christmas presents for stepchildren

[apachepony]

Hiya! Just wondering what you buy your stepchildren for Christmas? Do you spend the same as on your own children? Do you buy a present separately from your dp? Does your dp ever buy large presents jointly with the ex?

I have spent the same on all the kids as my husband and I have joint funds so it's only fair. My husband did joint gifts with his ex until he moved in with me and our funds became joint funds. I never joined forces with my ex though because we felt it would be weird considering we were split up and were no longer together.

my dp buys all their presents, I don't get them any, , however I buy and cook the xmas dinner etc. so the whole day is counted as joint effort from us both. dp and ex never join together for presents, they'll let the other know what they're getting so as to not double up.

We each buy "main" presents for our own DCs, and also something smaller for each other's DCs.

We did discuss doing joint presents, but actually I think it's nicer and more personal to do a little extra that's direct from each of us. I've spent around £5-10 on each of them this year. My own DCs presents are costing around £50-100, which is roughly what DP is spending on his DCs.

We both pick up stocking fillers whenever so the stockings to my DCs and DSC are a joint effort between me and DP and contain similar things for each of them. Actually I buy most of them but they don't cost a lot and I enjoy it.

Neither of us do joint presents with our exes.

My DP does joint presents with the ex, always the big ticket item. This year it will be a Nintendo 3DS.

I buy something else off DSS's list, usually spend around £30, plus get him a couple of little stocking filler type things that I know will keep him busy and entertain him even though he hasn't specifically asked for them, e.g. pot of farting slime which was a huge hit last year!

For clarity, I don't have any kids of my own. Also, DP and I buy joint presents for his ex and her husband, their DD, and the husband's DD (my DSS's step sister). We give presents at a special dinner either a few days before or after Xmas.

DSD and DD have the same amount of cash spent on them as 'main' presents, but DD has a stocking too that is full of tat (maybe £20).

Ours all get the same, but DS gets two 'main' presents - this doesn't mean that I necessarily spend more, but my rational is that my DSDs get presents from Mum and step Dad too.

DSDs DM buys for DS and I buy for her DD. About £20.

In addition my family all buy equally for all three.

Oh and we always supervise presents for DHs ex from DSD, and she for us. And we buy for each other too - only token things but we are very big on showing respect for each other.

Lots of different ways of doing it... I think dp and ex may buy the big ticket item, and I might buy a token present then