Parents,how much do you spend on christmas presents for your kids?

cymrubaby

Thought it might be worth me adding that last year I came up with the idea to buy BOGOF toiletries whenever I saw them with view to perhaps using one myself and keeping the 'free' one for Christmas hamper gifts. However, I completely forgot about it after Xmas last year but I fully intend on doing it properly next year. You can buy gorgeous lined wicker baskets for pennies and then you can tie a festive ribbon around them and fill them with the toiletries. If you picked up just one a week you'd still end up with around 50 products and that could easily make 4 or 5 Toiletry hamper gifts. Seems worth it to me as it spreads the cost all year and the baskets can be made for men, women and children quite easily.

suzywoozy_3

ragz wrote: »

I'm spending about £25 on each of my kids, including stockings. The most so far but they are only 1 & 2. I don't expect it to become more than about £40 including stockings until they are about 10 unless there is something big they need.

I'm doing £20-25 on each of my children. DS (7) has a game boy color from ebay (£13) DD(11) has Harry Potter CDs £17 but £10 was with vouchers from amazon and dd(12) has a tenor recorder from ebay £15. Then little stocking presents including pants, socks, sweets and new felt tips. We have spent more if they really want/need something - last year we spent more money on the girls as both had started music lessons and needed to get instruments - a guitar and keyboard - but that was unusual for us.

That's it. We don't have much money and I absolutely refuse to get into debt for just one day - one special day but not all about presents as far as I'm concerned.

They all have something they really like and will use straight away and we don't get into debt. I feel like a real cheapskate though after reading this thread.

Phaedra

I find buying Christmas presents for my son really stressful. The thing is, I had terrible Christmases when I was a child and as a result put myself under immense pressure to get my son everything he wants. Unless he's got a big pile of presents to open, I get stressed. I'm quite a sensible parent (and person) otherwise - honest!

There's no-one else in the family, so I also feel that I also need to makeup the difference for absent relatives.

He's sixteen now, and hasn't asked for money, so I reckon one expensive main present should do it, and a pile of stocking fillers. I'm going to aim for £300. I've no idea if that is about right. It's crazy that I've reached this stage as a parent and don't know what a sensible amount is. It seems to vary so much from person to person.

cymrubaby

suzywoozy wrote: »

That's it. We don't have much money and I absolutely refuse to get into debt for just one day - one special day but not all about presents as far as I'm concerned.

They all have something they really like and will use straight away and we don't get into debt. I feel like a real cheapskate though after reading this thread.

I don't think you're a cheapskate. I think you've been sensible about the whole thing. I know for a fact that i go overboard at Xmas but one thing I'm proud of is that I have never, ever paid for Christmas with a credit card or loan of any type. We save all year round for our Park vouchers and only use money that we have in our joint current account. I will never pay for Xmas any other way. I don't judge anyone else who does pay for it with loans or credit cards (especially if they pay them off quickly in January etc) but that's just not for me. Not that I'm a credit saint because I'm in a few grand's worth of debt to credit cards from other silly spending (but not Xmas spending).

Christmas does get blown way out of proportion but if I'm honest I do enjoy spoiling my kids at Christmas. We don't have fancy holidays, just £9.50 Sun Holidays and we've never taken the kids abroad. Nor do we blow loads on rubbish throughout the year so I do like pushing th eboat out a little once a year.

Don't feel cheap though because it sounds to me like your kids will enjoy what you've bought and, more to the point, they sound as though they'll appreciate them which is more than I can say for some kids I know of.

Andy1969

Well I have to say I'm flabbergasted! I "asked google" how much do you spend on xmas as I was worried I was overdoing it, and judging by the majority of posts I think I must be. I've spent £450 per child (and i'm not finished yet) I have a 15yr old girl and a 13yr old Boy. The 15yr old has got a laptop that cost £350. She does need it for school etc and spends half her time with me and the other half at her mums. and to keep things "fair" I've spent £300 on an Xbox and Kinnect bundle for my boy. I've then spent another £100 each on a few stocking fillers, a couple of dvd's each, slippers, dressing gown etc. Then there's a few things to get for each of them that they have asked for. I must admit I think I over compensate, as A) I used to get nowt when I was a kid ( all my mates got new bikes and ataris etc) and Me and their mum split up a few years back and they have been so wonderful about it all I think they deserve it. I can afford it thankfully, I just hope I'm not spoiling them too much.
Hats off to those keeping it more sensible though. I wish I could be as frugal.