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

DianneB

My 4 boys are grown up and married or with partners so they will get about 50 pounds per couple, last year two of the girls wanted to have charity gifts - giving to the third world, which was nice as I think we all have too much stuff. My 13 year old daughter will have one main present (up too 100 pounds depends what she asks for) and a few books and makeup. Currently have 2 grandchildren 26 months and 15 months and will spend about 20 pounds each on them. I do tend to buy the grandchildren little gifts throughout the year if I see something I think they will like. My boys would say that DD is spoiled and gets more than they did! but times have changed, they have left home for a start so we have more money - yeah!!! I think that when children are little it is easy to get some nice big presents quite cheaply.

The best thing about christmas is that it's a time for us all to get together. I used to stress about it and try and make it the BEST CHRISTMAS EVER and it had to be perfect, but hopefully I am relaxing a bit as I get older!!

Quillion

Hi All
I spend around 100 on my little one as he is only 3. One thing does bug me and thats my sister. She has 5 kids and they are of age where they want money to do with as they please. I give them 10 pounds each but my son gets 10 back !!

TheDoolallyDilly

My boys don't really get any presents from anyone else, I don't think I said that in my post. My MIL insists on buying weird 'gifty' type things in the January sales and then giving them to everyone for Christmas, whether or not it is 'appropriate' (hip flask for a 12 year old?????).

morganb

DS1 is 6 and DS2 is nearly 4; I have just tallied up what I've stashed away for Christmas and in total I've spent £70 WHICH does sound very very mean but it pays to be VERY organised; they are going to be delighted with what Santa has brought them

morganb

Ooh, also meant to say we have banned Christmas lists in this house. The boys can choose one or two things that they would quite like, and me and OH do the same, and that's it, we all agree that we've got far too much anyway and we'd rather spend the money on a nice family dayout (which unbeknownst to the boys will probably be funded by Mr T)

frasersmum123

I put £151-200 as my DS wants a Wii this year, and as its his birthday early in the new year he is having it as a joint pressie.

Normally I dont spend that much, but I do buy 'practical' pressies, such as PJ's, dressing gowns and underwear. I also buy a few books as my DS is a real book worm - this year I managed to get some more Horrid Henry books and a couple of childrens encyclopedias with some Amazon vouchers I won.

My other DS is 18 months and he wont be getting alot, mainly because he has so much! He has more toys than he needs and too many clothes! I have so far bought him an 'In The Night Garden' bowl plate and cup set, a DVD and a couple of noisy books.

My DD will be 4 months, and all I am buying her is a RagDoll, I wouldnt have bought her anything but my sons will ask why she doesnt have a present, so its a token gift really.

All in all, my udget for the childrens Christmas this year is £400, and I dont seem myself going over that.

mummyof2girls

We tend to budget for £100 for each of our daughters, although it does go a bit over some years depending on how much we have spare. I start around September too, to spread out the spending.

They do have tons of toys however, and don't need much, so this year, we will be sticking to the £100 and buying them things that will get played with! There have been so many Xmases gone by where I've struggled to buy the "must-have" toy, only for it to be played with once (prime example the Golden Glitter DP Castle that my youngest wanted last Xmas :mad: )

I also tend to spend more on birthdays as I think they are more important. Xmas is all about the traditions & festivities, rather than how many toys you put under the tree They get plenty from family, and don't go without all year long, so I want them to appreciate Xmas for what it is.

sarahs999

My sweet little boy (three) really made me think the other day because he's wanted a cranky the crane all year, and I've been telling him he can ask Father Christmas for one. Then he decided he wanted a spiderman outfit, so I said the same - ask father christmas. Minutes later he was in tears, and it took me ages to find out why. TUrns out he thought he was only going to get one toy from Father Christmas and he couldn't decide which one he wanted most. BLESS! How I hope he'll keep having such modest present ambitions!

shelovestobuystuff

I had budgeted for £250 for each child this year ,trying to spend only what I can afford which is a relatively new idea for me but with buying the main pressies in the Jan sales already and getting the best deals out there on the rest I am coming in at £160 for DD and £200 for DS,thats including the PJ,s, slippers, sweeties etc.Really pleased with myself to be doing this within budget this year,this is the first year that I have set myself a budget and last year was the first time I had even bothered to really count up what I was spending on christmas pressies.:rolleyes:

sammy_kaye18

Well I have my son, step son and bf to buy for and my christmas budget breaks down like this

my son - £200 but will more realistically be about £300 - i pay for everything
step son - £200 - bf pays for everything
bf - £200 - which i pay for

then the rest of family is about £150 and thats for 10 people and 5 pets but pets are getting homemade gifts from bruno dog this year.

My step son who will be 8 in January wants a Wii so we have decided that will be his main present then he will have a few other cheapy presents to make it up to £200 and possibly a stocking (which we already have with knick knacks in it) and then his mum and her family have agreed to buy the games for it so that saves a bit.

My little boy has been on about a tranformer megazord since May and its the one continuous thing he mentions and cost £40 so that will be in his chrismtas pile i dare say. He enjoys things like games/lego/playdough though so i dare say his will be more as my step son has 10 people buying for him, where as my son has 6 so i dare say his will eventualy come to abotu £300 as i never think he has enough

Bf - already has a chuck dvd which i brought with amazon vouchers and has asked for a multigym which will cost about £170 in argos which is the one he wants so he will probably get that and a stocking of bits and bobs. possibly some jack daniels pyjama bottoms

Ment to add - on the subject fo christmas lists - my little boy gets to write his list and put 5 thigns that he really wants on it. I knwo his megazord, lego and playdough will be on there this year which he'll be over the moon to get and there will probably be a power rangers thign of some sort but i knwo if he gets those 5 things he will be ecstatic and wont care what else is under the tree.