Great "How to have a cheap Xmas if you've kids" Hunt

ticklepenny_2

My mum came clean a couple of years ago and let me know that the best present she found for me was a huuuuuge box wrapped up, filled with shredded paper/newspaper with lots of little wrapped presents in. These little wrapped presents came from the local charity shop, but I didnt have a clue, I loved them

giger

Tell them Santa has gone bankrupt and photoshop his imagine into a BBC News-esque picture - that should do the trick!

grannybiker

(Totally agree with posts 8 & 11 btw)
When ours were young and Father C. was real, he was only responsible for the stockings. That way they didn't ask for anything vastly expensive. Even the stockings were just that, not pillowcases as I know many children have. How on earth can children truly appreciate their separate gifts when they're so overloaded anyhow?!
They were aware from an early age that money was tight and we actually had a lot of fun choosing each other's presents with care throughout the year rather than indulging in a mad present-buying frenzy with little regard for cost in December.

Pooky23

My children (9 & 7) still believe in Father Christmas. Father Christmas only fills their stockings so they know we buy their "main" present. We've told them that this year we cannot be as generous as usual as we don't have as much money as last year. They have accepted this. In meantime, I am hunting for the best deals on the items they would like so I get as much for my budget as I can. Present buying for all other relatives is strictly limited to £10 pp.

Never_too_old_to_learn

Really sorry to sound like an old codger (I’m 54) but spending time with the kids is the best present you can give. I see so many parents in the shops on the run up to Christmas losing their temper with the kids and then think by having lots of presents on the big day will make up for it.
The run up to Christmas is the best part when you can spend time helping them make gifts – cards - decorations – gingerbread; the list is endless with lots of free ideas on Google. Trust me it will be these things that your children remember when they look back on their childhood not the expensive presents. The most important gift you can give to anyone is your time.

elainew

My dd is 4 and totally into christmas this year. We've bought things over the last year for her to spread out the costs. She wants a puppet theatre so picked up one as new on Ebay for £3--would have been £30-£40 in shops and have picked up puppets at boot sales over the year. Got her a new princess kitchen in the sales . Also got some new 2nd hand things from carboot sales--she will be none the wiser. My parents and sister have asked what they can get her so a few things off her list will come from relatives. Have also ebayed all her old toys so made quite a bit from that to pay for this lot.
We have made some homemade cards and christmas presents for nana and aunties. I never like to go shopping in December so I like to be finished by then. However thanks to MSE we booked a £9 travel lodge deal so are off to Perth christmas shopping in December.

I love Christmas but refuse to pay for it for the next year

Amarillo

My DD is in the older range of believers and has been querying the whole mechanics of the whole Father Christmas thing eg why do some children get so much more than others, why does it matter if their parents are poor, surely Father Christmas still gives them the same. I was slightly on the spot one day with it so I told her that in November I get an email with a number to ring which changes every year. There is a special helpline manned by elves and you ring to confirm what it is your child would like for Christmas and you pay a contribution by card over the phone. It's actually a specially designed phone line designed to operate at the frequency of adult hearing rather than child so even if she ever found the number and dialled it, she wouldn't be able to hear anything. And the email auto deletes after you have read it. Also said that these days with toys getting more complicated Father Christmas does deals with the manufacturer directly as this is easier than getting it made on site at Lapland, though he still does a lot of the wooden toys eg Rocking horses, jigsaws etc.

I was in a bit of a tight spot at the time I came up with this but it has to my amazement actually kept her quiet on the subject and explained why she couldn't have the ridiculously priced fur real dog thing she wanted (which in fairness she hadn't realised was so expensive when she asked for it and was horrified when told the price).

The best bit of Christmas for me is Christmas Eve. My Mum comes over and DH is in charge of getting the DCs to put together a gingerbread house (£5 kit in Lidl as am too rubbish at cooking to make my own). We have some lunch and then put on a Christmas film (free from one of the papers last year that my Dad sent to me ) . After that we go next door to swap presents with our lovely neighbours who are like surrogate grandparents. Bruno the 70 year old teddy comes down in his best clothes and they sit in the kitchen with a biscuit and some milk then race remote controlled cars round the living room whilst I have palpitations watching the collection of china horses on the low window sill.

Back home for some toasted marshmallows and melted chocolate on the woodburner, followed by bath and new pyjammas from us (about £8) for the pair.
Christmas story before bed. Christmas story , bought Letters from Father Christmas by Tolkien this year as the other books were a bit young (£3.99 delivered Red House books, will be trotted out for the next few years) and also some poems from a lovely illustrated poetry book I have eg. Mince Pie out for Father Christmas, carrot for reindeer. We also start tracking Father Christmas's progress on the Norad site.

pippy100

My son is 12 and we have been totally honest with him,he has listened to the news and us talking about the 'credit crunch' and one of his christmas presents this year is a book 'The Teenagers Guide To Money' which he actually asked for!!!

Meyrick

Couldn't agree more about making sure children know that only stockings come from Santa, then it's easy to explain simply that money is tight. The problem is when you don't plan ahead! We didn't and as a result, our children thought everything came from Santa, hence Santa could bring things that are expensive (or don't even exist). We've had to retrieve that one over the years. But short and simple usually works best: 'Well, most people have less money this year, so I expect Santa does too' is my line.

ktshmem

I don't have children myself, but do remember vividly as a child, having to choose one year whether we had Christmas dinner or presents, as times were so hard. The five of us chose dinner - hopefully it won't be that hard for anyone this year, but you should give your children credit to understand, you might be surprised.

My sister always gets her children a lot of her presents from the pound shops (it really is quantity, not quality), and wraps everything up individually. It's the action of opening the presents rather than the presents themselves that causes all the excitement!

My brother, on the other hand, is a firm believer in "Father Christmas is responsible for your stocking only", and tells his kids that they have a set amount from mum and dad that they then choose gifts with. I agree with WiseOldBird completely - Teaching children the value of money at an early age is invaluable. Although it can be quite amusing when they're first learning - Several years ago I gave my nephew a pound and his plans for it were amazing... "I'll buy a manicure for mum, a playstation 2 for me, a new car for dad...."

We adults (there are about 20 of us in our family) all do a "Secret Santa", we get together at the start of December and each pick one name out of a hat to buy a gift for. The amount must be £20, dead on, which always leads to amusing and inventive gifts - I once received a beautiful £18 handbag with 200 penny chews inside it!