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

cher31e

I have told my kids for a while now (13,11,6 and 2) it depends how much money i save up in the year,to then send to santa to get thier prezzies or make them. They understand that it costs more for day to day living now.
Yes the older ones are different,but the same reason applies

bluechip1978

younger kids do like quantity, so lots of stockin fillers, pens, pencils, colouring books keeps em quiet. Boots and woolies do the 2 for three offers and have cheap £5 games. Party bag fillers like mini whoopie cushions, mini sketchers, stencil rulers etc. Selection boxes for any age is good too.

Older kids(ones not believing in santa) just be honest, money is tight (if they have understanding explain a bit about the economy etc this will aid them in the future) we have say £50 to spend so have a think about what you would like around that budget, sorry if we could afford to getyou more we would but we cant. Dont !!!!! foot or make excuses kids see thru this and will get suspicious..be honest if they are not spoilt brats they will understand.

for little ones make a treasure hunt out of it, say you buy one main pressie wrap it up and hide it. then wrap like ten stockin fillers with a rhyming clue to where the next one is hidden and so on, so with each clue they get a little pressie and must work out where the next is(ie colouring book, pen, whistle etc) It takes a long time to do this so they are not just under tree and open the very little they have got in 5 mins then left deflated, each child has a different set of clues etc and you could even all do the clues for one child first, then when theyve found their big pressie, you do the next child etc. My mum did this for me one xmas and it was great, I do it for my kids they love it and never notice that they really just have one pressie of any monetry value.
Older kids do like the hunt too especially if you make the clues super hard!(i did for step kids when 14 and 15 they were more concerned at outwitting me and proving they could solve my clues!

My own kids still believe in santa (2,4 and 8)so i dont really wanna get into what money santa can afford as it will be why does santa get more for such n such then and not for us, santa could afford a bike for susie why not me?
TOP TIPS:
Research shop around online for best price, especially for the main pressie.
Stockin fillers in town-pound shops, market, party sections
Older kids who like gaming etc get pre-owned games or consoles they are significantly cheaper, if getting preowned console better to get from a trade in store as they are fully checked somewhere like game or gamestation even places like toysrus and blockbuster video do preowned games/consoles!

If you have relatives who can help and child wants an exspensive pressie you can club together explain you can either have some small things from us and grandparents aunts etc or we can all put money together get ur console but that is ALL you will get.

Be realistic with very small kids, dont buy loads to impress others, eg I got my 2 yr old 2 small things this yr spent £11.59, she doesnt care less and will play with the paper and boxes and older kids so why waste your money.

Make agreement with partner that you wont spend on each other, and if you must buy each other a pressie agree to go in in the jan sales to choose something.

Hope that helps a little:D

bluechip1978

younger kids do like quantity, so lots of stockin fillers, pens, pencils, colouring books keeps em quiet. Boots and woolies do the 2 for three offers and have cheap £5 games. Party bag fillers like mini whoopie cushions, mini sketchers, stencil rulers etc. Selection boxes for any age is good too.

Older kids(ones not believing in santa) just be honest, money is tight (if they have understanding explain a bit about the economy etc this will aid them in the future) we have say £50 to spend so have a think about what you would like around that budget, sorry if we could afford to getyou more we would but we cant. Dont !!!!! foot or make excuses kids see thru this and will get suspicious..be honest if they are not spoilt brats they will understand.

for little ones make a treasure hunt out of it, say you buy one main pressie wrap it up and hide it. then wrap like ten stockin fillers with a rhyming clue to where the next one is hidden and so on, so with each clue they get a little pressie and must work out where the next is(ie colouring book, pen, whistle etc) It takes a long time to do this so they are not just under tree and open the very little they have got in 5 mins then left deflated, each child has a different set of clues etc and you could even all do the clues for one child first, then when theyve found their big pressie, you do the next child etc. My mum did this for me one xmas and it was great, I do it for my kids they love it and never notice that they really just have one pressie of any monetry value.
Older kids do like the hunt too especially if you make the clues super hard!(i did for step kids when 14 and 15 they were more concerned at outwitting me and proving they could solve my clues!

My own kids still believe in santa (2,4 and 8)so i dont really wanna get into what money santa can afford as it will be why does santa get more for such n such then and not for us, santa could afford a bike for susie why not me?
TOP TIPS:
Research shop around online for best price, especially for the main pressie.
Stockin fillers in town-pound shops, market, party sections
Older kids who like gaming etc get pre-owned games or consoles they are significantly cheaper, if getting preowned console better to get from a trade in store as they are fully checked somewhere like game or gamestation even places like toysrus and blockbuster video do preowned games/consoles!

If you have relatives who can help and child wants an exspensive pressie you can club together explain you can either have some small things from us and grandparents aunts etc or we can all put money together get ur console but that is ALL you will get.

Be realistic with very small kids, dont buy loads to impress others, eg I got my 2 yr old 2 small things this yr spent £11.59, she doesnt care less and will play with the paper and boxes and older kids so why waste your money.

Make agreement with partner that you wont spend on each other, and if you must buy each other a pressie agree to go in in the jan sales to choose something.

Hope that helps a little:D

Aldahbra

elainew wrote: »

My dd is 4

What is dd?

Aldahbra

I have the radio on when in the car and let the children hear the news. They are 6 and 7, at the moment it is all about the credit crunch and global ecconomy. They understand that it is effecting everyone, even Santa and the Americans. I drop it into the conversation now and again, mentioning that there will be less money for everyone this Christmas. I really do think they understand.

misspenny

only have a 2 year old so hes dosent really understand christmas yet and dosent ask for things yet, i had in mind to get him some stickle brick this year as i remember mine as a kid they where £16 in the shops but managed to pick up a hardly played with bucket in the charity shop and a huge car playmat that has inflateable houses and bridges for the cars to go round, total cost so far 4 quid.

irishwench69

Aldahbra wrote: »

What is dd?

'Darling daughter' - similar to DS (darling son), DH (darling husband), OH (other half) and so on!

HTH

IW x

Triggles

We've told our older children that the focus this year is going to be more on time together and enjoying the holidays - and gifts will be less expensive and less "filler junk" as DH calls it.

The younger one (2 yrs) will be growing up with this, so won't really notice a change.

We have always added gifts that were needed such as pajamas (every year), bathrobes and slippers (as needed) each year. The children always get gifts from family members as well, so I just can't see the need to add a bunch more to the pile.

We'll be using the advent calendar I'm sewing, and I'm planning on putting some little papers in some of the pockets that have a planned Christmas activity - making paper chains to hang up, stringing stuff to hang up outside for the birds on the trees, reading a particular Christmas story, watching a particular Christmas DVD, going for a walk and looking for a particular type of decoration (as a hunt - who can spot it first), decorating a particular room in the house, baking cookies or cake, things like that so that it's fun.

pippy100

When my son was younger and still believed in santa, we told him like other people we sent santa money and he made/bought the toys with the money . Or we bought the present and sent it to him so he could delivery it with all the other presents. I think a problem nowadays, is that children are or were 'always getting' and then come christmas or birthday you had to 'up' the presents to compensate and now that money is tight we are worrying about not being able to buy them what they want. From what i have seen and heard from my son, he is o.k that he isn't getting everything that he wants and that he understands.Maybe it's the parents that are worrying unnecessarily and as for younger children as it has been said it's more quantity then quality.
I myself am quilty of this but like all parents you want whats best for your kids but is the best most expensive present the best?!
My policy is to be as honest as you can!

andipandi72

i started a sharing sack last year and it works a treat. my boys are 3 and 5 and like a lot of the same things so last year i had a sack with toys in with a big label that said

You can only open these presents is you are good boys and will share, lots of love santa!

it worked great and saved so much money and has really helped them to play happily together. they still got some individual presents too.

i agree with lots of others, time with your kids is the most precious gift of all.

have a great xmas:rudolf: