Amount of money spent on christmas

puss14

I dont have kids but have 4 nieces/nephews and i usually spend around $25-30 Aussie dollars on them each as i dont have a lot of money. Also when i visit i don't bring gifts but i do spend heaps of time with them and play board games, cards or go swimming. In fact Ive been told by 3 of them that i am their favourite aunty and that they love it when i come to stay. So tho I don't spend a lot on them they are hardly feeling neglected. I think most kids just want to feel appreciated and loved- sure a new game or whatever is great but when I remember my Xmas experiences the only gift i clearly remember was Pong (showing my age here:D)

Lunar_Eclipse

Kandipandi wrote: »

Our eldest lost a 70 quid coat last year so that put paid to expensive winter coats :eek:

Understandable.

mumslave

cost of christmas...well me and dh dont buy each other anything, we saved up and the girls aged 4 and 3 have £100 each, which includes one big gift (around 40-50 pound) and lots of smaller gifts. Their big gifts this year are a vtech cyber pocket (like a ds but for younger kids) and a vtech kidizoom digital camera (designed for toddlers and up). My son whom turned 1 in october, we have not set a figure to spend on him, it wont be more than £100 but i doubt it will even reach that amount, he is so young he doesnt need much. But say £100 anyways.

Then its £10 each for neices and nephews of which I have seven so £70 (all bought for yippee)

Add on older family members I would say we are looking at about £500 this year on presents.

Lunar_Eclipse

Morglin wrote: »

The thing that winds me up is that my grandchildren literally have a room full of expensive techno stuff on Xmas Day (their dad is one of a huge family and they all buy for the kids as well as the rest of us), and yet by about 11am, they are still moaning they are bored!

For some children, particularly pre-teens, what this actually means is 'please can I have some of your time and attention.' Alternatively I would guess it's a request for help in the right direction due to too much choice.

Most children would choose a day of active engagement with their family, playing games and laughing together, than a room full of expensive techno stuff. It's all about balance of course, but as you have noticed, a happy Christmas for the children is not necessarily about getting loads of stuff.

I agree most with the posters who have said it's about what you buy and not the money spent. I have never set a budget and don't plan to. Eldest is in desperate need for a piano, having hit a crossroads of not really being able to make much further improvement on her (small) keyboard. I'm thus hunting for a cheap second hand one. It will look like a huge present with big 'wow' factor since she won't be expecting it, but won't actually cost that much. More importantly, it is what she really needs, as well as 'wants'. The tricky thing will be hoping DD2 feels treated (roughly) equally, which will actually be very difficult. Any ideas?

SingleSue

£15 per child (I have 3 boys - 11,13 and 16), a few quid for each niece and nephew and maybe £10 between my parents.

My parents spend £15 per child (us included!) but no cash gifts are given.

I get all the presents for my parents, nieces, nephews, siblings and children done for less than £100 total.

When I was married, the bill was higher and we did have a habit of going slightly over the top at times but then it was never more than £80 per child and £50 for each parent...but the pressies for each other were always very OTT.

The children have asked me what I want and rather than them spend money, I have suggested they use their skills to make me something, so youngest is thinking of drawing me a picture of pigs (I love piggy things and he is such a talented artist), middle one to make me some shortbread (another weakness of mine) and eldest to write me one of his amazing short thriller stories.

Costs them nothing (apart from raw materials which they have plenty of anyway) but means so much.

Edit - Food and alcohol.

I don't buy any alcohol for christmas, I still have bottles of the stuff here from when I was married..they make handy last minute pressies too!

I go to my parents for the day so the food bill is reduced although I make the christmas cake and mince pies (about 100 of the beggers - mince pies that is, not cake!), buy some veg and used to get the turkey too but my parents have decided I can't afford that now and refuse to let me buy one anymore.

Boxing day, I take advantage of the Christmas eve discounts in the supermarket and generally pick up a joint or even a turkey for a pennies...last year I bought £200 worth of stuff for just over a tenner!

Morglin

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

For some children, particularly pre-teens, what this actually means is 'please can I have some of your time and attention.' Alternatively I would guess it's a request for help in the right direction due to too much choice.

Most children would choose a day of active engagement with their family, playing games and laughing together, than a room full of expensive techno stuff. It's all about balance of course, but as you have noticed, a happy Christmas for the children is not necessarily about getting loads of stuff.

I agree most with the posters who have said it's about what you buy and not the money spent. I have never set a budget and don't plan to. Eldest is in desperate need for a piano, having hit a crossroads of not really being able to make much further improvement on her (small) keyboard. I'm thus hunting for a cheap second hand one. It will look like a huge present with big 'wow' factor since she won't be expecting it, but won't actually cost that much. More importantly, it is what she really needs, as well as 'wants'. The tricky thing will be hoping DD2 feels treated (roughly) equally, which will actually be very difficult. Any ideas?

Well, yes, but the kids have so much time dedicated to them already - my daughter has even become a scout leader to get involved with them and what they like to do!:eek:

Every weekend and most evenings, despite both of them having demanding jobs, are dedicated to the kids and their activities, so God knows why they still moan lol

Last week she joined with them in a wall climbing club (oh my gawd..........:eek:).

As a child, (50's) I got simple presents twice a year - Christmas and birthday (although I got a lot of them, so was lucky I suppose), and was happy with them but weekdays and weekends, I was expected to make my own entertainment - parents hadn't heard of the so called 'quality time' in the 50's..;) - we didn't have a car and they wouldn't have even given a thought to the idea that they had to provide or get involved with our leisure activities.

My dad worked all the hours God sent and my mum did everything and then little jobs on top.

We were told to go out and play and come back at teatime lol

Perhaps kids just expect more nowadays.

Lin

Kandipandi

Lunar_Eclipse wrote: »

The tricky thing will be hoping DD2 feels treated (roughly) equally, which will actually be very difficult. Any ideas?

Mmmm.... this is a bit tricky, as its not about matching the cost but the wow factor. What is she into and is there anything that she would be bowled over with that she is not expecting. Not necessarily a big gift but perhaps a small hamper containing a few relevant bits and bobs and a voucher for a day out at the zoo/ cinema / theatre etc. You dont have to actually have a voucher you can make one yourself - along the lines of Mum promises to take you...... etc.
There are some brilliant ideas on the hampers thread in special occasions and celebrations board.
Last year I did a joint movie night box for all 4 kids, with popcorn, pringles, coke and sweets and a couple of DVD's and they went down a storm.

winnie81

Hmm I don't really know costs for our 4 kids but everything I buy is in the sales/offers from loyalty points etc so to keep costs down. I don't set a figure in my head as I would never keep to it (much to hubbys annoyance LOL). I buy through the year for them also so I keep a list of what they have and if its seems ok then thats what they have I will always make sure that the 2 eldest have the exact amount of pressies each to open :rolleyes:. I have only just started on buying and its not done yet (Lots of clothes needed for them all) as they do tend to get spoilt at xmas as the year as they do not get bought anything except b/days and xmas.
So far kids have been bought...

DD1 - 8yr
8gb Pink Ipod
HSM Card Making Craft thing
5 CD's for MP3
Speakers
4 x Craft Sets (making things)
14 Animal Ark Books (Tesco Deal)
1yr Mag Subcription (Tesco Deal)
Small kids jewellery set
DS - 7yr
XBOX360 Console (Free gift with contract mobile):T
4 XBOX Games & Accessories for console we needed to buy
4 Model kits (Small wooden slot together kits things)
Star Wars Comic Maker Set
Shark Anatomy Model
1yr Star Wars Comic Subscription (Tesco Deal)
DD2- 3yr
Wooden PLay kitchen (Shared pressie with DD3)
Pots pans, Utensils, Foos Sets for cooker (4 sets)
Dora Bedtime thing
AquaDraw
Barbie puppy set
7 Books
3 Puzzles
DD3 - 2yr
Wooden Kitchen
Same utensils sets for her as DD2
Boots (Dora) singing/Talking teddy
Leapster & Games
Hide n Seek Peppa Pig
3 Puzzles
Hubby
I have £250 Goldsmith vouchers from Tesco to buy him a watch

Usually the kids have about £200-£250 spent on each of them and although it seems excessive they have nothing spent on them through the year and I cut back and save year round to enable this (Nothing on credit etc) Christmas is the only time they get expensive or branded stuff so they really do appreciate everything. The rest of the family will not have more than £100-£120 spent in total and neither of us drink so no alcohol costs only the food bills :eek:. As long as the kids have a fantastic christmas no matter how little/much I have spent its all worth it as they are such good kids and put up with such a lot this year (I have been extremally Ill) they are all angels :A

I must say I am a huge child still and I can't wait for the end of Nov when the tree goes up! Usually goes up 1st weekend Dec but In-Laws are away to SA for 9weeks over xmas so were having xmas early for them :j:T:j.

I have no idea what OH will get me probably PS3 games I want/Perfume/Clothes, we don't let my mum buy us stuff as shes a widower now but the in-laws have bought us a family holiday next year for our xmas pressie and they have bought the kids passports too (First Holiday abroad) so we have been utterly spoilt already

winnie81

I forgot to add every Xmas on Xmas Eve the kids get new PJ's wrapped up and hidden in the tree by the elves (So they have nice new PJ's in the Xmas pics! LOL) and this year I am going to make a family film hamper pressie for them to open too on Xmas Eve. I think Santa Buddies will be a great choice for this!

Lunar_Eclipse

Kandipandi wrote: »

There are some brilliant ideas on the hampers thread in special occasions and celebrations board.
Last year I did a joint movie night box for all 4 kids, with popcorn, pringles, coke and sweets and a couple of DVD's and they went down a storm.

Good idea, thanks. I have just ordered a load of DVDs from Amazon on sale too.

I feel that youngest has had her very fair share of great gifts the last 2 birthdays, I just want to make her feel equally loved by us and Santa, iyswim. I really don't want to get her anything (physically) big, although might knock something creative up with a load of cardboard boxes or make a tipi (if I can) to provide the impact I think she would appreciate, which doesn't have long term storage requirements!

Thanks for the input.