Amount of money spent on christmas

witchypoo

We've always believed that birthdays are more important and that big gifts would have to wait, and in the two months following Yule my kids both have their birthdays. It gets harder and harder every year, the eldest is almost 17 and the youngest will be 14. Last year my son was so desperate for his own DS lite that I made an agreement that maybe... just maybe he'd get one early, at Yule.

I managed to find it from a reseller on ebay (an argos reject, completely unused) for about £65. My daughter had a secondhand ipod nano 3rd Gen which the previous owner had kept in a hard case all it's life and replaced it with a Classic and it was immaculate, so she sold me it for £80 which was also a bargain (even though it was more than I usually spent on Yule).

Previous years I have just tried to get them each something they would really love, and then lots of smaller things. Santa only buys them 2 or 3 tiny things which he wraps for them (about £2 each) and a few really tiny stocking fillers in the stockings, along with an orange, nuts and a pound coin Even though they know it's me, they still love to keep up the pretense that they believe Santa exists.

elfen

Has been the same since I was a kid; between £20-30 each, with one "big" pressie and mainly small ones. Big family and we never had a lot of money, so never spent a lot on presents.

Now, I get what I can afford (being a student and low income) and I'm trying to make presents for the people I think would appreciate it

dawn_rose

i got 2 girls aged 2 and 3 they get so much i have no space and they play with each others toys too im limiting my spending to about £80 each including a new outfit and pjs. they got bored half way thru opening stuff last year and just wanted to play with what was already opened. it all becomes too much for em when so young.

dawn_rose

my three year old has asked for a real elephant, i doubt she'll get one lol

jellyhead

westiedog wrote: »

One of the best Christmas presents I had was when I was 4 years old and my brother was 3 years old my mum was giving us a bath together. She said just hold on a second I can hear someone at the door - we didnt hear anyone. She returned about 20 seconds later and had two wrapped parcels that she said had been left on the doorstep. They were new pyjamas for brother and me - she said Santa must have left them there. It was magical and I will never forget it.

Oh that's so lovely :T Does your mum know how magical it was? I assume so, but I hope you tell her every christmas

I read about people buying new pyjamas for christmas eve on here a few years ago and decided to do that. My 13 year old really likes it - he likes snuggly-feeling things (he's a bit eccentric) and he says I buy 'proper' soft pyjamas for christmas eve rather than the 'hard' type from tesco etc.

I wouldn't have thought of it before, because it gets cold and they need long pyjamas in October so I buy them then but I'm really glad I read about christmas eve pyjamas on here because it's a sweet tradition

I'm going to copy your mum's idea and pretend Santa brought this year's pyjamas for my 4 year old :T

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

When my DD was 2.5 (last xmas) we got her a a wooden dolls house with lots of wooden bits and bobs to go in it. Its this one (but we got it on offer so cheaper than that ) http://www.elc.co.uk/toy/rosebud-house/

It was a massive hit, and the great thing is it still is - it's a gorgoeus little cottage and i'm happy to keep it in the living room (i hate too many toys in the living room but this is displayed proudly). She spends hours playing with it and some really imaginative play too which is cute to secretly watch.

Then we also got her a doll (yes it was a Baby Annabell, but they always seem to a fave, she has a few dollys, Annabelle is the only one that leaves the house with her or even still gets played with. I just wouldn't get caught up in the hype of all the accessories though - and again bought at 1/2 price)
Some character pj's, character tops like Minnie Mouse, some books and a few other cheapie toys that she was into at the time.

I didn't really watch what i was spending, but everything was on some sort of offer or fairly cheap. We probably spent as much as you plan to - just be wise about what you get so it'll last longer than just xmas

my_gorgeous_ellie-belle

Lol, we do the 'proper' and nice snuggly pj's for Xmas eve too - just so we can have nice pics first thing in the morn while the rest of us like hair still looks a mess (oops, DD doesn't realise that though, hehe)

Primrose

I'm rather shocked that you should be contemplating spending so much money on a such small child who hasn't the faintest idea of what money is about. I'd suggest buying a few very inexpensive simple things that will give pleasure and put any surplus money you can spare in a savings account for her for the future. This young generation are going to grow up in a country which is riddled with debt, and will be for many years to come and when she is at an age where she wants to go to university or get married that money will be far more use to her then than some expensive gifts that she will rapidly have outgrown and won't even remember.

red_devil

I know that she will not understand this but on speaking to friends they spend a lot more.

Then they are making a rod for thier own back arent they? The more they spend this year the more they will spend next year and so on etc? Kids get far too much. Its i want I want all the time!

Half the time they get bored with what they have, its broken or they have forgotten what they had last year. Set your own rules. we need some sensible parents.

red_devil

poet123 wrote: »

:eek:

Me too;)

They get more expensive with age, we have a Laptop, Iphone, touch Ipod on this years agenda:eek:

how awful how dare they demand such presents out of the family income!
How much worse can it get! No doubt you will give in!

What will be on next years list?:rolleyes: