How much do you spend and what do you get for your childrens Birthday presents???

Lunar_Eclipse

Approximately £100 each for birthdays and Christmas (used to be £50 when they were younger and toys are cheap), depending on what we choose to give. Last year we bought DD1 a sewing machine, this year she will be getting a few token gifts that cost nowhere near that. Big presents are always for birthdays and not Christmas.

Both my children are still at primary school and have birthday parties in addition to this. They vary hugely in cost, the last one was a shared activity party for 16 children, the next one a niche craft party at home for six friends.

We pay for gifts and parties out of income in the month in which they arise. We could afford to spend more but already find it all quite obscene, especially Xmas (tons of cheap crap in those stockings!)

We have days/meals out throughout the year and besides gifts and a party, we don't have a special day or meal out for a birthday as we choose to do this during other holiday times.

savingmummy

Only just spotted this, not read through but will do.

I this year have spent £5 on my DD (4yr) - 3 x(fake) barbies, 2x(fake)barbie scooters
and £5 on my DS (2) - 5 x trucks
I got them a card each 85p
50p on gift wrap
Cake £6 (between the 2)

Gradparents spend approx £40 each on them and they get £20 each for their savings off of gt grandad

I refuse to splash out unless we can!
I really don`t think it matters at all what people can or can`t spend.

maureenjscott

princessl84 wrote: »

cleaned/repaired/new batteries - I feel really sorry for babies that dont get anything new at xmas. Fair enough they wont know but still

I just know that there are plenty other folks in my family who'll buy them stuff and I dont see the need to add to that pile for an 8month old who wont have a clue. The baby will have things bought for it as and when needed, eg clothes/soothers/teething rings/etc jsut dont see the point in buying new toys when I have boxes of baby and toddler toys in the cupboard from my previous children.

MERFE wrote: »

And it would be such a waste buying them new things just so they had new things, once the box is taken off its all the same anyway.

I'm pretty sure that the baby does not need to be felt sorry for, probably has loads more toys than the older ones had, since has theirs and any new ones family buy. Plus older siblings that love him.

Absolutely Merfe - this baby has by far more than my other two kids put together and he/she's not even here yet. To buy even more is definately a waste. I do have money tins for each of the kids including new baby and rather than buying for baby at Christmas will put some cash away for him/her for things that may be needed throughout the year.

I would love to be able to spend more money on the children, however, due to some unwise spending habits when dh and i were first married, we pay a large amount of our income towards paying off those debts. We dont drink/smoke/rarely go out socialising, paying off the debts and getting our family into a financially sound future is our priority and i'd rather that than build up more debt or pay off less just to give more extravagant presents.
Each to their own, hopefully when dh is finished uni and working f/t we'll get the debt cleared, teach our children good money habits and maybe even get a wee holiday in a few years time.

Single Sue - we have similar issues with DS and hospital trips etc not to same extent as yourself but i can empathise a bit and absolutely the children's health must come first - dont beat yourself up about lack of cash for other things, they know you love and care for them, thats all a child really needs.

mo x

mrcow

princessl84 wrote: »

Mrcrow - That people spend that much on their children and you cant?

However did you come to that conclusion? Seriously tell me. I'm intrigued.


I seriously worry about some people on these forums.

iamana1ias

mrcow wrote: »

I seriously worry about some people on these forums.

Me too! She's called you mrcrow twice too!!

keys_2

iamana1ias wrote: »

Question for the parents who spend significantly more on Xmas than birthday presents - why? Is keeping up the myth of Santa/celebrating a dead prophet's fake birthday more important than celebrating the anniversary of the child's birth? Genuine question.

Yes I do think that celebrating the birthday is more important that christmas , But as Ive stated in the OP my daughters birthday is in March , so in my circumstances the first xmas my daughter had was somewhat rather alot of months after the day she was born , and with her being my only child I did spend alot and did buy alot of toys for that xmas as she was 9 months old so she was learning to walk and was fasinated with many things , so this made it very easy for me to buy her educational and development toys for her . So because of this when her birthday comes round after only 3 months after xmas day she already had plenty . So most of my money that I worked hard for went on her first Birthday celebrations where I took her , family , friends and their children out for a meal - I then took plenty of photos to make a memory book of the day for when she is older . This then amounted to less money spent than I did on her xmas presents .
Since then As the time approaches near to Xmas there is plenty of offers and discounts availble on childrens toys with all the competion on the high street nowadays { For example - Boots do 3 4 2 on early learning toys at this time of year} Which they do not have on offer after xmas . So you do get more for your money at this time . Plus as she is getting a little older now I find that trips to the theatre of xmas shows works out more money than trips in March { which also in March there isnt always something her age group to watch }
So my personal circumstances I just get the toys I couldnt get her for xmas due to being out of stock or overpriced due to the time . I then get these for her birthday , but I spend most of the money on day trips out which normally work out cheaper - plus I book in advance for train tickets / hotels if needs be etc for her birthday week earlier to get cheaper discounts.
So Yes I do spend less money on her birthday because the money goes further at this time

Thankyou for ALL your posts , as everybody thinks differently and I just wanted ideas and views on the subject , I am quite suprised at the response and enjoyed reading your posts and have now realised this is probably a personal preference on how much people spend on their children at these times

I do agree with alot that has been stated on here , especially the fact that if you can afford it then why not , and I admit I have in the past got into debt due to my overspending . But Have not in the last twelve months thankfully , but this is due to me being strict on myself and my circumstances have changed .

DeeDee74 :eek::eek:how much on a b'day present...

i spend £50 for b'days as mine are both rite before xmas.

xmas i splash out more i normally spend about a £1000 each but i was good this year and spent less....

what are u buying her /him for £150?[ /QUOTE]

Taking in mind what I have just said : Why are you so shocked at what I spend on a birthday present when you spend more than me alltogether at Xmas ??????

Ada_Doom

Single Sue please don't feel bad that you don't spend huge amounts on your children for presents. You sound like you have your hands full and I firmly believe that although children enjoy getting presents the amount you spend is so unimportant. Children need love and very little else! These threads always carry the danger on making those of us on small incomes feel inadequate but when I am starting to feel a bit pathetic I look at my amazing children and I am reminded of how happy they are on very little.

Ada

diddyangel

I don't have a budget as such. I guess birthdays I spend around £50 and Christmas can be anything from £100 - £150. It really depends on what they need/have asked for. This year for my daughters 7th birthday she will be having a new bike as she has almost outgrown hers. This will probably cost me about £100 which is more than usual for a birthday. I have also promised her a party, her last one was when she was 5 - am dreading that already :eek: however I am hoping to have a joint one with her frind as they have the same friends and birthdays are 10 days apart :j.

My children are 6 and 3. I must admit the 6 year old will often have a bit more spent on her than my 3 year old but this is mainly because she needs less as she has a lot of hand me downs - I'm sure this will change when she gets older and realises!! However I do not shower them with toys, their presents always include things like clothes, pyjamas, slippers, new bedding, hairdryers (only if theirs has broken we seem to go through a lot of these!!) and dressing gowns. Its my way of getting them lots of presents at special occasions but not wasting money as its stuff they 'need' but this soon adds up the cost. I do not think I spoil my children. I don't buy them a new dvd or ds game everytime I'm in asda. If hey ask for things I will either say wait til x-mas/birthday, or suggest it could be as a reward for good behviour, I don't just buy it because they have asked!!

diddyangel

iamana1ias wrote: »

Question for the parents who spend significantly more on Xmas than birthday presents - why? Is keeping up the myth of Santa/celebrating a dead prophet's fake birthday more important than celebrating the anniversary of the child's birth? Genuine question.

This is a very good point.

Personally, I spend more at Cristmas because my children ane 6 and 3 and are still 'believers'. I love the magical side of it all.... them going to bed next to an empty stocking and waking up to it being full and being amazed that they didn't hear santa or the reindeer in their bedrooms :rotfl: and them coming down in the morning and finding the presents when there was no sign of them anywhere before! I make it as special as I can while they are young.

I would like to spend more on their own birthdays because that is what is more important to me, but I will not do so until they are both non believers in santa - as that is what they see as being more magical. We don't get the same reaction on their own birthdays - they know presents from us and yes they are grateful for what they get but we're no santa claus and we just don't have the same effect!!!

Once they are older and 'know' then Christmas will not be as special and that is when we will change it to being all about their birthdays, as that is how I think it should be.

lolly1981

i dont spend much on my kids for bday...my OH mother looked at me in complete horror when i said i might not get ds1 anything (he will be 6) as he will be having a small party (which as a kid i only had 1 party ever...and i dont want my kids to miss out) with a cake i baked, jelly and ice cream and pass the parcel ...last year he got a lunch box and flask...it was a ben 10 one he wanted the year before it was a suitcase, we were going away for the week he needed one and he felt all grown up as it was his own and not had to put his stuff in mummies