Ungrateful teenager...

Proby

I recommend no angry confrontation.

seven-day-weekend

Lois_Lane wrote:

Is it?

My children are both over 25 now, and we used to budget £100 for their Christmas presents 10-15 years ago, and we weren't particularly well off.

It's probably the subject of another thread, if there isn't one already, but I'd be interested to know how much parents budget for their children's Christmas presents nowadays.

LL

My son is nearly 27 and when he was young we hardly paid more than £20 for a Christmas present. If he wanted something costing more it had to be for his Christmas AND birthday (in January).

We gave him an IOU once for his main present as we knew it would be cheaper in January. We explained what we were going to do beforehand and he was quite happy to wait, as he said he had 'loads' of other things for Christmas (a big present from Grandma and stocking fillers from us).

Even now we think £30-40 is more than enough. We don't spend anywhere near that on each other.

MSE, or tightwads ?

Well done on your victory, Victory!

Addiscomber

We do not spend more than £50 total per child on "big" birthday or Christmas presents - it may be one present or two or three depending on what they are currently into. They usually get some little stocking fillers as well. They are currently 21 and 17.

We have very few relatives and so when the boys were small I made sure that I bought some of the clothes that I would have had to get anyway, and some duvet covers, and wrapped those up too, just so that they had lots of parcels to unwrap.

advent1122

As he saved £100 I would be only to happy to throw in the other £53 for him to get it cheap. It wouldnt have crossed my mind that it was his Christmas present.
Children are meant to be spoiled rotten, even when they are stroppy teenagers. The big hug and sloppy kiss you receive is well worth £53.

I await all the "youth of today" and "I had a lump of coal for Christmas" replies.

seven-day-weekend

Addiscomber wrote:

We do not spend more than £50 total per child on "big" birthday or Christmas presents - it may be one present or two or three depending on what they are currently into. They usually get some little stocking fillers as well. They are currently 21 and 17.

We have very few relatives and so when the boys were small I made sure that I bought some of the clothes that I would have had to get anyway, and some duvet covers, and wrapped those up too, just so that they had lots of parcels to unwrap.

Same here. And I would wrap up, for example, a bar of chocolate and put a label on it 'from the cat'.:rotfl: :rotfl:

He always had plenty to unwrap and we never spent a fortune.

Savvy_Sue

advent1122 wrote:

The big hug and sloppy kiss you receive is well worth £53.

Truly, can't remember when I last had even a small hug and unsloppy kiss from one of my teens ... and I am VERY good to mine! :rotfl:

jackieb

My 13yo has pre-ordered a Nintendo Wii from Gameplay online. He set up an account with them. He buys most of his games this way. He has got a Gameplay card where he pays his own money into the post office with the card. It is being released on the 9th of December and he's saved £100 already from his paper rounds - nothing from us. He's ordered all the extras and it comes to a whopping £250! He's worked out he's going to be £70 short by that date. His birthday is on the 27th of November so he's counting on presents from his grandparents and my sister. If he doesn't get it i'll give it to him for his birthday but that will be all he gets. He won't get as much for his Christmas if we have to do this - but he knows that and he's happy with that.

Now, if I can just get him to start saving some instead of spending all his money on games!

Another paperboy is on holiday this week so he's doing his round too. He'll end up with £30 for this week alone. He's desperate for money lol.

needaspirin

blessings3 wrote:

Why do whe have such downers on kids? - I donnt remember being this gratfeull - satisfied with an orange and a lump of coal kids that you all seam to have been

I wanted loads of things as a kid

You got an ORANGE with your lump of coal? You spoiled $£*&&^ !!!

blessings3

Only every other christmas but I must admit we were a very well off family

blessings3

Goodness knows how Bike and toys amnufactures survied till the 80's when all the ungratful sods were born!