How much do you spend on your child's Christmas?

mum2twinsx2

MrsE wrote: »

Highchair a present?

These are regular items:huh:

Presents are treats/extras/things that make you happy.

As a parent buying basic equiptment & clothing isn't presents.

ETA I guess it takes all kinds & we all have different ideas.

There 6 months they dont understand the concept, regardless christmas or not they would have got highchairs. I also asked family members to buy my children clothes as presents this is basic necessity but i dont want wasteful not required gifts

KiKi

mum2twinsx2 wrote: »

There 6 months they dont understand the concept, regardless christmas or not they would have got highchairs. I also asked family members to buy my children clothes as presents this is basic necessity but i dont want wasteful not required gifts

ITA. When kids are too young to know / understand then you might as well buy helpful things for them like that. Otherwise you're only going to buy them toys (which they probably have hundreds of already) AND highchairs, which is more expensive!

For my nieces, nephews and goddaughters first three Christmases, they all got clothes or something practical which their mums needed for them, as it saved them spending money they didn't have. The kids will have no idea - and won't care - in ten years' time what they received for their second Christmas!

I have a relative who has a 7 month old baby and is spending £200 on him this Christmas. I personally think that's completely unnecessary on any child, but that's just my view and not relevant to anyone else. However, the said close relative has no money at all (and I mean, quite literally none) and is getting into debt in order to spend £200 on him. He will never remember, never know, and he has two sets of grandparents, four sets of great-grandparents, four aunts and uncles, and even more great aunts and uncles who will undoubtedly be spoiling him rotten with toys and clothes and everything he could possibly imagine! (I've bought the baby some cute clothes which saves mum money because that's fewer clothes she'll have to buy him next year.)

I understand her wanting to spoil her first child at his first Christmas, but it's setting her up for large interest payments, when she has almost zero income and no way of paying it back except for borrowing off family - who in turn will probably never get paid back...!

I don't think that sort of spending is sensible...

KiKi

System

Thanks to everyone for explaining that one!! I've been thinking about it all night!lol

KT1985

We have spent not very much at all on pressies for DS- we have bought an annual pass to a playplace (which we were going to do regardless of the time of year so it doesn't really count) and he has a stocking with some new wool trousers, a wooden toy, his first knife fork spoon set and a couple of other little tiny toys... probably totals £35.
I have no issues with him getting things he needs like clothes as presents as all of his clothes up until now have been v kindly given to us by friends, its nice for him to be bought a few things of his own.
He has no concept of Christmas and presents, and so it is nice for him to not be overwhelmed by it. In future years he will get a bit more, but not £s and £s more because there isn't a huge need for it imo. He is getting toys from family so will still have plenty, but I know he will be just as happy with the boxes they come in.

lola34

I've spent about £280 each on my DS's 11 and 7, both getting bikes and then other bits and bobs, DS2 did mention the other day about aPS3 / Xbox, but hes been selling his outgrown toys on Ebay and is using that money to save up for an Xbox- has about £160, I feel tight when I hear what some of my friends have spent on their children, does anyone else have this guilt or is it just me? but they haven't asked for anything apart from the odd game,this is DS1's first year of admitting to you know what (dont what to type it) but lets just say he understands more and has asked for a couple of bits and Xbox games - in one respect its hard when they grow up and in another it can be quite helpful, he's even gone out and bought his brother a present.

MrsE_2

mum2twinsx2 wrote: »

There 6 months they dont understand the concept, regardless christmas or not they would have got highchairs. I also asked family members to buy my children clothes as presents this is basic necessity but i dont want wasteful not required gifts

Of course at 6 months old they don't understand Xmas & presents. My DD was born in June so I probably bought her highchair not long before xmas. If anyone had said what have you got MissE for xmas I wouldn't have included her highchair OR clothes in her xmas gifts thats all.

& yes, often family members did buy her clothes & of course they are gifts, because they are extras, only you have to buy the basics for your child(ren) & I just find it funny when parents call these basics presents.

balletshoes

lola34 wrote: »

I've spent about £280 each on my DS's 11 and 7, both getting bikes and then other bits and bobs, DS2 did mention the other day about aPS3 / Xbox, but hes been selling his outgrown toys on Ebay and is using that money to save up for an Xbox- has about £160,
I feel tight when I hear what some of my friends have spent on their children, does anyone else have this guilt or is it just me?
but they haven't asked for anything apart from the odd game,this is DS1's first year of admitting to you know what (dont what to type it) but lets just say he understands more and has asked for a couple of bits and Xbox games - in one respect its hard when they grow up and in another it can be quite helpful, he's even gone out and bought his brother a present.

thing with that is, once you start down that road the overspending would never end would it? we do similar to you, if what DD wants for christmas/birthdays is too expensive, she has to pay for half. I don't see the point in spending just for spending's sake, especially when your child isn't asking for a lot of expensive stuff.

coco1980

some people on here are so judgemental, it astounds me.

I have spent about 350 on ds this year, this includes new clothes and a new pair of boots ( the boots cost more than i would usually spend but i included them in my budget)he also has guitar hero full band,new roller blades, dvds , computer games etc usually i wld spend about 150 but this year i started buying earlier and oh and i decided how much we were spending and then put away a set amount every month so we have no big bills in January.
my ds hant actually asked for much this year as it was his birthday at beginning of month and he got what he wanted for that, wich was a football strip and a tent for camping at summer

bestpud

£500 on dd(18) this year as she is having a PAYG iPhone (her one and only present this year - her choice).

Around £160 for dd(9) and that includes clothes. It's lots of smaller items - most expensive is a DS game for £22.

I should add I am only paying half of each as my ex and I split the cost for their presents.

I think it is bonkers to get into debt for Christmas but other than that, each unto their own.

fletch3163

Hi everyone

I paused before joining this thread but here goes anyway..........

I am one of 10 children and got very little at Christmas. In fact, growing up in the 70s even a compendium (tiddlywinks, snakes & ladders, etc) was seen as a luxury. So, I had ONE child and I shower him with attention, love and material items.

My husband and I work a lot and we live a (normally) very frugal life. We don't drink, smoke, go out and our lives revolve around each other. My son doesn't get gifts from other sources (other than some money from nana and a gift I buy for granny to give).

I sometimes wonder why I end up "apologising" for the fact I've spent almost a grand on my son (who's 13), and I even think of actually lying:o. One coworker who has a daughter a little younger judges me saying I'm spoiling him and how ridiculous it is but I don't judge her weekends away (festivals, girls weekends, etc), regular socialising, etc so why should I be judged for choosing to spend my money differently. It's not credit, it's real money and I saved it!

Sorry for what turned into a rant. I sometimes feel it gets a bit like reverse Beat the Joneses

I do feel for those who can't buy more and I respect those who won't pay more. I kind of hate how I justified it BEFORE I said it but I did that to be sure you all knew it's absolutely not bragging.