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

balletshoes

bestpud wrote: »

The opposite for me, if anything, I think.

Id prefer to say I spent less and tbh wish I was able to buy one or two things.

I just find I can't - probably because mine never have much throughout the year so there is always loads of things I know they'd love.

They don't get a lot from elsewhere either though so that makes a difference, I think.

I certainly wouldn't feel a better parent for having spent loads - my personal opinion (just mine btw - not saying it's right at all) is that most of us on here have spent far too much and should rein it in.

I can't speak for others but I have heard parents bragging about the things they've bought in a way that suggests they think it makes them a better parent.

There is no right or wrong though - we each must do as we see fit.

yes, I agree with that too - my DD gets a heap of pressies from my family as well as what she gets from us, so it really is a huge pile of stuff by the time she's opened it all.

flower24

I think I've spent about £150 on each of my two. My daughters main prezzie is a bike I got second hand, and my sons is a pedal tractor, then they've got more toys and games, which I got most of in the Sainsburys half price toy sale. And they've both got some lovely new pj's from Next.

tiamai_d

Boys - an xbox 360 between them (£300). Plus a £20 toy each (DS1 got a DSgame and DS2 got a car garage thing) and about £10-£15 for stocking fillers (chocolate santa, large pencil, a lynx set (but these were free) etc).

DD - trike £25, animal toy thingy £15, tea set £5 and a silver bangle £20 which was on sale in a local jewellers down to £40 from £70 and half price because DH bought it along with my gift. The bangle we meant to get for her first birthday but never got around to. Very glad because this one is gorgeous.

They have their Christmas outfits which I count in with the christmas budget as well as a bath robe, slippers and new pj's.

I have also picked up a couple of wii games for £4 each and some DVD's for the whole family.

Also as a child I LOVED getting my 'bag'. It was full of deodorant, soaps, make up, face wipes etc. Every day items but that bag lasted me all year I don't see anything wrong with getting clothes either, my parents used to save for ages to afford christmas and we did get a lot of clothing. We only got new clothing at birthdays and christmas.

vik6525

Ive spent at least 4 figures on my son. And he has NO idea about any of it.
Hes the least material child Ive ever met, he genuinely struggles to think of things he wants, and a lot of the time, he doesnt like to ask because he thinks I cant afford it. So this year, just for once, Ive gone absolutely OTT with his presents.
And I dont feel guilty about it in the slightest.

cclarke12

I am must be a terribly tight parent. My 4 year old and 18 month old will have about £50 max spent on each of them. Between this and presents they get from family they will be very happy I am sure. The 4 year old is more interested in having lots of things to unwrap rather than what the present actually is. As someone else said we prefer to save money for holidays. We both work so having a few holidays a year when we get family time together is a big thing for us. Anyway by the sounds of the threads there are going to be lots of happy kids this year!

****kara****

:eek:at the amount some have you have spent

I have spent around £50 each on mine but I have got quite a lot for my money. I have only shopped in the sales or at bootsales (most items brand new like I have bought my son sealed small lego sets for 10p:T). I have bought 2nd hand toys as there ones my kids want but at the fraction of the cost so they get even more pressies they don't care so neither do I

I also buy clothes as xmas pressies, not many though. I personally don't see what the problem is but that's jmo

flea72

do those children who ask for furniture, come up with the idea themselves, or do the parents suggest, that if they really want that expensive stuff, then they will have to wait til christmas?

do they then, not get given the furniture until christmas day?

also, if they get given the gift early, do you then not feel guilty on christmas day, that they have visibly less presents than their siblings - i take it if the furniture is their main present then they wouldnt be getting anything more than stocking fillers on christmas day, so just a few nik-naks that dont cost much? or do you still feel you have to give something showy on top to save disappointment?

do the kids get arsy too? they know they had the furniture, as they asked for it, and at the time it seemed a really good idea, as they got what they wanted, but still, do they not feel a bit meh on christmas day if you havent conveniently 'forgot' about buying the furniture -i know i would lol.

F

KiKi

MrsE wrote: »

OK, I will spit out what I was thinking.

I still stand by my first comments that highchairs & regular clothes aren't gifts (not parent gifts) & are the people who are including those items in their spends to beef it up to brag a bit about how much they spent?

We established that the highchairs thing was for babies who were 6 months old.

Look at it another way, perhaps those parents have very little money. As they have to buy clothes and highchairs anyway for their kids, if they buy those for Christmases when the kids are too young to remember then it saves them additional money they'd have to spend otherwise. Perhaps they can't afford more than the basics and are doing their best not to get into debt.

Families work differently. You say (below) that it's up to the parent what they spend, so perhaps don't be too quick to judge those parents on buying necessities when their kids are still under the age of 2 and won't know any different.

Personally I think its up to the parent whether they spend £20, £50, £100, £500 or £1000. I just fins it strange that people include this in xmas spends & I wonder is it to make themselves sound like they are spending a lot of money...........

How cynical! I doubt it (plus, take out the clothes etc and it's still lots of money spent!). I know SO SO many very young kids who LOVE clothes! Girls, I admit. But one kid at my church Christmas celebration today (who's 6) told me that she's asked Santa Claus for a new Boden dress. She wears Boden on a day to day basis already, but she's SO into fashion...!

I asked another one of the kids who's 4 what she asked Santa Claus for and she told me quite specifically that "I've asked for nothing. I haven't met him yet". :rotfl:

KiKi

tiamai_d

I got my bedroom decorated for my birthday. Maybe my 15th? It is what I asked for. By that age my bedroom was my castle. It didn't need decorating but I wanted this cool raspberry colour for the walls and a load of midnight blue voile for arround the window (I was a gothy type). We painted my wardrobe with black paint and then metalic gold was sponged over the black (done with carrier bags). I got a sun, moon and stars sofa bed for the corner.

Lasted longer than a watch. I appreciated more than a watch. I loved it, my own personal space in my own taste with my own stuff.

Took my parents 3 tins of paint to cover up that raspberry!

flea72

ok, if a child is too young to know about presents, then why do the parents have to dress it up that their high chairs are christmas presents

just buy the highchairs when your child is old enough to need one, and use it from then onwards

on christmas day, if you want to do the whole christmas thing so you feel that twinkle yourself as the parent, then buy gifts, not practical things the kids need anyway

one rattle, will be enough for a baby to be entertained for months. heck, most babies are happy to just play with the wrapping paper as its bright, and makes a nice noise, so you dont have to spend any money at all, under the guise of doing the christmas thang

F