How much should parents spend on a child for Christmas?

cookie79_2

mummyslittleboy wrote: »

If you can afford to spend £20 or £1000 what does it matter all that matters is that the kids have a good time and everyone enjoys the day and we all keep debt free

:T:T:T:T:T

I wasn't going to comment here (even though I enjoyed reading!) because I would not want to invite comments about the money I spend on my two. Christmas is a special time for everyone, but especially kids, and parents shouldn't feel guilty for spending as much or as little as they can either afford or feel is 'morally acceptable'! Neither should they try and apply their own morals or financial situation to others. I understand why the OP started the thread, and why people are reading it (I was being nosey) but I don't understand why people are criticising others spending habits....unless they're getting themselves in debt.

Having said my piece, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas...however much you've spent! :beer:

LalaGomay

toontron wrote: »

They don't need anything else, if they need something of course they get it. Nobody is going without anything for them to have these things, this is all budgetted for. They will use the televisions, the point I was trying to get across was that they will be highly unlikely to use them to actually watch television programmes! They work hard in and out of school, and need something to wind down with, DD goes for DVDs (usually ones that she appears in)

Cool! Is she an actor?

cbrown372

padd_bear wrote: »

Well if you can afford to spend £1k on a child, goodluck to you but it teaches them nothing...

out of interest if you spend £5 what does that teach them?

themull1

I would hate my kids to be disappointed on christmas morning - in fact, thats never going to happen,. and yes, they have tv's and sky in their rooms.....and these days i don't think one family computer is enough. There, i've said it!!

Sid_Wolf

jane130 wrote: »

My 19 year old who has moved in with her boyfriend and works full time is getting £20 as is her boyfriend

Can I ask why she is getting such a small amount compared to her brothers and sisters??

I moved out at 18, live with my OH and have a job (not quite full time) im 20 now, and I know that my younger brother is probably going to get more than me, but not by that amount.

i think i'd be quite upset if my parents spent £100-150 on him and £20 on me.

craftygranny

I spend a fortune but all cash no credit . I have 5 children aged 19 to 29 and 5 grandchildren aged 2 to 10 and 3 sort of grandchildren they are children my sons ex partner has had since they split and i buy for them the same as the others.

My eldest and his g/f moved last year and got a 42" plasma tv as they had no tv. this year he's having a golf bag and his g/f some smellies and books .

My daughter had smellies and a coat last year, this year she has a new tv as she moved house and wanted one to go on the wall so the kids couldn't reach it. On the plus side we just freecycled her old one to a family with 3 children whose tv had broken and they couldn't afford a new one. They were thrilled to recieve it and the freeview box plus lots of toys my grandkids had outgrown but were still in fab condition .

The grandkids usually get tons of stuff but this year they only have around 5 presents each but things they asked for not stuff we thought they must have . The most expensive gifts for them were only about £40 each like golf clubs for the 2 eldest and a little tykes playhouse for the youngest .

I just asked my youngest if i spend £5 what does it teach you . The cheeky beggar replied it's time to put you in a home cos you've lost the plot. Or you're a tight a**ed git. But he did say he would be happy with nothing if it was all i could afford . He said as long as we can all be together that's all that matters . Sadly one of us will be missing this year he has a new home and a new wife in the usa but we'll all be thinking of him.

craftygranny

themull1 wrote: »

I would hate my kids to be disappointed on christmas morning - in fact, thats never going to happen,. and yes, they have tv's and sky in their rooms.....and these days i don't think one family computer is enough. There, i've said it!!

:T:T:T Well said . When mine were little they were more than happy with whatever we could afford and some years it wasn't much .

Now in their room my 19 year old twins have tv's a computer each and numerous consoles etc that have been bought for them at xmas over the last few years as we could afford them. They buy what they can afford for the rest of the family and happily have no debts or credit cards etc. They like to save for what they need.

Hsl500

Hiya I start shopping on xmas eve for next christmas and in total have spend about £150 for 3yr old, £150 6yr old, £150 8yr old, older 2 wanted an ipod touch so about £250 each on them but i only have a small family mum, dad, brother , oh's mum and brother so no neices, cousins ect my mum got slippers, dad got a dave talking monkey £10 ect so not hugely expensive things for them ,
the boys dont get money of people as my mum buys a few small gifts each for them aqnd oh's mum and brother between them will get a small gift.

I have never gone into debt and this year i hevnt either, I got the touches from usa while over there earlier on in the year so could get few stocking fillers and a cheap phone for older boys too. there dad also bought some stuff inc in that as we seperated few months back so i told him what could get
most of the youngests stuff was bought last year in sales from boots ect his biggest pressies are a thomas bike and chuggingtom train set , 8yr old wanted ds games and they were £20 each .
having the 5 boys i start saving straight away we only ever have a holiday big one every 2-3yrs nothing inbetween and they dont get throughout the year just birthday and christmas , parties only ages between 5 -10yrs , im not rich but im not poor i save and do my best for my boys , i wish could do it cheaper but i find things so expensive like i touches how do others do it who have teens?
i dont buy christmas clothes and they dont wear designer luckily

ps mine dont have a tv in room only 8yr old who shares with 3 little ones as older 2 boys share and broke theres, games console we have a x box we got given and an old ps2 in the toyroom , 3 have a ds but normal model got for birthdays , pc i have the main one and 8yr old has one in his room ( our old one which kids use)

craftygranny

Sid_Wolf wrote: »

Can I ask why she is getting such a small amount compared to her brothers and sisters??

I moved out at 18, live with my OH and have a job (not quite full time) im 20 now, and I know that my younger brother is probably going to get more than me, but not by that amount.

i think i'd be quite upset if my parents spent £100-150 on him and £20 on me.

My son just said that too if the others got a lot more than him he'd think he'd done something wrong even though he moved out and lives with a gf . We always treated them all the same and still do except occasionally when one of them needs something like a big tv .

Sid_Wolf

craftygranny wrote: »

My son just said that too if the others got a lot more than him he'd think he'd done something wrong even though he moved out and lives with a gf . We always treated them all the same and still do except occasionally when one of them needs something like a big tv .

Especially if was just cash or a cheque, cus there would be nothing to open, Im not spoilt at all (only present this year will be a £72 camera, and thats normal amount every year) but I would be a bit put out.

My OH gets a little something, last year it was a bottle of jack daniels (his fave) and this year a ps3 game off ebay