Xmas Spending Arguements

Ada_Doom

Bit early for the "what shall I spend on the kids for xmas" thread isn't it?!

I tend to think it is totally up to parents what they spend on their kids. The way we do it in our house means kids probably get £80 ish spent on them in total, including stocking stuff. It's easy because we don't buy computer consols/phones or stuff like that in general, I find it bleak and soul-less and I don't want it in my house.

I understand wanting to spoil children but cannot understand why that means spending lots of money on "stuff" for them.

onlyroz

It's difficult to know how to balance presents out between children because as they get older the presents they want will get more expensive. E.g. we're getting our daughter (age very nearly 4) a £100 Playmobil set and our son (age 7) a £200 Kindle Fire. If you judge a present by the size of the box then our son is being short-changed. If you judge a present by the monetary value then our daughter is being short-changed. You can't win.

bestpud

Ada_Doom wrote: »

Bit early for the "what shall I spend on the kids for xmas" thread isn't it?

I understand wanting to spoil children but cannot understand why that means spending lots of money on "stuff" for them.

I find that part sad too.

There seems to be a lot of families who truly believe children need expensive gifts in order to have a happy Christmas.

Can you not think of any other way of showing your children you love and are proud of them, OP?

Grumpygit

A child probably is ignorant of the value of money and how much something costs but does that mean that the OP shouldn't buy it?

I'm sure that the OP hasn't come on here to brag about them being in a better financial state than either previously or other people on here and yes, this is a money saving site but how many threads are on here asking for advice on matters other than money saving? I could make a list of all the ones that are "current" which don't involve any sort of money saving....so that argument doesn't wash I'm afraid.

There are people who come onto this part of the site which ask for non mse advice (me included) - are you going to moan at them as well that what they are asking isn't money saving???

Whilst it may appear insensitive to some that she is wanting to spend several hundreds of pounds on her children, it's her life and only she knows if she/they can afford it or end up in debt for it. Only she knows if this is the case and if it ends up biting her in the bum later on then that's her problem not anyone else's.

OP - just chat to your hubby about why and what his expectations are in respect of what to buy, it does seem unfair that he put the idea in to their head....surely as a "gadget" bloke he would have had an idea of the cost of them!

I personally have had similar issues with my OH, I like christmas and OH is constantly moaning at me about what I spend (on everything not just presents) but I was bought up to see christmas as a special treat and my family went over board with it (still do now) - this I try and replicate for my daughter.

bestpud

The obvious solution is to take the two budgets and meet half way in my opinion.

System

If you can afford it, buy what you want.

Personally my parents just spent an equal amount on us all (we had presents from father christmas-then other presents too). If we wanted anything big or expensive it had to be a birthday AND Christmas present combined.

You just have to find what works for your family

*Robin*

RoxieW wrote: »

Close thread please

...Why do people do this?

IMHO it's incredibly rude to remove the first post of an interesting, informative discussion - which may be of great value to other posters.

indebtinsussex

we're spending about £80 per child, although less if we can get what we've put on the list for cheaper (and using clubcard exchange). However, all the special activities we've got planned for the run up to xmas will mean that it will be £150-£200 per child. We've saved up throughout the year as we all love december and the children love the familytime and activities that we do throughout december.

boydE

my thoughts on christmas presents for kids, whether people like it or not

xmas is about getting something luxurious, something you would not get at any point throughout the year.
My kids are both having iphone5 each plus another few hundred spent on them.
there would be no point in me buying them a phone for £250 if it's not the present they want. they work hard in school all year and they deserve their presents.
not sure what the first post said so cannot comment.

themull1

ska_lover wrote: »

In some ways, commercialism is to blame for this. Some parents feel actual GUILT if they haven't spent hundreds on toys and have a mountain of stuff for their children at xmas. Yes the christmas adverts look lovely, but that is what they are designed for, to make us suckers buy in to the ''idea of christmas''. I mean, how many of us are actually religious?

We can have a carol singing, chestnuts roasting round a fire type of christmas (if you are into that kind of thing) without spending fortunes.

Me, I'm not religious, so don't heavily celebrate it, it'd seem a bit contradictory to not believe in god, or go to church, then spend fortunes celebrating the birth of christ.

i buy loads for my kids, why on earth should i believe in christ? i thought i was celebrating a pagan festival.