The financial nightmare that is christmas...

Spendless

I buy through-out the year and put away stocking fillers for the kids from the Boots 75% off sale. My in-laws like hamper baskets full of 'bits' so I also add to these during the year. I also make the most of loyalty card points, so am likely to be using Tesco clubcard boost soon to buy items.

red_devil

Christmas was special because children didnt get things all year round now they do. I dont have an expensive christmas thankfully. I think there is too much pressure on parents.

Lunar_Eclipse

We have a delightful Christmas and have managed to avoid the potential financial headache by sub-consciously setting expectations that are affordable. If you're buying toys from the supermarket, that tells me your children are probably still young enough for you to reign it in before it becomes a bigger issue.

We all have stockings filled with token gifts and yummy treats, from Santa. The children then get 3 gifts each from us (labelled and representing frankincense, gold & myrrh.) My children are now 12 and 13. One of the main (gold) gifts this year is a skateboard. They cost between £10 & £80, depending on which one we choose; she has said she doesn't mind. I also know she would really like a Lego set that is £30. So I can easily buy all her gifts and stocking items for £100, which won't break the bank. Likewise, it could be done for considerably less (£50) which I don't think is bad for a child of this age (who happens to be in private school, so surrounded by financial comfort.) She loves Xmas and finds it totally magical. Decorating gingerbread houses, making homemade decorations, stamping wrapping paper, watching festive movies and reading Christmas stories round the fire all add to the memories, not the mountain of plastic that as you say, is forgotten by January!

The teenager is also easy to delight. A couple of items of new clothing, an iTunes gift card, some chocolate and bath treats will make her very happy. She knows not to ask for laptops, TVs, Ugg boots etc. Ironically, we can afford those things and whilst that's beside the point, it's also my point: we keep it affordable for us, without paying any attention to what others do and the media hype, and manage their expectations accordingly.

I detest the whole commercial aspect to Christmas and really do believe that money cannot buy happiness. Also, too much of a good thing stops being a 'good thing'.

Don't feel sad at not being able to spend lots of money. It's all a con anyway!

Lunar_Eclipse

Another thought: don't buy anything for the sake of buying, just because it's Christmas.

When I find myself in that situation, I think about things we might like to do as a family (or for a friend) that are a tad expensive for daily life (cinema, skating, theatre, concert tickets) and give those as gifts. Or consummable items like outrageously expensive chocolate or hot chocolate that is a total luxury, but a cherished one (& comparatively it's not THAT expensive.)

Gottodothis

SpottyKnickers wrote: »

That was me. i worried that I might sound a bit tight .

It works well, and because the children only get one thing that they 'want', it makes them really think about it rather than reeling off a long list that they have seen on the TV.

This is similar to what I do. They get a coat or dressing gown (it alternates) pj's and slippers. I also let them choose one item that they really want.
For inlaws etc the children make presents this is usually cakes, sweets or biscuits.

My three year old daughter got things in the sale 50% off.

givememoney

We always open the presents after Christmas Lunch and it was getting totally ridiculous. There were so many and we opened one at a time it was taking hours.

New regime this year. We all buy one present for one person. We will dip in the hat and see what name comes out and I for instance will buy one present for that one person costing around £50. There are two little children and this doesn't apply to them, we just buy what we think there.

This will be great, it will take all the headache and expense out of it.

Metranil_Vavin

We're not bothering buying for the other adults in the family this year. I'm skint, my sister is skint and my brother isn't as skint, but is happy to just get something for the kids.

I have a nearly 3 year old son (who will turn 3 in January just to make the whole thing even more expensive!) and a 10 week old baby (who won't have a clue about Xmas for a good while yet!).

For my son I've been buying little bits as and when I see them. I got him a toy car and an aeroplane from sainsbury's last weekend as they have a toy sale on at the moment, and have a few other bits so far. He doesn't need piles of stuff..he has plenty of toys already and no doubt his grandparents will spoil him rotten. Instead we are throwing our energy into making Christmas as magical as possible for him with decorations and a lovely tree.

I'll probably get my Dad a bottle of wine and something small for my mum, and will tell them not to bother getting us anything this year. I'd rather save the money and spend it on the meal we are going to be cooking for my family on Boxing Day.

I think there comes a point in your life when you have pretty much everything you need, and failing spending lots of cash on expensive 'nice to have' things, 'stuff' just gets shoved in cupboards or finds itself into charity shops eventually.

Christmas is for kids as far as I'm concerned.

WantToBeSE

This year will be quite 'easy':

Mum-£10 M&S voucher
Younger sister- £10 Amazon voucher
Niece-£10 cash
Older sister-£20 spent on accessories in Primark/Tesco
Older son-£100 cash, £50 for stocking
Younger son- £100 on presents (Skylanders swap force), £50 for stocking.
Myself-£50 for perfume.

Birdie85

A few years ago we realised that Christmas was getting stupid and really cut back. With my side of the family there's a strict limit per person and on my DH's side we do Secret Santa so only buy for one person. No presents are bought for friends as it was getting silly and we were just exchanging (expensive) tat.

We didn't have any kids in the picture though, this year there's a new nephew to buy for but we'll be sticking to the same budget as everyone else gets, if that since there's no point buying him too much when everyone else will be spoiling him rotten. We're due a baby in February so next year when there are 2 babies to buy for I'm going to suggest to my brother than we no longer buy for the adults and just buy for children... they buy us rubbish anyway which annoys me as I feel like they're just wasting money so it's not like we'll be missing out on much.

It's funny that every time we've been the ones to suggest cutting back on gifts the people we're making a deal with are always hugely grateful to be let off the hook! There's just no need to spoil everyone in your life at Christmas when we're all old enough and comfortable enough to more or less buy what we want/need throughout the year.

Just a thought, but if you've got friends with kids of similar ages to yours why not suggest a toy swap; send the toys your kids have grown out of/don't like to your friends so they can wrap them up for their kids for Christmas (young children won't know new from pre-loved!) and vice versa. Might pad out the gift pile a little.

jellyhead

Brighton_belle wrote: »

As someone one without children who buys for other people's children, it truly never occurs to me to expect something back and I don't want anything either.
Interesting insight though so I'll make sure as new children come along that I assure the parents that the pleasure is all mine in getting them a little something and I absolutely don't want anything back (I always check with the parent first with what they want/I might get)

I'd be the same, wouldn't want anything back. I know they could give home-made things, but on teacher-gifts threads people don't seem to be too keen on home-made edibles.

It's just a token, from the children. I've got an extra teenager this year so things are going to be tight, and I've already mentioned to people that my husband might be out of a job next month as the company's been sold.

I don't suppose I need to buy gifts - the recipients would probably be just as happy with a card, or thankyou note. I try to give something usable, like a tin of biscuits, rather than something ornamental that they'd have to find house room for.