How much do you spend on each of your kids at Yule/Xmas.

knithappens

i think we spend more on them at christmas than birthdays, with Christmas we dont factor in the expense of a birthday party ect. It is my sons birthday in 2 weeks he is having a whacky warehouse party for 8 that costs just under £50, his presents cost £25 both reduced.

So that comes to the same as what i spend on Christmas.

But i refuse to give in to their wants. My little boy , who is 5 wants a PSP or a DS, but no way will i get it him just because he wants it.

My daughter is almost 12, and knows already that mum wont get anything ridiculously expensive. She already knows the value of money and even when writing a Christmas list as my two do every year ( it passes hours of time and the love it scouring the Argos catalogue lol) she knows that mummy just wont buy anything too expensive.

I have even stipulated to my family that they don't need to buy gifts, but if they do they should spend no more than £20 whether it is for birthday or Christmas

Turnaroundsue ~ i did the same when my two were small, they did not know otherwise.

full-time-mum

lilmrsmullen wrote: »

Just wondering how much is your limit that you spend on your kids at Yule/Xmas?

I am thinking between £75-£100

My son is 5 my daughter 11.

I have two daughters 11 and 5. With the eldest, we probably spent more money but now spend less in general.
Having said that, each event is different. Spent nearly £100 doing up my old dolls house, getting new furniture, decorating, installing lights etc one birthday but on at least 2 occaisions, have spent next to nothing. We were given a second hand bike one year and acquirred a digital camera for next to nothing another.

I sometimes think the youngest is hard done by but then she has all the handme down, grown out of toys gratis!

We're also lucky in that most of our family is quite happy for their children to be given second hand (good quality
obviously) cast offs as gifts.

comping_cat

I always spend too much!!! I aim to spend about £150 each, but it can be double that. This year, im trying to be really good, and stick to whatever budget i will have (i dont start my main christmas shopping/planning until after DSs birthday on the 20th September, although i do buy in the sales throughout the year and anything i havnt got by the 1st December, isnt got, i cant stand christmas shopping in December) as we would like a holiday next year, and need all our spare cash for that.

Will be interesting to see what people actually spend, after christmas, compared to what they have planned to spend!!!

CountryWife_2

We have never spent a lot at Christmas. Our daughters are all in their 20's now and the spirit of christmas for them is about family and being together. Last year we had a thing about who could get the most original present for £15 or under. When they were at home they also had a small stocking with bits and pieces in it.
We spend more (up to £50) for birthdays because they are more personal. My girls always say that they want the same sort of thing for their children when they have them, because christmas has always been so special for them.

angie_baby

I must admit i went a bit mad last year, not at all money saving. We went to lapland for the day - at a cost of £750. On top of all the presents. This year i must admit im stuck, how the hell to i match last year? Seeing the 'real' father christmas? With snow, raindeers and huskies? I dont stand a chance this year and was thinking of going to Dinsey in Paris for the weekend before christmas. Which i will have to do a load of overtime for. But i love christmas so much, i know its over priced, but its just about family. And i take two weeks of to just be with joe, which is why i try and make it so special. So in total, Minium quote so fat for Disney 2 night stay £564Presents (Joe, Dad are the main people) £300Work/Friends £100Food £200Going Out, ice shows, work do, etc £200So about £800, and only have £210 saved. Got a way to go yet.

morganb

We spend about £20 on both boys and we manage to choose presents which they love. It's all about being canny and shopping throughout the year. Last year, DS1s best present was his scooby doo slippers (which he even drew at school when asked about Christmas) which cost 0 as I'd used nectar vouchers. I also bought a brand new 'Don't wake Dad' game from a charity shop for £1 ... it was over a tenner in Woolies. And this game is the best played with toy in this house.

Sarahsaver

£20 each when I was on benefits, a lot of creative thinking, ebay and using money off vouchers and the pound shop.
Now I am happily married to a decent bloke it started at £30ish but probably creeps up to about £50 with all bits and pieces. I do tend to sneak in things they need anyway, like trainers, clothes etc.
I sit and watch tv with my kids and if it's ITv we discuss the adverts, and they know most of it is a load of carp. They also know their limits and know they are not going to get games consoles, heelys, personal tv's, i-pods and suchlike.

skylight

Depends on the child

Baby (will be 9mths at Xmas) £12 (already bought)
3yo (£60)
5yo (£75)
13yo (£100)
16yo (£100)

This includes main pressies and all "stocking fillers" and is probably more over-estimated than what I will actually spend (after quidco and points etc!)

Birthdays are £50 max.

Mrs7ones

Angie_baby, stop trying to out-do your previous christmases......
Christmas is a big thing in our house too, but we have 'christmas traditions' that we follow every year rather than trying to come up with something bigger and better every year.....
for example:- we make a big thing out of the school nativity plays (go out got tea afterwords...); we go to the Panto each year just before christmas; we go to see a christmas film at the cinema; make a very big deal out of putting up the tree (on the 1st Dec I might add!!); walk in the woods looking for holly for the house; and on christmas eve, we cook - make out own cranberry sauce, stuffing, party food ready for ''the big day''.
These are the things that get our 3 kids into a complete frenzy of excitement, not trips to DLP and Lapland!!!!

knithappens

Mrs7ones wrote: »

Angie_baby, stop trying to out-do your previous christmases......
Christmas is a big thing in our house too, but we have 'christmas traditions' that we follow every year rather than trying to come up with something bigger and better every year.....
for example:- we make a big thing out of the school nativity plays (go out got tea afterwords...); we go to the Panto each year just before christmas; we go to see a christmas film at the cinema; make a very big deal out of putting up the tree (on the 1st Dec I might add!!); walk in the woods looking for holly for the house; and on christmas eve, we cook - make out own cranberry sauce, stuffing, party food ready for ''the big day''.
These are the things that get our 3 kids into a complete frenzy of excitement, not trips to DLP and Lapland!!!!

Started doing this too over the years and it makes such a huge difference, we did not get to panto last year so hopefully will be able to this year, plus dad will be home on leave from the mil, not told the kids yet as don't want to disappoint them, but i know that will make the kids Christmas, just having him there for yule , and Christmas.