How much do you spend on your adult children at Christmas?

nwc389

I have two sons in their 20s still at home and I spend about £150 each this year - that's including boxers , socks and bath stuff .

Kim_kim

freyasmum wrote: »

We didn't have lots of fancy abroad holidays when I was young (in fact, I only got my first passport last year) and weren't always going out on expensive days out to soft play areas, the cinema and McDonalds as all my friends seemed to be. But my parents worked very, very hard to provide a fantastic roof over our heads and I think this was their way of giving us what they thought we deserved.

But my mum can't stop herself; if she sees a bargain, she will buy it for them..

Please don't take this as criticism but I think holidays abroad & days out are experiences. Something to keep with you long after a "thing" has broken or been grown out of.
If it was either or then I would definitely have had the holidays & less material gifts at Christmas.

I'm not a bargain hunter at Christmas, I'm after that wow present & happy to pay full price for it. I was the mother (& now that nan) that was happy to give one real/main gift, but it would be the real desired thing, be it something from Apple or Mulberry or Tiffany or wherever, it's never been about quantity to me.

Threebabes

My son is a university student living at home.

This year for the first year, we are spending half of what we usually spend on him which is £500. Hes 21 now. His two younger sisters will get the usual amount, one is doing her first year of alevels and the other one is still at school. He does not have a partner.

Hes gotten aftershave, underwear, clothing, trainers, shoes. All we are happy to get him, which will all be used.

We go for quality rather than quantity, so no massive pile of presents.

suki1964

We only have the one adult daughter, her husband and the grandkids to buy for

We are estranged from our adult son

Over the last few years we have helped out big time,new car, wedding, etc so gifts have become smaller at Christmas

This year she asked me what to buy daddy and I said Nothing. They aren't well off, they have a growing family, they don't need the expense

For the grandkids it's whatever they need ( shoes and coats and new outfits usually) then we fill their stockings with small pressies.

For our daughter and husband it will be something for their home. This year we will get them an android box for the tv so they can cut their tv subscriptions

We spend a fiver on each other , just to have a gift to open after dinner. It's good fun being imaginative on a shoestring

paddy's_mum

For adults in our family - nothing! Any child under 18 - cash to save, spend or pool.

This applies right across the board from my 87 year old mother to her youngest great-grandchild and all we daughters, in-laws, nephews etc in between.

It saves an enormous amount of stressful choosing, shopping and affording.

We are as a family, though, generous to one another throughout the year with invitations, kindnesses and practical help. We have simply chosen to opt out of the Christmas craziness.

mumps

martinthebandit wrote: »

I find it very surprising that some posters spend more on the children than they do on their children's partners. Are your kids partners not part of the family?

One of my kids has a partner who has no family, parents died when he was a teenager and no other close family. I probably take more care with his presents than for my own kids as I think of that lonely, hard up teenager in his bedsit trying to work and do his A levels. I get on really well with him and if they split up I might adopt him.:p

Kim_kim

paddy's_mum wrote: »

For adults in our family - nothing! Any child under 18 - cash to save, spend or pool.

This applies right across the board from my 87 year old mother to her youngest great-grandchild and all we daughters, in-laws, nephews etc in between.

It saves an enormous amount of stressful choosing, shopping and affording.

We are as a family, though, generous to one another throughout the year with invitations, kindnesses and practical help. We have simply chosen to opt out of the Christmas craziness.

I think Christmas presents should be just for children really.

Threebabes

mumps wrote: »

One of my kids has a partner who has no family, parents died when he was a teenager and no other close family. I probably take more care with his presents than for my own kids as I think of that lonely, hard up teenager in his bedsit trying to work and do his A levels. I get on really well with him and if they split up I might adopt him.:p

:happyhear

ska_lover

I spend around £200 ish. I do buy practical presents, but some treats too.

My parents, after years of buying for us, have seized buying presents over the last few years and I am relieved they did as it was an unnecessary burdon for them now they are getting on in years a tad

Spendless

Kim_kim wrote: »

I think Christmas presents should be just for children really.

I don't. My own family is top heavy with pensioners, made up of my parents grandparents and husbands parents. Age range - late 60s - early 90s, They appreciate items bought that might make their lives a bit more manageable (either financially or practically). I'm not going to stop buying for them when they've bought for us our entire lives. The children in the family are teenagers aged between 13 and 16 and it's them that have the surplus of things and don't need another item.