Christmas Spending

[abitfairytale]

Our budget is roughish as I tend to buy across the year when I see stuff, and it adds up doing it as you forget what you've bought!

Daughter - around £200-£250
Husband - £0 - we don't buy for each other at Christmas, preferring to use the budget on our daughter/family/nice Christmas food
Mum - around £40 ish
In-laws/Husband's siblings - £70 - part of the "other side of the family" Secret Santa - Husband has 3 siblings (all married) plus his parents, so instead of us all buying for each other, we do a secret santa and each couple just gets a 'good' present (ie, something they've asked for/wanted, but wouldn't necessarily spend the cash on themselves).
Nieces/Nephews - budget of £10 per child (there's 7, so £70 in total)

Daughter wants a phone for Christmas this year though (she's 10 ). Trying to hold her off till her birthday in June (ie, literally just before secondary school).

 

[PinkMariner]

I haven't got kids but I do have a relatively large family and for gifts for my partner etc it isn't cheap. I think in total I will spend around £1000. But I have been putting money aside to do this. I have 4 nephews, 1 niece, but won't be going all out on over the top gifts for them because they get so much, and half of it isn't even looked at so I will be getting them clothes, pj's, and a playstation game/voucher for the oldest one. I love giving presents at Christmas! Always have. More so than receiving.

I am the same - we have 13 nieces and nephews to buy for, plus 2 god children and all the associated adults. I love giving gifts! I try to stick to about £40 per person, but I do like everyone to have 2 or 3 bits to open so it does go over. My sister always gets more - since her husband died I make sure she has stuff from her girls and also something special from us. For hubby we have a budget of £100 but I always go over!! I reckon in total, I will spend about £1000 on gifts.

 

[summersuzy]

I am genuinely shocked by these comments and think I may need to re evaluate what I do
I don't set a budget I just buy presents until I think it looks like they have enough. I have 3 children and must spend up to at least £600 each?! They get one main present each, last year was playstation and bike along those lines. Then smaller presents and then stockings

I was curious how people get past the playstations etc my boys aren’t at that stage yet but they will be soon I’m sure

 

[coconochanel]

I dont have a budget, I buy them what they ask for within reason and there has only been a couple of times Ive said no. They have a wish list and they are allowed wish for 3 things. Its been this way since they were little. They will get those 3 things and then some surprises.
This year I would have loved to get the eldest a PS5, he never asks for anything but I just cant seem to find one.

You need to check out ps5stockalertuk on twitter it tells you when they are dropping and in which shop. That's how I got my OH's.

 

[OnlyHereForTheLolz]

I don't have kids but I'm so surprised reading this thread on how much some spend on their kids for Christmas. I am curious as to how much is spent on birthday presents. For me, birthdays beat Christmas by far. I don't care for Christmas at all and wouldn't be upset to not receive anything for it!

I’m with you. Christmas was all about family and we’d get something small or maybe things like clothes that were needed.

 

[Emsie]

I am genuinely shocked by these comments and think I may need to re evaluate what I do
I don't set a budget I just buy presents until I think it looks like they have enough. I have 3 children and must spend up to at least £600 each?! They get one main present each, last year was playstation and bike along those lines. Then smaller presents and then stockings

Nah just do what makes you happy! X

 

[Chan]

I’m a single mom so don’t go too crazy, I spend approx £400 including stocking fillers on my daughter (16) I only have her though.
Friends £30-£40
Family £40-£50 but we do it as a secret Santa so only one pressie to buy.
Niece and nephews £20-£30
Partner about £100-£150
I don’t save and just splurge my Nov/Dec pay packets.

Has anyone’s budget taken a hit this year?

I’ve luckily not been affected with my job this year and have worked all the way through. As we’ve not taken holidays, only trips away I’ll spend around the same I always have done

 

[Hastaggifted]

So I need someone to come and give me a shake. I have 3 children 14, 9 and 6. The 14 Yr old has asked for xbox games and similar which are £55 a pop where as 9 and 6 have asked for toys meaning I can get way more for the price. So I got my daughter a massive barbie plane, and a barbie mansion thingy and it costs the price of 4 games, but will be much more wow factor at Christmas. The needing a shake is because now I've wrapped them all, the 14 year old pile is shocking, although I've probably spent £500 + on him in total , I feel like I need to buy him some more to top up the amount of presents. know that's ridiculous but

 

[Emsie]

I fear it's going to get more expensive too, I always say they can only ask father Christmas for one present as he has to look after all the boys and girls etc, they are gonna know mumma's a soft touch and it's going be easy to get more I may need to work extra hours! Out of interest how old is your daughter? My son's 7 and still firmly believes

Haha, yes that is my fear too! She's just turned 10, so you've got a few years yet

 

[Clairer86]

I’ve asked this on another thread but what do you get a 7 year old (relative). I don’t want to aks him as I want it to be a surprise. What are 7 year olds into these days

I have a 6 year old and an 8 year old boy, so not quite 7 but you know what i mean!lol.

It all depends what he is into i suppose? Lego, books, does he play on the computer? My boy loves his playstation and switch and is forever playing minecraft, rocket league, mario etc. Is he into football? I have got my boy a smart football that counts tricks, speed, distance. I have also got him some kind of smart watch that is also some kind of robot dog pet that he has to look after and tend to.

 

[svdwoodsen]

I am genuinely shocked by these comments and think I may need to re evaluate what I do
I don't set a budget I just buy presents until I think it looks like they have enough. I have 3 children and must spend up to at least £600 each?! They get one main present each, last year was playstation and bike along those lines. Then smaller presents and then stockings

To be honest my family is similar! We try to budget somewhat for holidays and birthdays because it seems like the normal thing to do, but realistically, we often end up giving each other random gifts throughout the year for no good reason and there is no budget there (i.e.: saw a good deal on something and I knew you wanted this for a while!) and even the holiday budget is often not adhered to. There's never a right or wrong way to do this, though I have to say giving your family large gifts and putting that up on social media incites a mixture of "wow that looks great," snarky comments as @judsmum mentioned, and silent jealousy, so it's good to be cautious about what you share if you spend a lot.

 

[heretoreaditall2019]

I don't have kids but I'm so surprised reading this thread on how much some spend on their kids for Christmas. I am curious as to how much is spent on birthday presents. For me, birthdays beat Christmas by far. I don't care for Christmas at all and wouldn't be upset to not receive anything for it!

Mine is only very little (this’ll be her second Christmas, only had one birthday), my spend is higher than the comments here so I’m going to discuss this with husband tomorrow tbh as I don’t want to create a monster incapable of integrating.

It’s hard to know, really. Daughter has a summer birthday & we’ve booked a holiday for 2023 (still don’t feel ok travelling for 2022 with covid) and are paying for her grandparents to come too and I think/hope that’ll become an important tradition for us especially as we don’t live nearby and she only has one living set.

Christmas will be more about “stuff” even tho annoyingly this year part of the period will be spent in a hotel with just me & her which feels bleak.

I have found myself just delaying normal toy buys and adding it to the Christmas pile for no good reason other than feeling like it’s what you should do (?!), and still can’t decide if I should buy a wooden arch for her now, for Christmas, or for next year as don’t want her to be overwhelmed with bits?!

Also hate seeing present hauls & I don’t share anything like that on social media.

 

[Emsie]

I usually go out for the afternoon walking in the countryside or on my bike. We do have a meal at lunch time, but it the veggie/vegan version and just the main meal, not the whole thing.So a nut roast/butternut squash roast with vegetables. I think the whole thing is ridiculous to be honest.

I love Christmas it's my fave time of year. Each to their own though.

Usually around £150 per child but we're spending more this year as we've not been away on holiday and they haven't been out on a single fun daytrip since March. So we have the money there to do it and I would like to treat them. We aren't going over the top and I wouldn't give them a massive pile.
I spend around £15-25 on nieces, nephews and friends children.
Family secret santa for all the adults with a £25 budget.
I love buying gifts for people and really enjoy wrapping them all too. Christmas is one of my favourite times of year

We always buy the kids an activity to do in the year so 2021 we will have all of this years to do as well! Covid permitting of course I love Christmas too. Even the stress of it

 

[Fairypop]

Our baby will be 4 months old and won’t be getting any presents from us. Might seem mean but he’ll get them off family, I’d rather save and have a longer maternity leave with him and he already has so much stuff.

I don’t think it’s mean either! I think it’s a lovely idea to have a longer maternity leave if you can. We haven’t got a lot even for our 2 year old, she doesn’t understand and would rather play with a cardboard box or toilet roll tube I know both our children will get lots from family and friends so I’d rather not go overboard!

 

[Definitelyme]

Maximum of £100. They only get 4 or 5 things, which includes a pile of books and some sweets.

Same for their birthdays - two of the have birthdays between now and Christmas. I’m lucky that we have family who ask what to get them so I usually give a few of the “good” ideas to them.

 

[Daisymai]

Has anyone’s budget taken a hit this year?

 

[Niamhm]

We spend between 150-200 on each child (2) up to 100 for main presents and then we put 'proper' but small presents in their stockings so it does add up. About the same amount on my husband. We don't buy for the adults in our families except our parents, and nieces and nephews get a £10 gift card and a selection box each x

 

[Mrswhale]

Usually £150/200 per child (we have 3) but this year is my sons last year being a child (he turns 16 in jan) so we are having a Christmas that we are splashing out a little more on this time. Weve had an absolute horror of a year as a family and I really would love to end it with a lovely xmas. We had planned on going away in a log cabin or something this year but looks like that idea is out of the window. Maybe next year we can do that xx

 

[Heather343]

I don't have a set budget but we usually spend around £600 on our son split between birthday and Christmas. His birthday is end of Nov so they are both close together. We tend to give him more at Xmas just purely for the fact that he's at home longer so has more time to play with all the new things. We buy things throughout the year and put them away to spread the cost. Whilst it might seem excessive as he's only 4 we only have a teeny family and it's just and both sets of grandparents that buy for him.

Its surprising how quickly it adds up with a few toys!!

 

[Mrs Cucumber]

For those that have older kids, do they still do a Christmas list? My little ones do a letter to santa but my eldest has informed me she doesn't believe in santa now! What do you do when they get older? Just ask them?

I'm dreading this! My two are still quite young so hoping I have a while longer but my youngest broke her heart when she realised that sparkles rabbit on holiday was someone dressed up?