How much do you spend on your kids at Christmas?

[Littleelf]

How much do you spend? Do you budget? Do you go all out?

I've been gradually shopping for Christmas since August and just finished this month, and have probably spent about £350 on my daughter this year.

But that doesn't include all the extras that come with Christmas nowadays - Christmas jumpers/pj's/outfits/days out.

I refuse to do any elf on the shelf, or Christmas eve presents or big advent calendars - but I still end up spending a fortune!!

 

[Idkk]

Hardly anything this year. I’m going to LA on Monday with friends for a big event that’s costing loads so I’ve told the kids they’re having basics this year (I never go anywhere or do anything so everyone is happy to have a scaled back Christmas this year so I can do it.)

Normally though it’s quite a bit tbf. I wouldn’t know the exact amount but there’d usually be some kind of console or gadget, upmarket clothes (they’re in primark all year so get treated at xmas), hefty Xbox/steam vouchers, Xbox games, other tech like new controllers and whatever. It all adds up.

We don’t really do birthdays or other celebrations in the year beyond a card and a cake so I do go all out on the Christmas presents.

I do NOT do Xmas eve boxes, pyjamas, stockings, elf on the shelf, all that malarkey. Can’t be arsed.

 

[Prince fan 1999]

Around 3/400 for my daughter.

 

[Bridgegal]

I spend around £100 each on my 3 children and £50 each on my nephew and niece

Don't go in for elf on a shelf and Christmas Eve boxes, just presents and good food!!

 

[Boredofthegram]

About £200-250 on my son. We have an elf but it’s not elaborate like the insta Huns I just hide it each night for my son to find in the morning. No Xmas eve box and a basic chocolate advent calendar.

 

[Podcat]

Not much more than £100 really, couple of bigger presents then some smaller, and a stocking. And I still fret about the sheer amount of stuff. He gets plenty off grandparents and other relatives, and stuff throughout the year anyway.

He's only 4 though so I'll be spending more as he gets older no doubt.

 

[Skyeball]

£300 each for the children that live at home.
£250 between adult child and partner and we've paid them a couple of bills to take Dec pressure off them.
£50 each on our parents.
£50 on each other.
And that's done now, my bank card is crying with melting plastic tears.

 

[Rainbow Blossom]

I’ve been gradually shopping since about June to get bargains. Easier to spend less when kids are little I find as something can cost a tenner but be in a large box and look like a decent present. I’ll spend about £100 per child this year. Last year we spent a bit more. I’m just so over the ridiculous over spending and buying so much stuff that just clutters up the house!

 

[underwhelmed1985]

Bout £100 on my 4 year old and £75 on my 19 month old for presents. 3/4 presents each and no stocking

 

[BigBrenda]

Mine is ridiculous my daughter is 6 and so far I’ve spent £800 it sounds a lot but her laptop alone was £200 and she needs that for her online stuff she does with a tutor as she’s a little behind as she finds it hard to concentrate due to her conditions.
The Lol dolls house was £230 and the magic dolls thing to go with the house was £140.
But I buy all year round and it ends up like this because I forget what I buy and buy more.

My son is 5 and his is already at £700. My partners will be about £600 this year because he wants a ps5 usually I just spend around £100 on him, and my youngest is 2 and will be around £400.

I start buying in January and I’m finished now with presents.
I do elf on the shelf, North Pole breakfast (my kids have special needs and love it, it’s where the elf arrives On December the 1st and brings “North Pole food” think banana and strawberry cut into slices shaped into candy canes, crumpets in tree shapes etc!). I think we do Christmas Eve boxes and we do advent calendars also.

I don’t get into debt and everything I do buy I use offers or discounts. It does annoy me because I don’t get any presents really maybe one of my mum and nana but I just love Christmas. And I do go over the top. I also have four Christmas trees to go up, one in my room, kids room each and front room. we don’t have a big family so the kids just get what we buy them

 

[Ekathrina]

About £200-£250 on my two. They are 21 and 18 though, and I don’t do stockings or anything like that anymore. I keep it fairly low key as my youngest is autistic and gets a bit of a sensory overload if there’s too much happening or too many presents to open. I do think I might have overcompensated a bit when they were younger as their dad is a disappointing tightwad who usually ‘forgets’ to get them anything.

 

[Ineedmorecoffee]

On average about £250 per child.

I save all year round a set amount each month so it’s ready to spend.

 

[CrystalWench]

I honestly don’t know, and I don’t budget, my guess is around £200-£300. We don’t do elf on the shelf or Xmas eve boxes, do a visit to a slightly more expensive Santa, around £30 for all of us but that’s it.

I say I don’t know because his birthday is just before and I tend to just buy everything and split the number in half.

 

[Nosymum]

About £400 on my daughter but I buy throughout the year, she’s only 2 so we will start elf on the shelve next year but won’t go mad with it. We do Christmas Eve boxes but reuse some of the things, couple of Christmas outings too. Normally £50 each on parents, £30 each on brother, SIL and my nephew and £200 on partner from me and our daughter. I’ve spent more before my little one on him. I always shop around, cashback and use discount codes etc. we are very lucky to have a lot of animals so my girl needed a new riding hat so that’s one of her presents. We don’t smoke, drink or live extravagantly our animals are our luxuries.

 

[Mermer89]

Two boys and they are having a new TV each with LED strip things then a few PlayStation games, board games etc. I am not just buying for the sake of it this year, literally still have stuff with the wrapper on from last year.
I have two nephews and a niece and spent £30 on each. We usually do a sibling secret Santa and spend £50 on one sibling (there’s 5 of us) but not doing that so just the parents.
Me and OH are off to London tomorrow for a few days for a Christmas and ‘paid all our debt off this year’ break so will treat ourselves there.

 

[Littleelf]

I think I've definitely spent alot more since I've started buying bits each month rather then doing it in one go. I've found this year and last year I've just kept going even when I could have finished a couple of months ago!!! I also think the last couple of years have been rubbish for kids, not being able to do lots of things that makes them kids! My daughter has had borh of her birthday parties cancelled the last two years and both times she been gutted. So many things she's wanted to do and I've had to tell her we can't do it so a bit of excess at Christmas isn't going to harm her

We are also due a baby the week before Christmas so I do want her to feel special and not like all the attention is just on the baby at Christmas this year. Although she has said that having a baby brother is her most special present she might not be saying that when he actually here! Lol

Still will never catch doing elf on the self though

 

[Web30]

I dont keep track or have a budget but id imagine its close to 600 if i added it all up. I cant help it and buy extras even when im done

 

[greenkween20]

About 500 for my oldest because his gifts just cost more. My youngest is a toddler and I just have no idea what to get him since he has all his brother’s toys. So far he has a few books and one toy I know he loves (any ideas welcome).

We do the elf who either hides or encourages them to donate toys/food and christmas eve boxes which is mainly a new book and snacks for christmas eve

 

[SarahGard83]

I don't have a budget. I just buy as a see things that they'll like. I'd hazard a guess at around £400 each this year for my 2 children.

 

[Freddo10]

About £150 on my son who is 4, we have an elf but I don’t do any of this stuff all the insta boss babe huns do, I sit him on the tree and tell him he’s watching him to report back to Santa if he’s on the nice list

About 500 for my oldest because his gifts just cost more. My youngest is a toddler and I just have no idea what to get him since he has all his brother’s toys. So far he has a few books and one toy I know he loves (any ideas welcome).

We do the elf who either hides or encourages them to donate toys/food and christmas eve boxes which is mainly a new book and snacks for christmas eve

I really like this idea for the elf!