How much to spend on child at xmas

Chattastrophe!

In hindsight, I don't think my siblings and I had any idea of how much our parents spent on us at Christmas etc. For example, we'd unwrap a present, and it would be a new swimsuit, or a musical instrument. And we'd be told that the present would be swimming lessons/violin lessons/etc. Which would probably then end up costing my parents hundreds/thousands over the years ... but we never really appreciated those sort of "presents", it just seemed like another form of homework for us!

lukesmom

aya startin wha wrote: »

hi all, well it's very easy to clock up a grand on presents when there's lots of things to buy! this year is not going to be so easy as she says herself she really has everything. really stumped as to what to buy tbh, but her hello kitty phone went through the wash so I'm hoping she's going to ask santy for a new phone. that will be the big one, other than that I'm just going to get a lot of things for the pony really, clothes, art supplies. they all add up!

I'm wondering are you only having us on about spending a grand on your 9 year old? The total cost for our 3 kids and godchild doesn't even come to that . It's your own business but I've never heard of that amount being spent in one child, maybe there are loads and I just don't know it.

we'llallhavetea

lukesmom wrote: »

I'm wondering are you only having us on about spending a grand on your 9 year old? The total cost for our 3 kids and godchild doesn't even come to that . It's your own business but I've never heard of that amount being spent in one child, maybe there are loads and I just don't know it.

ha! no I have actually spent a grand before. I can't remember orders or everything I bought but let's say one year I bought an Xbox kinect, 3ds, pile of Lego, games for Xbox/ wii/3ds, clothes, some form of bike/ scooter /cart / fliker etc, it adds up!
I know people think I'm crazy and don't approve but ah, I don't care what they think really, my daughter isn't bold, she's really good in school, has great manners so what harm! I LOVE Xmas so feck it, I go over the top

edit : and I'm not alone, I swear!

Vel

We have 3 children - nealry 5, 3.5 and 1.

Have finalised the list and we will be spending €120 in total on them. That's one main present for each, and two extra shared presents for the older two. That will be topped up with a few bits and pieces from both sets of grandparents and my brother and sister.

We are setting the expectations very early that Christmas is not a big free for all when it comes to gifts. I appreciate that what we spend may increase as they get older but there is no way I will ever spend hundreds of € on Christmas presents, as for me that is excessive. I would much rather we were able to buy them little things throughout the year and take them places then blow a huge wad at Christmas that we just can't afford.

I am very concious that we try to teach them to appreciate what they get and spending so much money on such young kids isn't the road I want to go down. There are two women I work with who are borrowing from the credit union in order to but their kid's presents. In one case there is one child who is 6 and in the other there are three children all under 10. In my opinion they are all of an age where they could simply be re-directed to something more affordable, but no, apparently, they 'have to have' these particular toys. Crazy, but if they want to get themselves in debt then that's their decision.

we'llallhavetea

lukesmom wrote: »

I'm wondering are you only having us on about spending a grand on your 9 year old? The total cost for our 3 kids and godchild doesn't even come to that . It's your own business but I've never heard of that amount being spent in one child, maybe there are loads and I just don't know it.

I had started to question myself about how did I spend a grand but I have actually done it again this year. didnt think I would but it clocks up quickly. all done now, think it's the first year ever I'm finished before Xmas eve, dunno what to do with myself!

Xidu

My 4 years girl only asked for a Sophia doll. So easy! But she gets so mant toys during the year too. In fact, the house is full of toys and I am the only one does all the tiding. :-(

Vinz Mesrine

I've spent about €150 on my 4yr old daughter, the most expensive thing I bought was a lego set for €26. She is easy to buy for as she loves arts and crafts so I just bought loads of things like that, board games and some clothes/pyjamas.

I couldn't imagine spending €1000 on her, I genuinely wouldn't know what to buy for that money.

Sunny Dayz

We have spent about €250 on Chirstmas for our 9 year old boy. That includes present from ourselves aswell as Santa. Main things were a big Lego police station and two computer games. Other bits and pieces we picked up throughout the year, like clothes and books and most were reduced (BA forum on Boards is great!). We are blessed he doesn't ask for much or anything expensive.

I genuinely don't know how we could rack up €1,000 of presents for him! Between presents for family, ourselves and the young fella I don't think that would even touch on a grand.

liliq

The lady who said she spent a grand though, she mentioned her daughter has a horse. I used to horse ride when I was a kid, and nothing in Ireland comes cheap for horses! If we had a horse now, I could spent that much a LOT easier!

nozzferrahhtoo

ennis81 wrote: »

Simple question folks how much would you on average spend on toys for one pre teen child at xmas i think anything over 300 is crazy unless its something really special like say a piano or a bike something that they will get good use out of then fine spend big but otherwise i think over 300 is to much or am i just a cheap skate opinions please.

I try not to think of it in terms of money. The idea of picking a figure and then going to look for presents to fit the budget does not sit well for me.

Instead I try to think of what my child will actually appreciate, and then I go looking for that. Sometimes that can turn out to be 5 euro. Who knows.

This year my 3 year old indicated she wanted some present to do with Planes. I thought about it for a couple of days and in a sudden flash remembered the old "fisher price" airport and plane I had when I was 4ish. So I went around on Ebay and found it. Its vintage, made in the late 70s, but I managed to successfully purchase it for 75 euro.

So that's her sorted for Christmas Quite proud of myself on that one.

This is not the exact one I bought but identical model. About 75% of the people I have shown the picture to have had an "Oh my god yes!!! I had that tooo!!!!" kind of reaction.

Big Bag of Chips

nozzferrahhtoo wrote: »

The idea of picking a figure and then going to look for presents to fit the budget does not sit well for me.

I completely agree with this. How much I spend year to year varies hugely depending on what the kids ask for, and can even vary hugely from child to child, depending on what they ask for!

This year I got a 3DS for the eldest, and a few other bits.. total probably came to around €350. The next one wants a cabbage patch doll, and I got her a few other bits, total about €110. And the youngest cost me about €120. So I spent more on the eldest than I did on the other 2 combined. But it won't matter to them, or they won't notice, because they each will get what they asked for.

Edit, to nozzferrahhtoo : I love the present, but are you sure she wasn't talking about the film "Planes", by Pixar? It's made by the same people who made "Cars". Might be worth picking up a figure or 2 'just in case'!!

Moonbeam

My 11 month old cost me 37.50.
17.50 for an activity cube
2 for 20 for a bath toy and a megablocks truck

My 2 big girls 2 and 4 cost me 83 and 88 and I think I managed to get exactly what they want:)

stoutykid

I have a 2yr old and 7 month old and I spent €100 (70 for 2yr and 30 on baby) in total on presents. I don't buy toys during the year and generally ask for clothes from family for their birthdays. I am sure as time goes on this tradition will change but I personally don't believe in masses of toys. They are going to get spoilt by family aswell and I couldnt justify spending more on them.

We as siblings gave up getting presents for each other years ago and it hasn't taken away from Christmas at all. We generally spend a bit of money on good food and champagne and Christmas to us is as magical as ever. The only people I really buy for is my mum as she is amazing to me during the year and her birthday is the 26th so she gets something decent and doesn't fall into the no gift rule and my husband. A few smaller presents for a neighbour and an aunt who are big into gifts and two neices and I am done. I LOVE christmas and it hasn't changed for me despite us scaling down the gift giving part.

Moonbeam

I would rather my kids have a few toys that they play with rather then loads that they never look at.
My 2 year old has all her big sisters clothes but the 4 year old grows like a weed so I am always grateful for clothes for her as presents.
I love when they get art stuff too,we have way too much but it gets well used!

liliq

Moonbeam wrote: »

I would rather my kids have a few toys that they play with rather then loads that they never look at.
My 2 year old has all her big sisters clothes but the 4 year old grows like a weed so I am always grateful for clothes for her as presents.
I love when they get art stuff too,we have way too much but it gets well used!

Love replenishing the box of craft materials!

Moonbeam

Dealz is brilliant for the craft stuff:) 1.50 for a big bag of random stuff.

lukesmom

aya startin wha wrote: »

I had started to question myself about how did I spend a grand but I have actually done it again this year. didnt think I would but it clocks up quickly. all done now, think it's the first year ever I'm finished before Xmas eve, dunno what to do with
.

What happens when she becomes a teenager will you stick to a grand a year? She's in for a big shock when she becomes an adult and expects a thousand euros worth of presents. It's your money and your daughter but I think it's highly excessive and completely sends out the wrong message.

We spent €150 on our 11 year old
€100 on our 3 year old and €50 on our 1 year old. That's €300 in total.
They get 1 big present and a few suprises and they are very happy with this.

we'llallhavetea

lukesmom wrote: »

aya startin wha wrote: »

I had started to question myself about how did I spend a grand but I have actually done it again this year. didnt think I would but it clocks up quickly. all done now, think it's the first year ever I'm finished before Xmas eve, dunno what to do with
.

What happens when she becomes a teenager will you stick to a grand a year? She's in for a big shock when she becomes an adult and expects a thousand euros worth of presents. It's your money and your daughter but I think it's highly excessive and completely sends out the wrong message.

We spent €150 on our 11 year old
€100 on our 3 year old and €50 on our 1 year old. That's €300 in total.
They get 1 big present and a few suprises and they are very happy with this.

you're entitled to your opinion of course, I don't TRY to spend a grand I just keep picking things up and it happened that it ended up being that much.
I have no idea what I'll spend when she's a teenager, don't know what that has to do with it?
I was spoiled rotten at Xmas as a child and now as an adult I tell my parents not to get me anything, they always do up really nice food hampers for me and my sister though! I don't really know what you think will happen to her as an adult tbh!
she is my only child and will be my only child, I can afford it so I'll spend it
this year there's not one toy under the tree, not one!!! it's all quite useful instead of a pile of plastic rubbish that won't be given a second glance so I'm quite happy about that, even though it means my baby is growing up

hoodwinked

lukesmom wrote: »

.

What happens when she becomes a teenager will you stick to a grand a year? She's in for a big shock when she becomes an adult and expects a thousand euros worth of presents. It's your money and your daughter but I think it's highly excessive and completely sends out the wrong message.

We spent €150 on our 11 year old
€100 on our 3 year old and €50 on our 1 year old. That's €300 in total.
They get 1 big present and a few suprises and they are very happy with this.

(sorry for the long reply i am trying to explain it as clearly as i can)

i disagree completely, as children we were spoiled rotten at christmas (and on birthdays as we would get practically nothing any other time), if we wanted a bike we got one along with big indoor toys my mum spent a fortune on the three of us, but she always said it was worth it to see the weeks of anticipation dissolve on our faces the morning of christmas and she has no regrets, she had to start saving in february just to afford it all, but she did it for us and now we are grown, christmas is different for us all.


you NEVER get those Christmases back. i read some where if you think of it, you only get roughly 8 santa christmases (assuming 3-10) so why not make each one count if you can afford to?

we'd ask for one big thing and two small things but we'd get loads of big 'surprises' and now as adults we dont expect anything, if anything my aunt who's three adult children are bleeding her dry this christmas asked my mum two weeks ago how come we don't rely on her for money as much as hers do (we match in ages so the comparison is greater) my aunts children had a system quite like yours as their father (now deceased) was quite tight with money, my family joke about it now because my mother used to be the one getting berated by my grandmother for 'spoiling us'.

so in my experience the opposite is true.

Atlantic Dawn

Spend a days pre tax wages on a child under 10 and 3 days on a child over 10, simple formula to live within your means.

lukesmom

aya startin wha wrote: »

lukesmom wrote: »

you're entitled to your opinion of course, I don't TRY to spend a grand I just keep picking things up and it happened that it ended up being that much.
I have no idea what I'll spend when she's a teenager, don't know what that has to do with it?
I was spoiled rotten at Xmas as a child and now as an adult I tell my parents not to get me anything, they always do up really nice food hampers for me and my sister though! I don't really know what you think will happen to her as an adult tbh!
she is my only child and will be my only child, I can afford it so I'll spend it
this year there's not one toy under the tree, not one!!! it's all quite useful instead of a pile of plastic rubbish that won't be given a second glance so I'm quite happy about that, even though it means my baby is growing up

That's fair enough perhaps I am wrong it's just they I've never heard of a grand being spent on a nine year old is all. I would worry that when they are older they would always expect that amount and if your circumstances were to change then santy would maybe bring a lot less .

Xidu

My 2 kids get many toys during the year, any shop we go, if they spot Sth they like they will get them. This year we spent 100 on 5 toys, it just happens that what they like aren't costy. Maybe because they are still too small for those game stations.

P.K.M.

We have a 7 year old, a 3 year old and an 8 month old. Total spent on "Santa" is €125. It's all we can afford to spend with both of us out of work. Christmas is about family time and enjoying the few days off and having visitors, not about how much I can waste on toys that will be used for one day and then tossed into the box with the others.

Moonbeam

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Spend a days pre tax wages on a child under 10 and 3 days on a child over 10, simple formula to live within your means.

3 days sounds excessive to me but mine are all under 5 so i escape easily:)

January

P.K.M. wrote: »

We have a 7 year old, a 3 year old and an 8 month old. Total spent on "Santa" is €125. It's all we can afford to spend with both of us out of work. Christmas is about family time and enjoying the few days off and having visitors, not about how much I can waste on toys that will be used for one day and then tossed into the box with the others.

And your kids will be delighted on Christmas morning.

Christmas isn't about how much you spend on kids, it's about getting them stuff that they love. If that means spending less that 100 euro collectively or 1000 euro on one then it doesn't really matter as long as the kids are happy and it's what you can afford.

nozzferrahhtoo

Big Bag of Chips wrote: »

Edit, to nozzferrahhtoo : I love the present, but are you sure she wasn't talking about the film "Planes", by Pixar? It's made by the same people who made "Cars". Might be worth picking up a figure or 2 'just in case'!!

Ta for the heads up but in this case it is unwarranted, she has not seen it But good call on the idea all the same. She has not seen cars or planes. She prefers play to watching films. Monsters Inc, Toy Story Trilogy and Finding Nemo are the only ones that have managed to hold her attention really. I have not tried her on Cars, Airplanes, Shrek, Despicable me, or any of the slighly more complex story line ones yet.

Big Bag of Chips

My lads haven't seen it either - but they do know about it

I suppose mine were 4 or 5 before they could sit and watch a film from beginning to end. One of my lads loves Cars, hasn't seen Planes, but is always asking can he get some of the figures!!

Neyite

Christmas Eve I spotted a cousins picture on Facebook, all the presents for her little girl who is 5. I counted at least 25 distinct wrapped presents, not counting others that I couldn't see in the stack of wrapped paper. I'd estimate about 30 -35 presents there.

My cousin is separated, so this child will get the same amount again at her dads house. Plus both grannies have form for going a bit mental with buying gifts, so my mother and I reckoned that the child will get between 75 and 100 different presents. It was nuts!

And the worst part is that my cousin cant afford this kind of extravagance but competes with her ex.

clairefontaine

Neyite wrote: »

Christmas Eve I spotted a cousins picture on Facebook, all the presents for her little girl who is 5. I counted at least 25 distinct wrapped presents, not counting others that I couldn't see in the stack of wrapped paper. I'd estimate about 30 -35 presents there.

My cousin is separated, so this child will get the same amount again at her dads house. Plus both grannies have form for going a bit mental with buying gifts, so my mother and I reckoned that the child will get between 75 and 100 different presents. It was nuts!

And the worst part is that my cousin cant afford this kind of extravagance but competes with her ex.

I think the OP question is so open ended there is no right answer. Everything depends on whether or not they have other relatives giving them anything, if there are expenses due to travel for Christmas, the needs of the individual and what the parent(s) can afford to spend.

The Princess Bride

clairefontaine wrote: »

I think the OP question is so open ended there is no right answer.

I agree 100%.
But it is so easy to spend very little and still have smiling happy faces on Christmas morning.

I've a friend who always spent huge amounts on birthday /Christmas presents when hers were young.
Now that college is around the corner for her oldest 2,she's panicking as she hasn't a cent put away for that expense.

Sometimes, parents need to take a step back and be sensible instead of extravagant.
Dozens of presents does not mean guaranteed happiness.