What are you spending on your LOs at Christmas?

Snookie · #1 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 09:24

OH thinks £50 is enough because Ava has loads of stuff already and won't even know it is Christmas and it is her first Birthday 2 weeks before... Another £50! Do you think that is enough?

What are you spending and what are you buying?

Anna07 · #2 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 09:52

IMO it is not the amount that matters, people go mad a Christmas when they can't afford it, I think people should only spend what they can afford.

You don't have to spend a fortune to get special things or things you know your LO will like. I spent about £20 on Izzy last year as I knew the rest of the family would go mad (and mad they went), and got her V-tech nursery rhyme book and a couple of ITNG books and she loves them and still looks at them now.

A few carefully chosen things can mean a lot more than spending a fortune.

LittleMissMe · #3 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 10:08

I'm only buying them both one thing each this year cause neither of them have a clue about presents let alone Christmas, it may sound steengy but our house is bursting at the seams with toys already and Dylan still hasn't played with most of them yet. Youre quite right not to let commercialism bully or guilt you into spending loads at Christmas.

I can't wait until Imogen does get excited about Christmas though-then I probably will get her quite alot just to see how excited she gets when she sees all the presents!

We're getting Imogen either a trike or a jack in the box (probably end up buying both!) and have no idea what to get Dylan as we already bought all the baby toys for Imogen!

wickypop · #4 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 10:46

Like has already been said its not the amount you spend its the thought....just a few carefully chosen presents you know they will love is better than spending a small fortune on lots of things. Last year Oliver had soooooooooooo many things he got bored opening them! I am excited about Xmas with him this year because he just loves opening presents now......we are getting him more tractors and farm machinery to add to his collection cos that is all he wants and an easel although i dont really see the point in wrapping this up as it just wont have the 'wow' factor of the tractors!!!! For Sophie we are getting a 'jumperoo' and i have bought her some of teh ELC 'blossom farm' range - not that she will have any idea it will just be more for Oliver to open!!!
sorry to ramble on!!!!
x x x x x x x

isabellasmum · #5 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 11:27

We're not spending a set amount, just going to get her whatever she (well ok me) fancies.

On her birthday we spent under £40 I think. I don't believe in buying for the sake of it iykwim.

rachaelmae · #6 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 11:31

Im not spending much, they dont know how much stuff costs, its not about money but the present.

Wait till they are older, when they make a list of expensive stuff

Rachael1 · #7 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 12:12

We don't set a particular budget but have enough sense not to go overboard on what we can't afford if you know what I mean? We usually get Evie a main present (like this year a kitchen for Xmas and a train track for her birthday in Nov) then will get a few other things to open like a couple of books, a puzzle type toy, a DVD (one of those carry case ones as they are about a fiver each) and maybe something else little and inexpensive that catches my eye.

We also regularly go through her toy box and give away any toys she doesn't play with any more so she never has loads. Keeps the house tidy (well, not quite - tidier than it might be perhaps) and it keeps all her toys age appropriate - no point in keeping a puzzle she mastered months ago and never touches now, if you get me? She helps me sort them out and I tell her we're giving them to the babies who don't have any toys to play with.

Ellie H · #8 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 13:15

We don't have a set amount, I just buy him stuff as and when I see it. It's Ethan's 2nd birthday next week and I spent around £80 online at ELC. I'll probably spend around the same at Christmas. I want to make a fuss of him this year as it'll be the last one he has on his own before baby comes along.

xxxxxxxxx

rhianwen · #9 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 14:08

I dont have aset amount this year i spent about 50quid in total it always includes a main present ad lots of little bits but i buy things through out the year in the sale xx

maxi · #10 (**permalink**) 03-11-08, 14:16

Charlie's more interested in the boxes (18 months old) so I'll just wrap some old cereal boxes for him this year til he knows what it's all about.

Just kiddin