Xmas Spend on Kids?

[Tim]

Hi,

I was wondering how much other forumites tend to spend on their kids for Xmas? Obviously it will range with age, but I would be curious to know.

Tim

[Thommo]

I'm more interested in how much they are going to spend on me!!!! Ingrates..... fail to reasilise that without ...... Sigh!!!

[Tim]

Hmmm maybe I should rephrase:

"How much are you going to spend on your under 8 little darlings this year?"

Tim

[asy]

hehehe...

I love Thommo's reply, but my kids are 8 and 10, so here goes:

The 10yo (boy):

Playstation game: $45
Book (The hobbit): $12.50
Books: (Narnia set): $75.00
Bionicle: $8.50
Kite: $12.00

The 8yo (girl):

Wild Bird Feeder: $4.50
Shrek 2 DVD: $30
Simpsons DVD's: $45
Skipping rope: $4
Kite: $12

And vadeeya vadeeya that's all folks!

My son's went far over my "price limit", coz I really wanted to get him the Narnia set. He's just finished all of the Deltora Quest books, and loved them
so this seems the next step up.

I am really working to de-present-ise xmas.

It's just getting ridiculous. So, no more.

Your turn Tim, what did you get yours?!

asy :D

[Tim]

Well,

I consider we are normally pretty "constrained" because we get them hardly anything during the year. However this year I just wanted to lash out after saving hard all year for Xmas:

Boy
Basketball Hoop $100 (on special at Kmart normally $150)
Monster Truck $180 (or is that for me.....)
Santa Sack stuff $100
$380

Girl
Play electric guitar and amp and mic $40
Niki Webster Cd $25
Niki Webster concert $30?
Barbie Bed $45
Santa Sack $100
$240

[Sim]

Tim ... I think you're going to have to have a close look at what you are buying your kids.

As a property investor you should really be cutting back ... delayed gratification and all that ... your kids will really thank you for it in the future.

I think I can help you here ... let's start by getting rid of the Niki Webster stuff ... and then ... mmm... well, just leave it at that. Heck, buy her another guitar and amp and mic ... just get rid of that Niki Webster stuff !!! :D :D :D :D :D :D

(I hope you realise I'm not being serious here* - have a great Christmas !)





*Except for the bit about the Niki Webster stuff :p

[DaleGG]

Hi

I'm afraid that I don't know the layman's term for how much we spend...just the technical accounting term which is:

"too bloody much!!!!"

Dale

[Lissy]

Dale - you sound just like my husband!!! hehehehe
I tend to buy things when I see them through the year (usually on special!) so I don't really keep an accurate record of what I spend. Just making a guess, probably around $300 per child. I tend to buy a lot of educational stuff though, which they love. #2 is getting some clothes this year, it's really hard to think of what to get her, she plays with all her older brother's toys, reads his books etc etc....
When my son was about to start prep, he got all his school bits and pieces for Christmas, he thought that was awesome!

[JamesGG]

Woohoo!!!!!

;)

Hi

I'm afraid that I don't know the layman's term for how much we spend...just the technical accounting term which is:

"too bloody much!!!!"

Dale

[skater]

My kids think I am mean, as I buy them very little throughout the year. BUT at Christmas & birthdays I spend a lot. I'm not sure of how much, but they generally get clothes (teenage girls this is expensive), CD's, makeup, bath stuff (those overpriced gift boxes full of dodads), sport equipment (very expensive as they are both upper level athletes), one is getting a new sound system this year as well.

The oldest gets extremely jealous of the youngest & keeps a running total of how much she thinks everthing costs, so I have to make sure I spend the same amount on each. This is exhausting, as I buy stuff throughout the year, so try to get something for each one every time.

We don't have a playstation, or an xbox, which they ask for each year, but the games are so expensive I don't think they are worth the money. They have the internet, so they can play games on that for free.

I also tend to wrap everything up individually, so Christmas morning they are unwrapping presents for hours.

[Sim]

We don't actually have any kids ourselves, but we do buy presents for the kids of our cousins - the ones we are close to (don't have any nieces / nephews yet either !). Usually picture books, jigsaw puzzles, educational games and such (typically the kids are under the age of 5). Totals are probably somewhere between $20 and $30 per child.

We also buy gifts for the Kmart wishing tree, and the Rotary Christmas Tree - for underprivelaged children and families. Typically we'll spend anywhere between $50 and $150 each on 3-4 gifts. The Rotary tree is the easier one to buy for, since they put specific requests from people on the tags - so you know exactly what they would like.

This year we got a young girl some zoo passes (not a family pass, but rather 2 adults, 2 children ... so she could take a friend if she doesn't actually have any siblings), plus a picture book with Australian native animals in it.

Another child got a blackboard and chalk set (it was an easel setup with blackboard on one side, whiteboard on the other, and a clip for holding butchers paper for drawing on too ... plus a huge tub of chalk - and an eraser of course) ... boy it was fun wrapping that - it was huge ... the Rotary people had to take it directly down to their storage shed since there wasn't enough room for it in the gift collection bin !

We also got a family a Coles gift voucher (useful at any Coles/Myer owned stores including specialty stores) ... those Coles gift vouchers are really cool - they look and work like an ATM card, but are actually a stored value card - you can use as little or as much of the value off of it as you like, and it's lasts until the stored amount of money runs out (which unfortunately would be all too soon).

Other children got miscellaneous books and educational toys - my wife tends to buy stuff that looks fun / interesting throughout the year and then work out who to give it to later !

Doing stuff like this is a lot of fun - we get to buy really cool (and useful) presents for people (I must admit my wife does most of the work ... she loves buying kids presents).

[kissfan]

Hi all.

Too late for this year (presents already bought etc), but next year I was considering writing out my own vouchers for loved ones. E.g, for my wife I could give her a voucher saying she is entitled to 2 massages a day for a week. For my son, a voucher entitling him to pass & kick the footy whenever he wants to for a 6 month period.This probably wouldn't go down too well but Christmas is becoming a joke these days (expense wise) Sounds a bit dorky I realise, but I'm just trying to get away from the concept that we have to continually buy expensive gifts just because it is a certain month of the year.

Regards
Marty

[geoffw]

A little off-topic- but I received a Christmas card today from a tenant (a property I self manage)- that hasn't happened to me before.

[Lplate]

For kids 12+ we go $500+. It's the spouse not me. I just qualified for the 'mean' award over iPod rejection for eldest girl.

It's ridiculous consumption, I'd prefer to halve the expenditure and donate the rest to charity. The TV has a lot to answer for.

[Brenda Irwin]

I have two boys aged 11 & 12. The youngest got $100 worth of putor games, the eldest got $100 worth of DVD movies. They may still get a few little niknaks totalling an extra $50 between them if they are really good over the next couple days.

In my childhood I got $20 and with that I had to buy presents for every family member, and they all did the same. Twenty dollars went quite a long way back then.

NOTE: Clothes do not count as Christmas presents to children

[Garry K]

It's ridiculous consumption, I'd prefer to halve the expenditure and donate the rest to charity. The TV has a lot to answer for.

Interesting comment L

Just yesterday I was wandering around the shopping centre and thought "geez, aren't humans amazing, we have got so far ahead of the game (survival/reproduction), that we manufacture stuff we don't need just so we can spend our money." (I note this option does not apply to everyone)

How far can consumerism go? :o

Will there be a point in our evolution that there is no point to it?

Meanwhile, be happy that economics 101 says we have to do it, to keep the money flowing and people employed.

Just as well spending money we work hard for is fun. ;)

GarryK

[David E-Noosa]

I have a nasty evil friend in the states :rolleyes: who last year gave her daughter an wrapped empty box.

True story.

I on the other hand give my kids everything their little hearts desire. Then when I wake up from the dream I get real and check the bank account.

[Peter 14.7]

No kids only wife.

Got wife an Enjo duster mit $12.95.

She got it early and loves it! She has a cleaning fetish. :D

True Post

Peter 147

[pennyk]

we're spending about $75 each on 4y/o and 7 y/o. My son wants PS2, but we have numerous computers and he can access the internet, so we won't buy that. (But I told Santa that's what I want, mummy, so he'll definitely give it to me!!!!)

My husband thinks that's way over the top!! He doesn't understand why we should have gifts at all....that's fine, so long as he buys me some!!

My parents buy them their big presents - they spend $100 each child. That $75 includes some clothes etc.

But my parents in law don't really buy them any presents, and we will be there on Christmas Day, so we need to buy some extra gifts to give the kids from them!! So, we may go over $75.

Pen

[Glebe]

No kids just wife. Not spending much, if anything. I just bought her $500 worth of goodies a month back for her birthday. Like the idea of the Kmart and Rotary wishing tree, will get around to that next year

[asy]

No kids only wife.

Got wife an Enjo duster mit $12.95.

She got it early and loves it! She has a cleaning fetish. :D

True Post

Peter 147

Peter,

Tell your wife I said: www.flylady.net and Merry Xmas... :D

Oh, and, wrt the wishing trees, my kids used their saved pocket money to send farm animals to africa for kids there for xmas. Girl sent Chooks, and Boy sent a goat. :D

asy :D

[quiggles]

My kids get about $50-$60 worth of goodies, plus probably another $10 in stocking stuffers that allow us to "sleep in" until at least 6 a.m. (The boys are 18 and 9 respectively).

Plus when we go away with another family for the Chrissy holidays we buy a largish present that gets played with on holiday and shared between the families over the course of the year.

[Jacque]

We have three children, 11,9 and 6, who all get absolutely spoilt rotten at Christmas and we love it! I buy throughout the year, so it doesn't seem like too much (average for each child works out to about $200 though the 6 yr old has about $130 this yr) and it's so much fun just watching their little faces on Xmas morning :)
We don't lash out bigtime on their birthdays and so Christmas is a bigger event. They each have their Santa sack and attempt to wake us up as early as possible (don't all kids?) as they can't contain their excitement. I love it!

We also encourage them to contribute to worthwhile charities at this time of year and I, too, think the wishing tree is a fabulous idea. The kids get a buzz out of buying things for those less fortunate than us as well.

Have a terrific Christmas, everyone!! And, if you have children, enjoy the magic whilst it lasts!

[Ecogirl]

Xmas is an interesting time for the family. When we were growing up the folks always had to spend the same amount on us kids - the whole favouratism thing.

I always spend heaps for my siblings and parents and now nephews cos I love them all to death. I buy things throughout the year that I think they would like so it doesn't hurt much at Xmas - but postage generally does.

I also donate to the K-mart wishing tree and organise our work to rally around to donate for the salvos (that has sort of become a tradition for me wherever I work because we all earn decent incomes). I have also donated to Oxfam cos I like what they do.

Whilst I can afford to donate to charity I do, because there may be one day where someone I know may need the assistance the charity gives.

Merry Xmas everyone
Ecogirl

[Kathie]

We just have the one son - 3 years old - so he is much indulged. That said, I hate having too many toys that end up just making a mess. Last year we spent $200 and bought him a good quality bike, helmet and training wheels, and also a wooden train set. He has played with them all year and they are still his favourite and going strong.

This year I have spent about $130:
1. Kids cassette player (with hidden volume limiter :D ) for 10 hour trip to see grandparents on boxing day = $40
2. Three new cassettes to play on it (2x Wiggles, 1x Bible stories) = $40
3. Headphones = $15
4. Gift set of three books (Terrific Trains, Amazing Aeroplanes and one about diggers - can't remember the name) = $20
5: Stocking stuff (silly putty, trucks, choc, kiwifruit juice, bumble bar, sticker book, stickers etc) = $25

This is the first year we have done a stocking for him so hopefully it keeps him occupied for a little while. He normally wakes up at 6am so I plan to have his breakfast set out, his stocking in the lounge and I'll teach him to turn on a video so we can sleep in till 7am.

Having said that, hubby is bursting with impatience to find out what I have got him so it may be an early start after all! This is the first year we have kept the gifts a secret and I have been giving out cryptic clues such as: 'It is black' and 'It is mostly plastic'. He is just about killing himself trying to figure out what it is! He asked our son what I had got. Unfortunately for him the little prince had been well-coached and compliantly replied: "Well Daddy, for Christmas mummy got you a.....doodad!" :D

[Tim]

It's inspiring to hear so many people donate to a charity at this time of year - I think I will too.

Merry Xmas everyone - have a good one!


Tim

[skater]

1. Kids cassette player (with hidden volume limiter :D ) for 10 hour trip to see grandparents on boxing day = $40
2. Three new cassettes to play on it (2x Wiggles, 1x Bible stories) = $40
:D

A word of warning - I hope you like the cassettes you have given him, as you will hear them over & over & over again.

When we were reno-ing our first IP we gave our 2 girls (aged about 6 & 8 at the time), Spice Girls & Aqua CD's. I still know every word to every song on those blasted CD's. They did keep them busy the entire time though, so I suppose the pain was worth it.

Cheers

[Sim]

That's funny... my wife does the same thing to me. I bought her a 40GB iPod and put our entire collection of 200+ CDs on it - but she still plays the same stuff over and over and over again *sigh*

[Peter 14.7]

Peter,

Tell your wife I said: www.flylady.net and Merry Xmas... :D

Oh, and, wrt the wishing trees, my kids used their saved pocket money to send farm animals to africa for kids there for xmas. Girl sent Chooks, and Boy sent a goat. :D

asy :D

Thanks Asy

Maybe she has already been there?
As taken from Flylady - clutter free gifts for hubby

My husband loves to cook and has enjoyed gift certificates for cooking classes and wine tasting classes.

Been there. :D

peter 147

[Peter 14.7]

It's inspiring to hear so many people donate to a charity at this time of year - I think I will too.

Merry Xmas everyone - have a good one!


Tim

HI All

Donation is a great idea.

Personally, my Wife and I donate regulary

Favorite is Salvation Army for me and RSPCA for wife.

It feels great and very suprising to see who gives what on the very quiet. Spent an afternoon at Fairwater the Harbourside Mansion of Lady Mary Fairfax in Sydney as thankyou from the RSPCA.

Chatted dogs to a lovely "old lady" only to realise when we moved on she was Marie Bashir, Governer of NSW.

Living in the inner city we often get asked for money bu homeless so thats why we give to the Salvo. They do good work and shun no one.

Article today about how everyone wants to feed the homeless on X mas day but the other days they struggle to get numbers. Think about this when you consider help. It does not have to be cash.

Peter 147

[Aceyducey]

A lot of the pressies we've given to people came straight out of the Tear catalogue (http://www.tear.org.au/giftcatalogue/index.shtml) - well worth a look.

The kids get a couple of hundred spent on each of them....they are getting some presents they can break on the day & a couple they can play with all year :)

Cheers,

Aceyducey

[Sim]

Favorite is Salvation Army for me and RSPCA for wife.

Our favourite charities other than the Kmart & Rotary wishing trees are the Salvos, World Vision and MSF (http://www.msf.org.au/).

[Kathie]

A word of warning - I hope you like the cassettes you have given him, as you will hear them over & over & over again.

Hence the headphones and the volume limiter. :D That said, I already know the words to all the Wiggles songs and can Point my Fingers and do the Twist with the best of them!

I am quite sure it will drive us insane but with a ten hour car trip it is better than the alternative. :eek:

[Peter 14.7]

Ah having said I do little I must confess, I am a closet Christmas Softie.

Like many professional DINK dual incomes, no kids having with family away in VIc wife and i dont really give pressies. She buys stuff as she wants it and we often buy jointly on sale. Spent $500 in Nov. in Scanpans Cookware so we called that the X mas pressie.

But...

Owing a company I make personal hampers for my key contractors. It is so much fun! and I get better value and personalise them with 1 movie ticket to Hoyts per child, etc... ;)

Also, and this is really sad.....I am about to get in my Santa Outfit ( I have Reindeers ears for my contractors) and we go around to every staff member on 6 floors of an office I manage giving a selection of christmas chocolates and lollies. :D

I even decorate my basket. :eek:

A Very Merry Christmas to All, Peter 147

PS I am not gay but have gay friends :confused:

[Sim]

Peter, you're a SNAG as well as a DINK !

[bawley]

With kids inthe older age bracket - 21 and 17.5 it has become increasingly difficult to do the gift selection on their behalf so I give them each a budget ($250 each this year). They select and are required to act surprised and pleased on the day. As we are away at Christmas this eliminates the problem of unwrapping something that they need to exchange and therefore can't use for a couple of weeks. (e.g. the wrong playstation game because I didn't understand the difference :( ) In addition to the $250 each we fill a stocking for each child with silly funny sweet stuff. I am an organised person and have everything in order well ahead of time. My husband works like a demon and at the eleventh hour - usually Christmas eve feels like some Christmas cheer and goes shopping. Thus blowing the budget and there is a last minute scramble trying to "even" up the pressies.

Think I'm a bit of a control freak (can feel the family nodding their heads :o ) and my husband is more spontaneous and very generous.

Initially in our relationship I struggled with this, but after almost 30 years of happy cohabiting can almost smile at the routine..........I said almost ;) .

Happy holidays everyone.

Bawley

[bawley]

As this is the silly season and in view of Glebe's hilarious cut and paste..........I hope you get a laugh out of this..........



In this age of litigation, I am wishing you all a Merry Christmas, with the qualifiers and conditions set out below after a brief review with my lawyer.

(.......... ) Bless (God was deleted for legal reasons)



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