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We spend about $170 per kid. $100 from Mom & Dad, $50 from Santa, and $20 for stocking stuffers. Here's a breakdown from last year:
Stockings
Stuffed animal
Christmas book - Activity Book
Monster Trucks
Bath Toys
Candy
Matchbox cars (Cars 3 cars)From Santa
$50/each
PJ Masks Headquarters ($55) - for both
Gekko Mobile ($10) - for Xander
Owlette Flyer ($10) - for Logan
PJ Masks Set ($19) - separate and give Catboy/Owlette to Xander, Catboy/Gekko to Logan, everything else to both
Total: $94 ($47/each)Xander & Logan
Chutes and Ladders ($9)
Hot Wheels Track Set ($14)
Fisher-Price Imaginext DC Figures ($23)
Total: $46 ($23/each)Xander - From Mom & Dad
$100
PJ Masks Shirts ($25)
3x PJ Masks Books ($15)
Air Patroller ($25)
Hot Wheels Mega Hauler ($10)
Total: $75+ $23 (combined) = $98Logan - From Mom & Dad
$100
PJ Masks Shirts ($25)
3x PJ Masks Books ($15)
Paw Patroller ($30)
Submarine Bath Toy ($6)
Total: $76 + $23 (combined) = $99 -
I have no idea, I don't keep track. My son's birthday is also in December and he asks for a party (he didn't when he was younger so it's a big deal that he wants to host now so I oblige), so the entire month of December is one huge blowout in terms of cash outlay. I would be shocked if I spent less than $1000 last year, between the birthday and Christmas.
It gets more challenging as the kids get older, they want more complicated things and it's not as easy to fill your shopping cart for $100. As an example, my son asked for Nintendo Labo. It requires the switch, which is $299, plus the kits are around $70.
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Wow that seems like a lot to me - I could see the amount we spend going up a little as the kids get older and need/want more expensive things.
Right now, my son gets so many gifts from family as well at Christmas and his birthday, I don't really feel like we have to do much from us - like he's getting gifts from both grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc so he's already getting a lot.
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@Silva: You don't have to defend yourself on what you are spending, I certainly don't!
I just dislike spend shaming.
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@looch: Agree!
If you got the money, or buy/save gifts throughout the year, I think it's fantastic! I guess it makes sense too if you count every little thing from little socks to big toy items.
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@Hypatia: Yeah now reading everyone's response, it's not a crazy as I though!
I think the main difference is I buy throughout the year based on need/deals, so if I had added all those things up and saved them all for Christmas, it would probably add up to that amount anyway!
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That sounds like a lot to me, but to be honest, we are always buying our kids stuff throughout the year, to the point where it is excessive and we are trying to cut back. They receive so many birthday and Christmas gifts that we (as parents) don't feel the need to then buy something larger and more expensive on top of that. We usually will just buy them something functional that's needed at the time--clothes or workbooks, dresser or a new big girl bed, etc. Not really anything they would see as a gift. If we cut down on yearly spending overall for gifts, then I could see the need for splurging more for Christmas. Sometimes I worry our kids don't know the value of things because they essentially have everything they want or could ever need (within reason, but at ages 4 and 2, the smallest things are big things to them). As parents we're also trying to spend less and live without clutter just because all the kids toys gives me mental stress. I know parents who don't buy their kids things throughout the year, and instead splurge on holidays. That totally makes sense and I'm sure it all evens out. I just never saw an amount written out like that, looks like $$$! But every family is different and there's no shame in spending a lot.
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@Silva: @looch: I dislike spend shaming too. Christmas is big for me. Besides birthdays and Easter we don't buy our kids new toys. (We would buy a new bike if they needed it or buy things that they need but not frivolous things they want just because. They are certainly welcome to use their own money for these things.)
This year my kids will be 6 and 8, both boys. I actually wouldn't be surprised if I spent close to $100 just filling each of their stockings. I don't get them a lot of candy and I dislike junk filler. So they get real gifts in there just small. Think movies, hanna andersson unders, nike and under armour socks (these can easily be $10 a pair), new winter hats or mittens, small lego packs, books, gift cards, water bottles, lego sticker books, card games, etc.
Also our families barely buy our kids anything. I have many friends whose grandparents shell out a ton. My kids get one gift from each set of grandparents, and one aunt & uncle and its generally JUNK. (Something bought on sale, that they often don't want or a knock off of something they do want (that breaks in a couple weeks), or something wildly age inappropriate (like a baby gift for a 2 year old.))
Last year we got them an xbox, extra controller, and a couple games to share($250).
One got a PB comforter with NFL teams ($100)
One got the imaginext batbot ($100)
Then they each had accessory gifts that probably added up to another $100 (nba jersey, snuggie, dressup, matchbox, magnatiles, etc). And they each had about $100 stocking. So yeah- they each had about 5 gifts and a stocking and we were probably right at $450. -
For us it changes a bit year over year, now that they are getting a bit bigger I am getting into more of a routine.
Santa: 2 gifts and a stocking...usually around $50-75 per kid. Could be one gift if they want something bigger. Stocking is pretty boring stuff (socks, underwear, dollar spot stuff).
Mom & Dad: Sometimes there is a big item we want to get them (bounce house two years ago), sometimes they each want a bigger thing (Doll House for DD1 and Tent/Tunnel for DD2 last year). I'd say we end up around $300 in this category for both girls...sometimes its a big joint gift...sometimes its smaller individual gifts. Plus some necessities (winter coats/gear is always something Mom and Dad get them).
Splurges: If a deal is hot and I get impulsive I have been known to splurge. Its usually no more than $100 total. Last year I caught a Target deal for a set of 12 disney princess dolls for $60, so I got it and DD1s dollhouse was full of princesses.
Other things...$100ish. We do a December Box full of Christmas inspired activities. Always a new movie and christmas jammies, plus some dollar spot things to add to it.
Experiences: Santa brunches, polar express, nutcracker tickets. It varies per year but it does add up.
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@Sams Mom: Sorry, lol'd to your dad's comment although I would be NOT happy with DH if he said the same thing. I do agree though and most of our gifts are from 'us' with just a few Santa presents.
My goal is around $100 or less per kid. Last year I spent $140 on our teenager, $65 on the 3 year old and $55 on the 1 year old (did good!) and then $75 on our Christmas box which includes gifts for everyone, last year was socks (matching pj's the year before), Beauty and the Beast Blue-ray, Taylor Swift CD, coffee, hot cocoa and candy/crackers.
It does get harder with the teen b/c her wants are more expensive, last year was a North Face coat and since I don't want her to have only 1 gift to open, she gets extras.
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@josina: my mom was not impressed, but I crack up about it now. But I would be sooooo mad at my husband if he said something like that.
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Maybe $150/ kid...
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I would have to somewhat agree to that average. We both have childhood memories of waking up Christmas morning to a pile of presents. It’s one day of the year where the kids are truly spoiled and hey...we use it to our advantage because our kids are usually well behaved for a solid 2 months before Santa comes
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This will be LO's first Christmas, so no past experience, but I really want to create a norm of keeping things low-key in terms of presents. I'm not even sure if we'll get him anything this year, as he is not old enough to have expectations and I suspect the grandparent gifts (only grandchild on both sides) will be sufficient.
The big $ item for us is travel to see family, since none of our family lives within driving distance and plane tickets are so expensive around the holidays.
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We probably spent around $100-200 last year for DD, but are planning to spend $100 MAX this year. (ETA: I checked my spreadsheet from last year: we spent $75 on DD last year)
Our budget is limited by what we can afford; if I could go crazy, I certainly, without a doubt would. However, it is important to me to give well thought-out gifts, so it wouldn't be stuff for the sake of stuff, just bigger items and/or higher quality items.
Since we're limited by our income, I just make it a priority to know what I want, and shop around all year long. We do the 4 things, but it really ends up being 4 categories, not 4 things.
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I mostly buy a few things over the year and keep them in a gift closet. I pull everything out before Christmas and her birthday to inventory and fill in gaps.
So far I got her a bathrobe and some indoor slippers for her school.
Oh that note I also store toys from the holidays and give them to her year round.
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I spend a lot.... like @silva I love a big Christmas and my parents did it BIG and I remember it being so magical and awesome and I want the same for my kids. DH and I work hard to be able to provide and so far my kids are well behaved, moral, sweet little things.. so I go over board. I spread my purchases out all year.. I already have about 5 or 6 things for DD and 2 things for DS.
DH usually gets into the spirit the week before Christmas and will come up with some huge gift he wants to get the kids so he'll do that so $$ wise I'm sure we probably spend about what the original post said.....I think this year he's thinking an ipod for DD and a ride on suv for DS.
We do differ though on the santa gifts vs from us gifts. I prefer to give most everything as "from santa" bc I feel like that is what creates the magic.. but DH is like @Sams Mom: dad.. he wants credit plus he thinks it's not fair if DD or DS go to school and go on and on about lots of santa gifts when there might be less fortunate kids who only get one gift from santa(he grew up poor so I think this plays into it for him....).... and I get it..... so we try to balance it.
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I probably spend that much per kid. I loooove Christmas, and like a few others have said, I like a big Christmas. I try to reign myself in, so the kids don’t get overwhelmed, but it’s hard. I probably spend $100 per kid on stockings (from Santa) and then four or five or six presents (I usually start out planning/telling my husband I’ll do four, and then doing six) from us. One is always a package of books, because I really want them to be readers. My husband is worried about spoiling them but I think it’s ok to spoil kids at Christmas, and also it’s really more for me - it makes me so happy to see how excited they are.
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@Ajsmommy: My DH experienced that with his best friend. His friend was much poorer. They talked about what they got for Christmas, and the friend wondered why he had gotten so much less. He concluded that he must have been a lot more badly behaved than my DH. DH wanted to argue but he was at a loss for any other explanation. I think kids could easily reason that other parents make more money in their different jobs and thus give more presents. But when they think Santa is real, it’s like they have no choice but to believe that it is their fault.
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