POLL- $$$ per child Christmas gifts

[elaine amj]

We spend about $25-$30 per kid for Christmas. I do expect to eventually up the amount when they are in their late teens. Their big gifts come from their grandparentsbwho soend about 50-100 per kid. Multiply by 4 grandparents and a Dec birthday and I am over whelmed. (Plus I do all the shopping for all 4 grandparents). I can't even imagine the mountains under the tree that most people do.

Frankly, my kids are so blessed with everything they need and want on a daily basis I often have a hard time with ideas for Christmas shopping anyway.

 

[oneprincessjo]

I currently only have one child, but god help us when we have number 2 whenever that may be. We are budgeting about $400-$500 this year. The one gift, which is a play kitchen runs about $280. Then we are getting a few small things for under the tree including things that we are specifically getting for our drive/trip to Disney... Including Ariel luggage, Disney clothes... Some toys and activities for the car ride.

Edit: we also never or very rarely buy toys unless it's her birthday or Christmas... So I feel like we make up for it during those times.

 

[pigletto]

Christmas is the big blow out around here. I usually spend 500 or so per child which is one big ticket item, sever smaller and stockings. They do not get "wants" much at all during the year. They save wants for Christmas and birthday wishes.
This year is different. We're going to Disney from the 13th to the 23rd. So that is their big gift and then some. This is our big yearly trip and out of the vacation budget but I have added extras that we don't normally do.
Therefore there is no big gift under the tree this year. They will still get smaller items and stockings. But I am thinking maybe 150-200 per child. Budgets vary. It was less when we were younger and struggling, and more now that we can budget for it. I don't go into debt for vacations or Christmas but save for both.

 

[wishesuponastar]

We try to stay around $200 for our 2 daughters but last year was about $350 because they got itouches and otter box and a little something else . This year we are going to try to spend about $100 on each because we want to try and save for a Disney trip next year. So they will get little things like one DD asked for an extra long charging wire for her iPhone.

 

[ilovejack02]

Usually 500 plus on the youngest at home , oldest who lives way , might not get as much , usually a check for 300 , new clothes and shoes . THis year it might be 100 or less per both. I am taking both to Disney and universal , plus ds24's girlfriend. Stockings , disney sweat shirt for all , 1 video game for the DS11 is all that will happen this year. We leave 1/3 for Orlando and will be gone for 9 days.

 

[wendow]

We have 4 kids and try to average about $150 per kid. The olders might get a bit more spent on them and the youngers a bit less.

Even though my oldest is 13yo, she isn't into electronics really. Still loves American Girl though which gets pricey. And she loves books. So she may get one expensive thing like an AG doll or accessory set and then a couple of smaller things...books, earrings, stuffed animal, etc.

Both of our families buy for our kids so they get plenty

 

[Moodyzblu]

We are in the $500 + range. Besides going to Disney and Christmas .. my kids don't ask for or get a whole lot during the year, so I don't mind spoiling them at Christmas.

 

[thebeesknees]

I try to aim for $100 per kid, but it usually winds up closer to $150 when I add in all the stocking stuff and other little things, if I am completely honest with myself. Both DSs still love Legos, so they will each get one larger set (around $80), and then a book, some pjs, and probably a couple things for their stockings. My parents and sister all send stuff for their stockings, so I don't add a whole lot there. DD is into American Girl and we got her Saige for this year. Add in a dress and some pjs and she is done. It sure adds up quick!

 

[mrsabbott]

We have 4 children and are currently on a very limited budget. I try to keep it under $100 each. One year, we bought them all one large gift that was also a family gift (a PS3). We got a really good price on it plus a couple of games, so we stayed under budget. We do only 3 gifts plus a few small things in their stockings. 1 gift from Santa and 2 gifts from us. Stockings are usually filled with some candy, new toothbrushes, bubble bath, etc..

I've always done a lot of homemade gifts. I gave homemade pickles and relish made with stuff from our garden last year. I bake cookies and goodies to give away. And I usually give pictures of the kids to family. I also found some cute ornaments that were inexpensive and gave to family.

I think that this year, I will still do my normal baking and give the pictures, but I will probably just donate money to a charity in honor of our family.

 

[EPCOTatNight]

My son is an only child and has mentioned that he wishes he had a brother. But, Christmas is one of the times that he is blessed to be an only child. We have no budget. It just depends on what he wants.

Sent from my IPad using DisBoards.

 

[Colleen27]

It varies wildly from child to child and year to year. We shoot for a more or less even number of things under the tree, but don't even attempt to keep the spending level. With a 15yo and a 5yo it just isn't practical.

This year will be an expensive year - DD12's big Christmas gift is going to be registration to a camp in her intended career field so she can get a taste of it, and between the camp and airfare to get her there it is no small cost. DS15 is also getting a camp registration, to an on-campus football skills camp at a school he admires. DD5? No clue. Nothing jumps out at me so far, and she's got more toys and books than three kids need (mostly because as the baby of the family she's got three kids' worth!). But whatever I come up with won't even come close to the price of the big kids' gifts.

 

[richmond282]

We also have an only child. I try to keep the budget for her Christmas gifts around $300 but it usually goes over a bit by the time I fill her stocking. I do buy things at consignment sales, used off ebay, and from my facebook yard sale group when I can. She doesn't care one bit. Last year I found an AG doll for her on the FB group for $50. I also use my swagbucks amazon gift cards to purchase a lot of gifts. So I don't actually end up forking over $300 OOP for Christmas. I do try my best to buy her things she wants and/or will use.

 

[asmit4]

OP here...figured I should chime in. We have an only child who will be 23 months for Christmas. As a result we don't have extra toys from prior children lying around. When he grows out of toys (as he has done with his true baby toys) we have nothing left besides books that engage him.

His birthday is also 1 month later- January 24th-- so it's basically 1 big bonanza for gifts and then almost an entire year with nothing.

I've done a mix of resale items that look brand new and actual new items. Right now my budget is hitting just under 250 and that's for a TON of stuff which he will likely play with for a full year, if not more.

For his birthday I'm around 125 right now.

I am an only child also and turned out ok I think - but I admit I was a bit spoiled. I knew I was and was grateful for all I received as a child. I just wanted to do this post to see just how 'out of wack' or 'in line' I was with other parents.

I'm sure many of us have wildly varying incomes- everything from 30K per family all the way up to 300K or more. We also have different traditions- some focus a lot on gift giving and others spread the cheer in other ways--also I think the age of our children and how many we each have plays a big role. For us- with no handmedown toys laying around I feel we need to buy more. If we had another- we'd just hand down the toys we already had. Gotta love those great brands like FIsher Price which last FOREVER. My son is still playing with toys my mom saved from MY childhood!

Anyway---thanks for the help! I now see I'm perhaps dead center for the amount we are spending We can afford to spend what we are spending so that's good too- I was just worried perhaps I was going WAY overboard when it came to 'averages'.

 

[darnheather]

This year because of the trip it's going to be less than $100 per child. Normally it's between 100-150. I make a lot of things and buy things on sale all year.

 

[richflour]

W

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

OP here...figured I should chime in. We have an only child who will be 23 months for Christmas. As a result we don't have extra toys from prior children lying around. When he grows out of toys (as he has done with his true baby toys) we have nothing left besides books that engage him.

His birthday is also 1 month later- January 24th-- so it's basically 1 big bonanza for gifts and then almost an entire year with nothing.

I am an only child also and turned out ok I think - but I admit I was a bit spoiled. I knew I was and was grateful for all I received as a child. I just wanted to do this post to see just how 'out of wack' or 'in line' I was with other parents.

We can afford to spend what we are spending so that's good too- I was just worried perhaps I was going WAY overboard when it came to 'averages'.

Our DS is a "lonely only", with a birthday on January 11th, so a very similar situation to your son. We found that Easter and/or the end of the school year (report card time) tended to be a time that we gave him other larger gifts....things for the spring and summer season like rollerblades, a new bike, etc. Restricting presents to just two back-to-back months of the year (winter ones, at that) just wasn't practical. And with 14 female cousins (!) and just two other males tossed in for good measure (one who was 10 years younger and one who was 10 years older), hand-me-downs from family just weren't an option.

I wouldn't worry about comparing what you spend vs. what others spend. Like you said, every family is different and every budget is different. There is a HUGE variance between our son's friends of what they each receive for Christmas, so I don't think there's any kind of a "normal" amount. We have had years where we spent upwards to $1000 on our DS during the holiday season....but yet he's turned out to be a thoughtful, caring, generous young fellow who is very much appreciative of everything he has. Spoiled? I guess some would say so. But I prefer the term "materially blessed". Its a perk of being an only child, and he knows it.

Our DS will be 18 in January, so we've been judged about the "spoiling" by many people for many years. You just have to shake it off and do what you think is right . When some of our family members (many of whom have three children vs. our one) give me their unsolicited input on what they think of our gift choices and quantities at Christmas, I remind them that I only have ONE college/university education to pay for, and that usually ends the discussion .

 

[goodfood4ursoul]

OP here...
My son is still playing with toys my mom saved from MY childhood!

.

Our parents kept everything in their attic from DH and my childhood.
Even in the original boxes.
When Thanksgiving came, we would go shopping in their attic for Christmas.
Kids are not aware where things come from at such young ages,
they did not know or care that these classic toys in great shape came from Grandma's attic, and it saved us a ton of money that we honestly did not have to spend on new toys.

And when they were older they LOVED knowing that Mom and Dad had actually played with the same toys.

I was cleaning out a closet last month and found some of those toys- still in great shape- real 100% metal Tonka fire truck with extendable ladder and a Winnebago camper from the 1970's- and so the countdown to grand kids begins because they will be the THIRD generation to have them to play with.

 

[lovin'fl]

I have 3 teens and spend about $200-250 per kid. When they were little I tried to keep it around $150 and it's been climbing since then. This year, just like in 2011, we will be at Disney for Xmas and they will only get $150 cash.

 

[It'sOffToDisneyWeGo]

It varies wildly from child to child and year to year. We shoot for a more or less even number of things under the tree, but don't even attempt to keep the spending level. With a 15yo and a 5yo it just isn't practical.

This year will be an expensive year - DD12's big Christmas gift is going to be registration to a camp in her intended career field so she can get a taste of it, and between the camp and airfare to get her there it is no small cost. DS15 is also getting a camp registration, to an on-campus football skills camp at a school he admires. DD5? No clue. Nothing jumps out at me so far, and she's got more toys and books than three kids need (mostly because as the baby of the family she's got three kids' worth!). But whatever I come up with won't even come close to the price of the big kids' gifts.

It varies with us too. I do not even try to compare the teenager to the five year old.

 

[mom2alix]

I keep spreadsheets each year (mainly so I remember to dig out things I bought ahead of time ) Has anyone else found hidden Christmas presents in February?

Anyway, we are usually over $400, but Santa brings lots of practical items as well as toys and "wants". New socks and underwear are always in the stockings and the kids get at least one new outfit as well as a set of PJs. About a third of the budget goes to those more practical items.