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We typically spend about $100.00 per child for xmas. We have a tradition of getting each child one book, one game, and one toy (plus stocking stuffers like candy, an orange, little stuff from 'Santa').
But now they are getting older and ask for more expensive toys. My six year old saw a large robot WALL-E and has asked for it for xmas. I told him that we can not afford that and he said "you don't have to. I can ask Santa for it".
Yikes. How do you handle THAT one?
My mom's answer to this was that mommy and daddy had to send Santa money for the supplies to make the bigger electronic toys. We totally bought it. LOL.
I shared his "Santa" list with the grandparents and hopefully he won't notice that not all the things that he wants won't come from Santa. We try to budget for about $200.00 for son. Only child, but we don't go over board. The big gift is something that he doesn't ask for but will love. Last year it was the Leapster LMAX with 6 games. Great price and I can add to the games this year to go with the age and grade he is in.
The one thing he asked for last year was the Omnitrix from Ben 10. We got it for him. What a priceless picture that was when he saw that under the tree! The rest of the holiday budget is spent on 8 nieces and nephews and a couple of close friends kids. Usually around $20 per kid. Oldest nieces and nephews now are graduating from High School so we'll give money, to support the gas tank in their cars!
Usually get small gifts for parents and siblings. Not buying for siblings this year. Moving 2 weeks before Christmas and wont have it in the budget to get lots of extra gifts. Hopefully they will understand.
From "Santa", my 6 year old is getting a dollhouse ($150), my 8 year old a Millenium Falcon ($150) and my soon-to-be adopted 17 year old is getting a $150 Prepaid Visa. There will be other, smaller things around those big gifts plus stocking stuffers... I'll probably spend about $75 per kid for those things. Then there will be the gifts from Grandparents (around $50 each) plus savings bonds, and Great Grandmas (around $25 each), then various aunts and uncles ($15-$25 each).
This is an unusually big year. Their big gifts have only been $50-75 each in the past. But we can afford it. We weren't counting on the "big kid", but I'm sure we'll squeak by somehow.
With kids wanting so many expensive electronics, what is your budget per child? I'm focusing more on teens, but others are welcome. Please list the child age and budget.
We try to stick to under $500 per child. I know it seems like a lot but we try to buy things that will last longer. My daughter loves electronics so this year she is getting an ipod, wii fit, dvd's, cd's, and money for summer camp. Not a lot of stuff in quantity but it all cost a good bit. My son will get a few toys here and there since he is younger but we are focusing on getting him started with a train table and system. Something that he will hopefully enjoy for several years!
I try to buy stuff through out the year, my 5 yrold loves to dress up, so I can get him non scary costumes at a discount after halloween. He wants either a talking, walking Lighting mcqueen or the banshee thingy. He will get one or the other, and some small things to go with it. The baby just a few toys. My parents spoli them to much, I keep saying that they do not need it. The husband I am getting him a cd changer stero and some shirts all 3 will get stockings. My husband useally does not get me a present but he will give me 100 to buy clothes.
I never really thought of it as a budget per child when the boys were little/teens, it was more of what they wanted vs. what we could afford. The only criteria we had was making sure they got the same amount of gifts - these kids would count how many each one had ! We laughed about this just yesterday, as my oldest is now married and expecting a child of his own, and has a 5 year old step-son in the mix. We told him how we sometimes had to rush to the store 'minutes' before because one had a few more presents than the other...needless to say he hung his head in shame and said he was sorry...we had a good laugh - kids are kids!
I do think this go round - third child is 8 months - we are smarter and will focus not so much on the commercial aspect. I want Morgan to feel it is a special time of year, understand the meaning, and not be so shallow - as I allowed the older ones to be.
With little kids it's easy. Toys are cheap and you can load up for next to nothing. But the electronics do get out of hand, and those years the numbers would be the same, but fewer under the tree. We asked for a list right after halloween, and told them 'Santa' would decide what was best. That worked for a while, and when the 'Santa' days were over (the saddest day of my life), we still played the game and they understood HE would do the best he could.
I think as parents, we know when we are going overboard, and sometimes it's okay, but keeping US in focus is the hard part. It is a good lesson for the kids to learn when they are teens that money doesn't grow on trees, and even though it is Christmas, things must still be reasonable.
I think this is why I always dreaded this time of year. Boy have I learned my lesson!
I have 3 kids, and I usually budget around $100-$150 per kid. The last few yrs I have been going over that, especially with my 14yr old son. They all already have more toys than they need....usually a month before Christmas I have to go thru their bedrooms and throw away stuff. I live in a small house and just don't have the space for it, especially in my daughters' bedroom since they have to share.
This year I'm going to scale back a little.
$80-$100 for my 7 yr old
$100-$120 for my 12 yr old & 14 yr old
I don't feel bad if there are only a few presents under the tree, as I'd rather they learn to appreciate a few small things than get overloaded with a large quantity of stuff. Now if I could just stop Grandmas & Dad from buying large quantities! I tried to tell everyone last yr to scale back since I don't have the space!!! It's so wasteful.
My 14 yr old has a Bday right after Christmas, and he is asking for a PS3 as a combined Bday/Christmas present. I told him he can work @ McDonald's once he turns 15 and save for it. He helped buy his XBox360 last summer by earning 1/2 the money babysitting and doing work around the house.
I try not to budget too much either, at least not buy making a mental note of a figure to not go over. I look at the list, put them in order of 'want' and buy until the cash runs out.
My 7 y.o. wants that huge robotic dinosaur ($130), an ipod nano ($140), super mario DS ($130), and the electronic puppy that moves ($70). Not to mention other smaller ticket items. In the past I focused more on the dolls and accessories but year after year of seeing these toys collect dust not even a month later I decided to buy things that would hold interest during the year- like the DS and MP3 player.
I'm going to cross one thing off the list (most likely the ipod) and get the rest. Compared to what my own mother brought myself and my siblings every Christmas- what I have to spend is pretty tame.
Not that there is anything wrong with it, but I couldn't imagine buying 1 gift for Christmas if I could afford more than that. My friend told me once his brothers and sisters received 1 gift to share!
I only have one child and she is 2 years old. But we do both Channukah and Christmas. I spent about $100 on Channukah and $150 on Christmas for her this year.
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