How much do you spend on your kids for Christmas?

Ginger123

Just curious what others spend on their kids for Christmas gifts and what are there ages?

JellymanKelly

We always exchange gifts with our extended family, so we don't spend more than $100 on our kids. They get plenty from everyone else. This year is different, though, because DS (5.5) asked for an iPad and then changed that to a Kindle Fire, or a CANDLE Fire, as he calls it. He's getting that and a few other things, totaling about $250. The 1.5 year old's gifts will probably total about $100. I also spent more on DS1 this year because I feel guilty about his dad leaving and am trying to make this Christmas really exciting for him.

j-w

We spent about $400 on each kid.  6 years and 3 years.

august06mom

DS1, 5, will probably spend about $75, maybe $100 with stocking stuffers

DS2, 8 months at Christmas, will probably spend $30

 

ETA: Part of the reason we don't need to spend that much is because they have extremely generous grandparents who always buy them many things.

Jodi&Joe

Way more than the Nest norm.

This gets asked every year and honestly, it's a huge range.  There are many that spend about $150-200 per kid (I think that's probably the norm here).  Maybe this would get answered better if you were to do a poll:

under $100 per kid

$100-150 per kid

$150-250 per kid

so on and so forth.

FWIW, Joey is 7 and Cam is 5.5.  We will likely spend $600-700 per kid.  Every thing they want is $50-100 per item.  That means they are getting 6-7 items, per kid and 3 of those are from Santa.  (In all likelihood, they will get about 10 items each.  But some of those will only be $5-20 items (new sledding tubes, a puzzle, etc).  My parents used to spend $300 per kid and there were 3 of us.  So they had $1k Christmases.  We go a bit over that but I like to chalk it up to inflation! 

lollitots

From $50 to $200 per kid, depending on what they want. Ages 3, 5 & 6.

Carol*Brady2

$300-400 each, ages 2.5, 4 & 7.

melmax

Last year, I spent $400 per kid (they were 18 mos and 4)- but I got them a big gift that cost $400 itself (escalade power wheels). This year, I'm not doing the big gift, and I shopped on Black friday for the first time ever, so I spent $400 for both.

Ginger123

melmax:

Last year, I spent $400 per kid (they were 18 mos and 4)- but I got them a big gift that cost $400 itself (escalade power wheels). This year, I'm not doing the big gift, and I shopped on Black friday for the first time ever, so I spent $400 for both.

 melmax, what kind of doll house is that in your picture? DD #2 has a barbie dollhouse on her wish list this year....

Melett

$300-400 per kid(not the baby) this is for our 6 and 4 year old. I need to keep better track, I was just wondering this. I normally make it so they have one big main gift and then some others-usually ten gifts each but some are small like a book or movie. I hardly ever buy them anything else during the year except for birthdays so I don't mind spending a lot at Christmas..

DandelionMom

I try to keep it to under $200 a kid.  They get so much for Christmas, it is kinda insane.  The older girls have birthdays within a week of Christmas and we have large extended families that spoil them.  On Christmas they'll be 10, 8, and 5.

wellfleet04

Totally depends on what they want/what I feel like buying.  Last year they were 1.5 and 3.5 and I spent less than $100 on each of them.  DD asked for a $9 pretty pony and that was what she got.  DS was little and didn't need/know to ask for much.  I got them mostly things like art supplies, board games, books, etc. 

This year it will probably be around $200 on DD because she asked for an Am Girl doll, and less on DS because, again, he doesn't care much, but enough to make it seem "fair" in DD's eyes (not in terms of cost, just so it doesn't seem like Santa/we are getting her more than him).  They each get one gift from Santa, a few to share (board games, etc that are more for the whole family than individual kids), and a gift, book, and stocking from us.  That's it.  I feel like that is more than enough when they are this little.  Plenty of excitement opening things etc, but not a ridiculous amount of stuff.  I'm sure when they are older and asking for ipods etc we will spend more.

Emiliana7

We don't have a $ amount but each kid gets 3 presents. I would say it averages out to be about $80-$100 each kid total.

We were going to get DD a bike but when I mentioned it to my mom, she said that she (and my dad) were getting a bike for her. So, that got off my list fo things to buy. But if we had bought her one instead it would made her total around$150.

What DD is getting this year from DH and me: Pillow pet, small dollhouse and dollhouse stuff (came all together for $20! from CVS black friday sale) and a remote control Lightening McQueen.

DS is getting the Little People Noah's ark set, a pull toy with gears that also interchange with another toy he already has, and a hot wheels race car track set (a small one)- the race car set is a little old for him so he'll have to be supervised with it due to the wheels and other small parts, but he loves cars.

We limit to help instill more about Christmas is about Jesus than gifts, and also because my parents go overboard with stuff for them.

jettagurl

The older two (4 & 5.5) will be about $250 each, but that includes Leappads for both and stocking stuffers  (that includes a Wii game for each). 

The twins (2 y.o.) will be about $75 each.  I just happened to get some great deals, and they are getting some add-ons to sets we already have (trains, dolls, wood food, etc). 

 

peekaboo716

Well, so far, we have only bought one gift for our 3yo DD ($35), and 3 gifts for our 5 yo DS ($46). I am not sure what we will spend, but it will likely be under $200 per child.

Jaylea

For DD, who's 5, probably $150 or so.

For DS, who's 10 months, a lot less. Maybe $30-50. He's too young to know better.

DD just had her birthday and I am already overwhelmed by the new stuff. Then you add in grandparents' gifts and aunt/uncle - and they just don't need a lot from  us.

Also, I already feel like my house is overrun with "stuff" so I don't want that much more coming in.

MrsStubbs

I guessing about 150 before stocking stuffers. By the time I'm done coming up with ideas for the grandparents, there will be nothing left for us to get.

DD is getting a nintendo DS, on sale for $75-85 (last year)

Pop the pig

DS is getting a radio flyer spring horse $113

 

katie277s

Anywhere from $100-$200 per child.  This year, we got DS1 a Nintendo 3DS, so that was nearly our whole budget, but he'll get a few more little things from us and plenty from his grandparents.  

Temp970088312507122

About $150 per kid. They are 2 and 4.5. 

They each get a nice outfit, a book, a toy they both really want, and then maybe 1-2 smaller toys, plus some stocking stuffers. 

passar3588

$200 per kid - they are 5, 3, and 2

Temp108743750006959

I have one kid and I spent around $400. I try to control myself, but I do a lousy job.

lildevil968

$250-300 this year. DD also asked for a Kindle Fire, so that was over half of our budget for her. She also wanted a pair of diamond earings so she got those as well. DS we might spend about $200. Most of his gifts are under $30 a piece.

KellyGreen

DS2 is only 1 and does't need much.  DS1 prob gets about $500 worth of stuff, but I try to be very efficient when I create my wish lists for grandparents, aunts/uncles - I try to spend as little as possible of our own $. 

JenniC1135

I don't pay close attention, but I'd estimate about $400 per child.  This year it's not making a big pile of presents - DD wanted an American Girl doll and DS1 wanted the Lego Millenium Falcon kit, which was $120 when we bought it back in September.  DS2 is getting an expensive Star Wars Lego thing too.  I'm not apologetic about what I spend - I don't spend more than we can afford, and I like doing it big for Christmas morning.

winomom22

I spent $200 plus stocking stuffers on DD1 this year-she is 5. I spent a little under $200 for DD2 including stocking stuffers. Last year got a little out of control so I am trying budget a little better. 

ghm

I spent a little under $300 total, including a wii. I may spend a bit more. I usually don't spend a lot but money is tight this year

eclaires

It kind of just depends on the year and what the kids (well, Jackson) ask for.

I try to make it even in Jackson's eyes (like wellfleet mentioned - so he doesn't question why Santa brings him more than Scarlett since there is such an age difference between the two), but other than that, it really varies from year to year.

We generally do one big gift from Santa for each child, maybe a few smaller (or one big) gift for them to share, and then gifts from us.  We do stockings on St. Nick's day so I don't usually re-do them Christmas morning but we might do them this year and let the kids (Jackson) pick out things to put in everyone's stockings or make somethings...

If there's a huge price difference (like last year, for example), we just put extra in Scarlett's college fund.  Present # was pretty equal last year, but the price was way different just b/c of what Scarlett would like at the time (3m old).

r9stedt

$118.56 (or as close to that as I can) 

The amount I get in child support for one month.  

Be jealous.

MayorMcCheese000

When all is said and done, it is probably around $400-$500 for each kid. We do big Christmas's at my house and I honestly don't buy my kids a lot of toys throughout the year so I don't think it's too much.

eta: Oh their ages are SD-12, DS-5, DD-2

stellasam

I have one DS, who is 3, and I will spend about $200... probably a little more after stocking stuffers. Although I am a little in awe of those who spend $400+ per kid, I guess if we had the means we would too...

AggieCouple

We don't really have a budget, but that is not to say we spend a ton.  I try to fulfill their wants/needs, and sometimes that's a lot, sometimes it's not.  Last year, most of what they wanted was under $15'ish, so it ended up being $150-$200'ish for a ton of stuff for each of them.  This year, we are spending more, but are giving them less things, mainly because of the iPhones, which ran us $180 for both.  I know I want their big present from Santa to be their own Wii-motes, and after that I'll try to spend no more than $50-60 total on each.