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S/O money talk and Christmas

jennylynne_01jennylynne_01
in Stay at Home Moms
MamatoJackson got me thinking about Christmas!  :)  So with all this money talk, what is an appropriate amount to spend on your child for Christmas?  This is my first child and she will be 13 months when Christmas rolls around.  DH thinks I shouldn't spend a lot (we didn't last year b/c she was only a month old) but I really want to splurge a little now that she will be a little older and able to enjoy toys more and opening the presents.  Not to be nosey, but how much do you all spend on each child?  You don't have to list dollar amounts if that makes you uncomfortable but do you go all out or just a couple items? 
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Re: S/O money talk and Christmas

  • AndrewsgalAndrewsgal member
    I think the appropriate amount is what is comfortable for you family. If you can still pay your bills and it does not put you in debt all is good. We go all out and spend quite a bit overall.
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  • ali-1411ali-1411 member

    I think we spend about $200 on DD, and probably $300 or even $350 on DS.  He's older, his toys cost more :)

    We came up with those amounts by looking around and deciding what we wanted to buy them.  I knew ahead of time what they would get, I didn't go shopping and buy stuff at random.  And we only spent what we could pay off by end of January.

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  • lwrigley2000lwrigley2000
    Depending on what family members want to get for him, we'll fill in the gaps. I don't like having a housefull of stuff just to have "stuff". If I think there will be something he'll be really interested in or get a lot of use out of, then I think it's worth it.
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  • EveryNameIWantIsTakenEveryNameIWantIsTaken member

    My family (parents) go way overboard so last year there were a couple things that I really wanted to get ds so I got those and then filled in with a few smaller things.  We definitely didn't go all out, and probably won't again this year unless we have extra income coming in around that time.  He got from us 5 gifts last year I think.  He was 10 months and couldn't have cared less lol.

    This year though it will be fun to see him unwrap things because at his birthday he was totally starting to get the idea.

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  • BoizmomBoizmom member
    We have a set dollar amount right now.  We try to get the same number of gifts because that's what's important to our oldest boys right now.  When they start to get older and their wants start to become more expensive, making sure they get the same number of gifts won't be as important to them. 
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  • gatogrrlgatogrrl member
    We got DD a play kitchen as a big ticket item.  After that, just a few very inexpensive toys, books, and clothes.
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  • Stacyc625Stacyc625 member

    Totally do what is right for your family- and sit down and compromise with DH on a budget.

    We don't have family gifts to buy for- (and Gisele doesn't receive gifts from family- really- just her uncle in NH) so it is not like we are inundated with gifts. That being said- I picked an amount (200.00) and really found a lot of AMAZING deals- ESPECIALLY on Amazon- and I had free Amazon prime shipping- so I really came out majorly ahead. She got a dollhouse as a big gift and then Little People bus, airplane and tractor (I got all three brand new on Amazon for 11.00 - one usually costs 20+), puzzles, Violet (dog from LF), tons of art supplies, a ball tent with a tunnel, an easel, etc.

    There is a definite way to stretch the money if you are saavy buying online.

    This Christmas- especially with the new little guy- we aren't buying as many gifts (solely for space purposes) and are going with a membership to the children's museum as their big gift. She got a zoo membership for her birthday and I am a BIG advocate for buying/gifting towards memberships.

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  • jenifairiesjenifairies

    We really did go crazy (by our standards) for Christmas last year. We didn't buy a whole lot throughout the year, so we threw it all out for Christmas. I was thinking about it after I answered Mama's post and I'm pretty sure we spent more than what I answered there. lol This year we're going to be more reasonable because she really already has so much stuff.

    For her first Christmas (nearly 8m) we got clothes, books, different toys for her age (those musical drum things & others), fp toddler kitchen, some little people sets. I bought a few things off CL.

    Last year we got a house, doll house, cozy coupe, and so much other stuff that it was nuts. She needed more age appropriate toys, but we went overboard, really.

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  • MrsRebeccaMrsRebecca member
    We're probably spending about $75. This year he is getting 2 gifts: one from us and one from Santa. Next year he will get more.
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  • jennylynne_01jennylynne_01
    I started a Christmas Club at our bank this year to pay for Christmas, I've saved up around 1,000 dollars.  Obviously that is not all going to DD but it will help pay for all of our families gifts and our Thanksgiving dinner items and any Christmas groceries we will need.  DH thinks if I spend any more than 100 dollars of that money than I will be spending too much.  I was thinking more along the line of a couple hundred or so.  I don't really have any "big items" because she'll only be 13 months.  Maybe next year, but I just can't imagine being able to buy her much with only 100 dollars?  My mom worked her fingers to the bone every year to provide a really nice Christmas for me and that was always something I looked forward to as a kid, I want DD to be able to enjoy it too.  Not saying I would go crazy and spoil her but at least have a decent amount of presents for her. 
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  • taggiecbtaggiecb member
    we focus more on what we want to get them, and then work around that.  We don't really go out with a dollar amount and say " what can we get for this?"
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  • sparky88sparky88
    My DD will be 21 months at Christmas this year.  We shop throughout the year.  So far we've bought her a handmade sweater w/ hair clips and an apron that we found at a street fair on vacation.  I want to find a nice set of wooden blocks and a tricycle, too.  We usually end up in the ballpark of $100-200. 
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  • DochasDochas member
    Ours will be so little, I think we're going to cheap out!  I have a lot of siblings though and this is the first boy in quite a while so I think he'll get a lot of toys.  Next year he'll be around your daughter's age and I really think we'll go crazy.  After that it will probably be different every year - some years a splurge for something he really wants.  I can't see spending a crazy amount of money every year (like $1000) because, for me, it would take the special out of it.
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  • HarrietNJMommyHarrietNJMommy

    imageAndrewsgal:
    I think the appropriate amount is what is comfortable for you family. If you can still pay your bills and it does not put you in debt all is good. We go all out and spend quite a bit overall.

    Ditto! 

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