What's your Christmas budget per kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To those who said $100-$200 per child (especially for younger kids) can I ask what you buy them? I'm trying to do a list on a budget and come up with about $500 total for my one child. Just need some better ideas I think so maybe some of you can help. (We have one 3 yo)

My question to you is, what are you thinking of getting for a 3 year old that adds up to $500? I will probably spend around $75-$100 on my 3 year old. She will most likely be getting a Melissa and Doug baby doll ($15), the feeding accessory kit for that ($15), two rooms for her dollhouse ($30 total), some PlayDoh and one of the contraptions for it ($20) and a stocking with play jewelry and small trinkets. Last year, when she was 2, I went a little crazy and she literally opened 3 presents and got way too overwhelmed. So I opened the rest up for it and she played with almost none of it that day because it was all just so much. I got her a baby stroller, FIVE Melissa and Doug puzzles, a few books, a couple DVDs for the long car trip we were taking, a Magnadoodle, an Aquadoodle... I can't even remember what all. And it was just such a waste because it was too much. This year, with only 3-4 things to focus on, I think she'll be MUCH happier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To those who said $100-$200 per child (especially for younger kids) can I ask what you buy them? I'm trying to do a list on a budget and come up with about $500 total for my one child. Just need some better ideas I think so maybe some of you can help. (We have one 3 yo)

My 3 year old is getting a target bike ($59) and a helmet ($25) from Santa. Plus stocking stuffers

how are you getting a bike at Target for $59? I was just there and looked online and nothing is that cheap. I don't recall ever seeing sales for that low.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To those who said $100-$200 per child (especially for younger kids) can I ask what you buy them? I'm trying to do a list on a budget and come up with about $500 total for my one child. Just need some better ideas I think so maybe some of you can help. (We have one 3 yo)

My 3 year old is getting a target bike ($59) and a helmet ($25) from Santa. Plus stocking stuffers

how are you getting a bike at Target for $59? I was just there and looked online and nothing is that cheap. I don't recall ever seeing sales for that low.

Look at walmart. They are around $50-75 there for an inexpensive kids bike.

[Anonymous]

Dh and I will spend maybe 200 on the tween, 40 on the toddler (an electric keyboard perhaps or a guitar), nothingon the baby (she doesnt really knwo the difference).

and now, I'd like to vent about christmas But I have a stepparent and parent who send an obscene amount of stupid gifts--like a giant box of crap that they buy while traveling around the world, that we don't want--I'm talking truly useless stuff, like ugly leather hats for DH or knitted tea cosy, or hideous change purses and lots and lots of sweatshirts---and that clutters up the house and that we have to pretend we're grateful for and if we're not speedy or effusiveness enough with our gratefulness I get crap for it. When I was younger I'dbe presented with loads of wrappred presents, but literally none of them in the slightest bit useful or desirable. For 4 years running, when I was a teen, I told my parent/step that I would love a new bike. Instead they must have spent 2k on random crap that I never used. Bead purses, a hat made from the underbelly hair of a musk ox (whenI lived in the west coast and didn'tneed warm hats), hideous place mats, etc. They continue to do it evennow that I'm an adult and have said for years that we're trying not to have too much stuff in the house, or raise the kids with a sense of entitlement, and that we'd prefer just one gift, or just their company, etc. and every year we get the boxes and boxes of ties, frig magnets, placemats, credit card holders, crazy socks, ugly jewelry, native american pottery, leather wallets from Italy, clothes that don't fit, beadwork dolls, etc. Never once have they asked if there is anything our kids might want or need. And then, we feel stupid and cheap for not sending them 40 things, but we can't afford it (and yes, they also buy each other 40 or so presents each. WTF).

I really hate the whole gift giving thing--they have ruined it for me for life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dh and I will spend maybe 200 on the tween, 40 on the toddler (an electric keyboard perhaps or a guitar), nothingon the baby (she doesnt really knwo the difference).

and now, I'd like to vent about christmas But I have a stepparent and parent who send an obscene amount of stupid gifts--like a giant box of crap that they buy while traveling around the world, that we don't want--I'm talking truly useless stuff, like ugly leather hats for DH or knitted tea cosy, or hideous change purses and lots and lots of sweatshirts---and that clutters up the house and that we have to pretend we're grateful for and if we're not speedy or effusiveness enough with our gratefulness I get crap for it. When I was younger I'dbe presented with loads of wrappred presents, but literally none of them in the slightest bit useful or desirable. For 4 years running, when I was a teen, I told my parent/step that I would love a new bike. Instead they must have spent 2k on random crap that I never used. Bead purses, a hat made from the underbelly hair of a musk ox (whenI lived in the west coast and didn'tneed warm hats), hideous place mats, etc. They continue to do it evennow that I'm an adult and have said for years that we're trying not to have too much stuff in the house, or raise the kids with a sense of entitlement, and that we'd prefer just one gift, or just their company, etc. and every year we get the boxes and boxes of ties, frig magnets, placemats, credit card holders, crazy socks, ugly jewelry, native american pottery, leather wallets from Italy, clothes that don't fit, beadwork dolls, etc. Never once have they asked if there is anything our kids might want or need. And then, we feel stupid and cheap for not sending them 40 things, but we can't afford it (and yes, they also buy each other 40 or so presents each. WTF).

I really hate the whole gift giving thing--they have ruined it for me for life.

Hey, I thought only MY mom did that!

[Anonymous]

I totally hear you. I'm in the same boat. I tried to say something nice to my parent (not the step) and it didn't work. The only thing that I can suggest is that intercept the package before your kids get to it in case your kids like all of the stuff -- that way you can get rid of it without anyone knowing about it. Pick out one thing that your kids might like from them.

Do your parents visit during the holidays? My parent never listened to any suggestion until recently when they saw my DS open up a truck, and one that he really wanted. My kids are very sweet when they receive a gift no matter how odd or pointless, but they can't hold their enthusiasm when they open a present that they truly love, and it was that comparison that my step-mom saw recently and now she gets it. She still buys too much.

[Anonymous]

OOPS, PP Here, I quoted myself instead of the poster above. Sorry!

[Anonymous]

WTF?!?

I can't even think of $1200 worth of STUFF to buy for 1 Christmas.

[Anonymous]

I'd say our total Christmas "gift" budget (meaning not counting travel and other things) is going to be about $1500 this year. We'll spend about $200 on our son -- one "big" gift and a few smaller things. We need to buy for a bunch of cousins, parents, etc. too.

There are a couple of bigger things that we're going to wait for the spring to buy our son "just because" (balance bike and helmut, e.g.) because we don't want to get them for Christmas and have him not be able to use them over the winter.

[Anonymous]

Can someone explain how all of these 2.5 and 3 year-olds know what to ask for? My (almost 3) DS has never asked me for anything (other than sweets), and would have no idea what to say if I asked him what he wanted! I'm not trying to be snarky -- I'd really love it if he could/would tell me what he wanted, I just don't know how to get him there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain how all of these 2.5 and 3 year-olds know what to ask for? My (almost 3) DS has never asked me for anything (other than sweets), and would have no idea what to say if I asked him what he wanted! I'm not trying to be snarky -- I'd really love it if he could/would tell me what he wanted, I just don't know how to get him there.

Same here with my 3 yo. I don't think he would know what to say if we asked him what he wanted, but he does tell us what he liked playing with at a friend's house, for example.

I don't know exactly how much we spend, but I pick up books, puzzles, etc at yard sales or thrift shops throughout the year and save them for Christmas and birthdays. I mean things I see that I think he'd really like, not just tons of random stuff. We do buy some things new, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain how all of these 2.5 and 3 year-olds know what to ask for? My (almost 3) DS has never asked me for anything (other than sweets), and would have no idea what to say if I asked him what he wanted! I'm not trying to be snarky -- I'd really love it if he could/would tell me what he wanted, I just don't know how to get him there.

Most of the time we just judge based on interests and what we've seen them playing with before.

Our oldest used to ask for things and we'd tell him "maybe for Christmas" or "maybe for your birthday". Around 4-5 he started pinpointing things he wanted for his birthday or Christmas. I don't think he did it earlier then that.

[Anonymous]

I'm buying DD9 something I found at Office Depot that she'll like for $10, and then my mom will send her a bag of Hanukah gelt. We'll make latkes one night, play dreidel another (shit, I ought to find that), stuff like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain how all of these 2.5 and 3 year-olds know what to ask for? My (almost 3) DS has never asked me for anything (other than sweets), and would have no idea what to say if I asked him what he wanted! I'm not trying to be snarky -- I'd really love it if he could/would tell me what he wanted, I just don't know how to get him there.

Last Christmas, my then 3 yo was into a train obsession. When I asked what present he wanted, the answer was always trains. So that is what he got: train pajamas, tshirts, socks, books, and a few train toys. He was excited and loved every single thing, including the clothes. The one thing we bought that wasn't a train was very cool. However, that present he played with 1-3 times and never looked at again.

This year, at age 4, he is asking for everything. If it looks remotely like something a kid would want, he asks to "put it on my Santa list" That thing must have at least 500 items and counting.

Luckily, the only thing her really loves is still trains, so that is what he is getting. I am sure he will love every last one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can someone explain how all of these 2.5 and 3 year-olds know what to ask for? My (almost 3) DS has never asked me for anything (other than sweets), and would have no idea what to say if I asked him what he wanted! I'm not trying to be snarky -- I'd really love it if he could/would tell me what he wanted, I just don't know how to get him there.

Most of the time we just judge based on interests and what we've seen them playing with before.

Our oldest used to ask for things and we'd tell him "maybe for Christmas" or "maybe for your birthday". Around 4-5 he started pinpointing things he wanted for his birthday or Christmas. I don't think he did it earlier then that.

My 3 YO has been saying for months that he wants a little "kid table and chairs for coloring"-- we don't have room but our place is on the market, so I told him that maybe he could put that on his wish list for Santa and we'd have room for it in the new house. He has been saying this consistently for months, so we figure we'll go with it. It's a nice practical gift anyway. And I would not be oppossed to buying it off of craigslist!