Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 10:29     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
Anonymous wrote:I think people who claim to spend so little on christmas have younger kids or they just buy their kids what they need through out the year so they dont need to go overboard at christmas.


I find they are usually wealthy which means they are getting big gifts all throughout the year anyway.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 10:24     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
My kids get basic needs throughout the year, like clothes and sneakers and sports gear, as they outgrow things. Christmas is for fun extras like a special soccer jersey, a nice sweater, books, board games, fitness accessories, a box of their favorite snacks. We don’t have any living grandparents or nearby family, so I tend to buy more smaller items to stay within budget and have something for them to unwrap on Christmas morning. Luckily, they never ask for anything expensive.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 09:49     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
Anonymous wrote:We don't give "gear" for Christmas. If my kid needs a new bat, its part of the cost of playing the sport.


My teen’s idea of what is a need for a new bat (or hockey stick or whatever) is different than what I think of is a need. I’ll have a price point in mind and he’ll want the $250 (on sale) bat or stick. If that’s the case, the more expensive one will be given as a Christmas or birthday present. Either bought early when a stick breaks and is needed for play (then wrapped up for Christmas) or a picture is wrapped up and the item is purchased closer to the start of the season (baseball).

I do think many of the people who give only a want/need/read gift buy a lot more throughout the year than I do. Or they don’t mention they have generous grandparents who buy a lot of Christmas presents. I do what works best for our family and budget and not worry about others.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 08:39     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
We also do not give practical kid or teen gifts, so the stuff my DD ends up getting is kind of frivolous unless it is something she needs, but is more expensive than what we would normally spend. In our house sheets and broken bikes would get replaced as needed. A laptop for school would also be considered a practical item unless it were a higher end model than needed. That's why we don't spend much on gifts. But you should just do what works for your family. Everyone's finances are completely different.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 08:28     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
Anonymous wrote:We only do "wants" not "needs" at Christmas and we go a little crazy. I love Christmas and this is also how my parents did Christmas. Needs for sports, clothing, school related things are purchased throughout the year. Neither grandparents are alive and we don't have extended family in the area, so it is just us. I wish it wasn't!


Same here- and I have an only child who very rarely asks for wants during the year. Things are usually tight financially despite both parents working full time and not taking expensive trips/buying designer things all the time, we both drive reasonable cars. We use our Christmas bonuses to top off gifts for DD.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 08:06     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Allll throughout the year. We have small-ish Christmas hauls because my kids get new stuff all year long.

Very different from when I was growing up!


Do you judge people who do things differently?

I feel like there is a tone of judgement when people who give stuff all year talk to people like me.


Same as PP here. Our kids get most of what they need when they need it, rather than waiting for Christmas. Christmas is not about getting a lot of presents.

Do you judge us for doing this differently than you, OP?


No. I don’t feel like I say things that can be taken as judgemental. [b]I certainly receive comments that I hear as judgemental.


Ugh .. Like what?


Ugh
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 08:05     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We don't give "gear" for Christmas. If my kid needs a new bat, its part of the cost of playing the sport.


But baseball isn’t a need.


“Sorry, Larlo, you’ll have to wait nine months for your new cleats. Try not to grow out of them between December and April.”
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 07:53     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We don't give "gear" for Christmas. If my kid needs a new bat, its part of the cost of playing the sport.


But baseball isn’t a need.


Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 07:49     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
I don't use Christmas as budgeting. I want kids who are old enough to have a budget to manage, even if it’s big. I never want the answer to be “maybe for Christmas” or “combined Christmas and Birthday” because I think that just becomes a way to avoid honest budgeting.

But OP, I would never say something judgmental about you doing it differently.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 07:40     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
Anonymous wrote:But your kids have more stuff and more expensive stuff than mine, where does the stuff come from?

I feel like we spend a lot of money on Christmas. This is my oldest’s last Christmas before college so he got a laptop, and XL sheets. My next kid has reached a point where he can no longer wear hand me downs from his brother so he needed a bunch of new sports gear to replace stuff that didn’t fit. One kid needed a new bike. Plus I got some stocking stuffers like paperback books and funny t shirts, chocolate Santa. I buy 2nd hand when possible, and we do hand me downs when possible, but it’s still expensive!

I know several people IRL, and I see people here all the time who boast that they only get 4 presents or they spend $100 a kid. But it seems like their kids have all the equipment that mine do, often newer and better brands. So, when do they get it?



Mine buys it with his own money. He works in the summers and has bought himself a gaming laptop, a gaming system, AirPods, etc.
Anonymous
Post 12/27/2025 07:05     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
We only do "wants" not "needs" at Christmas and we go a little crazy. I love Christmas and this is also how my parents did Christmas. Needs for sports, clothing, school related things are purchased throughout the year. Neither grandparents are alive and we don't have extended family in the area, so it is just us. I wish it wasn't!
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 23:30     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
I think people who claim to spend so little on christmas have younger kids or they just buy their kids what they need through out the year so they dont need to go overboard at christmas.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 15:54     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
Anonymous wrote:We don't give "gear" for Christmas. If my kid needs a new bat, its part of the cost of playing the sport.


But baseball isn’t a need.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 14:31     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
I spent less than $150 on my teen. She got air pods, some mascara, and a rare beauty blush.

Two sets of grandparents and 5 aunts/uncles add a lot more gifts so I keep it small.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2025 14:31     Subject: If you spend $200 per kid or do want-need-wear- read or something
We don't give "gear" for Christmas. If my kid needs a new bat, its part of the cost of playing the sport.