When you see people talking about how they are spending £200+ on their children's Christmas Presents?
My son has just turned one. We are on a low income as I've decided to stay home with him for his first year (looking for a job after Christmas) and my partner is low waged. The most we can spend on his Christmas presents this year is £50. We don't have credit cards etc and haven't been able to save up because of a few unexpected bills in the last month.
I know he'll love his presents but it makes me feel like such a bad mother that I can't spend £200 on him. If I had the money I would buy him the whole world as he is the whole world to me.
2007-12-06 20:34:19 · 33 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
Thanks everyone, i was feeling a bit low about that. We're getting him an "Iggle Piggle" (from the Night Garden on CBeebies) and shape sorter. My mum and brother are buying him a Bounce n Spin Zebra and a "Ninky Nonk" (also from the Night Garden) and my Auntie sent me £15 to buy him a present with. so he'll have nice some things to open. I might even scour the charity shops for some little stocking fillers for him. I just want to do the best I can with what little we have . . .
2007-12-06 20:55:57 · update #1
ladylara - thats exactly whats happened to us! My partner needs his car for work as he's a driver, and it broke down three weeks ago. We've had to spend nearly £500 to get it back on the road and thats wiped out anything we could have saved up for Christmas. So we can't even start Xmas shopping now till he gets paid on the 21st! Luckily my mum has bought some of my son's presents for us and we'll pay her back then. When you're on a low income an unexpected bill really messes you up, especially right on top of Xmas.
2007-12-06 23:10:07 · update #2
Not at all. I admit I spend far too much money on my kids at Christmas-time BUT I also make sure I tell them the value of what they have.
We always talk about people who go cold and hungry with nothing at Christmas - I feel it is important that children understand how fortunate they are if they have ANY money spent on them at Christmas.
You sound like a fabulous mum Ladymoon - a Star for you!
2007-12-06 20:38:58 · answer #1 · answered by *Sparki* 5 · 7⤊ 0⤋
I think there is to much pressure put on parents at christmas time you always worry about things that shouldn't really matter! As we are not all millionaires... I say enjoy christmas while your little one is young as at that age they are over the moon with anything they receive even a empty box seems like more fun than the gift inside! Don't worry about a thing just because your not spending hundreds doesn't make you a bad mum just makes you a sensible one not getting into debt like thousands of people do every year and all for what 1 day its not all about prezzys its about spending the quality time together
If your luck is anything like mine around christmas time something really expensive happens e.g my car needed £1000+ pounds spending on it this week to keep it on the road as i need it due to work commitments and such like which in turn has really put a downer on my crimbo especially when you don't have a lot coming in ,in the first place but i have been in the same boat before and managed over the festive period and still had a good christmas:)
To be honest i don't really look forward to christmas as its to commercialised now and ive had my good and bad christmas days but luckly i have a little one that loves anything she receives and is very happy as long as she has a christmas cracker next to her lunch on crimbo day lol
Trust me they will come a time one day when you look back and think what the hell was i worried about!
Good luck and i hope your manage to have a very merry christmas!
2007-12-06 21:45:33 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Your'e not a bad mother because you're concerned that you might be if that makes sense. We've bought all our kids presents of ebay, we've spent £56 altogether on 4 kids and got A rocking horse, little people train, garage, shop, farm and house, a leapster, a discovery tree and lot of litle stocking fillers. The way I see it is everybodys presents are second hand on Boxing Day ours are just second hand a day early.This way I can afford more and get them some great stuff. I can't wait to see their faces. You do the best you can and no more. I'm sure you and yours will have a wonderful christmas because you care. All the best.
2007-12-06 20:49:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Nope it does not make me feel like a bad mother to be spending less than £200 on my kids - they get presents off everyone and as long as I have given them something that I know they will love whether it cost £5 or £50 then that is the important thing.
I love my kids so much but spending excessive amounts of money on them doesn't show them love.
I also tell my kids that Santa is watching them and if they are naughty he will take a present away and replace it with a potato - last year they both got 3 potatoes in their stocking - does that make me a bad mother?
2007-12-06 20:45:34 · answer #4 · answered by Kerry K 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
You are not a bad parent at all, if not, you are the opposite! I do anderstand why you feel like that tough, my son is 6 and all his friend are gertting very expensive toys like ps3 plus lots more, they usually spend in the region of £500 and then complain that they have no money. But we cant afford it and we have no intention of getting into debt because of that, but that dont mean that he goes without, we just buy within our budget and shop around for the best price. You are doing the best thing for your son, providing him with love and affection. Thats what counts in the long term.
Hope you have a great Christmas!
2007-12-06 21:46:37 · answer #5 · answered by Francesca 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ladymoon, as I said before in my last question, you sound like a great mum, trust me at that age they don't even know they've got it, and in a couple of years time you'll sell them at a boot sale and your kid will never even remember those toy's in the first place, trust me I've done it many times!
Don't buy clothes either, there's nothing worse than sticking on a new outfit on Boxing Day and realising it's half the price you paid for it!
By the way I've learnt my lesson, I'm pregnant with twins, next Christmas their getting £200 between them, and no more!
Merry Christmas!
2007-12-06 20:44:57 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
You are NOT a bad mother for not spending money you haven't got. Here's the reasons why NOT spending money makes you a GOOD mother:
1. If you spend money you haven't got, you'll go into debt, have your house reposessed and you'll be unable to provide your son with a good home/food/clothes etc.
2. If you spoiled your son with expensive pointless gifts, he will become a brat
3. If he has more than he needs he will not value what he's got and will learn the life of consumerism and disposable goods.. he will become selfish
At one-year old, he has no concept of the value of gifts and is more likely to play with the box it came in. In my experience, the best presents are original ones, not expensive ones. Don't feel bad about not spending money; love is the best present you can give and that's free!
2007-12-06 20:50:37 · answer #7 · answered by Tim C 3 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Nonsense - he's only one and not really old enough to understand anyway! If he's got a few pressies, a box to play in, plenty of wrapping paper to scrunch, he'll be as happy as anything. It's not as if he can go round all the other toddlers complaining that you spent less on him than their mums!
Your time spent being a proper mum to him during his first year is something that money cannot buy. In years to come, your worries about careful spending on his first Christmas will fade. :)
2007-12-07 00:53:22 · answer #8 · answered by Sinistra 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're not a bad parent. Your sensible, for a start your child is only 1 he probably doesn't even understand christmas! Parents who spend too much on their kids are idiots, children don't need half the things they are given these days, they only play with them for about a day and then they are lost under the bed or stuffed in the cupboard.
Aslong as he likes the presents you've got him then that it is better than wasting £200 isn't it? :)
2007-12-06 20:49:32 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Oh that is a nice story! I have 2 girls and only spent £150 on both of them together, one is 5 and the other 3. Dont worry about it, as long as they have a magical Christmas day and the amount of stuff they get from everyone else is unbelievable. Dont beat your self up about it and just think about all those children out there who get nothing and have an awful existence! Merry Christmas!
2007-12-06 20:46:34 · answer #10 · answered by Janie B 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋