Sort of a spin-off from another post...I noticed people buying gifts for their kids that I consider extremely extravagant...a cell phone for a 10 year old, a camcorder for a 12 year old? I'm not in any way judging what you choose to buy for your kids if you have the means to do so, I'm just saying that I would have NEVER gotten such expensive gifts when I was little, and my family was very well off. My 6th Christmas my big Xmas gift was a cage of gerbils(2), and I got about 15 smaller gifts such as board games and clothes. My 10th Christmas I got a puppy and maybe 10 smaller gifts. My 12th Christmas I got a 10 speed bike as my big gift. It wasn't until I was 15 that I got a TV for Christmas, and that was a HUGE deal.
So, is it just that extravagant gifts are more affordable than ever and actually not so extravagant, or has Christmas just gone nuts? What do you spend on an average Christmas for your kids?
The cam corder I got for my 12 y/o was $90 I don't consider that expensive....But each to their own.....
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Oh, see I was thinking about the $400 Sony I got in January! I keep forgetting how incredibly cheap things are these days.
Quoting Just_Bethy:
The cam corder I got for my 12 y/o was $90 I don't consider that expensive....But each to their own.....
I think Christmas has gone nuts, but that's because we live in the time of electronics. When I was a kid the most expensive thing you could get was a bike, lol. I have 5 kids, so the older ones know we can't afford any big ticket things. They honestly don't need them anyway. I'm not a big believer in kids under 16 having cell phones anyway. I told my kids they can get one when they are 16 and have a part time job to help pay for it. I'm not into the latest toy craze or newsest piece of technology whatever. I want my kids to grow up knowing while it's nice to have cool, but expensive stuff sometimes, it's still not a necessity to live and be happy.
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I think our children's options have expanded, and with that, some of us are buying what would have seemed outrageous when we were younger. There are tons of great items out today, that I could have only dreamed about having as a kid, and they are found for very reasonable prices. (like the camcorder for $90)
Yeah, my 8 y/o SS wants a PSP or a Playstation 3 for Xmas. No way is that happening! He got a Nintendo DS last year and lost in within 3 months.
Quoting officerjoeys:
I think Christmas has gone nuts, but that's because we live in the time of electronics. When I was a kid the most expensive thing you could get was a bike, lol. I have 5 kids, so the older ones know we can't afford any big ticket things. They honestly don't need them anyway. I'm not a big believer in kids under 16 having cell phones anyway. I told my kids they can get one when they are 16 and have a part time job to help pay for it. I'm not into the latest toy craze or newsest piece of technology whatever. I want my kids to grow up knowing while it's nice to have cool, but expensive stuff sometimes, it's still not a necessity to live and be happy.
lol. I guess I'm guilty since I said I might buy a cellphone for my 10-year-old DD. But to answer your question, no Christmas hasn't gotten nuts since I was a kid. Christmas was always huge at my house. It was the time of year when my parents spoiled us rotten (along with our birthdays). My DD has many, many material possessions, to most people it's probably excessive. We can afford it and so we do it. We also take her fabulous places (we went to NYC last week) that I was never taken as a child because my parents couldn't afford it.
As long as my child stays the kind, thoughtful, sweet, caring child that she is then I have no problem showering her with plenty of time, love and goodies.
How much do I spend on her for Christmas? I have no idea. I buy until I think it's enough. $859.71 is what I spent on her Christmas gifts when I went shopping in Dallas on Saturday.
I think it has. I remember big gifts such as a sewing machine one year, a bike one year, a Barbie dream house one year...my kids (13, 14, 15, and 18) want things like digital cameras, camcorders, laptops (yeah, right!), the expensive new video gadget thingys, cell phones... I've already broke the news to them that we're not spending more than $200 per child this year, so they can just X a few of those things off their lists. lol
What kind of made me crazy last year, is that they started playing Christmas music in the malls and dept. stores before Halloween was even over. It was so ridiculous - scary costumes on the shelves, and "silver bells" playing on the intercom.
We probably spend a bit over a thousand or so for our 8 year old daughter. Not quite as much on our 6 month old son.
No I do not think that Christmas has gone "nuts" since I was a child. My parents always went all out for holidays also.
I am a Private School sending, Vaccinating, Non spanking, Nightmare Cuddling, Dessert Giving, Homework Helping, Bedtime Kissing, Book Reading, Academic pushing Mum. I believe in the benefit of organized after school activities. I believe in spoiling my children. I believe that I have seen the village and I do not want it raising my child - I will do that, Thank You. I believe that a woman's place is in the home taking care of her house, children and husband. I am submissive and proud, my husband is head of my home. I am a proud, traditional Roman Catholic, as is my husband... Yes we are teaching our daughter that The Church is the only Church. Aimee
It really is sad how the kids now a days want the big stuff. I have to say they have way better stuff out now for kids then they did when i was a kid. Hell I'm asking for the cool stuff now for me. LOL My 6yr dd is getting clothes, CD's & books this yr. She has way to many toys that she does not play with plus I know she will be getting toys from grandma & auntie. My 14yr ds is getting books, clothes & a DS game. I have money to get them more, but this is all they really want.
I think its the age we live in. Everything is electronic and you can find cheap camcorders and digital cameras. I seen just the other day at Walmart digital cameras for 15-20 bucks. May not be the very best but I bet it would make a kid uber happy.
Altho seeing as we now skip Thanksgiving I'd say its getting a little crazy.
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on Nov. 23, 2009 at 5:44 PM