Kids today.

[pussnboots]

I have been out today to buy my three grand daughters their Christmas presents. My daughter told me what they wanted. What happened to the stocking with a small toy, an orange and a bag of chocolate money. Heres what I bought... Grand daughter 1...12 yrs old. Mobile phone with �20 credit, from VCarphone warehouse....�118.00 Grand daughter 2..10yrs old Nintendo DS Lite on offer from Argos with free game...................�108.00 Grand daughter 3.. 6 yrs old interactive doggie THE AMAZING LEXIE from Argos �99.99 and I still have to buy the batteries. These 3 girls are the light of my life but where is it all going to end for future parents in 20 years time what do you think will be on the kids Christman lists.

[bigmamma]

Omg pussnboots , I bet you are a bit lighter in the purse now honey , I want you for my nanna , even though I am too old for the position :-) xxx

[LoftyLottie]

Over �300 for just three presents pussnboots. Perhaps I am totally out of touch. You have three extremelly lucky grandaughters.

I am not in any way criticising you, but I think things have got totally out of hand with kids and Christmas presents. They expect far too much and often their parents will get into debt rather than disappoint their children. It's all got far too materialistic.

I'm afraid I won't be spending huge amounts on my family - I simply can't afford it and they know it.

[LoftyLottie]

But if you have any money left over puss I would simply love a Wii for myself!!!!

[pussnboots]

Luckily I save all year with Park Hampers and get all the vouchers for these shops, so its not as traumatic as it sounds, but I always say I will save some of the vouchers for a treat for myself but never do.

[LoftyLottie]

Well make sure you write yourself a Christmas list Puss and put some very expensive, luxurious things on it!

[hau kola]

Hi Puss,im lookin to buy my daughter a Nintendo DS,sounds like a good deal.Can you choose a game or do you get what youre given?

[megan07]

Hi pussnboots, i know exactly how you feel, like you i adore megan and marcus, i have their christmas presents in, and it just gets more expensive every year, marcus is 6 tomorrow and i always get megan a gift to, my daughter is 28 on 11 th of December, and my son-inlaw is the 5 th of December, it's such a very expensive time of the year, but it's all worth every penny come christmas morning. lots of love megan. xxxxxxxxxxx

[cazzz1975]

I have bought my daughter a ds but it is virtually her only big present, the other bits and bobs are stocking fillers

I wouldnt buy her a phone yet...

one scary reason.... jamster!!

[bigmamma]

That's wonderfully well organised pussnboots and must take some of the financial strain away . I keep meaning to start saving in Jan or Feb but never seem to do it xxx
As Lofty Lottie says, make sure you earmark some of it for yourself this year :-)

[pussnboots]

hau kola, it is in fact a great offer at Argos.. Nintendo DS lite with Essentials Kit and a game, there are a few you can choose from, I chose the Harry Potter Order of the Pheonix, but get ther quick they are going like hot cakes.

[hau kola]

Cheers puss.

[smudge]

It's also an expensive time for us, as our two youngest Granddaughters are 8 & 5 on the 4th December! (They're sisters & born on the same day 3 years apart - what a lovely birthday present for the eldest)!

After that expense, we usually spend about �40/�50 on each of the four grandchild & I think that's enough! We love them all dearly, but by the time we've bought for our two daughters, son-in-laws, family & friends, there's still the food shopping to buy - needless to say we're buying an Octopus so we can have a leg each!

[bigmamma]

Lol@smudge x

[pussnboots]

Hiya smudge, I know what a time it is, I also buy Tesco saving stamps so I can go there with and extra �100 but it all seems to go on other people. We are going to my daughters for Christmas Day but we will (me and Mrpuss) taking food, crackers, booze, and my much sought after sage and onion stuffing which is fought over.

[888sally888]

My mum gets the 4 grandaughters a gift for �30 and then invests some money in a savings account .

I think this is the best way - something for now and the future.

[FoxLee]

I was in a huge toy shop on Monday with a friend who was looking for ideas for her 3 granddaughters. I was amazed at the huge array of things and we began reminiscing about the playthings we had - gobs or stones (not even jacks, the metal ones,) hopscotch, a skipping rope and she interrupted to say her granddaughter's skipping rope had batteries. She then pointed it out to me �12.99 for a skipping rope that needed batteries in the handles so that they would light up and flash.

[pussnboots]

In a pickle you didn't read the Q, this is exactly what I asked about values from the past and way into the future. The fact you know someone who lives off �70 a week is irrelevant. I have paid into pensions and other stuff for the last 40 years so I have no intention of living off �70 a week.