Christmas Joy

6 Responses to “How do you buy Christmas presents for large families on a low budget?”

1. pissy_old_lady
   October 26th, 2008 at 6:46 pm

   

   You can save more on the younger ones…they just like to open gifts…you can purchase inexpensive toys and shop around for clearance clothing….what I do is ask the older ones: if you were only to get one gift for Christmas what would you like? If more than one answers the same, say a play station or something…get it for them to share…..explain to the older ones that money is tight, and don’t worry…Christmas isn’t about spending a fortune on gifts….family and good times are much more important and I believe people need to learn this…you can get board games for the children, or other inexpensive toys…if they want CD’s, then get just one for them instead of all of them they want, and copy them for the others after Christmas….shop carefully and all will be well.

2. v_alya
   October 28th, 2008 at 11:46 pm

   

   For the main gift buy something that they can share, like a pack of board games or books or badminton rackets/ footballs/ basketballs etc.
   Fill their stockings with smaller, more personal items. Example, yo-yos or books- you know your kids, I dont! Get them something you know they’ll like- something special for each one! You could also try making some of the stuff yourself !

   Budget wise, you will save money by getting a common gift for all 5, but still make them feel special in their own right.
   Hope this helps!

3. thebigm57
   October 30th, 2008 at 12:18 am

   

   The youngest ones are the paper kids…just go to the 99c or Big Lots…I am sure you’ll find something. So far as the older kids go get them FOOD gift cards…Jack in the Box, Burger King, KFC, etc. They’ll love them and you for feeding them. PEACE!

4. Valarie R
   October 30th, 2008 at 2:22 pm

   

   I came from a bigger family when I was younger, and when the factor that my parents both worked at shut its doors I remember how hard it was for my parents… But as they always said Christmas comes the same time every year. So here is a few ideas that we did. It was always fun at Halloween to draw names for the kids to be secret santas, but since that has passed do it for Thanksgiving. Then let them do one single gift or however they would like up to a certain amount starting the first weekend in December. The fun thing is is that a lot of stuff was made… and it was funny on Friday nights to pass out the gifts over board games and popcorn… some of the gifts still make you think… Seriously…

   And for my parents, no matter the age, they always spent the same amount on each kid, which as we got older at first we didnt understand but when we relized that our stuff wasnt as cheap then we knew. Plus being the second to oldest it always made me want what my sister got the next year, so I worked for it, and was good for the last 3 months out of the year…. haha….

   I dont know if this helps but honestly sometimes just the family fun together is all that it needs and memories that will never fade….

   I now have a 11 year old and one on the way… (what an age difference) However I see so many of my friends with single children go broke at holidays and Bdays spoiling their kids, just to throw the broken stuff away in 2 months… I am far from perfect seriously, and honestly do not see my step sisters anymore, but I took what my parents did to us and do the same with my son.

   Hope it helps…
   And happy Holidays to you and yours…

5. Steve R
   October 30th, 2008 at 6:01 pm

   

   Have all the adults agree not to give presents to each other. This way they can spend the money on the kids only.

6. queeneve
   November 1st, 2008 at 4:50 am

   

   if you have low budget to get a gift each so you can get them all one gift, like for example you get an oil painted picture of all of the family members you can find good ideas on