Cost of xmas present for mindees?

[jadavi]

I found myself ordering presents of £10 each for four of my long standing mindees this week.....
I will give the newer ones something smaller, but I wondered how much people are spending?
I have 13 in total so £130 would be breaking the bank .....

[Rachel6]

I'm the same,as I like to get something that the kids like/need & also because my kids are grown up its lovely buying toys still x

[loocyloo]

I tend to spend a max of £5 ... i'm also buying about 13 pressies this year ... BUT I buy lots in the sales/on offer, so it looks like more. I always try to get them something they will like/use.

I boughts lots of cds from kidsmusic (Christmas CDs, DVDs and Books for Children) and bought one for each little mindee that reflects their interests! I then bought an instrument to go with it ( or floaty waving ribbons for the ballet girls! )

older mindees have got craft kits or top trumps!

[Koala]

Yes I too like to put a max on £5 per child and buy on specials/sales etc... It gets very expensive otherwise.

[LauraS]

I have spent about £20 each, haha. However, my numbers are small, I have two littlest and two schoolies and all are more or less full time, so we are a close little bunch and it doesn't break the bank. I really enjoy getting things I know they will love and i think it's tax deductible too

Parents are getting a bottle of wine and a babysitting voucher for one evenings babysitting, total expenditure a fiver for three sets of parents. I don't know if the babysitting thing is a good idea or daft, I can't decide, but I babysit for another family and dh and I never get out for lack of a babysitter... I thought it might make a nice night for the parents who don't have much help to get out together without costing me anything.

[hectors house]

Check out Asda - I bought some great Little Tikes toys which were included in their 2 toys for £10 deal

Also Argos has great things in their 2 toys for £15

Early Learning centre had good sale on - I bought some of those vehicle sets that link together with magnets - should have been £10 each set of 3 vehicles - but were only £5 a set
They also had lots of their CD's for £2.50 instead of £5

I buy for 6 current mindees (spend between £6 - £10) plus still buy for those who have left but just pop back a couple of times a year in the holidays (spend about £4) - most of my mindees have also got birthdays between now and February.

I don't buy a present for the parents - the children make something small and take home lots of cakes, biscuits, sweets they have made.

[Bluebell]

I have 13 chilidren too and usually aim to buy something for about £5. This year I have gone for books which I have managed to get for £2 or 3 and will add some christmas chocolates I'm struggling with 5 month old though!

[Mrs Scrubbit]

I spend between £10-£15 on each mindee, but I don't buy for parents xxx

[munch149]

Wow £5 max and I will spend less if I can get something cheaper that's still good I will. Got loads of play dough sets in tesco this year for £3.50 so that will be my mindees presents. I normally get some biscuits or chocolates for parents tho too. The majority of my spend is a joint present for the setting. I by something I've wanted for the setting for a while and they all get to open it. This means they get something new, get an extra present and I get extra resources. This year it's a new car garage.(will get something else for one day as a different child comes on that day and don't want them to miss out)

[primula]

I brought a magic set for one of mine on Achica £4.75. 25 tricks, hope she likes, it the other schoolie girl, I will get a pencil case about the same price plus some chocolate coins and a bottle for the parents! I only have 4 kids so not to expensive, different story if I had lots more! Do like buying presents though!!

[kellib]

I got one of my mindees a pack of London 2012 cars for £2.99 in the Range, they look fab and definitely look more expensive than £2.99! Also got toy story playing cards for £1 and that's that mindee done

[shortstuff]

Ive been rebelious a cheapskate and raised money for a friend's son doing mine x

All 14 of my mindees have either a choc beauty or choc tool set x £1.75 each x

As far as I see it is just a token from me. We have lots of special times making things too x

I also do lots of art and craft with them to take home all from yellow moon. Which again raises money for the same special little boy x

[bunyip]

I pay £5 - £7.50 per mindee (which goes a bit further thanks to Mrs B's department store discount and the local craft/resource centre membership).

I don't buy for parents and nor do we have Christmas party here. Children already go to more parties than their parents, and the whole thing just adds to parents' time pressures. Instead, I offer a free morning or afternoon session, so mums and dads can get Christmas shopping or hairdressers' appointments done without the lo's in tow. They greatly appreciate this and the lo's love coming on a different day.

[jadavi]

That's a nice idea. I dont have any extra time to offer that but a lovely thought!

[samb]

Wow £5 max and I will spend less if I can get something cheaper that's still good I will. Got loads of play dough sets in tesco this year for £3.50 so that will be my mindees presents. I normally get some biscuits or chocolates for parents tho too. The majority of my spend is a joint present for the setting. I by something I've wanted for the setting for a while and they all get to open it. This means they get something new, get an extra present and I get extra resources. This year it's a new car garage.(will get something else for one day as a different child comes on that day and don't want them to miss out)

I really like the idea of buying a gift for the setting! I buy individual gifts for mindees- this year I have 11. I spend up to £5 but usually buy things in a sale so are worth more- I love a bargain. Last year I bought all books this year I've bought a toy that I think each will like. I have bought my almost full time mindee something that was full price at £8 purely cos I know she will love it but I be honest some are worth more even if I paid less. I don't buy gifts for parents but I do make something with the children to give them. This year they are decorating small glass jars and putting homemade sweets in- not sure what yet- maybe peppermint creams or fudge?

[JCrakers]

Budget of £5 each as I've got a lot to buy. Its really hard to find things for a fiver although this looks good


Buy Children's Favourite Songs (6CD) from our Compilations range - Tesco.com

[AdeleMarie88]

Wow that's a lot!! I spend about £5 and then make some chocolate truffles to make it look like more!! I find the best pressies I have brought this year have come from The Book Man when he was selling at my local childrens centre, I think they have an online service too!! Also depending on the age of your children, IKEA have some amazing tool boxes, puppet shows, and dolls for around £6-£8! Xx

http://www.thebookpeople.co.uk

[smurfette]

Last year I did books got some good deals in tk max. This year I have six , and managed to get toys on the Argos three for two, I bought five sets of the Tomy octopals bath toys and one mike the knight set for the eldest fella who loves mike the knight.. All around 13 euros each but on the three for two brought them Down to about 8 euros each. (Which I guess is 5/6 stg) I don't buy for the parents though usually send something home, last year I did footprints on canvas. Haven't thought about it yet for this year!

[Mouse]

I spend approx £5 each and rarely buy toys.

Last year each child had a small mug or beaker, depending on their age and a book.

Some of the boys had these along with a tractor book:

Kids Tractor Diggers Cup Beaker

And the girls had these along with some hair grips & bobbles:

Ballerina Beaker - Move Dancewear®

[Emra81]

Wow, so many good ideas! I've not been going long and money is crazy tight so its homemade gifts for the kids this year! I love any excuse to get my sewing machine out and I've found a lovely little tutorial online for little slip on slippers....hopefully they'll be well received....