I dunno that it is so different to be honest, my parents worked their butts off to give us as much as they could afford without going into debt. We do the same, the only difference is we don't have to work anywhere near as hard as they did to be able to afford so much more. My boys have always appreciated everything they've been given no matter how big or small. As for cars on their 17th, I've always seen that as continuing their education, learning to drive is just one more skill they need for adulthood, and it's never been abused. They've gone on to buy their next car and paid for it themselves. I remember my mum and dad buying my sister a 3 piece suite when she got married, and that's no different to me buying my son a washing machine and fridge freezer when he bought his first flat.
What goes around comes around.
I don't buy for neices and nephews that I rarely see just put £20 in the card for those I see, but I do buy my son's girlfriend's pressie's as they virtually live here

Concerning neices and nephews, I buy for who I'm told to by Michelle.

It would be as little as possible (or they would get nothing)if I had my way.

My neices and nephews only get a selection box,,and i have a 19 yr old who is the eldest of neices but she gets a huge selection box which cost a fiver,,,as i have too many to go round, 10 in total.No one is too old for chocolate

Hugs Loz x

I used to be quite bad for spending on my niece and nephew, {Sandra my sisters two lindsay and David } but not really the others, that said, I am very close to them, As sandra kinda brought me up she is more like a sister/come mum, so lindsay and david are more like brother and sister, they are also very close to gordon, He would often spend as many nights there a week as he did at mine when I was single and working as a manager at the pub/hotel,

that said I spent more on them throughout the year, I often took Lindsay shopping in Stirling on a saturday, I got someone to carry my bags she got a nice new designer top, or whatever to go out that weekend, everyone happy, lol,

normally I would spend about $800 on each of the boys but th last couple of years I haven't been able, So do what you can afford an enjoy watching gordon face as he opens his presents there is nothing better than watching a child's face light up when they open ther gifts up for christmas

Yes, I totally agree with that, coz my parents bought me a 2nd hand car when I passed my test at 17, and quite honestly, I couldn't believe it, coz I never got much for Christmas, maybe a small cheque. Having said that though, looking back, my small cheque was the equivalent of a week's wages in those days, and the money given to kids nowadays or spent on them equates to that too!

Thanks for all the replies for me about the nieces and nephews, but I've decided to spend a little bit more on each of them, coz I do feel a bit mean just giving them £20 each!

I've astounded by what people spend on their children! Mine are 4 and 6 years old and only ever get a £20 to £25 toy for birthdays or Christmas! Both my partner and I have good jobs, we are just not big spenders I suppose. I have never really discussed with friends etc what they spend, so didn't realise how adrift from the norm we seem to be. I must be a real miser, but they never ask for anything more, and aunts, uncles and grandparents spend a similar amount, so they get a nice pile of presents to open (I thought!).

MW, you're not mean at all, personally I think you're being very sensible, and my view is, if they don't learn to "expect" for the rest of their lives, they'll grow up more appreciative of how hard it is to earn and buy what they want! There's plenty of time to spoil them when they get older and need the money to start up home etc. My parents actually bought my very first house for me, but that was donkey's years ago, (1980) and it only cost £20,000, but it sure did help me on my way, and by that time in my life it came as a complete shock that they would do something like that when I had always considered them to be quite mean at Christmas and Birthdays! I'm sure it made me appreciate what they had done for me a lot more than if they'd always spoilt me. I'm not saying spending loads on your kids is spoiling them, they might not be brats who expect such large presents (some are ya know!!!), but if I had kids they wouldn't be getting such large amounts for Christmas, because to me, it would end up just more and more each year, whereas if you spend less, they know what to expect I think?

My mother always spent loads on her grandchildren all of their lives, both for Christmas and Birthdays, a lot, lot more than they ever gave to me, and what does she get back now that they're highflyers, earing megabucks and both in their 30's??? Lucky if she gets a Christmas card, and never, ever has she had a present. To me that stinks!!!!

I think you should spend what you are able to and what you feel comfortable with. It has nothing to do with what other people spend, that's their choice.
We spend more on my son than some others do on there children as there is just him,(but not as much as others do becuase we don't have the cash) BUT he doesn't expect and is grateful for absolutely everything he receives....including when a friend of ours bought him wild birdfood one year, so he could watch the birds feed! Bless him.
You can be judged by others for spending too much and judged just as harshly for not spending enough. You must do what you feel comfortable with and what you feel is right.
Often it isn't the amount spent but what is bought and the sentiment behind it.

I often find,,I spend a fortune and when I look at it the bundle of pressies are a pile of p*sh, Im useless at buying pressies for people so tend to throw more money at it hopeing that helps, but it dont,,, I have mates who spend a fraction of what I do, there gifts are brill, I always love there gifts as they are always somit I would never buy for myself, will use, get enjoyment out of, think of them when I use it,, Me on the other hand,,well I just dont seem to get it right, I normaly go down the road of expensive smelly stuff,,Debenams rub there hands together when they see me each year,,,with up to £500 in aftershave/perfume I dont seem to even get that right,,some folk are so fussy eh?
I think I will go back to giving my sis money to get the pressies for me, she is a super shopper, lol,