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22nd Sep 2023

I set a €150 budget for my 16-year-old daughter’s birthday and Christmas gifts- her reaction shocked me

Kat O'Connor

Is the budget enough for both celebrations?

Christmas is quite an expensive time of year for parents. Throw a birthday into the mix and the financial strain makes us want to weep.

We all do our best to make sure these celebrations are as perfect as can be, but one mum’s teenage daughter has called her gift budget unrealistic.

The mum explained that her daughter will turn 16 years old on Christmas Eve. She has set a budget of €150 that covers both her Christmas and birthday presents. However, her teenage daughter has called her mum out and feels like the budget isn’t good enough.

She told Mumsnet, “My daughter will be 16 on Christmas Eve. I give her £150 for their birthday/ Christmas and she picks what she wants and I’ll get her them”

“She said I’m being “unrealistic” to think she can get much from £150 for birthday and Christmas.”

The mum said that she has always spent €150 on her daughter’s Christmas and birthday gifts “ever since she was little”.

The mum’s daughter wants a pair of Dr. Martens, but the boots already take up a huge chunk of the present budget. The daughter feels it is unfair to only receive one gift for both occasions.

“She wants Dr. Martens and has said that will be all her budget gone and that means she will only have one present. I told her to pick cheaper things (it didn’t go down well)” the mum admitted.

The daughter has also asked for perfume, a Valentino handbag, and a Morphe makeup palette.

Do you think she is disrespecting her mum by asking for more?

Or do you think the teenager has a point? Maybe the mum should increase the budget seeing as she is a little bit older.

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