Most adults (especially the ninongs and ninangs) (godmothers and godfathers), and not only moms, have this headache during Christmas. It’s just not that easy to decide how much money should one give to their children. It’s not only a question of the budget, but most of the time, it’s the guilt of having to cope for something we may have missed throughout out the year. “Isang beses lang naman ‘to isang taon.” (I just give only once a year.) But what really is the appropriate amount to give to kids this Christmas.
Here are some quick tips to help you decide.
1. If you decide to give money, give according to age. Babies up to age 6 definitely doesn’t know anything about money and usually, the money will be given to the parents. In an average income family, this can be the value you can consider :
Babies 0-6 – P300-500
Preteens 7-12 P500
Teens P500-1000
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2. If you don’t have the budget to give the amount in #1, buy a gift which can be bought with lesser amount but make it more special.
For 0-6 year old kids, give a piggy bank with money inside it which gives them something to look forward from you in the coming years or they can fill it up themselves.
Preteens – Gift cards they can use on their favorite bookstores or toy shops will surely be appreciated because you are giving them a chance to choose what they want.
Teens – Gift cards they can use on department stores where they can choose their clothes or personal accessories. Savings account containing minimum deposits will be perfect too if you are the parent or if you are relative/ninong/ninang, you’ll have to do this with the parent.
3. If you want to give in kind rather than in money, use this tip: “Give what they want, what they need, something to wear, something to read.” Most of the time, the most appreciated gifts fall on these categories.
4. If you really don’t have the budget, give according to what you can and complement it with your presence. Most of the time, being there is more special than the gifts you just send out. It’s not always about the gifts, but the spirit of remembrance and being there for others. Even little kids appreciate this as do the teenagers.
Hope you got some valuable tips here! Remember, Christmas is about making our kids feel the most special as the Lord make us feel everyday. Being grateful for what we got throughout the year will make it easier for us to give to others, especially to the younger ones who are still yet to appreciate life as much as we do. Their happiness is our happiness too but we always need to BALANCE so that everyone of us will look into more CHERISHED Christmases in the coming years.
