While you’d likely guess parents of teenagers would be spending a lot on Christmas gifts, what will all the expensive gadgets and experiences teens might have their eye on, you might be shocked at just how much that number is. Turns out, according to new Christmas research conducted by comparison site Canstar Blue, parents of teens are spending a whopping average of $336 on presents per child this year.
The research surveyed over 620 Australian parents and found that among the age range of kids, it was in fact parents of teens that are slinging the most expensive Christmas gifts. Parents of primary school aged-kids are spending an average of $277, while toddlers are getting an average of $250 worth of gifts.
The research found that more than half (54%) of parents with teenagers said they were spending more per child on gifts as their children have gotten older.
“Parents are expected to spend 34% more on teenagers than on toddlers and 11% of parents say the expense of the gifts for their children has become excessive,” says Canstar Blue’s home and lifestyle expert Megan Birot. “Nearly one in four parents also say they feel obligated to buy the year’s ‘must-have’ toy or item for their children.”
Despite the gift price gap, however, parents in the survey did say they tried to play fair, with 60% aiming to spend the same amount on Christmas gifts for each child. Meanwhile, close to one-third (29%) said they’d spend whatever among was needed to buy the gifts their children wanted, while 10% said they knew they’d be forking out big for their eldest kids as they know their tastes are more expensive.
As for which parent spends more on Christmas gifts for the kids, the research revealed that it was mums who tended to shell out more, spending a steep $107 more on gifts for teens and $158 more for toddlers than dads.
“Mums are more lenient than dads with their children’s Christmas budget — being 23% more likely than dads to spend how much ever is needed in order to purchase their children’s dream gift,” says Birot.
And, finally, gifts aside, the research also found that close to one-third (27%) of parents are conscious of ensuring their child or children are aware of less fortunate families at Christmas time. If you’re among those parents, you might want to consider donating — perhaps in lieu of one of your child’s many Christmas gifts — to one of these charity favourites here.
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