Samantha Mary said she was valuing “memories over the money spent” by implementing a budget for Christmas parents for her two-year-old son Jack and 10-year-old stepdaughter Isabella.
She now says that, after the success of last year, Samantha has decided to do it again despite negative comments from people on social media.
Primary school teacher Samantha, 35, from Shoreham, said: “It’s the same values that we had last year.
“We feel it’s a fair and reasonable amount of money to spend and the kids were happy with what they got last year.”
She added: “I’d never let comments from other people influence what I do as a parent. I think it’s easy to make judgements and you know yours better than anyone else.
“The magic of Christmas for us is not on the money spent, it’s the memories.
“I think its about standing by your own values and I think a lot of people do feel pressure because of others.”
Samantha and her husband Richard, 41, decided to adopt a budget to be more conscious of their spending at Christmas, starting at around £200 before dropping to £150 and £100.
She spends £20 on stocking presents, filling them with items including socks, gel pens and bath bombs, and then £80 on main presents.
The mum, who has shared videos about her decision on TikTok, bought Jack Thomas the Tank Engine trains and toys for a kitchen set as well as buying Isabella a bubble tea set, a crochet kit and pyjamas.
To cut costs further, Samantha and her family avoid other Christmas-related “cost-heavy” traditions.
She said: “Christmas December Boxes – which are boxes that parents put together for their kids with toys and stuff for the kids to do throughout December.
“We don’t do these – there are lot more cost-heavy traditions now.
“We stick with the traditional chocolate advent calendar.”
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