I had my first baby in May of this year, so for the first time ever, my holiday shopping list now has toys. At 6 months old, my son is just as excited about the box as the gift inside it, so I'm not quite sure how much to actually buy. And to be honest, everything is looking a little more expensive these days, so what's a new parent to do?
"If you’re comfortable answering, how much do you budget for your kids at Christmas?" one What to Expect mom recently asked. "And this is going to sound dumb, but are you going [to] spend the same amount on your newborn as you are planning to spend on your other kids?"
It's a tough question to answer when you're the one tasked with making the holiday magic happen. Moms reveal that they plan to spend $164 on presents for each of their children this year, according to a new What to Expect poll. That's only 5% less than last year's average of $173, even with tariffs and inflation getting in the way.
Here's how moms are making this year's holiday special.
Parents will spend more than $160 on each child's gifts
Moms share that their average budget for gifts this year is $164 per child — and that doesn't include other seasonal expenses, like professional family photos, a Christmas tree, or tickets to the zoo holiday light show.
And, yes, the child's age does influence how much parents spend (so don't worry if your expenses don't work out to be exactly "fair"). Here's a breakdown of how much moms spend, on average, for each age group:
"Right now, I don’t see how we would spend equal amounts on the kids for gifts," says one mom who's planning to give her older children iPads. "To be financially 'fair,' we may take what we don’t spend on the baby and put it in her savings account."
Even with the economy the way it is, moms plan to buy the same amount of gifts
Inflation reached 3% this year,[1] meaning the typical American household is spending $208 more a month than it did a year ago.[2] Tariffs have also hit the toy industry hard, with popular brands like Tonies and Barbie raising prices to address new import fees. However, only 14% of moms plan to buy fewer presents this year. Most plan to do the same amount or more.
"We will budget for $100 a kid plus stocking stuffers and sibling gifts (each kid draws a name of another sibling to shop for), so $500 total for all four," says one What to Expect mom with three kids and one on the way. "Last year, we did a big gift for all three that cost around $250, and then individual gifts and stockings were $50 each. It just depends on the year."
Gen Z moms spend more on their kids' gifts than Millennial ones
On average, Gen Z moms spend more than their Millennial counterparts. They're budgeting $165.90 for each kid, versus the $160.39 Millennial moms anticipate spending per child. That's pretty generous considering that younger parents also tend to make less. The Gen Z parents in the survey take home $57,823 each year, while the Millennial moms report having a household income of $85,937.
Whether you're planning to spend $30 or $300, ultimately it's about making the holidays fun for your family, even if they won't remember it. I'm planning to put a few essentials — packs of wipes, a warm hat, a silicone teether — and a couple fun presents (like wooden blocks and a custom board book) in gift bags for my baby. And I won't be offended if his favorite thing that day is the tissue paper.
Methodology
The What to Expect Talk to Moms Monthly Poll was conducted by Everyday Health Group – Pregnancy and Parenting between October 28 and November 7, 2025. We surveyed 509 women ages 18 to 44 who have at least one child up to 5 years old.
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