"I’m not buying my one-year-old Christmas presents – I'm going on holiday instead"
- 4 months ago
A mum says she will not be buying her little girl any Christmas presents - and is using the money for a holiday instead.
Matilda Hannah, 24, doesn't want to get her one-year-old Penelope something "for the sake of it".
She and partner Ben, 24, are also not buying each other presents this year.
Consultant Matilda says they will use the £2k they have saved to go to Goa for Christmas instead - along with Penelope.
Matilda, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., says her daughter is still using her birthday presents, so buying something new "seems daft".
She said: “We were thinking about what to get her for Christmas and thought ‘this is silly to buy stuff for the sake of it’.
“Ben’s mum and dad go away so we thought ‘why don’t we go out and meet them’.
“It’s about spending time together.
“It’s a time of year about family. We have our own family now – we can be selfish.”
Prior to having Penelope, Ben, who works away, and Matilda have always spent Christmas Day driving around to their families.
Last year, Penelope was only two months old, so they found it easy to do the same thing with a young baby.
But now Penelope is one the pair decided to do things differently.
Matilda said: “We always travelled between parents for lunch and dinner.
“It’s really lovely but really hard when you have a young toddler getting them in the car.”
The family spent close to £1k on Penelope’s first birthday party and presents and realised it would cost them around £2k for Christmas gifts for themselves and her.
Instead the couple are joining Ben’s parents and flying out to Goa on December 18.
Matilda is looking forward to some proper family time as Ben works away 80% of the time.
She said: “By the time we’ve bought all the Christmas presents and food shop it costs the same as what we’ve spent on the holiday.
“We spent £1k for the birthday party and presents.
“Christmas would have been £500 on gifts for her, and then £500 each with drinks and meals.
“That money has gone towards the holiday.
“As a parent I always want to focus on experience over material gifts.”
Matilda had to let her family down when they decided to go abroad – and cancelled pre-made plans.
She said: “In a big family you can never please everyone.
“We had to cancel plans and back out gracefully.
“They were disappointed at first but they’re supportive.
“I promised I wouldn’t do it every year.”
Matilda says Penelope is too young to remember or understand Christmas.
She said: “She doesn’t know what’s going on anyway.
“She wouldn’t have a Scooby doo.
"It will be a normal day – lounging in the sunshine.
"I won’t need to dress up – no wearing itchy sequin tops. I quite like changing it up and doing something different."
Next year Matilda is looking at potentially taking her family to Canada - and paying for ski lessons for Penelope's present.
She said: "My mum took me on a flight to Ibiza when I was six weeks old – I don’t remember but I always tell everyone.
"It's overwhelming for them with all the presents.
"We know what’s right for our family."
Matilda Hannah, 24, doesn't want to get her one-year-old Penelope something "for the sake of it".
She and partner Ben, 24, are also not buying each other presents this year.
Consultant Matilda says they will use the £2k they have saved to go to Goa for Christmas instead - along with Penelope.
Matilda, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffs., says her daughter is still using her birthday presents, so buying something new "seems daft".
She said: “We were thinking about what to get her for Christmas and thought ‘this is silly to buy stuff for the sake of it’.
“Ben’s mum and dad go away so we thought ‘why don’t we go out and meet them’.
“It’s about spending time together.
“It’s a time of year about family. We have our own family now – we can be selfish.”
Prior to having Penelope, Ben, who works away, and Matilda have always spent Christmas Day driving around to their families.
Last year, Penelope was only two months old, so they found it easy to do the same thing with a young baby.
But now Penelope is one the pair decided to do things differently.
Matilda said: “We always travelled between parents for lunch and dinner.
“It’s really lovely but really hard when you have a young toddler getting them in the car.”
The family spent close to £1k on Penelope’s first birthday party and presents and realised it would cost them around £2k for Christmas gifts for themselves and her.
Instead the couple are joining Ben’s parents and flying out to Goa on December 18.
Matilda is looking forward to some proper family time as Ben works away 80% of the time.
She said: “By the time we’ve bought all the Christmas presents and food shop it costs the same as what we’ve spent on the holiday.
“We spent £1k for the birthday party and presents.
“Christmas would have been £500 on gifts for her, and then £500 each with drinks and meals.
“That money has gone towards the holiday.
“As a parent I always want to focus on experience over material gifts.”
Matilda had to let her family down when they decided to go abroad – and cancelled pre-made plans.
She said: “In a big family you can never please everyone.
“We had to cancel plans and back out gracefully.
“They were disappointed at first but they’re supportive.
“I promised I wouldn’t do it every year.”
Matilda says Penelope is too young to remember or understand Christmas.
She said: “She doesn’t know what’s going on anyway.
“She wouldn’t have a Scooby doo.
"It will be a normal day – lounging in the sunshine.
"I won’t need to dress up – no wearing itchy sequin tops. I quite like changing it up and doing something different."
Next year Matilda is looking at potentially taking her family to Canada - and paying for ski lessons for Penelope's present.
She said: "My mum took me on a flight to Ibiza when I was six weeks old – I don’t remember but I always tell everyone.
"It's overwhelming for them with all the presents.
"We know what’s right for our family."