A woman found herself inundated with hateful comments from online users when she disclosed the Christmas presents she had purchased for her stepdaughter and son. Perplexed by the ceaseless criticism, she opted to confront the trolls in a TikTok video.
Samantha Mary, a 35-year-old mother from Shoreham-by-Sea, West Sussex, recently disclosed that she encountered online trolling for allocating £100 ($124) each on Christmas presents for her son and stepdaughter. Despite the criticism, she emphasized her intention not to spoil the children.
In preparation for the holiday season, Samantha decided to establish a budget for both the main presents and stocking gifts for her nearly two-year-old son, Jack, and nine-year-old stepdaughter, Isabella. She allocated £20 ($24) for stocking presents, which included items such as scrunchies, car toys, and shower gel.
The bulk of the budget, £80 ($98), was dedicated to the main presents. For her son, Samantha purchased a railway set and toys for his play kitchen. Meanwhile, she selected an art set and a Lilo and Stitch vest and pants for her stepdaughter.
It wasn’t long before Samantha shared a video response to address her haters, explaining her reasoning and choice of gifts for her children.
In a TikTok video about the Christmas presents she had bought for her stepdaughter, the mother confessed that it “was much harder to stick to £100 budget… the old they get the more things cost. However it was pretty close to budget [sic]!”
Christmas on a Budget
Samantha, a primary school teacher, expressed how she and her husband deliberated on their desired spending limit and settled on $124, considering it a practical amount. She divulged how Christmas was spiraling out of control, putting pressure on parents to buy extravagant presents. The thoughtful mom said she wanted her kids to be thankful for what they had and didn’t wish to spoil them with costly gifts.
So, for Christmas 2023, Samantha and her husband, 40-year-old Richard, employed a budgeting approach as they navigated the living cost crisis. The mom-of-two highlighted how she and her husband had become more conscious of their expenditures considering the escalating prices.
Between September and October, Samantha procured the gifts from various sources, including supermarkets, Primark, and Amazon. She selected various items for her son Jack’s stocking, including biscuits, a water bottle, chalks, a bouncy ball, a book, a puzzle, and a vehicle set. In the case of her stepdaughter Isabella, she chose scrunchies, biscuits, shower gel, a Christmas cup, sweets, a stamper set, hair clips, and a brush featuring characters from Lilo and Stitch.
As for the main presents, Samantha allocated £30 ($36) for an art set for her stepdaughter, in addition to a body warmer, Lilo and Stitch-themed pants and vests, a Disney bag, a pair of fluffy leggings, and a hat. Simultaneously, her son received a railway set, toys for his kitchen set, a book, animal puzzles, bouncing bunnies, Play-Doh, and blocks.
Addressing Her Critics
Despite Samantha’s satisfaction with her purchases, she faced criticism from other parents on TikTok. She mentioned that there were numerous dissenting voices, similar to this comment: “Pants and socks for Christmas? That’s harsh!” The mother said she included essential items like shower gel in the stockings, noting that Christmas encompasses much more—it’s about fulfilling the children’s desires.
People were particularly outraged with the Christmas presents she had bought for her stepdaughter and slammed her for their price. It wasn’t long before Samantha shared a video response to address her haters, explaining her reasoning and choice of gifts for her children.
The West Sussex parent shared that she was taken aback by the numerous comments she received and found her mind thoroughly blown by the responses. She mentioned that receiving practical gifts like pants and socks for Christmas had always been normal for her.
She explained that her children receive essentials like socks, pants, and vests throughout the year, and sometimes, she included such items at Christmas to enhance the unwrapping experience. Samantha mentioned choosing Lilo and Stitch-themed items for her stepdaughter because she is obsessed with them.
For Samantha, Christmas isn’t about extravagant spending but rather a sensible amount to have things to unwrap and additional bits to add to the joy. She addressed comments about the absence of toys, stating that Christmas isn’t solely about toys. She emphasized that her stepdaughter already receives many gifts from various family members and that she and her husband are aware of the types of presents she’ll be getting.
According to Samantha, as children grow older, toys become less important, and they start valuing other things. She highlighted her stepdaughter’s interest in arts and crafts, explaining that she and her husband got her a new art set as the main present.
Expressing her astonishment, Samantha observed that some people spend hundreds on items like Play Stations and laptops for their kids, a practice she disapproved of. She clarified that they had, in the past, bought significant gifts but typically reserved those for birthdays, as Christmas is for everyone.
She expressed concern about the inequality in gift-giving. Moreover, the mom emphasized that Christmas, for her family, is about creating a lovely day, having fun, playing games, and enjoying the festive preparations. Samantha concluded by expressing gratitude for the positive comments and advocating for normalizing Christmas on a budget, acknowledging that not all families can afford extravagant
Do you support this mother’s stance of celebrating Christmas on a budget rather than splurging on expensive items? What sort of gifts did you receive as a child on Christmas: Did they include toys and other costly things or something else?