This will be our first proper Christmas with presents for Madeline as she was born on Christmas Eve last year. We bought her birthday & Christmas presents in the K-Mart toy sale and fortunately only spent about $100 in total. She will be getting 2 presents for each event (and I know she will be soooo spoilt by everyone else too). For a 1 year old, I just can't justify spending excessive amounts; but I can understand at school age spending up to $200-$250 per child.

I think your own choice of money you're spending on your child/ren has alot to do with your upbringing and financial position. I came from a family of 5 children so there was no way my parents on one wage could afford $400/child. Perhaps that's why I find that much too excessive; but for someone else it might not be.