'I spend my child benefit on my kids at Christmas - they have presents worth £1,000'

Elesia Hayes, a devoted mum to her two children, Jaxon, five, and Olivia, three, starts preparing for as early as January. Despite being on a low income, Elesia is determined to make the festive season as magical as possible for her little ones. The 23 year old from transform their home into a winter wonderland every year, complete with piles of presents and matching Christmas pyjamas. Elesia spends £100 per month on gifts for her kids, using some of her benefit money, and begins wrapping as early as March to manage the costs.

"I can't afford to buy in bulk," she told "I have a low income, and I find that spreading the costs [helps]. I spend my child benefits on presents, and it builds up to a good amount by Christmas." She usually finishes around August but will pick up additional items if she spots something she likes afterwards. Elesia estimates that she spends between £300-£500 per child each year, which averages out to about £100 per month on gifts from January to August, reports

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Tthe super-organised mum has her children's Christmas completely sorted, with festivities such as a Christmas Eve box, twinning pyjamas and a heap of prettily wrapped gifts all prepped months before the big day. She is known to scavenge for year-round deals, snagging discounts at events on Amazon's and toy offers at retail giants like , , and Argos. "It's cheaper because I manage to pick up deals in the Prime Day sales on Amazon and the toy events at shops like Asda, Tesco, and Argos. It just saves me struggling in the month when I spread out the cost," she explained.

This season, Elesia has already got an assortment of presents, covered in Disney, Marvel and seasonal wrapping paper, stowed away out of sight. Her hoard features goodies such as Fisher-Price interactive plush toys, signature action figures, and a Kindle earmarked for her son Jaxon. "It's important to me to give my children the best Christmas and gifts because I haven't always [had that myself]. I want them to have the best childhood, with occasions to remember," she divulged about her festive preparation.

Despite the joy she works to provide, brings a sombre note for Elesia, who devastatingly experienced the stillbirth of her daughter Myla just after the holiday season on 29 December 2020. "I used to love Christmas, but since losing my little girl, I don't like it anymore," she expressed sorrowfully. For her, the period leading up to Christmas and the New Year is especially challenging, filled with reminders of the third child she ought to be celebrating with.

Elesia pays tribute to Myla by arranging special balloons and a celebratory cake with candles, which her children then blow out in memory of their sister. "We talk about Myla, especially around Christmas and her birthday, and we go to her graveside to have a picnic with her when the is nice."

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