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