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Tuesday 01 December 2015 10:00 am

Parents will spend hundreds on gadgets for kids this Christmas

By: Lynsey Barber

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It's not just adults eyeing up the latest gadget for their Christmas stocking.

Parents will splash out £225 on buying tablets, games consoles and smartphones for their kids at this time of year, on average, with Apple and Samsung topping Santa's list.

More than a quarter are budgeting even more to shower the latest technology on their kids, a whopping £300, according to the latest research from USwitch.

“Clementines and chocolate coins simply won’t cut it with the youth of today. If it doesn’t need charging, they probably won’t want it. I jest, of course, but our research does suggest Santa Claus’s sleigh will be dragging a high-voltage load this year," said USwitch's tech expert Ernest  Doku.

Read more: Gadgets in kids' back packs are worth £3.2bn

“Playground pack mentality says Apple or Samsung makes coolest gadgets around. They also command premium prices. Fortunately for parents who are feeling the pinch, smartphones cost less if you can find a refurb, and just as thrifty is opting for an older model," he added.

More than a third of parents said their children understood the cost of technology and wouldn't necessarily find the premium device of their dreams under the tree come Christmas day. Another one in 10 have told their children that gadgets are just too expensive and not to expect any.

Here's what's top of shopping lists.

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