Holiday Spending

Avatar for cl_shywon
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Holiday Spending
11
Fri, 12-22-2006 - 11:52am

I was having dinner and drinks with some people from my class last night and the subject turned to buying gifts.

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Avatar for cfk_3
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-1999
Fri, 12-22-2006 - 5:22pm

I used to work with a girl who made about the same money as myself and her husband made even less. They would go into debt every holiday season. They would barely scrape by for the next few months. Mom probably spends more than she should but, she doesn't go overboard. Every once in a while, maybe, but not every year.

I just go with my finances at the time. When I didn't have many expenses, I'd drop $100 on each of my nieces as well as my parents and perhaps a quarter of that on my friends. Not this year! I still have one, maybe two more gifts to purchase and haven't exceeded $200. Of course, my siblings and I do not exchange gifts any longer so that helps out a lot! Also, on a side note, we don't have a large extended family.

I think it's a shame the money that is wasted in our country on easily forgotten gifts. You know the ones I am referring to, right? The ones we end up pushing into the dark corners of our trunks, end up finding three years later(if you're like me)just in time to hand it off to some unlucky co-worker or distant relative?

I've already spoken to my nieces about doing something for the less fortunate next year. They seem into it so far. We'll see . . .

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-21-2005
Mon, 12-25-2006 - 11:54am

I set a new record this year.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2003
Mon, 12-25-2006 - 4:56pm

For the last couple years I have been boycotting Christmas and not really giving gifts in the traditional sense. The spending is getting way out of control and the season (along with the seasonal spread) is becoming WAY too over commercialized. Love IMHO cannot, and should not, be expressed in a dollar amount.

The only ones I have given anything to for the past few years are my parents. Last year, I bought symphony tickets for them and this year my boyfriend and I took my parents out for a very nice four course dinner at a fondue restaurant in town. And my brother, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, boyfriend - well, all decided not to exchange gifts with each other. Instead we just get together and drink a glass of wine or beer and talk.

It will be different next year when my sister's baby comes along, but we grown folks decided to forgo the gifts with each other.

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2005
Tue, 12-26-2006 - 11:29am

I am pretty broke. I would say adding up all the people I bought for I spent about $700.00 total and actually that was buy now pay later so you know I'll end up paying more than that in interest.

I am estimating about 100 dollars on my friend Erika's gift. I made her a scrapbook of her babies first year. Which is probably accurate. With all the pictures developed and all the stickers, pages, paper, embellishments etc. It probably was at least 100 bucks.




Edited 12/26/2006 12:07 pm ET by lovinhockey17

Smile,

Deirdre

Avatar for cl_shywon
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-20-2003
Wed, 12-27-2006 - 9:31pm

That scrapbooking stuff is EXPENSIVE!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-16-2005
Thu, 12-28-2006 - 5:46am
I know but the smile on her face and the tears rolling down her face when she was looking through it was so worth it because she knew the time and effort it took me putting into the book and love I put into it for her SHE LOVED IT and I loved making it. Man it was her favorite gift.

Smile,

Deirdre

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Thu, 12-28-2006 - 11:51am

I think that is a great way to go into major debt (what your friends are doing). It's so sad when people feel the need to keep up with the Joneses and spend a lot of money.

As a kid, my favorite gifts that I remember were all really simple, cheap things -- a mickey mouse cutout in a plastic box that you could make dance, paint with water books, paper dolls, etc. I received fancier toys, such as a robot one year, but those lost their luster quickly.

I honestly think that kids don't need to be spoiled. Give them a few unique and cool things - not the latest tech gadget or video game - and help them learn to appreciate the simpler things in life. Not to mention, help them learn the value of time with family, time outside to go sledding with dad, building snowmen, seeing Christmas lights, making cookies with grandma, enjoying some pumpkin pie. They really don't need a bunch of junk --what they should be getting is time and love.

Mom and dad and grandma should not be paying for years for the child's whim today.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Thu, 12-28-2006 - 12:02pm

I think that's a really nice, thoughtful gift. It's not like you have to do that every year, but to spend the time, effort (and money) on a good friend once in awhile is a nice thing to do. Glad she loved it. :)

My friends and I stopped exchanging gifts years ago. Now, I make baked goods for neighbors and friends, but that's it. We draw names in our family, so we each buy for one adult with a max of $60 (I bought my sister five gifts for that amount, I am the sale queen), and we buy for the kids (about $15 - $20 each for three nephews). I used to be in credit card debt, and I have vowed to never let that happen again.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-21-2005
Thu, 12-28-2006 - 12:09pm

Since I didn't have a lot of money, and since I'm very much a shutterbug, I tend to do photo gifts for people more and more.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-01-2005
Thu, 12-28-2006 - 12:14pm

I love that. All of those gifts have real meaning for your family, and I think it's perfect.

I should do that same massive project for my folks. They have boxes and boxes of old photos that aren't even in albums. It would be nice to have them scanned and restored.

AJ, enjoying life with C.

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