How much do you spend on Christmas?

iVillage Member
Registered: 08-23-2006
How much do you spend on Christmas?
36
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 9:56am
Just for your kids? How much per kid are you planning to spend? I will probably not answer this question myself, as I am rather embarassed to say.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 10:17am

We have been very thrifty the last three Christmases. Last year was the least we've ever spent and it felt good so we're going to do the same again this year. We used to have a $50 dollar budget per person (close family) and a $100 dollar budget per child. My husband and I stopped buying things for each other a long time ago! Last year we just couldn't do it, so we cut everything in half. $25-30 per person and $50 per child. We ended up spending about $300 dollars on Christmas. Now that is a cheap Christmas. Our previous budget was $500 dollars.

So now I bet I made you feel bad!!! We have kind of a unique situation though. DH's parents always buy the kids their 'big' gift. Last year they both got DS's and a ton of games. So we kind of like to get the simpler gifts. The more educational or special gifts. This year, I'm going to be getting my oldest a set of Architectural blocks. He can sit for hours and build things. I'm probably going to end up getting my second son an art set because he can draw for hours! I'm not sure about my baby yet. Definitely something simple because he doesn't know the difference yet!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-02-1999
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 10:23am

You're so funny, Amanda. :) A cash-only Christmas is definitely something to be proud of!

We only have the one child so far, and she's 16 months. We've budgeted $50 for her gifts, which will cover two bigger gifts (a musical sit-n-spin - we have a $10 coupon! - and a soft, comfy chair for her in the living room), plus a small gift to open on Christmas Eve at our family gathering and a couple of small items for her stocking. We figure that a) she still doesn't really "get" the gift thing yet, b) she's got two sets of grandparents and a handful of aunts and uncles who will also shower her with gifts, and c) how many toys can one child play with at once, anyway? :)

We, too, are doing an all-cash Christmas, and frankly with the cash we have saved this is all we can afford, anyway. If we had a bigger budget for Christmas we'd likely be tempted to do more for gifts - because it is nearly impossible to resist buying things for the little ones!










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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-24-2007
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 10:25am

Well, I'm almost embarrassed to post this, but I've spent about $500-$600 on my daughter every year (except for last year, because of the bedbug situation).

Kate


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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-23-2006
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 10:36am

OK, Kate, YOU made me feel a little better. But still not enough to 'fess up!lol


I also have to add this disclaimer (in case I do admit how much we spend) IT IS ALL MY HUSBANDS FAULT!!! When he and I married I was BLOWN away by how much he and his ex-wife would spend on the 2 boys. Then our first few Christmas', we would spend a crazy amount b/c, well, the "competition" was on! DH would try to out-do ex-wife and vice-versa. Well then it all caught up with us a couple years ago, we got smarter

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-2008
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 10:41am

Good question:

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-01-2008
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 10:43am

My son is 27 and my DIL is 24.

Norma


"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble"- Plautus


iVillage Member
Registered: 08-04-2008
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 10:45am

Well our kids are teenagers, so it gets more expensive as they get older. I think about $600 per child (we only have two.)
Big gifts are: DD18 - iTouch 8g; DS16 - 19" HDTV for his room - both those big gifts are about $200.
Then they each get:
calendar
slippers
PJs
jersey (one wants Lions, one Redwings)
Eco smart water bottle bought from church to fund ministry and to save on beverage bottles in their lunches
iTunes gift card
DD gets two outfits because her dad does not shop for her and she will also probably get something from one of the colleges she decides on, as we should know what school very soon. DS gets a lot more from his mom. (We have custody of both kids, but DD is mine, DS is my DH's.)

Dh is getting a home theater surround system for our cabin up north ($300) and I am using an Amazon gift card I have for that. My list for him is also:
electric razor
butane lighter - for cigars,
wine decantor - it helps get air into red wines
PJs
T-shirts - long and short sleeve
Bullet boxes, he loads his own ammo and these are like $2 each

So about $600 each for the three of them - $1800 total.

Then I have my parents - Netflix annual subscription and some smaller items,
DH's sister's family $300 for all,
Dh's parents and I have no idea there,
and my brother's kids will get something about $30 each.

My budget is about $2600, which is about half of two years ago (DH got a gun safe that was $2600 alone.)
BUT that is one two week paycheck for me, so it is within reason for my budget and I have the cash to use. If I do use a card (like Kohl's or Target, it will be for the discounts and points, then I pay it immediately by either writing a check for it and holding the check until the bill comes or paying the amount back right then.

We do a big Christmas, but I don't shop all year long except for back to school clothes, so that is about all they get all year besides a smaller birthday.

DD's birthday is this weekend and I got her a new cell phone, cell case, curling iron, volleyball, and Bare essentials makeup. Total $250.




iVillage Member
Registered: 05-06-2009
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 10:50am
I budgeted $50 per kid and $20 per other person I need to buy gifts for(6).I get great deals so my kids don't know I don't spend a fortune yet they get good gifts.
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iVillage Member
Registered: 07-05-2006
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 11:05am
Oh how nice!!! I love your sandwich tradition! My church feeds hundreds of homeless on Thanksgiving morning. I was asked to attend but with all of the family activities we have planned, I just won't have time. And I'm spending the morning with my mother who hasn't had a Thanksgiving off in probably 5 years! I feel awful! I know that feeding the homeless on Thanksgiving would probably give me more joy than anything else, but I'm still too selfish of my own family time to commit to it. Maybe next year! :(

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Wed, 11-25-2009 - 11:06am

We don't spend a lot on Christmas gifts.

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