..

[C.Ann]

..........................

 

[JoyG]

I'm going to try to cut the Christmas budget by 25% this year. My kids don't have any big money items on their list and they're still really into toys. I don't think they'll feel the pinch.

I might have to cut out gifts to extended family members though. We usually buy for 7 neices and nephews and that might get cut back a bit.

 

[Freyja]

What - if anything - are you going to do different in regards to Christmas this year - gift wise?

Are you going to cut back on the number of people you exchange with?

Buy less for your children?

Put more stringent rules in place in regards to the cost of the large items your children want?

Lean more towards useful gifts (clothing; new sneakers; coats; etc.) and just a few toys?

Make a very strict budget and stick to it - no matter what?

Not change anything?
-------------------------------------------

I've been reading on the BB (and elsewhere) - people really stressing out over how they are going to get their children the big ticket items they are requesting.. Some parents are having financial difficulties already.. Others have lost jobs.. No one knows what we're facing in the weeks and months ahead.. Heating costs may rise dramatically.. Food costs may rise even more than they already have.. More people are going to face lay-off's - resulting in families having to pick up very expensive COBRA payments for their health insurance (or worse yet, going without)..

Wouldn't it just make more sense to sit your children down - have a good heart-to-heart talk with them about the current economy and your current financial situation - and explain that the "bigger" ticket items just aren't in the budget this year and they need to lower their expectations?

Wouldn't this be a good time to return to the less "material" aspect of celebrating Christmas?

Maybe I just "don't get it" because I refuse to spend more than what I feel comfortable spending and/or can afford - and positively refuse to go into debt because someone wants a high-priced toy or gizmo..

How do all of you feel?

I agree with every single bolded word above.

First of all we always give our kids 1 gift each. We have never gone over $200 per kid and won´t this year either. This year we will probably stick to $100 for the oldest two and $50 or less for the 3 youngest ones. We are going to Disney in Nov/Dec, a trip we had already planned and paid for with non-refundable tickets (worth almost $4000) and our economy is really bad at the moment.

I feel it´s part of good parenting to show your kids that you can not go on an expensive trip and get big gifts when money is pretty tight (compared to what it has been in the last couple of years).

We have never "competed" with their friends gifts and our kids hardly ever ask for any "big ticket" items. They´re usually pretty easy to please with a computer game, clothes, iPod shuffle, doll, etc. The computers, cell phones etc. they buy for their own money saved from a couple of birthdays, Christmas, allowance, etc.

 

[C.Ann]

.................

 

[okeydokey]

We'll be cutting back for sure. We still love the holiday season though!!

 

[jimmiej]

Not planning any cutbacks. DW gets a Christmas bonus, & that's what we use. No more, no less. Her bonus is supposed to be about the same as always.

 

[slo]

We are cutting WAY back in our house.

*I'm buying nothing for my DH
*My girls wanted to change their rooms this year, so I let them pick out their comforter and accessories, and told them that was their early Christmas present - they were fine with that.
*I'm starting our shopping very early (the moms/grandmas are already done) so we can easily buy everything with cash, instead of using a credit card at the last minute.
*The girls Santa items won't be that big either (my oldest DD will understand because she doesn't believe, but my youngest will be like "what the heck!!!")

So, there will be alot of adjustments this year
But that's okay, because Christmas shouldn't be about the presents anyway. If I had my way, I would tell everyone that the adults shouldn't exchange gifts, and to only buy for my girls. But that's wouldn't go over very well in my family.

 

[nannerbadnanner]

We are pretty frugal anyway so our Christmas spending will be about the same as usual. I have already finished shopping for my DDs. They are 2 1/2 YO and 8 months so nothing too big or crazy. Since my dad passed away earlier this year, I do want to get my mom something special this year, but I am not sure what yet.

 

[GirTheGecko]

The last couple of years have been very tight for us. We don't have any children, so we don't have to deal with that. For the last couple years, I told my loved ones I am not buying gifts, and no one should feel the need to buy me anything. I don't want to be a source of stress for anyone and want less stress for me. I want to enjoy a nice day with my loved ones. To me, that's a wonderful gift.

So, I'm in the same boat as the OP, refusing to go further into debt and cause myself more stress over unnecessary gifts. Even if we had children, we wouldn't be buying them anything, because we simply cannot afford it.

 

[EthansMom]

I'm going to work harder to stay within my budget for our kids and I'll be cutting back (in small ways) for the few adults with whom we still exchange gifts. I may also do less in the way of Christmas cards this year and am trying to be more discriminating about what foods I make/serve for the holidays since I always make way too much.

I don't stress too much about getting "just the right thing" or "the most popular thing" for my kids. My parents, who are on the opposite coast, usually send a modest monetary gift to the kids (which saves a bundle on shipping costs vs. buying and shipping gifts). Both kids (7 and 4) know that if there is a toy they want but don't get, they can always buy it with their Christmas money (usually totals about $75 from two sets of grandparents).

I'm hoping to use any money I can save beyond what I've budgeted to give more to charity this season. I know a lot of families are going to be needing to rely more on charities for gifts for their children, help with their heat, and food for their tables this winter.

ETA: We never go into debt for Christmas. If we can't afford it, we don't buy it.

 

[aprilgail2]

I am pretty much done with my christmas shopping so nothing has really changed in our budget this year. I added a neighbors new baby to my list but that was about it. I do have stocking stuff left to buy though.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Christmas will be about the same. I have already bought most of it. My daughter is having a destination wedding in June. Everybody's getting plane tickets and a couple of small things to unwrap. My children, the grandkids, my brother and our parents are who we buy gifts for. We have gone the homemade gift route with others for a while.....cookies, candies, etc. I try to concentrate on "the reason for the season". I also donate for two "Christmas Angels."

 

[Kathi OD]

DH and I are cutting back, but not as much on the gifts we give others, just ourselves. My birthday is in November, his in January. Instead of exchanging b-day and Christmas gifts, we bought relatively cheap airfare to Orlando and will be in WDW for his b-day weekend. We're using our DVC points and already have park tix, so other than food, which we will prepare in room and would have to purchase at home anyway, we're done.

For our nieces and nephews we will cut back a little. There are 8 and I'm cutting back $5 each, enough to cover one of the parent gifts. I'm using some of the points I've earned through MyPoints for gift certs to give as gifts rather than get them for our own use. I also cashed in some American Express points for gift certs that I'll use to buy gifts. I've been bargain hunting for a few weeks now and have gotten some good deals.

Fortunately, we're at a point in life where everyone is old enough to understand that things are tight right now, or they're too young to understand (DGD is only 2, DGS will be 10 months).

 

[C.Ann]

......................

 

[disneygal2007]

Normally we spend 600 on each kid we have 2 boys. But I have cut that in half maybe 250 to 300 each. Christmas is my favorite holiday and we will be without DH this year again. THANK U ARMY I have shopped at the dollar general in the past for Christmas. So I may do that now. The only big thing they are getting this year are bikes. But who cares right I'm trying to teach them do not always expect everything that want.

 

[FinallyBoughtDVC]

Whatever you all do - please shop local. The mom and pop shops are going to die this year. The mom and pop shops are the ones that support your little leagues, churches, schools. The mom and pop shops are the ones that go that extra mile to find just the right thing. The personal service, the sale with a smile is what holiday shopping should be all about.

Shop local - you'd be surprised at the deals and special and unique items you can find at your local gift store, toy store, etc.

Make Christmas and Chanukah special by buying for your family from a family instead of a box store or appliance giant.

Thanks from all of us shopkeepers who are trying very hard to keep it together during these horrific economic times.

 

[Charade]

It saddens me that I have to inform you all that my gift of a trip to WDW for the entire DIS is out this year.

 

[wall*e2008]

What - if anything - are you going to do different in regards to Christmas this year - gift wise?

Spending less



Are you going to cut back on the number of people you exchange with?

No


Lean more towards useful gifts (clothing; new sneakers; coats; etc.) and just a few toys?

I will still buy something the person would want but will not buy for themselves.




Make a very strict budget and stick to it - no matter what?

I will try.


-------------------------------------------

I've been reading on the BB (and elsewhere) - people really stressing out over how they are going to get their children the big ticket items they are requesting.. Some parents are having financial difficulties already.. Others have lost jobs.. No one knows what we're facing in the weeks and months ahead.. Heating costs may rise dramatically.. Food costs may rise even more than they already have.. More people are going to face lay-off's - resulting in families having to pick up very expensive COBRA payments for their health insurance (or worse yet, going without)..

Wouldn't it just make more sense to sit your children down - have a good heart-to-heart talk with them about the current economy and your current financial situation - and explain that the "bigger" ticket items just aren't in the budget this year and they need to lower their expectations?

Each family handles it in their own way. One can cut back and not make a big deal about it to the kids.

Wouldn't this be a good time to return to the less "material" aspect of celebrating Christmas?

We love both aspects of the holiday.



Maybe I just "don't get it" because I refuse to spend more than what I feel comfortable spending and/or can afford - and positively refuse to go into debt because someone wants a high-priced toy or gizmo..

One can get the gizmos and not go into debt. The person may make more money, they might have saved all year for Christmas, they may not buy anything the rest of the year or other reasons.


How do all of you feel?

I don't worry about what others are doing, I just do what I can afford and get the best gift I can in my price range.

 

[C.Ann]

How do all of you feel?

I don't worry about what others are doing, I just do what I can afford and get the best gift I can in my price range.

---------------------

I don't think any of us are "worried" about it..

 

[minniecarousel]

Even if DH gets a job before Christmas, we're cutting waaaay back. I don't have little kids of my own to buy for. My brothers' triplets turn 11 on Dec. 15, so there are always double presents in Dec. for them. But I won't go crazy on them.

My DSs and DDILs know our situation, so they're not expecting a lot of presents. We exchange one gift amongst the adults in my family. DH will probably get his brother a gift card, and if we can, we'll send DH's niece some $$ to help Santa.

Some years, we do "stocking stuffers" for the adults in my family, but not this year (although, I think I bought a few things after Christmas last year, so I need to check on that!)

DH & I will not exchange gifts.