.

[kinntj]

A lot. Much more then normal. I think we are trying to revive the economy on our own. Many of my family are in worse shape this year then the past so we were more generous there, and went a little nuts on the kids. Plus Dh decided this was the year to finally get his parents a real desktop. (in the past he has put them together with mostly spare parts) Just about everything was put on the credit card. The bill will be paid in full when it comes.
Donna

In the past month we've spent over $1,000 on vet bill, so we're reviving the vet economy. I keep telling the vet, that he can take a vacation now to WDW due to us.

 

[micheleq]

I'm at $630-ish. More than I wanted to spend this year, but that includes my DDs and about 12-15 extended family members. DH & I are not exchanging, and that total doesn't include my brother's gift -- we are giving him a "certificate" for two broadway tickets to the show of his choice. So those I'll have to purchase later, probably $200. But, my brother buys nice gifts for us and DDs so I don't mind at all.

$830. Eek! But, it's all cash

 

[lisaross]

Sorry to hear about the fire...

happy holidays!

I spent a lot more than I normally would. We had a fire in Nov. and lost every single thing that we had. I felt the worst for my boys so they definitely got extra this year. If I had to guess, I'd say close to $2000 just for them. For everyone else about 500. We did use cash though so there won't be any lingering bills at least.

 

[luvsJack]

Totaled it up last night, 1500-1600. A little less than some years, more than I really planned to.

My two married kids are getting a wii as a couples gift. I didn't realize at the time that they would need extra controllers or how much those things cost! I don't want to give a gift that would end up costing them money just to get it ready to use! So the $100 each or $200 together ended up at a bit over $300 together.

DD is also getting a wii (more for a "family" gift-for me, dd and dh as I know we will have fun playing together) plus other things, she is the only one at home so we do spend more on her as it includes winter clothes and such.

Plus we have our new little family addition! So, dgd will have plenty of toys for years to come with everything that her four grandparents and 3 great-grand parents have bought this year!! (luckily one of her grandparents did think ahead and get some things that will be for when she is a bit older!)

 

[3boymthr]

Well, I think my total is probably one of the higher ones. Of course I've always spent in excess of $1,000 but I spent extra on DH and the kids this year.

I'm somewhere in the neighborhood of $2,500 to $3,000, not including the stuff I bought on sale that was not christmas items; clothing for oldest DS (darn growth spurts) and a new coat for myself plus some boots for the younger kids and and and...

But we paid cash for it all and as PP noted it was only a small % of our overall income.

 

[MoniqueU]

What people spent on 15 plus people is what I spent on my 3 kids, mom, mil and husband plus a close friend and her son. My kids are almost 12,13 and almost 17. Those video games are 60 dollars a pop!! You don't get off easy with the new titles. I started way early by socking away gift certificates for my DD 13. She is getting 350 in gift cards but she uses it to buy clothes that I don't have to buy her throughout the winter so it is pretty much a good deal for me. Add a DSI,gps, new cell phone and other misc items and the total skyrockets. I cut down on gifts for my MIL and Mom and really bargain hunted big time. They are still getting a good amount but I spent far less on them then I usually do. Things are tight for us and my kids come first. My mom got my gift from my husband which was an estee lauder makeup kit, purchase with purchase.

It sure was easier when they were little and I would load up a couple of carts with toys and spend 300 bucks on my kids. Now nothing they want is ever on sale or if it is it is like 5 bucks off on amazon. Not very good for me.

 

[mward73]

I would guess right around $1000, maybe a little less for everyone. That includes DH, 14 kids (only 2 are mine, so most were in the $10 range), both sets are parents, 2 aunts & uncles and a couple of friends.

I've already started on next year with some of the sales so far this year, so I expect to be around the same amount then as well. I try to stay around $1000, but buy all year, so we never get hit with a large bill in one month (we pay off the bills every month - I just use the credit cards for the reward pts).

 

[JandJ]

I don't know what DH spent on me; I'd guess less than $100, but looking at Quicken and adding up what I spent on him, my friends, plus what we both spent on my brother, my SIL, my sister, our 3 nieces and nephews, and DH's parents and grandparents, and the Salvation Army Angel Child we "adopt" each year (who honestly we spend more on that kid than anyone else!) it comes to just about $350 That does not include postage for mailing presents or stamps for Christmas cards, or the cards themselves, which I bought last year the day after Christmas for 75% off, so that's about another $40. The biggest thing is we don't have kids of our own yet. I know the Christmas budget will triple when we're buying for our child(ren)!

I shop throughout the year and look for a bargain but never get something unless I know the recipient will love it. When I get someone a gift I might say, "I only want to spend $10 on this person" but then I'll search for something they'll actually like. I won't buy someone something cheap just for the sake of giving them a gift. I get our nieces and nephews little gifts throughout the year, for other holidays, their birthdays, graduation, etc. so we don't spoil them at Christmas.

 

[tammymacb]

I spent around $2500. I have a $2000 Christmas club and bought other things along the way. Not one penny on a credit card, though!

 

[njcarita]

just $385..........

hubby and I ................ $0
3kids.............. $300
4 relatives...........$85.......

 

[patsal]

Way too much! But I don't care it ws what I wanted to do with my money!

Dinner: groceries so far have added up to $376. (I have the whole extended family for a full sit down dinner with apps and alcohol)

Gifts for my children around $1000 split ebtween the two of them, may be over but if I see something and want to get it for them I do and will until tomorrow.

DH about $500, but I really don't track it, I just buy what I want for him and know we can afford.

Gifts for out of the house:
My Parents $325 (My Mom is having a rough year and I spent $125 on something special just for her!)

My Mother in Law $100

2 Nieces and 2 Nephews $100 (total)

My sisters a little trinket thing for each of them ($60 total)

Friends, Boss, and secretaries ($150)


A bit over $2600. I was lucky this year, December is a 3 paycheck month for me so one whole paycheck can be put towards it all. I also budget a Christmas club all year long to help pay for it.

 

[Madi100]

Wow. This is interesting. I will say that I have spent more on Christmas this year than any other. It was a good year. I have been especially spoiled. DH and I are not exchanging gifts, because we just got home from WDW. But, I also got a camera that is really an early birthday present, and I am getting an ipod Touch in my stocking. I probably spent $600 on each of my kids. I don't add it up. That would be scary!

 

[delmar411]

I have no idea how much I spent. Not sure I'd want to add it all up either! LOL

Christmas is pretty much it for the kids. They don't get things all year long other than their b-days which are very small and low key.

DH said it was definitely another overboard year though and I'm sick of wrapping so it is a lot of stuff. But a lot of the cost is an xbox and a bunch of games/controllers/memory for that and then a ton of Wii games as well. I did really well price wise for the toys since there were so many great sales and coupons for toys this year.

 

[nikkistevej]

We probably spent maybe $1500-1600 on about 20 people.

$50 on each neice and nephew(we have 5)
DH and I did about $150 on each other each
Mom/MIL/FIL $100 each
godchildren/friends/cousins $300
sister/BIL $100
DD7probably around $350-400

I feel like we did pretty good with deals and all this year- so I felt good about the amount.

 

[sillysmom]

My Budget for Xmas was $2500. Half of that was spent on our family of three, my hubby, DD, and myself, and the rest on the other 34 people I buy for. (yes, you read that right 34!!!)

 

[Goofy_Dad_24]

Luckily I had a very good year with the variable portion of my income, so we were able to do a little more than usual. Spent about $1k on gifts for DW and DS3, plus about $1k on extended family gifts. Matched that spending by sending a $2k check to St Jude's. Hoping to keep the spending the same next year, but double the charitable contribution!

 

[mindyd]

we paid all cash I spent 1600 on two girls, they are into American Girl so it adds up. I spent another 800 on family gifts and me and my huband bought a tv so that was 1400. We never buy each other big presents it is normally a shirt and some years nothing. We spent around $3800 give or take a little!

 

[TangaroaTiki]

I spent a lot more than I normally would. We had a fire in Nov. and lost every single thing that we had. I felt the worst for my boys so they definitely got extra this year. If I had to guess, I'd say close to $2000 just for them. For everyone else about 500. We did use cash though so there won't be any lingering bills at least.

OMG - that's awful. So sorry

 

[JamesMom]

here's my list, if anybody cares, lol.


Décor

$150 Home Depot -Lights (netted 7 sets, replacment bulbs, fuses, stakes, night light)
$100 Personalize.com - stockings
$25 Kohls - tree skirt
$75 Kohls - clothes for kids: sweater set & pjs
$170 Kiddie Kandids - Family portrait, christmas cards, pictures for family, James B-day pics
$50 Hallmark - Gift wrap, bows, ribbon, recordable book
$13 Misc - Christmas stamps & labels
$10 Target - tape, ribbon, bags
$593

Gifts
$260 Amazon - Wii console, WiiPlay w/remote, Numchuck, MarioKart, Other Game w/wheel
$35 Amazon - Wii Resort w/2 motion plus (less $25 amazon Wii gift card)
$85 Amazon - Wii Fit Plus w/board
$90 Amazon - Rob stuff (Guitar Hero-Van Halen PS2, Areosmith w/2 guitars, Simpson Scene it, 80's scene it)
$16 Amazon - Nancy (Twilight Scene It, Kindle book)
$20 Amazon - Bakugan board & Kai Lan toy (J&J)
$20 Walmart - Transformers (J&J)
$28 Kohls - Puzzles, Bakugan (J&J)
$25 Kohls - Rob Stocking Stuff (2 Longhorn t-shirts, rubic cube)
$20 Toys R Us - Stocking Stuffers (Candy, coloring books for J&J)
$30 Toys R Us - Bead cube for Richard
$10 Party City - stocking stuffers (toys, cards for J&J)
$40 Best Buy - Rob DS & Blue Ray
$40 Best Buy - Michael game
$180 Allen Brothers - Seafood for George & Dottie
$50 Barnes & Noble Gift Card for Nancy & Jon
$100 Best Buy/Barnes & Noble - surprise gifts for me
$100 Grand Floridian Spa - Bath products for Dottie & Nancy
$15 Target - Rob stocking stuff (candy)
$20 Tom thumb - Ziti ingredients for Tom
$40 Popping shop - fresh popcorn tin & stocking stuffers
$5 Walmart - frame for Lou
$15 Walmart - battery charger for wii remotes
$1,269

Other
$50 Target Gift Cards for Mrs. Morris (sp ed teacher)
$25 Target Gift Cards for Mrs. Burt (1st grade teacher)
$70 Baking supplies = goody bags for : dutch, vicky, alex, laney, kim, 5 bus drivers - cookies & bon bons, fudge
$50 Brunch expense
$50 Christmas dinner expense
$100 Church donation
$30 Church - Angel Tree
$20 Misc donations (toys for tots, st. jude,salvation army, etc as shopping)
$30 Michaels - Christmas crafts, gingerbread house, cookie press, cookie boxes
$425




$2,262 Grand Holiday Total

***********
I think not bad at all - got some great amazon deals.
Represents a smidgen over 2% of our annual gross income if that means anything to anybody AND hubby got a $400 Christmas bonus this year.
My mom is in the hospital over Christmas so we are making the best of it...

 

[mickeyboat]

I have absolutely no idea. I start buying early and spread it over September through December, so I don't keep track that closely. I am sure I would freak out to see how much I spent, but I don't really want to know.