Christmas spending?

[sharbear]

Do you or does someone in your family go overboard on christmas?

I try to keep a handle on things. I spend between 150-200 dollars on each of my kids. My SIL on the other hand goes nuts. She has to spend at least $1000 on each of her kids and she has 3. She spends around $100 on my kids. It's crazy. It's hard to even buy stuff for her kids, they have so much and my little pittence doesn't even make a dent. My MIL who is a kind and generous person says that she wishes she could just take her kids off of her list.

I just spend on my gifts for neices and nephews what I feel comfortable with. That is not a $100.

I do have a habit of buying pratical presents for my kids. It drives my DH crazy. He says that X-mas is for stuff to play with. It gets harder because my kids are teenagers and stuff to play with gets to be more and more expensive. I always think that you need to get some underware and an outfit. Things my DH would never want to get.

 

[Cindy B]

I hear you LOUD AND CLEAR!


I am the same way, we tend to ask my parents what do you NEED for Christmas, instead of what do you want?

My grandmother/grandfather NEED groceries, they get Grocery gift certificates for Christmas.


We don't spend much on our kids either, to me its not the quantity but quality.

 

[nativetxn]

We don't put a spending limit on our son, but I've had to limit my nieces and nephews to $150 each. My sister has <b>4</b> kids and my deceased sil has one daughter we buy for.

We don't put a limit on our mothers, neither of our fathers are living.

But I'm running out of ideas for our mothers, they really don't <b><i>need</b></i> much and there isn't much that they really want.

I should adopt another family

 

[Boots]

Well I always end up spending more than I should! I start buying early and just can't seem to quit. This years the "kids" are getting really big things though and not much more. DS who is 23 is getting a computizer telescope, DD,27, is getting a rope hammock and stand (the stand cost more than the hammock), and son in law,27, is getting a wagon to go begin his lawn mower. DS's fiancee,21, is getting a 20 place setting of good stainless steel flatware. And except for some clothes, that is it!

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I spend about $500 each for my own kids. Included in that are new clothes and other stuff that they need for school. They really don't view those as "fun" presents. I don't buy my kids toys other than as presents at holidays and birthdays -- so any other time that they want something, it has to come out of their allowance.

Nieces and nephews I spend $25 each.

 

[KimR]

We try to limit it to around $500 for each of the 3 girls. We spend about $50 on each nephew. It does get hard especially for the younger ones since they've inherited a lot of the older DD's toys, there's really not much they don't have. I not only have to come up with things for us and Santa to give, I also have to provide wish lists to my parents, sister, in-laws, and DH's 2 brothers.

Kim

 

[cruisnfamily]

Wow! Thanks guys for the reassurance that I have not gone overboard! I really thought I had....but in reading these threads I see that I am well within my limits spending between $200 and $300 on each child. Normally we don't go over $200 but this year we had to add a GameCube to the budget.

 

[Planogirl]

I was going to be reasonable this year but I decided to get a Playstation II and then I had to add a few games for it. And of course, a few CD's and books... It all adds up in a hurry.

Oh and then there's DH too. He's very hard to shop for.

 

[Marla Hellwig]

Kath - Kara and I are up for adoption

 

[KimRaye]

Both my kids' BD's are in Dec. so, these totals include for both ~

A little over $400 for almost 15yo DS.

About $300 for almost 5yo DD.

Trust me, I know it seems unequal dollar-wise but, the amount of toys that DD is getting exceeds the amount of $50 Xbox games that DS is getting. If I forced myself to spend another $100 on DD, I'd own a 'wing' at Toys R Us!

Besides, I'm not the only 'Santa' in their lives and, with BD's, I just get sick of presents around here.

 

[Beauty]

My son is spolied rotten (the only child and the only grandchild) but we don't go far overboard.....so far we have gotten him a Bike, Xbox and one game to go with the XBox (it came with 2 so he will have 3) oh and another controller. A little under $500.

 

[worm761]

i go overboard! i dont have a set dollar amount that i go by. i just buy DS what i think he would like. and we are well aware of the fact that we spoil him. but i am bad because i have a shopping habit and i like to buy things for other people. so my DS gets alot.

for christmas i am getting my boyfriend an electric guitar and some DVD's that i know he wants.

 

[believe]

We have 13 nieces and nephews that we buy for, as well as approximately 6 other children and 10 other adults...doesn't count the baked goods for the neighbors and church family. Our spending is very limited. This year my family is pulling their money together so the nieces and nephews can get nicer gifts. We have tried drawing names and it just does not work for our family.
As for our DDs, we spend about $100 on individual gifts for each and about $100 on gifts they will share, $300 total. They are still young so the gifts aren't getting too expensive yet. DD#1's birthday is the day after Christmas, so she gets a lot of gifts then.

 

[aahmom1]

I usually go overboard, I can never seem to help myself.

 

[olena]

My MIL goes overboard. She enjoys it so much. I'm still not used to it, and Chris is just spoiled on it. Oh well....

 

[WendyZ]

I have a set limit also for my Christmas list. We have quite a few to buy for so I have to do this or it would get so out of control! I usually do my DD first, she gets 200-250. At 13 that doesn't go to far. Then I just match my DS to the amount of gifts. That what he looks at...the piles! So I usually don't end up spending as much on him. We have alot to buy for on DH's side. So I have a limit of 20 or less for each. I been resorting to gift certificates, because some of them are so hard to buy for. I only have 3 on my side and we set limits before we begin shopping. I always try to get stuff on sale also.

Each year it's seems to get alittle harder with some, but I find a way. I start shopping in Sept. and try to be done by Thanksgiving. That way I can enjoy the holidays. I almost done this year...I might make it by Thanksgiving!
WOO HOO!!!!

 

[Lucky4me]

I used to go overboard, not anymore. We have $$ taken out of my husbands paycheck year round for the holidays. Once it's gone, it's gone, so I'm very careful. Having cash instead of a credit card makes it difficult for me to go overboard. I used to dread those cc bills come January. Paying cash isn't all that bad....

 

[RIDISNEYLOVERS]

Believe - I am in your same situation.

There are too many family members to go over board. I have 15 nieces and nephews on DH side and we have a limit of $10 that we spend on each of them. Plus I have about 7 other kids and 13 adults to buy for and that does not include the money that DH will spend on me.

DD is almost 3 so I still have it easy. This year is the first year she is really into Christmas and Santa so I am so excited to start our holiday memories. I figured I would spend between $100 and $200 on her.

Enjoy the holidays.

Lisa

 

[snoopy]

About $300 per kid. I have 27 nieces and nephews on my side alone, approximately 30 or so on DH's side. We stopped exchanging gifts long ago, and now draw from a hat. On that gift, I usually spend $50 or so.

I rarely go overboard, I just set a limit and refuse to go over it. That is why I like shopping on Black Friday, my kids get more bang for the buck.

 

[Cindy B]

It is so true to pay cash....