Giving just one Christmas present..

[tammymacb]

Each year I contribute to a Christmas Club. Money is taken out of my check and in November I get a check for $2000 which is nice and takes care of a lot of my holiday shopping without having to use credit. I also budgeted another $1000 to the total, and it should take care of all of my shopping....

Except...my darling husband has requested one gift this year. A Macbook. To the tune of about $1500... Which really messes up my budgeting.

I can make it work, and still not use any cards. But, if I buy this for him. That's it. I'm not buying him another thing. I admit, I am a tad annoyed that he's expecting such a big money gift when he knows how careful I am with budgeting.

Has anyone else given a spouse only one thing for Christmas? I don't know that I feel bad about it, but I usually give him lots of stuff ( clothes, cologne, et etc )

 

[java]

If that's what he wants I say go for just that one thing. And yes that's a big ticket request- but if you can swing it why not make his wishes come true!

 

[HM]

I think one gift is fine. It's what he wants. No need for anything else.

 

[dallastxcpa]

I think the Macbook is a great gift and nothing else need be bought. My DH got a Mac book last year and a gift card to Tommy Bahama. Just on a side note we actually waited until after Christmas to get his. I simply put a picture in a box of a Macbook and then we went to the store and he was able to customize his order.

 

[Jonny_Duck]

Each year I contribute to a Christmas Club. Money is taken out of my check and in November I get a check for $2000 which is nice and takes care of a lot of my holiday shopping without having to use credit. I also budgeted another $1000 to the total, and it should take care of all of my shopping....

Except...my darling husband has requested one gift this year. A Macbook. To the tune of about $1500... Which really messes up my budgeting.

I can make it work, and still not use any cards. But, if I buy this for him. That's it. I'm not buying him another thing. I admit, I am a tad annoyed that he's expecting such a big money gift when he knows how careful I am with budgeting.

Has anyone else given a spouse only one thing for Christmas? I don't know that I feel bad about it, but I usually give him lots of stuff ( clothes, cologne, et etc )

Well...Unless hes a graphic artist then imo its somewhat of a worthless gift and imo a waste of cash.

However it is what he asked for and rather then giving him a bunch of junk he doesn't want then I suppose it could be a good gift.

I think thats going to have to be a decision your going to have to make. I personally would be unhappy only opening up one thing on Christmas but thats just me and perhaps he would be so very happy with it.

$1500 imo is fairly crazy to spend on one little computer. I spent $1900 a cpl years ago and was so unhappy that I did. The thing is outdated in a few months. Nowadays I'm on my $500 computer that is 4 times better then what I had.

I also never like to give ppl what they ask for. No surprise in it. One of the reasons I don't make lists of what I want. If I "want" something bad enough I'll buy it myself. Great part of Christmas is getting the unexpected something great. But that is just my take on Christmas so if it were me I would tell him to buy it himself and get him other stuff.

 

[luvmy3]

I wouldn't feel bad about only giving him that, its a Macbook If you feel guilty why don't you throw in some necessities like gloves, socks, boxers, a lb of his favorite coffee, etc.

 

[NYCDiane]

I wish I could get a Macbook for Christmas!!!

But, yes, if that's what he wants, then one gift is fine. He knows it costs a lot of money so I don't think he'll be disappointed that you didn't get him anything else.

BTW, I would be a tad annoyed myself if I was in your situation -- more than 1/2 the budget on his one gift? (don't forget the tax -- will probably come to more like $1600)

 

[Marionnette]

I would rather get one gift and have it be the single thing that I had asked for that to get multiple gifts that I have no desire to possess. Is your husband the same way or will he be disappointed with only one present to open? If you know that he will be satisfied with only one gift then get him the macbook.

 

[tlbwriter]

I would rather get one gift and have it be the single thing that I had asked for that to get multiple gifts that I have no desire to possess.

This.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

There were many years when money was tight that DH and I did not buy gifts for each other, so no, I do not think one gift is bad. I also would be sad if he bought me a bunch of stuff I did not want in place of what I really did want. If you can afford it I say get it to make him happy. Last year DH and I did not get each other anything as we left for Disney on Christmas Eve and we did not want to waste money so we had more to spend down there. Generally now if we need something we buy it anyway. Being with our kids on the holiday is all I want anyway. I really could care less about having an actual gift.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I'm doing this with two of my kids this year. They asked for laptops and have insisted that they want them more than anything else and they know if they get them they will get nothing else. I am going to wrap up a few accessories like a mouse pad, mouse, and some kind of case separately so they'll have more to open. I know it's what they want so why waste money on a bunch of other junk?

 

[DebMcDonald]

That's what my husband got last year for Christmas and that was it, he loved it, so it made it all worth while. Wait a little bit and shop at a store if you can, closer to Christmas they throw around discounts, not huge ones, but enough to either pay for a service plan or cover all your taxes, lets me honest every little bit helps. I work at a large hospital in Boston and they offered me a "government" discount because it's a hospital, I didn't ask for it, but it was offered and I took it.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

Check the refurbished deals on Apple's website for MacBooks. The 'loaded' ones go fast so you'd have to stalk the site on a regular basis.

If my one gift was a MacBook I'd be happy!!

 

[lspst8]

If someone gave me a Christmas gift that cost $1500, there is no way I would be disappointed that I had only one present to open.

Last year my husband gave me an 32GB Ipod Touch for Christmas, and I thought that was an extravagent gift. I did not think twice about "only" having received one thing from him.

 

[ccgirl]

There were many years when money was tight that DH and I did not buy gifts for each other, so no, I do not think one gift is bad. I also would be sad if he bought me a bunch of stuff I did not want in place of what I really did want. If you can afford it I say get it to make him happy. Last year DH and I did not get each other anything as we left for Disney on Christmas Eve and we did not want to waste money so we had more to spend down there. Generally now if we need something we buy it anyway. Being with our kids on the holiday is all I want anyway. I really could care less about having an actual gift.

This. My DH and myself are not exchanging gifts this year. We really can't afford to buy each other presents as well as the kids. Plus, I don't need any more junk. Santa will leave a stocking but that is all the adults get.

 

[BabyTigger99]

Wow, I can't tell you the last time DH and I gave each other presents. And I couldn't imagine spending that much on DH either!!

 

[RadioFanatic]

Boy, I would be annoyed too - I'm annoyed with my dh bc he wants an ipad and I think $500 is too much for christmas, especially when he already has an apple desktop, an iphone and a dell laptop. I'm still trying to figure out what to do.

 

[brergnat]

Sorry, I just had to pick myself up off the floor when I read that you spend $3000 dollars on Christmas gifts. Wow! I mean, more power to you, but like another poster, last year my DH bought me a $300 ipod touch and THAT was probably the most he's ever spent on my Xmas gift...

This year, we are each getting Kindles and that's it! If my DH said he wanted a $1500 christmas gift, I'd die laughing at him.

 

[princessmom29]

My question is: Who would be getting less so that you can get it for him, and is it really worth that when he can have a computer that does all the same things for hundereds less, except it wouldn't be as trendy? Ipersonally think it is selfish to expect half the family christmas buget to be spent on you.

 

[Bob NC]

I also never like to give ppl what they ask for.

I don't understand that at all.