how much do you spend on Christmas?

[dalmatian7]

Who ever gives pjs from the fur member of the family, THAT IS AWESOME. Once we have a pet again, we are so doing that.

I am really trying to cut back the past two years. My DH's family we swap names (between 10 adults) so you only have to buy for one person (well I buy for two because I do the shopping). That is limited to $100. We buy for all the nieces and nephews on that side (4). I used to buy a book, a toy, and an outfit. But now that they are bigger that gets pricey. I am getting them a book (snagged some deals through scholastic) and then I have a $40 budget each.

My side there are only three adults to buy for so $50 each, and same budget for kids.

My DD is 4. It is incredibly hard for me to not overbuy for her. I love her toys as much as she does. She is also a December birthday, so I feel like I don't really buy anything the rest of the year. I have a $150 budget including stocking stuff. We go by this, Santa brings three gifts and mom and dad buy gifts. I really hope to not make it about gifts, but about how we love each other.

DH and I didn't do gifts last year because we had bought a new TV in the fall and that is not the kind of stuff we spend on. Since we went over budget on our trip because of airline tickets purchased late, I am thinking I will suggest this again this year. DD gets a $10 budget to pick out a gift for DH.

 

[LovesTimone]

Like everyone said It really depends on your family and what you can afford to spend.

For me.. I don't really use a budget so to speak as I shop all year, meaning if I see something or come across something that I know would be a perfect Christmas gift then I get it right then. My family has grown in the last few years, DD got married so new DSIL, and this year we got a DGS. So my Christmas box has turned into 2 Christmas boxes. Also when DH and I travel, we sometimes find a book or something for a gift. So I really don't have a great idea of what we spend per person.

Filling the stockings is always a challenge, so back in March I think I started picking up little things for the stocking, of course candy and gift cards I will wait till a couple weeks before Christmas to pick up these.

 

[Eighty8Keys]

In our family we buy for the nieces and nephews (4 of them) until they are 21. Once they reach 21 they have the option of joining in with the grownups where we draw names and each buy for one person, with a price range of $25-$50. The youngest niece turned 21 last year. It's just me and my adult son in my immediate household and once he started working full time we decided on a $150 maximum for gifts to each other. Last year neither of us had much that we wanted so my son came up with the idea of giving each other $150 in credit to spend throughout the year. It worked really well. My son saved his $150 until spring when it paid for a good part of a video game system he had been wanting. I found little things throughout the year that I wanted to spend my Christmas money on. It worked better than just giving each other $150 because it didn't get spent on other things. We plan to do this again this year.

 

[BabyFu18]

It depends on the family for sure, we don't spend the same amount year, it's no set amount it's just whatever we want to give. Usually for the immediately family we just tell each other things we'd like to have, but we are all into electronics so those can get expensive so I'm not putting a price on how much we spend on each other out there. But for extended family/friends it's usually around $25-$50 per person, but I love to shop early and try to get deals so I don't think as much about how much we are spending total on each person as long as I know we are getting gifts that are wanted and will be used and enjoyed then that's all I'm really concerned about.

In our family there is no set budget for each person, you just buy what you want the others to have. I will say we have a relatively small family so it's a lot easier than if we had a big family, if that were the case I'm sure we'd have to set a budget and stick to it.

 

[kathy884]

I'm really not into buying stuff that no one really needs or really wants and like to keep clutter down. I'm kind of a Christmas poop. DH and I don't exchange. I specialize in overpriced food for my extended family -- A Honey Baked Ham for my mom and dad and Harry and David Pears for my brother and his girlfriend. I give cash and a nice thank you card to people who do services for us -- about the amount of one service. I hate the statistics on gift card usage -- the huge volume of dollars that go unused, so am not into those either for the most part. My nieces and nephews are over 21 now and I just send them a Christmas card and letter. DS 20 will get an iPhone upgrade and I'll get his old phone. I also got him two tickets to see Wicked. For friends and family who give me gifts who I don't want to exchange with, I just say thank you -- how thoughtful of you, but don't rush to get them something and don't start exchanging with them. This usually stops that for the next year. I don't exchange with aunts, uncles, friends, or cousins -- with one exception. I have one cousin who doesn't have a whole lot, and I give him a $200 visa gift card, a $300 check, and some peanut brittle - his favorite treat. He so appreciates this, and he usually writes me a chatty letter at Thanksgiving -- probably as a reminder to me to do this (actually a pretty smart thing to do). Anyway too, that money usually comes out of my charitable contribution budget not my Christmas budget. I used to adopt a stranger family each Christmas, but with one cousin who is in no better shape financially than those typical families (actually not as well off financially as those families and such a sweet person/plus so appreciative and he doesn't feel bad about me doing this) I've switched to him, and my budget for the adopt a family thing has stayed the same.

All this and just one thing to wrap -- The Iphone. // so sad to say this, but I've always been like this -- kind of a Christmas scrooge (overly practical and not whimsical at all).

 

[AZMermaid]

I spend $350-400 per kid (ages 3 and 5). I'm limiting myself to 6-8 wrapped presents. Last year they each got like 12 and it was too much. DH and I don't set a budget for each other... But I'd say $400 each. We spend roughly $50 on each extended family member (8 people). And then about $100 or so on teachers gift cards, they are in preschool/daycare so lots of teachers.

 

[StitchBuddy]

OP, when my DD was 3 yrs old we bought three gifts, a need, a want and a surprise. We had a large extended family and they bought everything else. As she aged, our family grew smaller as older people passed. Then, we bought more, plus as she grew older she wanted more. I never spent much on her gifts back then. Heck they are usually happy with the box or a bouncy ball. LOL! She never had more than maybe six gifts under tree, at least 3 were always clothing. So don't stress yourself out about what everyone else does. If you would like your tree to appear fuller, do what I do, I wrap every gift in a shoe box or bigger box. Makes the tree look very pretty. I place all the gifts under it, including nieces and nephews then take a pic. Looks like a lot more than it really is.

 

[seb65]

I stick to three gifts for the kids from Santa. This year, they each have a big item (ie American Girl Doll), so it is a bit more than normal. We don't give to adults in the family, so there aren't any other worries except for nieces and nephews (4 total). We don't give to friends' kids, but do give to teachers. My husband and I don't exchange, but we let the kids shop and pick something for us.

 

[DisneyHardin]

DH and I don't have any kids, but I still buy a lot of gifts for our families. My budget is probably about $1000. DH and I spend around $100 on each other. Then, we have fairly big families - I have 4 parents including step-parents, 3 siblings, 1 sibling in law and a nephew. DH has 2 parents, a brother and 2 nieces. I spend a good amount on gifts for all those. I also have about 8 people that I buy a decent gift for at work.

 

[MomToOne]

I spend way too much on DD15. We won't go into that I always have the best of intentions to cut back, but when you add up all the little bits and pieces that I pick up here and there, it grows. But I think what everyone spends on their children just depends on what their family traditions and such are. There really are so many factors that go into it. One thing that blows up my spending is stocking stuffers - we travel for Christmas so "Santa Mom" leaves the under-the-tree gifts the weekend before we leave, and we exchange gifts with extended family on Christmas Eve, so all DD15 wakes up to on Christmas morning is her stocking. So I like to do a really good stocking, so she has something to look forward to waking up to, keeping Christmas itself special. It's worked - she gets up at the crack of dawn each year like a little kid, just for her stocking!

For my two nephews, I budget about $75 each. We don't exchange birthday gifts, so that number feels right to me for Christmas. But if I had more nieces/nephews, I'd probably spend a lot less.

For 5 other children I buy for, I budget about $10 each but watch all year for great deals that maximize that budget. To simplify things, I usually either have a theme I use for all of them, or I give them all the same gift. This year the younger 3 kids are getting Slush Mugs and $5 giftcards to buy supplies for them. The older 2 kids are getting backup batteries for their cell phones and other electronics.

For my siblings, I budget $25-30. We draw names and in recent years, it has turned into a gag gift war. So $25 usually works fine there. And sometimes I only spend a few dollars - it just depends on what ideas I have that year! Last year I gave my brother a homemade toilet paper holder made out of scrap wood and Star Wars action figures LOL

For my mother, we agreed last year that we (her kids) wouldn't give her presents anymore and she wouldn't give to us. We are all mature adults and all of us buy what we want for ourselves, so exchanging gifts was just silly. She does still buy for the grandkids, and they each usually give her some sort of small gift. This year I spent about $25 on placemats and napkins for her from DD, and I'll add a current picture in a simple picture frame. She has Alzheimer's and anything more would just be a waste - it would be misplaced a day or two after Christmas, and never remembered again. (The placemats are because she insists on using them when we visit, but she can rarely find the ones she has because she always puts them in some odd place. So at least she will have a set handy for our Christmas visit!)

I also spend about $1500 on travel to my mother's (plane tickets, cat boarding, rental car, etc.) and about $200 on the Christmas tree and other miscellaneous stuff/activities.

In total, I am WAY over the 1% rule, but that's mostly because of the travel costs - if I took those out, I'd still be over some, but not nearly as bad. I also keep a detailed budget and track every penny I spend so I know my real numbers. I think a lot of people underestimate their true Christmas spending, because they only remember the cost of the big gifts and not things like stocking stuffers, the tree, etc.

 

[ronandannette]

Our Christmas budget would be pretty reasonable if we just counted what we spend on purchasing actual gifts for people (including ourselves). Where it gets "bigger" is factoring in the $500 cash we send to each of DH's grown daughters and their families and all the incidentals like extra groceries and liquor for entertaining, tickets to seasonal events, travelling to visit relatives and unplanned charitable donations. If I added it up we're likely over 2k all in. (Yes, that exceeds 1% of our gross).

 

[eliza61]

Too much!!!

It is not all on gifts either, a lot of my money is spent on food/ingredients for cookies or holiday parties/dinner. Then there is the wrapping paper, the random decoration is see when I am out shopping, the Christmas outfits for the kids etc....

I'm exactly like you marmalade. My gift giving expenses is actually quite low. I usually spend about 250.00 on each of my kids, and then I give my neices and nephews 100 bucks each. so gift giving is about 650.00 my siblings and I don't exchange gifts. lol everyone is 50-60 years old, not much we need.

Where my expenses add up is freakin entertainment. I usually have 3-4 dinners over the 2 week christmas break with family. by the time I add in booze and food I'm definitely at 1000 buck, throw in we like to "do" stuff since every one is on holiday. this year my sister, a good couple of friends and I are going to see wicked in nyc. ching ching, there's another 250 (tickets and dinner) I have to budget for.

I love Christmas though, it's one of my favorite times of the year (except for the weather).

I'm looking at spending about 1500.00 this year.

 

[Mickfarland4]

We tend to spoil our own 2 boys but, they don't get birthday gifts usually because it is close to vacation time and they don't have birthday parties usually. It's hard because now I have a 7 yo who doesn't play with toys but, will play video games or sports. Well, what's one to do when he doesn't understand the value of a dollar and won't understand his brother has 8 gifts but, they cost less than his 4. So, we always go over as we even out the # of gifts. This year was major sticker shock as we just did layaway last night but, at least we have until Dec. 11 to pay on it and if anything goes on sale I was told they will adjust it to whatever is a better deal at the final payment !

For the rest of the family, we do not buy for adults. We only buy for nieces and nephews and spend 25-30 on them. We used to also buy for our cousin's kids but, stopped that when we changed our plans and don't always see them every year. We have 6 nieces and nephews and I also buy a small gift for each of the kids I watch that comes out to around $15 each.

 

[DisneyDude71]

Well just had first granddaughter/grandkid and we already got $241 in stuff this past weekend, and she will only be six months old at Christmas. Now of course its fisher price and vtech developmental stuff. Of course a crawling Minnie! But I'm sure the number will grow!

 

[Disneyluv111]

20.00 per person. No more, if I can find a gift for less then I will buy it. We have a large extended family!

 

[nikkistevej]

We ony have 1 child- DD13, she is spoiled I will admit. We spend quite a bit on her for Christmas $500ish(although my intentions are always to spend less- doesn't really happen) She is a good kid, so whatever. LOL DH and I have 5 neices and ephews- we spend about $40-50 on each. About $50 each on his parents and my mom, and my sister and brother in law. We don't exchange with his sisters. We also do a huge family party on DH's side, and do "steal the gift" exchange- $25 each person, and then also DD exchanges with 1 of her cousins at that party. With all the dinners out to be with family, and family parties to make food for, that's a huge expense too!!! DH and I also do about $75 from each other, his birthday is also mid December. I plan on getting a bunch of stuff on Black Friday!!!

 

[Minnesota!]

In general, my kids get 5 - 8 gifts. They truly do not ask for much, so even getting to that amount is HARD. My 11 year old wants an iPhone 6S, of course. It ain't happening.


As they age, the gifts get more expensive. I stick to a $20 limit for my nieces on DH's side. On my side - oy. My brother has 7 kids. And, my mom goes NUTS on gifts. They have 9 people living in their tiny house (brother), and I know they don't need anything. So, I will probably get them a gift card for a family dinner out, and just a grab basket of "girlish stuff" for the girls, and "boyish stuff" for the boys. Probably under $75 total.

My big expense is now the lodging. My family - mom lives north west, brother lives north east, we meet in the middle at a cabin in northern Minnesota that fits us....allows enough space for the 9 kids to run around. That runs me about $500. Plus the food and gas, etc.

Our budget ends up like a pp said...about 1% of our gross income. I want it lower, but it is what it is.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

It varies alot from year to year. I have older kids so what they want is more expensive. This year my DD16 begged for and I got her a bass guitar and all the stuff that goes with it for her birthday so for Christmas she is going to get bass guitar lessons plus maybe a couple of other smaller things.

I've no idea what I'm doing for my husband and older son yet. I'm hoping to keep it to less than 300.00 for both but we shall see. I did that last year and my husband said he didn't have enough gifts under the tree - That kind of annoyed me last year.

We draw names for the younger ones (under 18) and I usually get 2 names and the gifts can't be more than 25.00 each.

Plus we still get a little something for each of our parents. Usually not more than 50.00 per family unless they are coming to visit over Christmas in which case I will do a little bit more for the visiting family.
Sometimes it's frustrating to come up with something for the parents - I found the perfect things for my inlaws this year and my Mom but I still need to come up with a little something for my Dad.

And I usually pick up something small for my husbands Aunt who is a sweetie and lives alone - I want to be sure no one forgets her and for her to know we are thinking about her even if we are halfway across the country.

 

[puffkin]

I don't really have a budget, especially since the kids have gotten older and things have gotten more expensive. We don't do much for Birthday/Easter and outside of clothing necessities I barely buy them anything during the year so Christmas is kind of it. I do like the big "WOW" of Christmas morning, and they are a little spoiled, but it's not too bad. I do like to keep the number of presents fairly close, 10 seems to be a good number (3 always from Santa, rest from mom and dad). Some years though I am wrapping up the accessories to the big gifts just to get to 10 without spending more money on stuff they don't need. Stockings are very small affairs at our house. They get enough with their other gifts.

My husband and I typically don't exchange unless we happen to see something. Usually we get something big for the house. I just got new kitchen appliances and carpet in my upstairs 2 weeks ago so I doubt there will be anything for me under the tree this year, haha.

I usually spend between $75-$100 on my parents. They do so much for us during the year. They don't expect it but I want to get them something nice and useful. My adult brother is single and only really buys for us, so I always get him something too, usually around $50.

We have cut back on my inlaw side of the family. We just do the kids (4). I usually spend about $50/kid. The oldest is 18 and a senior in high school. I am planning to tell her parents at Thanksgiving that this is the last year I am buying for her. I will continue to buy for my other nieces and nephew until they are 18/seniors as well. I think it is a good point to cut it off. We don't really buy anything for my mother in law as we have a very strained relationship with her.

 

[scrapquitler]

I'm having a bit of a dilemma budgeting for Christmas. I really don't know what most people spend.

Our DD is 3, and doesn't need anything. She had asked for 3 toys, totaling about $70. She will get all of those, plus a few educational toys, and a stocking, for about $125-$150 total.

DH and I don't exchange gifts. we try to find something memorable to so together and spend our money that way. This year, we are considering another Orlando trip, with a 2 day WDW visit for DD ( including mvmcp)

For everyone else- Its tough. My parents are crappy people but they expect me to give them the world. Dh's parents are wonderful people but don't expect much.

I have a lot of friends with young kids. I was thinking $15/kid. We usually do an ornament exchange/secret santa among our big group, so that's like a $15 expense.

I was thinking maybe $50/family member? Does that sound like a reasonable amount?

I feel like we always spend far too much at Christmas, and trying to find gifts for everyone is so stressful.

In our family we buy only for the kids (and I have only 1 niece left to buy for, usually spend about $25 for her). We also do a grab bag ($15) that everyone including the kids participates in.
My DH parents won't get on board with the 'no gifts' idea, but they never buy us anything but gift cards. For 20 years I tried to buy gifts for her because she wanted a gift because 'its shows you care' but she ALWAYS returned whatever we picked and was never happy with what we got her. It's just stupid. But we buy them gift cards ($100 total) and they are happy, and they buy us the same. It keeps the peace.
Those are the only gifts we buy other than our own children. We spend about $500 on each of our children, but the reality is that a lot of the gifts we buy for them are practical things that we would be buying regardless of the holiday...clothes, winter boots, things for their room, new shoes, etc.