POLL- $$$ per child Christmas gifts

[Brittmarie04]

If you can afford it, I see nothing wrong with it. Although, some years, my husband and I spend $0 on each other, we have had years that we've spent thousands on each other. I suppose they were purchases we would have made anyway but we passed them off as Christmas gifts.

Yes I agree, husband and I usually get each other a few things, there's been years I've got diamonds LOL. But I'd rather spend it on DD and family. And like you said a lot of times it's stuff we need or would buy anyways and put up as Christmas gifts. For my daughter we get her a lot of clothes and shoes and stuff she needs. Then some games, DVDs, and random stuff . She's not big into toys.

 

[aprilgail2]

We try and shop and get stuff for a good price on Good Friday (DD14 wanted a sewing machine last year, and we were able to get her a real one from WalMart on BF for $49. That left $100 or less for her other 2 gifts...Score!
They get a bit more in their stockings besides candy. We tend to get some $10 gift cards for fast food or treats, plus candy and lots of freebies or things I get really cheap from CVS with extra bucks.

You shop in March/April for Christmas????

 

[lauradis]

You shop in March/April for Christmas????

Know several people that can't save money so they shop year around for Xmas, one of the biggest times is right after Xmas. Lots and lots of cheap stuff left over.

 

[aprilgail2]

Know several people that can't save money so they shop year around for Xmas, one of the biggest times is right after Xmas. Lots and lots of cheap stuff left over.

It would cost me more to do that-kids tastes change so fast that what they like in march isn't what they will like in Dec.

 

[bas71873]

Wow after reading this I feel like I go way over board. We only have one daughter who is 9 almost 10. But I'd say we spend atleast $1,000- $1,500 And about $2,500 total on Christmas with gifts for parents, sisters,nieces and nephews. Every year I say I'm going to cut back and never do. I absolutely love Christmas and the holiday spirit and am a huge shopper.

Me too. But, a lot of our DD's gifts from "mom & dad" are things she needs anyway....new dance clothes, new stuff for volleyball, new stuff for swim practice. This year, we are redoing her bathroom and I have an idea of what she wants so I'll buy & wrap. She always gets new socks, undies and little sports bras. Her stocking is stuff like hair bands, nail polishes.

There is not a lot of junk that I just buy. I used to do that when she was little because I would shop sales all year and then she'd have WAY too much stuff she never touched, but I've learned to rein it in

 

[delilah]

I think perhaps the earlier poster meant "Black Friday", or the Friday after Thanksgiving, not Good Friday, the Friday before Easter. I don't particularly know about any sales that go on around Good Friday, in particular. But, to be perfectly honest, I think stores are a good place to avoid on "Black Friday" as well.

Last Christmas, my son's Christmas present was that we let him go to Spain with his Spanish class, which cost about as much as the entire family going to WDW for a week, after all was said and done. We only have our son, my husband and me in our family, though. Generally, we have not made a big issue of having a lot of gifts to open on Christmas. I actually chose less than $100, because I was including all the kids we get gifts for, like cousins, nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephews, etc.

If we give a gift for Christmas, though, we try to make it special, and don't try to pass off things like school uniform pants and shirts, etc as Christmas gifts. I am not meaning to be critical of my brother and his ex-wife, but, one year, I think they saved up everything they bought for the kids for several months and wrapped them up as gifts. If it is something special, that I know that my son really wanted, but we didn't buy right away due to expense, that we would give him as a Christmas or Birthday present. The other stuff, that he needs for school work and stuff, we just get as we need it, and in a timely manner. For example, this year he needed a new computer for school. Obviously, we aren't making him wait until Christmas to get it. We might pay for a special accessory for his computer that he wants for Christmas, however.

 

[Brittmarie04]

Me too. But, a lot of our DD's gifts from "mom & dad" are things she needs anyway....new dance clothes, new stuff for volleyball, new stuff for swim practice. This year, we are redoing her bathroom and I have an idea of what she wants so I'll buy & wrap. She always gets new socks, undies and little sports bras. Her stocking is stuff like hair bands, nail polishes. There is not a lot of junk that I just buy. I used to do that when she was little because I would shop sales all year and then she'd have WAY too much stuff she never touched, but I've learned to rein it in

Yes I have a bad habit of shopping sales then buying stuff she doesn't need or never wears just because it was on sale.

 

[tms295psu]

My kids are young (2 and 5). We spend about $300 on each kid. All gifts are from Santa... But we tell them we have to pay a tax in order for Santa to come.

I just always wanted to provide a "wow" Christmas morning for our kids. I try to get 20-25 gifts per child within our budget. A few big items they really want and then some items we think they could use.

 

[3Gsandme]

I really don't have a budget. Before anyone dies, let me explain.

When my oldest was little, dh and I decided to stop doing the "fill underneath the tree" thing. We scaled back. 1 gift comes from dh and I and each girl gifts a gift from each of her sisters. On Christmas morning, Santa brings 3 large gifts under the tree and stuffs the stockings.

I told dh that if we wanted to reduce the number of gifts, I needed more leeway on the budget. It wasn't reasonable to restrict the number and the cost. It made it too hard to buy the right gift, which was the whole point. There is no set budget and the amount spent on each girl ebbs and flows.

I don't like a lot of stuff. If you want to buy a million presents, I don't care (but I don't envy you the amount of stuff you have in your house ) Spend what you want/can afford.

 

[Lady V]

Together we have 5 kids. Two are twenty year old twins that live on their own and I used to get a lot of gifts for them to open but realized I had no idea what they actually wanted and have started giving them money or gift cards and they are much happier. We have three at home (14,12, and 2) and they like to have stuff to open! My 14 and 12 year olds are getting into pricier things so they will have less to open than the 2 year old because I like to spend the same. I won't buy any cell phones (or let them have one yet). My 12 year old really wanted an iPod touch so she saved her money and bought one on her own. The kids get A LOT of cash at Christmas between all the family members from mine, his, and our previous spouses families. We also go to Disney at least once a year, normally twice, and they go on a big vacation with my mom every year as well. My husband and I spend only about 150-200 per child. Sometimes less.

 

[LuLuO]

Likely less than $100 in the way of gifts like toys and such. They are still little so this is feasible. As they get older it will probably increase but when Santa is no longer in the picture we'll set a budget and they'll be able to choose gifts within that budget.

This year we are having the kids make a list of three things for Santa. He will bring one thing. They will also make a wish list of three toys for us. They will get one of those. They will also each get a book. Those things will be likely be less than $200 total. Then, we will give them an activity which will put us over the budget but we consider that to be different than toys and such. We are considering a two-day stay at Great Wolf Lodge or something similar.

It may seem like all the fun is taken away with only a few gifts under the tree but we have so many toys (things they begged to have) and they never play with them. Never. I may as well flush the money down the toilet. So for us, less is more.

We make cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning and honestly they're more excited about that than the gifts. Then we watch a movie together and play a board game or get out the Wii. Then it's off to see extended family.

My husband and I don't exchange gifts.

 

[disneysled]

We use to spend around $250 per child (we have 3) now that they are adults 21, 22 and 24 - we often give them money/gift cards to stores I know they like to shop at (I have long stopped trying to buy my girls clothing) This year we are going on a Disney cruise in January so that is their Christmas gift - which they are thrilled with! We might have to make this a yearly thing

 

[mumto3girls]

Our budget changes year to year and we haven't discussed this year's yet, but last year I think it was $250-$300 per child. We have three. Oldest wants an iPhone and the younger two want iPod touches so that will go fast. Stockings are usually extra and we also buy for each other, both sets of parents, 3 nephews, 3 nieces, 3 sisters and 2 brothers in law. We probably spend about $40-$50 on each member of the extended family. We don't exchange with DH's sister and brother-in-law at their request. We do buy for their kids and they buy for ours.

 

[meajuly5]

No set budget but scaling back this year. Setting aside a few "needs" now for Christmas that I will use for stockings. Kids love to
Open but much of the stuff goes unused. Will mix a few fun gifts in with some more practical items this year. Trying to cut out the filler gifts and focus on getting things that will be used and enjoyed. Difference is going to their college fund. Sending checks in now to avoid temptation!

 

[momto2girls]

Wow after reading this I feel like I go way over board. We only have one daughter who is 9 almost 10. But I'd say we spend atleast $1,000- $1,500 And about $2,500 total on Christmas with gifts for parents, sisters,nieces and nephews. Every year I say I'm going to cut back and never do. I absolutely love Christmas and the holiday spirit and am a huge shopper.

You aren't alone. I spend about that amount on each of my two daughters too.

 

[Brittmarie04]

You aren't alone. I spend about that amount on each of my two daughters too.

Yea it's crazy, but she always wants expensive stuff. Uggs, north face jackets, clothes. So it's mostly stuff she needs/gets a lot of use out of. And she's an only child.

 

[StacyMarie]

Wow after reading this I feel like I go way over board. We only have one daughter who is 9 almost 10. But I'd say we spend atleast $1,000- $1,500 And about $2,500 total on Christmas with gifts for parents, sisters,nieces and nephews. Every year I say I'm going to cut back and never do. I absolutely love Christmas and the holiday spirit and am a huge shopper.

I have 2 DD, ages 17 and 18, one a junior and the other a freshman at WMU. It seems the older they get, the more I spend. I average about 1,000.00 per kid, sometimes more. It all depends on what is on their lists. When they were little, I just had to make sure they had equal amounts of presents. Now that they are older, I have to make sure I spend equal amounts on both. They keep track, lol! I LOVE shopping for them. DH and I do not exchange gifts. It's all about the kids.

 

[Brittmarie04]

I have 2 DD, ages 17 and 18, one a junior and the other a freshman at WMU. It seems the older they get, the more I spend. I average about 1,000.00 per kid, sometimes more. It all depends on what is on their lists. When they were little, I just had to make sure they had equal amounts of presents. Now that they are older, I have to make sure I spend equal amounts on both. They keep track, lol! I LOVE shopping for them. DH and I do not exchange gifts. It's all about the kids.

Yea my DD is only child so I don't have to worry about spending equal amounts, thank goodness. But she's already into expensive things. Uggs, miss me jeans, north face jackets. She's only 9 but its ok be I also love to shop for her and spoil her

 

[CAFarmerGirl]

Yea my DD is only child so I don't have to worry about spending equal amounts, thank goodness. But she's already into expensive things. Uggs, miss me jeans, north face jackets. She's only 9 but its ok be I also love to shop for her and spoil her

My dd was asking about her "Uggs" last year, and I responded, "Uggs? You don't have Uggs, you have Fuggs."
Dd: "Fuggs?"
Me: "Yeah, Fake Uggs."
Dd: "mom, you are not funny."

Heh... I still tease her about her Fuggs. She knows that I will not buy her expensive shoes until her darned foot stops growing every stinking month. I had to buy her new soccer shoes in April and again in August! And, she wears a woman's size...so, more expensive!

 

[Mom_Rides]

We generally spend $100-$150 each on the children as well as each other. I try to keep the gift count the same. Their gifts include an ornament, an outfit, pjs (these are always given) and then they get at least one gift off of their list. We also buy small gifts for the children to give to each other.