What do you budget for each child for Christmas?

[mommyof2princesses]

We usually spend about $150 on each of our 2 girls. This year, however, we have a little extra so we will probably spend about $200 on dd15 and about $175 on DD7. DD15 wants a new camera so she isn't getting much more than the camera and dd7 wants guinea pigs and a few toys. It adds up so quickly!

I also spend about $25 combined on some little stocking stuffers. I try not to go overboard because I don't want a bunch of junk in the house!

 

[marcemc]

About a $100 per child, but we do a big family vacation each year in lieu of them getting a lot of stuff at Christmas, so if you factor the trip budget into that, about $800-$1000/per child.

We''ll take family memories over stuff anytime!

 

[lyncecelia]

We are unsure of our budget currently...I JUST got a job and DBF just got a new job which required us to pay for airfare and hotel across the country for training, so it'll depend what we get paid. Probably $75-$100 per kid, and that might be pushing it . It's been a rough couple of months....

However, he might be getting side work to help, who knows... confused3:

 

[taximomfor4]

As my kids have gotten older, it has gotten more expensive. How I miss the days of 100.00 per child and them be happy with what they got. Now it is usually 150 each and then one big ticket item to share...about 200-250 for that.
I start shopping early and get everyone else in my large family out of the way before I even think about shopping for the kids. I finished shopping yesterday for everyone else and have one thing each for the kids.

My oldest graduated from High School this year...so our $100 Christmases have made it all the way through.

ETA: I re-read this, and don't like how I could come across to some readers. Honestly just stating fact. My kids get to still do their activities (Irish Dance for the girls, baseball & basketball rec leagues for the boy). And we take a road trip to visit my bro and his family at least once per year.

 

[HALEYSMOMMOM]

I have no idea-i need to go add it all up. They enjoy lots of the same things, so we have lots of "together"gifts-for both

 

[trustknoone]

We are doing things a little different this year. DD12 gets things throughout the year so we told her that $200 was what we were spending this year. She has very carefully selected what she wants and what is truly worth the expense to her. She's a picky child so surprises don't work that well for her. Even though she knows almost everything she is getting I think she will be happier getting exactly what she wanted. The one surprise that I hope works out is she asked for $50 in cash so I did the Amex pass card deal, fingers crossed that she gets the extra $50 from Amex. Haven't gotten the rejection letter from them and it's been 2 weeks so maybe.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My oldest graduated from High School this year...so our $100 Christmases have made it all the way through.

ETA: I re-read this, and don't like how I could come across to some readers. Honestly just stating fact. My kids get to still do their activities (Irish Dance for the girls, baseball & basketball rec leagues for the boy). And we take a road trip to visit my bro and his family at least once per year.

This is something else that often goes into our Christmas budget, activities (like this year ds is getting gymnastics classes) or sports equipment.

I don't think you came across negatively, everyone has different budgets and different ways and times they choose to spend money and that works for you.

 

[mrsltg]

Somewhere in the neighborhood of $500/ea. This includes clothes, a big gift, and the rest. Santa puts 12 gifts under the tree per person. I try to stick to the budget but this year the youngest went a good bit over while the oldest and middle were each a little under. The last few years I have made a concerted effort to not give any sort of "junk" - you know, the toys that look great but are in pieces within days. Instead, oldest dd gets a lot of Lego's (holy cow -those are expensive!), and American Girl. The middle girl LOVES animals of every kind and variety - those aren't too bad. The youngest really loves dollhouses which is why she is killing the budget. It is what it is. I am almost done shopping, and really need to get going on wrapping!

Merry Christmas to all!

 

[VAfamily1998]

I don't really keep track. I have been able to buy a lot of gifts over the years by using up "rewards points" from credit cards, programs like Mypoints, etc. Even if I do end up paying cash, I'm usually able to apply a discount or coupon or something--for example I bought my younger two children pillow pets from Bed Bath and Beyond and used the "20% off one item" coupons...so if I was keeping track and trying to keep the spending "even" among my 4 kids, would I count those at "full price" or what I paid after the discount...and then if the thing I want to get my older kids, I was able to buy with rewards points, do I count that as spending $0, or what the item would have cost if I paid full price at Target, kwim? Too confusing to "keep track"!


I have 4 kids and try to keep things "even" with the number of things they will have--for example, each child is getting 2 books...but the books the older one is getting are more expensive (but of course I'm using some Borders Rewards to pay for them!), hard cover new release ones, because he really wants them. My 4 year old is getting a couple of paperback "learning to read" ones that are fairly inexpensive, because that is what he wants and are appropriate for him.

So...yeah, I really don't have a budget for Christmas gifts...

 

[LynnTH]

I usually don't have a set budget. (And I like to shop). This year we will be spending more on them. Kids are 9 and 11. They are each getting a Netbook this year, which I bought bought for $379 each on QVC. I know it is a bit spendier than some netbooks but it had lots on them and even came with Word/Excel (and I got a purple one for my daughter and red for my son). That will be their big gift from us.

DD9 is still on the edge on beleiving in Santa, so we have another year of Santa gifts. Santa usually leaves them a pile of gifts.

So, lets see what I have bought so far.

DS11
Netbook - $380
Osiries Tennis Shoes - $50
12 Month Membership to Xbox Live - Had rewards at Amazon so got this for $7.99
I will also get some new Sweatshirts, X-Box Stuff, Disney Gift Card for our Trip in March and I got an American Express Pass Card which will have somewhere between $50 and $100 on them.

DD9
Netbook - $380
Gray Fashion Boots- $20
Giftcard for Scoops (Kids Salon at MOA) - $50
Earrings- $10
She will also get some new clothes, Disney Gift Card and American Express Pass Card and whatever I else I happen to buy.

I also have an Office Depot Rewards Card with $150 on that I will get accessories for their laptops and lap desks.

I know it's not very budget friendly. But, I love going all out for Christmas on my kids. We don't really buy for extended family anymore. We buy for my parents and my FIL. On my side of the family we only buy now for the kids under 21. So, I have my niece and great-niece. DH's side we don't buy for anyone. So, the list has really reduced over the years. I have the money set aside to purchase everything.

 

[tikilyn]

We spend aprox 500.00 per child. Some years it more and some years it's less. This year it's more but next year it "should" be less! I don't really shop to much for them through out the year except for back to school clothes (uniforms) and their birthdays. So we splurge!

 

[aprilgail2]

I don't budget anything- just buy and really would hate to actually total it up LOL...my daughter is an only child so I only have the one to buy for- last year her drum set alone was almost 500 no including all her other gifts. We are big into electronics so things like color nooks and ipod docking stations etc cost a bit of money. We never do clothes as a gift- that is part of rountine expenses.

 

[gillenkl]

I don't budget "per child" - they ask for about 5 things they really want (realistically) and I try and get them. I use coupons, sales, etc...So far I've spent a total of $250 and I'm thinking I'm just about done unless I see some great black friday deals online.

 

[threecrazykids]

I have one child and she only gets presents on her birthday and christmas. No other shopping trips for just one toy throughout the year, it is all saved for those two days. So on her birthday I spend about $300 and for christmas I spend about $500.

This is how we are too...everyone thinks my kids get so many gifts for Christmas, but they get nothing outside of Birthdays or Christmas unless it's truly a NEED throughout the year. They don't ever get gifts "just because" when I go shopping during the grocery runs, so when I spend more at Christmas I completely feel justified. I save it all for one day, necessities and all...clothing, socks, undies, toys, toothbrush stocking stuffer, pajamas, etc. This year however, money is tight, so their big ticket item will be less I'm sure.

 

[taximomfor4]

This is how we are too...everyone thinks my kids get so many gifts for Christmas, but they get nothing outside of Birthdays or Christmas unless it's truly a NEED throughout the year. They don't ever get gifts "just because" when I go shopping during the grocery runs, so when I spend more at Christmas I completely feel justified. I save it all for one day, necessities and all...clothing, socks, undies, toys, toothbrush stocking stuffer, pajamas, etc. This year however, money is tight, so their big ticket item will be less I'm sure.

Us too. Clothes, PJ's, socks, new toothbrush is included in my ABOUT $100 per kid. I even do ...shhhhhh....USED clothes (consignment shop, ebay). My oldest dd (college now) will request my hand-me-down ipod or cell phone as her gift. Or one time, she chipped in her own money to get a cheap $299 laptop. We might be a step away from just making each other a gift. Good thing the kids are all not into name brands, etc.

 

[kinntj]

I don't really add ours up either. I'm guessing it's in the $250 range per kid.

The American Girl and DS games add up. We give clothes as gifts, but only ones we normally wouldn't buy. If they want a pair of UGGS or Northface jackets then it's a Christmas item. Thank goodness they haven't asked for these yet.

I'm trying to get the girls toys for Christmas, because they both want a room update for their birthday's. They think their rooms are a little babyish. I don't know why a 7 year old wouldn't like care bears.

 

[PrincessParty]

We do 5 gifts per child + a Santa gift and stocking:

want, need, wear, read, and from my heart.

This year we are going to a concert on black friday as a family

I am just about done as I buy year round...just waiting to see what book they would like....closer to Christmas.

No real budget, but I did score skinny jeans at Wal Mart for $1.00. "Wear" has never been so cheap. (Even last year when I made them scarves.)

It does add up though and I am tempeted at times, but for the most part I do stick to the 5 gifts.

 

[julirina]

I *struggle* to come up with $100 worth of gifts for my kids each year. We're homeschoolers so they're not as into the trendy stuff that's important to other kids their age; we're not big tv watchers so they don't see a lot of ads; and we're not very tech-savvy (not luddites, just living in a rural area with no cell service, etc) so the electronics don't really interest them. We did get a Wii last year and we've enjoyed that a lot, but we use it mainly for Netflix since our rural cable is so limited.

My oldest's biggest request this year is stuff with which to do her nails. Apparently Mama's 20-year-old nail polish collection is just not doing it anymore. My middle daughter wants *nothing* -- honestly can't come up with a thing..."maybe some Legos would be ok, but I have a lot already." !! And the baby has 10 years of hand-me-down toys and clothes and doesn't need a thing. I'm seriously stumped. I've looked at ads and online stores and I just can't see where we need to do very much for Christmas this year, but at the same time I'd like for there to be *something* under the tree! Not really sure how to handle it.

 

[lurkernj]

We're probably in the $300 range and have two boys 12 and 15. Usually one "big" gift, plus a video game, books, candy, and other smaller things, and possibly clothes (like sports apparel or something "cool", not socks and underwear).

 

[taximomfor4]

We do 5 gifts per child + a Santa gift and stocking:

want, need, wear, read, and from my heart.

That is a very cute idea! The only for-sure thing for us every year is that they get new PJ's to open on Christmas Eve. They even remind me, now, even the one who "still believes"...Mom, don't forget our CHristmas Eve pajamas!