What do you budget for each child for Christmas?

[2Tiggers]

Ok, I know that the word budget is relative but how much do you spend for each of your children?

 

[taximomfor4]

we spend about $100/child (although I have gone as high as $135 for one while spending $65 on the little one. I don't try to play Even Steven, I just get a few things they would like, but not spending much overall.

We aren't really big into gifts.

 

[disneydreamersx4]

We usually keep it to about $150 each. The big gift this year will be a surprise trip to New York City's American Girl Place for dinner and then to see the Tree. They asked for the AG dinner a few years ago.

 

[LaDonna]

Around $100 but for the lil' one much less because I find great deals thru out the year and he isn't as picky lol

 

[mickeynminnie08]

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.

 

[lovehoney]

I just did the budget for my boys

10 year old $230
6 year old $180
1 year old $65

Every year I say I will only spend $100 but end up going terribly over my budget. This year I was realistic in my budget. Hopefully I will find some great sales and come under budget.

 

[angierae]

DD15, only child, my ex buys her stuff as well - between $200 and $300, which means I start at $200 and then keep picking up little stuff and suddenly it's $300.

Her birthday is the 29th, too. There's a $100 limit there. Usually she just wants money, anyway.

 

[Priorityonecb]

I don't really budget for it. But, this year it came to $150 for 13dd, and $200 for Dd19.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

I usually go between $350-$400 per child. They are all in college, so the days of lots of toys for less than $100 each are long gone in our house. If they don't get a big gift such as an Ipod, TV, Video Gaming System, etc. they ususally now want the bulk of it in cash. Shopping is definitely easier now even if it does cost more. Spend what you can afford and don't worry about it.

 

[princesspiglet]

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.

 

[marcemc]

We are not big on presents, I would guess around $100 per each boy.

 

[mrudman]

Just added up my list, and spent approx. $400 for each girl this year.. this is for birthday and Christmas combined (their birthdays are just 2-3 wks before Christmas).

We splurge on these 2 days because they really don't get much through the year.. we may buy them a small thing every once in a while, but this is when they get most of what they've asked for through the year.

 

[mom2val]

We just have 1 child so the budget really depends on what she wants- within reason! $200 - $500 is what we usually spend on her. She still wants toys - zhu zhu pets, Lalaloopsy dolls, stuff for her American Girl Dolls (shop cyber Monday and all year I check the website for clearance deals), art supplies ect. So far this year we are tracking for $300 - may go up if she gets the Lego Sets she's asked for!

 

[bamajenn]

Budget? Whatever the grandparents can afford... LOL!

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I spend about $300 for each of them. Like other posters, my kids don't get toys, video games, or electronics throughout the year except birthdays unless they buy it themselves. They get 5 gifts each, usually one more expensive item like a dsi then a few smaller things that they really want. Limiting them to a specific number ensures that they really think about what they want instead of asking for everything on the TV.

 

[rockundergirl]

this thread ended badly last year

 

[disneydreamersx4]

DD15, only child, my ex buys her stuff as well - between $200 and $300, which means I start at $200 and then keep picking up little stuff and suddenly it's $300.

Her birthday is the 29th, too. There's a $100 limit there. Usually she just wants money, anyway.

That'sa my birthday too, said in true I Love Lucy episode fashion
(you know the one where she went to Italy

 

[Darcy03231]

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.

 

[Colleen27]

I don't really keep it even.

DS12, we'll probably spend about $200; he wants a Lego board game, Lego Harry Potter for the Wii, and a memory card & Wii points to get new Rock Band songs.

DD9, we'll probably spend about $150; she wants Epic Mickey and Family Game Night for the Wii, and some craft supplies from Joanne Fabrics.

DD2, maybe $50 if that; she's getting play tools, play food for her kitchen set, and a stroller for her baby doll, none of which retail for more than $15-20 (and of course I'm not paying retail ). If we spent as much on her as we did on the big kids, we'd be drowning in Little People and Little Tykes!

 

[bethy]

This year we are spending around $275 per kid but we don't buy much for them at other times of the year. The only strict guideline we follow every year is that they both get only 3 presents from us (not including stockings or "bundling" things like AG doll clothes together) and we don't give clothing as gifts.