Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

We scaled it down last year but might have to do it again this year as I'll be on disability a few months before the twins arrive, probably starting end of January. Just immediate family (parents) and nieces and nephews.

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

the thought nauseates me

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

Normally I do not set a budget.

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

Same here I don't normally set a budget. I like to start early so it is isn't all at once. I just bought some presents last weekend.

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

i'm glad a do a xmas club with the bank. so at the end of the yr when its time do to shopping, i don't feel it

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

I can't spend that much, so I am going to do what I did laat year, which is to make cookies and put them in tins and give them out. It didn't cost a lot, but it took a lot of time, and I put a lot of love into it and people really loved the cookies.

I put them in tins with wax papaer and then before I closed the tin I put glad press n seal wrap, and they stayed SOOO fresh.

This year I might add a handmade ornament or a package tie to each tin, just to make it different from last year.

I think I spent less than $200 and I made 10 gifts, not to mention DOZENS of cookies for home. We were eating gingerbread for a month!

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

Wow, I saw the poll results. I wish I can be one of those people that spend under $1K in Xmas Gifts.

But for me, that can never happen.

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

Posted by JenniferEver

I can't spend that much, so I am going to do what I did laat year, which is to make cookies and put them in tins and give them out. It didn't cost a lot, but it took a lot of time, and I put a lot of love into it and people really loved the cookies.

I put them in tins with wax papaer and then before I closed the tin I put glad press n seal wrap, and they stayed SOOO fresh.

This year I might add a handmade ornament or a package tie to each tin, just to make it different from last year.

I think I spent less than $200 and I made 10 gifts, not to mention DOZENS of cookies for home. We were eating gingerbread for a month!

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

not too much... we don't have many people to buy for. dh is an only child, and i only have one sister who isn't married and no kids yet... so we usually just buy for each other, each set of parents, the grandmoms, and my sister.
my mom is one of 5 so she has a big family, and we just do a sercret santa thing with them, too- otherwise it gets out of hand. last year we did something to make the whole thing fun- a "white elephant" gift exchange. where we each brought something that we had around the house that we didn't want anymore... like funny stuff. and then there were rules like people could trade with other people or steal other peoples gifts. it was a blast adn we were laughing the whole time!!!
DH and i ended up with a video of " a fish called wanda" LOL and a philadelphia phillies BBQ set ( that was actually pretty nice). it really just makes it more about what its supposed to be- just having fun with family, and not about what gifts you get...
we have a BIG group of friends, too but we usually don't do gifts with them- i usually make them each some cookies or something...

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

I don't set a budget, but I do have a spread sheet of what we bought everyone and how much for the past 3 years!
Keep in mind we only buy for our parents, grandparents, and kids... everyone else (siblings, cousins, ect) we do a secrect santa for that.
These figures don't include our gifts to eachother either:

2003: $650
2004: $850
2005: $1000

The # of kids keeps increasing, I think thats why the numbers keep going up

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

I have 33 people to buy for We spend over 1500 Its all Dh family I have 2 people on my side thats it...

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

a lot
My family spends a lot so im used to buying my sblings and parents obver 3-400 each of stuff.

Anthony family they buy small things 50-100 tops on each so i do the same thing back.

Anthony still cant get over how much I "give" during the holidays.

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

We have 12 kids to buy for so it gets really crazy. Normally I never budgeted myself and would buy them anything and everything - this year I think I will put a cap on each kid - probably $50 or so.

We then do a secret santa on DHs side with his siblings, secret santa on my dads side with all my cousins, hopefully we will do one on my moms side too. IT gets so out of hand buying for all the aunts, uncles, grandparents. We're def. scaling back this year.

Re: How much do you plan to spend on Xmas gifts?

It usually breaks down something like this...
$150 on my parents
$150 on DH's parents
$100 on my sister
$100 on DH's brother and wife
$100 on DH's sister and boyfriend
$75-100 on my niece
$50 on DH's little cousin
$200 on a case of wine for aunts and uncles

And then in addition usually $500 on DH, and $100 on friends (we do secret santa)

Now this year I have my baby, DH's uncle's baby and my girlfriend's baby to shop for too.