Christmas budget

[Deleted]

How much are you ballpark spending per person? DH asked me what my Xmas budget was for each person, and I shrugged my shoulders. He said "$100?" I laughed in his face and said DS's main "big gift" was $90 (Magna Tiles) and his (DH's, a range finder) was $130. So yeah, double the budget at least!

[h]

Depends on the person. For our kids, roughly $250 each. About $150 each for our parents, $60 for the three siblings with whom we exchange gifts, and $20-25 each for our six nieces and nephews. Not sure what DH and I will spend on each other--probably anywhere from $50-200 depending on the gifts.

[ssmjlm]

E is probably $100, maybe $125

DH and I are just doing stockings so $50.

Grandparents just get calendars which we pretty cheap with coupons and pampers points.

[water*drop]

This is flameful, but I didn't set one this year even though this is arguably the year we need to stick to one the most. I'm not spending much on DS since he's too little to get it. I got him a couple of new toys and then will wrap up some necessities for him mainly so DD will see that he has stuff under the tree, too. Not counting the necessities, I may have spent $60-70 on him? DD's Santa gift is dress-up clothes. I've spent altogether too much money on that, but I started buying stuff on clearance after Halloween last year, so it doesn't feel as painful. I've probably spent around $200 on that stuff. I've been at a loss for what else to get her, but I know I've got at least $50 in small toys and books for her right now, and I'll probably spend more than that.

DH and I will probably spend $100 on each other, and then we'll round out our gifts with stuff that we buy ourselves or household stuff. I know buying things ourselves and then putting them under the tree is also probably flameful, but I like having things to open and our budget doesn't allow for many surprise purchases, so it works for us. (Me. It works for me. It drives DH crazy when I make him wrap up stuff he bought and wants to play with the second it gets to the house instead of waiting a month, but he does it because it makes me happy.)

[thebreakfastclub]

DS $100, niece & nephew $100.

We do not exchange gifts with any adults in my family.

[water*drop]

Oh, and we aim for $25-$35 for nieces/nephews. My sister, soon-to-be BIL, and our parents all vary a little depending on the year, but it's usually around $75/person. We don't buy for DH's adult siblings.

[geek96]

This is so embarrassing to admit but DH and I have spent in the 4-5k range for at least 10 years. This year we didn't set a strict budget but everyone is going to be under 50pp except our parents which we agreed to give 100.

[teatimefor2]

I do about $50 for nephew/nieces but I also get a lot of sale.

This is the first year we really are buying gifts for our kids so I think it's about $200 for DS1 and $100 for DS2 plus his new car seat which he needs regardless but is going to be a gift.

My parents about $100 each. DH and I are flexible.

[Deleted]

To answer my own question, in reality I'll probably spend $300 each on DH and DS, including stockings. We live fairly frugally the rest of the year, I like shopping for Christmas. Probably $75 for each parent and my sister. DH phones it in to his father and step-mom every year with a $50 Amazon gift card.

[rugbywife]

Our direct family of 4 - $200 ($50 each)
IL's secret Santa exchange - $220
My family - $50
Gifts for DH's work - $50

This is all before taxes, which is 13% here.

[cincodemayo]

We are spending like $700-800 total.

Parents- $35-50 each
My siblings- $50 each
Niece- $50
DS- gifts $100, new bedding $75?
Each other- $50ish
DCP- $100
Misc- $100

[aspentosh]

This year we cut way back.

For DD and H I am spending about $50 each.

Nieces and nephews are $10-20.

Elfster, grandparents, and preschool teacher gifts are $25.

We don't exchange with the adults in my family as it's just too big.

[bananapancakes]

Not entirely sure but probably something like:

L-$300
Each of our parents- $400 (4x$100)
H's Grandpa- $25
H's Uncle- $50
Each other- $50-100 each
Daycare workers-$100
Various SS exchanges- $100

Nieces and nephews are TBD. There are 6 of them and in previous years I've spent $50 but that will either be $25 each this year or about $100 for one if we do a Secret Santa instead.

We don't exchange with siblings anymore. However, my BIL (who has no kids) buys for L so I was thinking about buying him something "from L". Does anyone else do that with childless siblings?

Oh, and baking supplies is probably another $200ish. I bake a ton and give out tins of goodies to lots of people.

[AmyRI]

$100 on main gifts for immediate family. Another 30ish in stocking stuffers.

Usually around $50 for my extended family. $15-20 for teachers.

[charlotteandwilbur]

I budget about 2k all in for Christmas, including tree, decor, cards, holiday tips, etc.

This breaks down to $200 each for our immediate family (me, DH, DD, DS); $50 each for my nephew and siblings that are still in college, and DH's grandma; and between $50-$200 on each of our three sets of parents.

[cobber06]

We do $50ish for parents and siblings, $40 for the cousin gift exchange, $25 for aunts, and a photo gift plus birdseed for grandparents.

I don't have a set budget for my girls, but am spending around $200 on them this year. But that includes pajamas, shoes, etc.

[anna7602]

No specific budget. I spend the most on DD because she has expensive tastes (half of the American Girl store is currently hidden in my storage unit). DS is easy to please, so less on him. Also, the kids' gifts are spread out over three holidays- Hanukkah, Christmas and Three Kings' Day. I don't know how it shakes out on a per-holiday-basis.  

We're doing big donations to IRC for some of the adults in our family, so I'm spending more on that than I would on physical gifts, but I feel like I would have donated my own money to that anyway. 

I'll probably end up spending another large amount of $ on gifts and tips for people at DD's school (in addition to her teacher, service staff like the two guys who man the front door every day and the admins), our nanny, our occasional sitters, the woman who cleans for us and our building's super. 

And then there's the cost of holiday cards- printing and mailing. Plus the cost of traveling for Christmas (rental car, gas, tolls). 

It's expensive. I'm guessing it will all add up to somewhere around $2500. 

[dulcemariamar]

I will spend around 150 euros for my DD and about 80 for my DH.

[dulcemariamar]

And we also spread gifts out between St. Nick, Christmas, and 3 Kings Day. And her birthday is on 12/26 so she basically gets gift during one month.

[celiacmom]

Way too much! I've already spent about $1500 on L and I have 2 more big ticket things to buy. I'll spend another $1500-1800 on MOO n Cookies employees/ups driver.

[madringal]

My kids $250/each
Parents $75/each
Nieces and nephews $45/each
Cousins kids $25/each

Total budget $1200

[Deleted]

I keep the kids to less than $300.00 each.
H and I keep ours to less than $500.00 each.
Hs parents $200.00 total
$300.00 on godchildren gifts and the kids gift exchange
$200.00 on gifts for my sibs and inlaws
My parents $200.00 total
$60.00 for Hs group gift exchange
Another $1k in employee bonus and gifts

Christmas does not come cheap around here. I'm a-ok with that.

[bowies]

No specific budget for DS and H. When it feels like enough.

I have a very small family (just my parents and brother) so we still exchange presents. I aim to spend about $75 each.

$25 each for DCP plus cookies. I'm hoping to go in on a present with a couple of other DC moms - maybe get them massages.

With friends we just do a cookie exchange and cards.

[SJ]

I don't have a set budget, but I do track.

Last year I spent $3,500 on "holiday" from 11/1-12/31, but that includes cards, postage, decor, food/booze for parties, Harry & David gifts, etc.

[humpforfree]

H & I- $200 each, including stockings
Kids- $100 each
Siblings- $40 each or less (x4- stopped doing it with H's brother and SIL)
Niece & nephew- $20 each
Parents- $60 each (x4)
Friends' kids- $10-15 each x3
Cat & Dog- $20
SS- $25 + shipping
Sponsored kid-$25

[momin2013]

Nieces and nephews about $30-40 each.

DS probably $200ish

DH and I don't buy for each other, but we often buy a big item that we need (aka want) on Boxing Day sale. Last year it was a 60" tv, this year DH is saying we should look at a new laptop/PC.

[holly116]

I'm going to try hard and not be ridiculous this year. The kids, I'd like to spend no more than $150 on the older two and $100 on the little guy. They still aren't at an age where they're asking for specific things so I want to cash in on that. Plus, we have ALL the toys.

I typically spend $50-$100 each on my inlaws, $50 each on SIL and her DH and another $50 on our nephew.

My dad and his girlfriend, maybe $75. My siblings, $40-$50 but I usually wrap my sisters birthday in there and spend more on her. She's coming home from Germany with her boyfriend this year and I think we've decided to just go out and have a really nice fun and expensive dinner and night on the town and call it a gift for all of us. I don't want her to feel obligated to give up suitcase room really. I'll probably take her to Sephora though. I love buying her fun stuff at Sephora and it's suitcase friendly.

My mom, since we're estranged, I've sent a giftcard in the past because I felt awkward when she would send gifts for the kids. She skipped gifts the last few birthdays so maybe I can just stop that this year.

DH and I set a limit of $30 each this year, in addition to picking up Billy Joel tickets. And we're going out and spending $$$$$$ out with friends the 26th. And we're going to skip town and head to the Caribbean sometime after the first of the year. That's all gift enough and Gifts is the lowest love language for each of us.

I buy for all the kids godparents too. And our godchildren. I try and stick to $25 each there, but shit it all adds up.

We also double our monthly charitable contribution every December. Teachers will probably be another $100. I'll just contribute to whatever the school collects for all the teachers.

[docholly]

125 ish for each kid. 100 for my mom. 25 my brother. 25 my niece/nephews each. 150 for H.

[cherry1111]

I wanted to stick to $100 for DS, then I spent $127 on Magna Tiles yesterday. I want him to have more than 1 thing to open so it looks like now I'm going to try to stick to $200.

I don't think DH and I will do gifts for each other this year. Angthing with a reasonable price we just buy ourselves throughout the year so anything left that we want is $$$$.

We stopped exchanging with siblings because it was just becomming a gift card exchange.

I'll try to stick to $25-30 for my 4 nieces.

$50ish for the 4 parents.

$100 for toy drive.

I try to buy as much from Kohls as possible while you get $15 Kohls cash for each $59 spent, then turn around and buy more gifts with the Kohls cash.

Crap, forgot about daycare teachers. I'll probably go with $30 each this year. That's a step down from the $50 I've done before but oh well.

[CloudBee]

I don't really know.

DH and I spend the most on each other, usually. I often receive a new handbag or piece of jewelry. It's the occasion where we usually exchange a highly sought after big ticket item. I've already spent probably $300-400 on clothes for DH. He desperately needed some new things for work and a new down jacket. In his new office location (transitioned a few yrs ago) he can get away with jeans and a quarter zip Lacoste pullover (cotton) in the winter months. They had a big sale recently so I bought 2 or 3, and some polos. I also got him a Patagonia down sweater that was on sale. His North Face is getting pretty worn out. Then there's some $300 computer part he wants. I don't even know what it does, but will probably buy it. He doesn't get much for himself so I usually get everything on his list.

I don't really know what I want! Now that I SAH I'm less into fashion items. Maybe I will ask for gift cards, or just request that my expensive gym membership be a Christmas item so it doesn't land itself into our budget when we sit down next week?

We decided last night we want to buy DS the Paw Patroller. I expect we will spend between $150 - $200 on him? Neither set of grandparents ever really give him toys. So we really gift most of what he receives and don't buy larger toys outside of special occasions.

Thoughts:
- Paw Patroller (prob $50'ish depending on sales)
- Magnatiles (around $75?)
- new wooden train from Thomas line ($10-15)
- books ($50? he really needs new ones)
- a few action figures or Hot Wheels cars with cheapie track extension
- a couple board games ($20)

I usually spend $20 - 25 on each of my sister's 9 kids

DH has no nieces or nephews

My parents will get something homemade by DS or framed photos. They don't give gifts so I'm kind of done putting money into them. Scrooge.

DH's parents - I expect we will spend about $100 on them

We also get gifts for the 2 kids of some dear friends. Not sure what we're getting, yet. I think I may have DS walk around a store and pick stuff out.