How much do you spend on gifts alone for the holidays?

[HeartofCheese]

We're pretty much done and at about $750 for all four of us. Only about $125-150 was spent on us adults. Is $600 a lot to spend on a 3 and 5yo? I feel like I could go on foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

[welly01]

I don't think that's unreasonable. We spent about $250 on each kid and about $500 on each of the adults.

[covergirl82]

This year we're spending less than usual on each kid - probably closer to $150 each, plus about $75 on a small indoor trampoline for both of them. In the past, we've spent around $250-$300 per kid. I think everyone is different. We tend to buy toys/things for our kids throughout the year, so DH and I are starting to feel like they need a whole pile of stuff at Christmas.

[2chatter]

We spend $150 per child plus stockings and Santa. This year Santa is bringing an indoor trampoline ($30 Black Friday) and a Beta fish for each of them.
So that’s $750 plus around $200.

Adults is different every year. This year DH is getting a surface and some running gear so he’s at about 1K. My birthday is Christmas Day so my spend is always high.

We spend $150 per parent (3 alive) and $30-50 per cousin (4 are still kids). The adults are in an exchange so outlay there is $100.

For my sister and niece I will spend about $100.

The kids pay for gifts to their friends so that’s nice.

[twinmomma]

We budget about $1,000 total for Christmas gifts. This includes literally everything - our 2 kids, teacher gifts, any yankee swaps, donations to toys for tots, other family members we buy for, etc...

DH and I haven't bought each other anything for the past few years. We've decided to put that money towards other people or house expenses.

For the past couple years I've created a spreadsheet that I use. I break up the columns into what I plan to spend and what I actually spend so we can kind of keep track and make sure we don't blow the budget. It works pretty well.

ETA - I feel like I should clarify that we buy for about 25 different people, so we have a pretty large list of recipients to cover. 

[waverly]

$20-$30 on 2 nephews. $30 each on MIL and SIL. $20 each on FIL and BIL and his son.

$60 total on teachers

Maybe $100-$150 per kid and $100 for DH.

[xctsclrx]

Does burying your head in the sand and hoping that it isn't going to kill you "sticking to a budget?"

We used to budget a 100 per kid, not buy ourselves anything and 50 bucks for everyone else, and 100 dollars for stockings. Santa only brings stockings. However, this year I paid off my student loan so I spoiled the kids and didn't worry about the $50 limit for family. I know I have spent close to 800 and I only have one more person to buy for. I have no idea how much DH spent on me.


ETA: I have officially placed my last order and I am 100% done Christmas Shopping!!!!!!!

[k3am]

For just our immediate family, I'm spending.. $30 on DS (he's too young to care) and about $75 on DD between parent and Santa gifts. DH will get something in the $20 range for his stocking.

For the rest of the family, I spend $350 (4 nephews, one sister, my mom, and my BIL).

I usually estimate about $50 per person. We're not a big present family and so far, DD has low expectations. She has 6 things on her very lame list she wants from Santa, and she knows Santa can't get her everything. But we also just buy stuff throughout the year.

[k3am]

Also, not related, but our Santa is poor. If there's going to be a big gift, it comes from us personally. I read some stupid article about income inequalities (ie: kids wondering why Santa doesn't like them as much because their Santa could only afford something small but other kids Santa's go above and beyond) a few years ago, and for whatever reason, it really stuck with me.

[phdmomma]

We are probably a bit on the low side. Both kids get one gift from Santa, this year they are each getting Razor scooters (which were about $30 each). The DH and I fill the stockings. Those are about $20 each, they are each getting a puppy pal stuffed animal, and some small toys and snacks. DH and I have a limit of about $30 for each other, and just fill stockings. We pretty much buy whatever we need during the year, so there isn't so much that we need. The whole family also get matching Christmas PJs.

For beyond our nuclear family, we spent $500 on a giant hotel room at the waterpark for DH's entire extended family, which will be their Christmas gift (yay no shopping). We get my parents a year subscription to netflix, as they are decluttering. Then there is about $150 in gift cards for the kids' various teachers and daycare providers.

[phdmomma]

k3am, That's where our one present from Santa rule came from. We talk with the kids that Santa only brings them one gift because there are people who need presents from Santa more than they do. Which sounds colder than it is, if they only get one gift from Santa then they really play with it, versus it getting lost in a pile of stuff that they don't really need. My in-laws go insane with presents so my kids get tons of stuff at Christmas, and actually way more than I am comfortable with them getting.

[kimberlybb]

I think it is whatever you are comfortable with spending. I usually try to spend $150ish per kid. This year I went way overboard with stockings and decided to get Magnatiles as an extra joint Santa gift so it was more like $225. I keep seeing things the kids would like and it has been hard to stop shopping. I probably spend about $1,400 collectively on Christmas after you factor in gifts for both of our families, daycare, gift exchanges, adopt a family, etc.

[rere]

I spent about $900 on the kids, typing that out seems a lot. I sent $150 on Dh. Who knows what he will spend on me, he's off the rails. We have 6 adults to buy for and a nephews so $25-40 depending on who it is, and teacher gifts.

In my defense, one of Ds big presents is a rifle, his big hobby is hunting. One of Dds big presents is a vanity for her room for hair and makeup. This benefits me, so she doesn't have our guest bath constantly cluttered with her stuff. Plus she wanted new bedding for a room makeover.

[erinshelley21]

I've just been closing my eyes and swiping or entering my credit card so I'd probably throw up if I calculated it out lol. It's really not that bad and I might actually do that today so I can tell our siblings how much they owe me since apparently I'm the Christmas shopper. I'm telling you, the whole family will be up shit creek without a paddle if I get a job that doesn't have flexibility.

We don't spend much on the kids and it's probably not even going to be equal for a few more years either until they can add and read lol. $150 seems about right though for what we are spending on DS.

DH and I were supposed to do $50 each but he forgets that I have access to his account and can see that he did not follow the rules. We also don't buy anything extravagant for anyone or each other so it's not like DH bought me a tv or laptop when he was only supposed to spend $50.

[2chatter]

k3am - I have read those articles too. But IME Santa has little to do with income. We lived in a pretty low income area and Santa brought very little to some kids and game systems to others - and these were families who didn’t pay for day care through government programs (the big game system year DD got cake and cookie mixes, a bowl, spoon and apron). At our current school there is a sort of halfway house for kids and they got a trip to Disney. So...I gave up on being the egalitarian Santa. Some years our kids get really big Santa gifts and some years they get smaller things that they really want (like...fish).

[erinshelley21]

Dec 12, 2017 10:15:23 GMT -5 k3am said:

Also, not related, but our Santa is poor. If there's going to be a big gift, it comes from us personally. I read some stupid article about income inequalities (ie: kids wondering why Santa doesn't like them as much because their Santa could only afford something small but other kids Santa's go above and beyond) a few years ago, and for whatever reason, it really stuck with me.

We do this as a result of some stupid article too. Santa brings the want, need, wear, read items because they are usually very cheap. Maybe $50 total. 

[waverly]

None of my kids are getting big ticket items this year. So Santa brought them 2 things and their stocking which are equivalent to what mom and dad bought in price/ value. Mom and dad are giving a few more presents than Santa.

If I get a big ticket item though, I want credit for it.

[k3am]

Dec 12, 2017 10:38:45 GMT -5 2chatter said:

k3am - I have read those articles too. But IME Santa has little to do with income. We lived in a pretty low income area and Santa brought very little to some kids and game systems to others - and these were families who didn’t pay for day care through government programs (the big game system year DD got cake and cookie mixes, a bowl, spoon and apron). At our current school there is a sort of halfway house for kids and they got a trip to Disney. So...I gave up on being the egalitarian Santa. Some years our kids get really big Santa gifts and some years they get smaller things that they really want (like...fish).

I'm also at the same time like... screw Santa. I want my kid to know where those things are coming from. Some imaginary fat man didn't build them. Her mama bought them with her hard earned money. 

[2chatter]

waverly - when the oldest and I had the Santa conversation she went and got the annual
Photo albums and was like “so that was YOU?” - delayed gratitude and amazement were worth it!

[supertrooper1]

My plan is to spend less than $100 on DS this year because DH buys him stuff year round. But I have a feeling DH will go way over again. I spent more on DH this year than I normally do because I ended up buying him a new phone. But the things on his list were a $600 trailer to pull behind our tractor, or a $2,000 trailer to haul the tractor, so a phone was actually the cheapest gift and it's something he was eventually going to buy anyway. My parents and MIL will be around $100 each, and about $35 each for my niece and nephew.

[sudokufan]

We'd planned to spend $300 on each of us, but I think H probably went overboard. To be fair, though, most of the gifts for H and I are things we would have gotten anyhow, sooner or later (clothes, new DVD player, kitchen gear, books). It's allllll toys for DS though. He's our one and only and we don't have a lot of extended family so we overcompensate. I'm just glad we don't seem to have spoiled him.

[HeartofCheese]

Honestly, for us, Santa gives them the shit that's hard to wrap or is "presentation-worthy." There's definitely room here to have put more thought into it. 

[186momx]

More than I originally planned. It is hard to tell as our Gymboree is closing so I've been stocking up on stuff for DD in bigger sizes so it looks like I'm spending a ton on her but most of that isn't for Christmas.

Extended family was about 30 per person on average.

DH was more than I wanted and not even close to equal but I will guarantee that he won't be happy with anything I got him (jeans, movies, cross bars for his truck, new shop lights). He actually has been shopping paintball guns and accessory and told me last night I should buy for myself and he will by for himself since I don't do proper gifts. I saw red and slept like crap last night as I as fuming.

[186momx]

I just realized I didn't get DD a single toy. She got a gymnastic tumble mat from Santa and DH has been building her a gymnastic bar but I don't really consider them toys. So she got gymnastic stuff, clothes, books, and SING.

[katrine05]

Probably $150- $200 for each kid. DH and I said we weren't going to buy each other gifts since we are heading on vacation to Mexico the week after Christmas and said that would be our gift. But he really wanted a paint sprayer, so he bought that for himself and told me to buy something of equivalent value. So not really gifts, since he would have bought it for himself anyways.

For all other family, teachers, secret santa's etc. Probably $250-300 total.

[erinshelley21]

waverly I also want the credit.

[traveltheworld]

Dec 12, 2017 11:15:34 GMT -5 k3am said:

Dec 12, 2017 10:38:45 GMT -5 2chatter said:

k3am - I have read those articles too. But IME Santa has little to do with income. We lived in a pretty low income area and Santa brought very little to some kids and game systems to others - and these were families who didn’t pay for day care through government programs (the big game system year DD got cake and cookie mixes, a bowl, spoon and apron). At our current school there is a sort of halfway house for kids and they got a trip to Disney. So...I gave up on being the egalitarian Santa. Some years our kids get really big Santa gifts and some years they get smaller things that they really want (like...fish).

I'm also at the same time like... screw Santa. I want my kid to know where those things are coming from. Some imaginary fat man didn't build them. Her mama bought them with her hard earned money. 

LOL.  k3am, DH and I feel the same way.  We feel socially pressured to keep up the Santa thing, but in all honesty, neither of us grew up believing in Santa and didn't/don't feel like we missed much.

We are getting the kids 2 toys each - one from Santa and one from us.  So approximately $75 per kid.  DH was thinking that 2 toys, along with the presents they'll be getting from each set of grandparents, would be too much - keep in mind, that's 4 presents each; so by no means are we being overboard.  He actually said "so they'll get 4 presents EACH EVERY YEAR??"; to which I responded with "yup, until the grandparents die" because I was so annoyed with his whole "our kids have too many toys" attitude.  Our kids have the least number of toys of anyone I know.  *roll eyes*

I wasn't planning on getting DH anything because I can't think of anything, but DS has now told me that DH and he had been working on multiple presents for me, so now I feel obligated to get DH something.

Other than that, I'm getting my mom a Stella & Dot necklace, and a nice picture frame with a picture from the photo shoot we did with the ILs earlier this fall for the ILs.  So $100 total there.

Our biggest expense will be presents for all of DS and DD's teachers, coaches, etc.  I just added it up and it'll come to over $300.

[mommyatty]

About $600 total. $500 on the kids. $50 on DH. Another $50 on MIL

Plus $60 or so on teacher gifts.

[mommyatty]

Oh and part of our Santa story is wealthy countries have to pay for Santa gifts. So Mom and Dad subsidize Santa for our kids plus we buy stuff for Angel Tree. That came about as an answer to “why isn’t Santa just giving gifts to the kids whose parents have no money.” Because Santa can’t afford to do this and feed all the elves and reindeer and stuff. Santa in our house is Santa Inc.

[ilovelucyvv]

I think I spent about $350 per kid which was more than intended but some of it is stuff that they need vs want. I spent about $50 on H and about $500 on myself. Extended family is about $25-50 per person