Christmas

Nebb

I know I know, just humour me. I have it set up in my budget to start saving for christmas at the end of August, and I would like to budget a bit further than that so in order to figure out how much to set aside I have to create my christmas budget now. I cant find the one I made last year so I am making up all new numbers.

Out of curiosity, how many people do you buy for and how much do you spend (total, average per person, whatever). Do you budget or just wing it come the holiday season?

kd.joseph

Wow, it say someone names judelo posted this.


I only buy for immediate family, and I bake for everyone else.
I dont have an average, I usually have no money so it doesnt matter.

scoetto

I buy for my mom, her husband, my dad, his wife, my older sister & her husband, and my youngest sister.

J buys for his mom, his three sisters & his dad.

Haven't figured out what everybody is getting but last year it was about $50/pp or $100/couple depending on the item. My baby sister is only 2, so her gift is usually around $30.

Friends and extended family get a card.

tidetravel

We skipped Christmas all together last year.  I'm not sure about this year, yet.  In years past, I've usually spent about $100-$200 on my sister, $100 each parent and about $50 on close friends. 

scoetto

Oh and we don't budget. We have nieces & nephews galore this year and we might just buy for the kids and eff the grownups. At least that's what I'd like to do anyway.

Baking for the adults is a great idea. Might have to steal that this year.

MeaghanandMichael

I usually wing it.
As for cost, it varies year to year because my family never has a set amount. If I find something super awesome for cheap/expensive for a some one I kind of just buy it. In my family the value of the gift is in the awesomeness, not really the money. For example, I got my neice a super cheap my little pony play dough set she freaked out over for the rest of the year, my sister got a heavy duty grille lighter ($9?) and grille cook book while my brother got new tires for his car. It kind of depends if people 'need' something and what kinds of things are going on in their life at the time.

This year may be different though because as you know, we are on a house budget. Thanks for the reminder, Nebb

[Deleted User]

I buy for people I know I'll see, so mainly immediate family and a few friends. I don't really budget, because none of us spend a lot. Plus I buy throughout the year. I already have my mom's annual gag gift  (it's a running joke now) and I know what I'm getting everyone else. Dh and I are celebrating Christmas in January (Disney).

Overall I don't spend a lot. I grew up with a family that thoroughly believed it's not how much you spend, but the thought behind it. My mom is far happier with a $10pouch of polished rocks than fancy jewelry. I'm thrilled with a few movies or books I've been wanting. We're pretty easy to please.

Now stop distracting me! I have a paper to edit.

Nebb

I only have adults (and one teenager) to buy for and i just dont know WHAT to do this year - last year I tried to go the gift card route. I got my mom and my aunt each a 100$ gift card at ikea, they LOVE ikea and always want to go and since getting these gift cards they havnt stepped foot into ikea. WTF. I got my other aunt a 100$ gift card for ANY spa in ontario... and she hasnt used that either. I feel like buying them all candles and leaving it at that this year.

sarahmk5

I buy for my parents, and FI buys for his.  We exchange gifts with each other, and then do a secret Santa with his siblings and in-laws.  So, between the two of us, 8 total.  Last year I did an exchange with my roommates, but that won't be happening this year, obviously.

We don't really budget, but we spend each year according to our money situation.  FI and I always set a limit - some years it's higher, others it's lower.  Our parent's gifts also depend on the year.  The secret Santa with his siblings has a limit of $20, so that's always cheap.

goheels05

We usually wing it but we have a budget this year.  I can't remember what it is and I'm too lazy to look it up.

We probably have spent about $500 on each other every year we've been together. 

We buy for each of our parents, my two siblings, DH's sister and BIL, my grandma, and DH's grandma and grandpa and spend about $75-$100 on each of them.  Then we draw names with DH's mom's extended family and DH's dad's extended family and the max we can spend is $20 on each of those.  Anyone else, we give a bottle of wine and/or canned goods.  I love the baking idea.  I think I'm going to do candy this year.  Better Homes and Gardens has some excellent recipes.

We want to cut down on the Christmas spending and I think we're going to give each other one special gift and call it a day.  I'd love it if the rest of the family got on board, but with kids coming into the picture, I doubt that's going to happen.  It will probably become "let's buy for each other's kids only" which means we get to spend more and get less.  Yay. 

goheels05

Secret Santa is a good idea, too.  I bet I could get my family on board with that.

Blueyed228

Since my immediate family is all adults, last year we picked names at Thanksgiving.  We all bought for my neice though, but she was only a few months old.

Friends is about $100 per couple and $100 for each of their kids. 

sarahmk5

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_christmas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:a09b5521-b5e1-423e-812a-57cca5d5df61Post:fc7955d8-7810-4f6c-9e60-eacfcfca25a9">Re: Christmas</a>:
[QUOTE]Secret Santa is a good idea, too.  I bet I could get my family on board with that.
Posted by goheels05[/QUOTE]

<div>It's nice, because there's 4 brothers total, with now 4 SILs.  To buy something for everyone would be crazy.  It's a great money saver - They've been doing it since FI and I started dating many moons ago.</div>

ExpatPumpkin

This is a point of contention for DH and me.  I think he spends excessively on holidays.  Last year he got his brother a PlayStation 3 for his birthday!  I'm kind of cheap, so I'd prefer to spend much less.

I'd be comfortable spending $150/kid and $100/couple.  There are only 2 kids and 4 couples, so that's $700.  DH would spend triple that if I let him.  We just wing it, but budgeting is a really good idea.

JessAndTrav

Usually, for family members we try to do a $25-$50 gift, but often it's worth more than that, because we will have bought it on sale.

For friends, it just depends on what we find and what we have. Last year we actually didn't do anything for gifts due to all of the wedding stuff. We didn't have time to shop.

crys-crys

I generally buy for 5-10 people and spend about $2k

I buy for FI, mom, dad, sister, 3 grandmothers and friends.

I am probably going to have to cut back on that list from now on though.

ExpatPumpkin

Oh, and I buy for one close friend because he ALWAYS buys for us.  I'll spend $25-75 on him, it just depends on what I find. 

For everyone else, I bake.  Ingredients and packaging probably costs $100-150 for about 20 people.

katiewhompus

Usually we go free for all, but this year it will definitely be budgetd. My family has always been big on free gifts, doing each other favors, etc. Scott's family does Christmas big. He is used to being able to buy each person at least $500 in presents, no joke. My first year I joined him for Christmas we got a 44" HD TV, Kitchenaid mixer, Wii...yeah. It was not unheard of for him to blow $500 on his niece either.
This year that just isn't happening because of the funds going out with the new house and things breaking. It's not going to be a fun budget discussion.

Nebb

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_christmas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:a09b5521-b5e1-423e-812a-57cca5d5df61Post:21ff9cc8-2868-4f64-a1d8-f9f07aca3095">Re: Christmas</a>:
[QUOTE]Usually we go free for all, but this year it will definitely be budgetd. My family has always been big on free gifts, doing each other favors, etc. Scott's family does Christmas big. He is used to being able to buy each person at least $500 in presents, no joke. My first year I joined him for Christmas we got a 44" HD TV, Kitchenaid mixer, Wii...yeah. It was not unheard of for him to blow $500 on his niece either. This year that just isn't happening because of the funds going out with the new house and things breaking. It's not going to be a fun budget discussion.
Posted by katiewhompus[/QUOTE]
Holy crap!! I would like a kitenaid mixer for christmas...

katiewhompus

Yeah, I love in my inlaws, I won't lie. The only problem is if we only spend $50 on them you feel really guilty. I just can't justify spending my entire months pay on Christmas presents for his family though so everyone will have to deal.

missy68

J and I spend more on each other, but his family sets a limit. My first year, it was $100 (there are 4 of them, and that year there were 6 of us - 2 of us had second families to buy for as well, so we went on the $50 plan). J suggested everyone do $50 last year, and that may be what we do this year. Plus they do a stupid joke gift for everyone - you might spend $1 - $20 on that. That drives me crazy. And buy a stocking stuffer for everyone.

On my side, J contributes to my family gifts - 2 grandmothers (last year they got framed wedding photos), mom and dad, brother, SIL, and nephew. I stick around $50 for each of them too, just because it's kind of easy to do. IDK what I'll do for the grandmothers this year. One is in assisted living, and one is pretty deep in Alzheimers and has home care 24/7. Both turn 90 this year. It may be a basket of chocolates for the first and maybe some banana bread for the other.

zippityb

We're planning on being in Vegas over Christmas, so I'm hoping everyone will forget about gifts and whatnot. I just dealt with putting away a bunch of wedding presents, and the idea of getting more stuff makes me want to set my hair on fire.

anna.oskar

We do the secret santa thing for adults and then everyone buys for the kids (3 nieces & a nephew.  It works well and keeps everyone budget-friendly.  Other than that, I gift baked goods in gift baskets.

Thanks for the post Nebb!  There are only 157 days until Christmas and I'm already craving it.  Mostly as an escape from the heat.

pirategal03

We do gifts for the kids on my mom's side and for my grandparents and great-grandmother.  There are 7 kids, probably $25-20 each, more for the older than the youngest.  Usually something handmade or framed photos for the grands.

We do gifts for FI's parents and sister.  Maybe $50 each on them.   And I bake for FI's extended family.

My dad's family use to do gifts to the kids only, but I'm the youngest/only kid, so I think that tradition is about to end.  We get together and split the cost of a catered meal. 

aprovencher21

FI and I typically buy for about 50-60 people.  The average we spend on someone really depends on their relationship to us.  We also have a habit of budgeting a certain amount for specific people but if its presents for kids we tend to always go over budget.

We went way over budget last Xmas cause FI's good friend lost his job and couldn't afford xmas presents for his two kids.  We decided to surprise them on Xmas morning.  So worth going overbudget.

I start budgeting around May and start shopping then as well.  We take Christmas very very seriously.  I'm also an insane decorator.  I'll post some pictures of my insanity below.  These are photos from my house this CHrismas.

bheartsb

We buy for both sets of parents-max of $100/parent.  We each have 1 sibling.  For my brother and his wife I usually do a combo gift.  His sister + BIL asked for $20/person limit.  However...my brother has 3 boys who I usually go nuts shopping for (however the youngest just arrived 5 days ago...so he'll get clothes and the necessities) but I spoil the other 2.  FI has a niece and nephew, and although he tells me not to, I kinda' go nuts on them too.  Overall, I try to budget $1000 (that includes stuff for me, decorations for the house, cards, etc).   And FI + I don't exchange, we get crazy with the gifts for our birthdays.

SarahPLiz

We buy for my parents. FI's family are not really gift givers, but we sent them something this year. I buy for my 2 sisters and my brother in law. I usually give a card with $5-$10 to all 6 neices and nephews. 

My little sister is spoiled and she has gotten some kick ass presents from FI and I the past few years. Her birthday is Nov 30, so I often combine birthday and Christmas to get her something big. She got a brand new really nice yellow laptop as a b-day/Christmas/graduation present one year. This year she is getting a GPS as a combo MOH/b-day/Christmas present. Our wedding will be 3 days before her 21st b-day.

For the older sister, I usually jsut find something she will like and get it for her. 

I also buy for my godmother, and at least 3 gifts for the game we play at her house on Christmas eve. 

FI tells me not to spend anything on him. I got him some really nice Chimay goblets this year and he countered with an engraved iPod. He spoils me!

apricot239

I try to have all my budgeting and shopping for Chanukkah and Christmas done, wrapped, and hid in the closet by Thanksgiving. I'll usually buy small gifts for FI and his parents & one of his sisters, my two best friends and one of their mothers, and the family I used to nanny for and my little brother. About twelve people. So I usually spend about $200 total on Chanukkah and Christmas because I like to buy everyone really nice, pretty ornaments for Thanksgiving. That way, everyone will have a new ornament to put on their Chanukkah Bush/ Christmas Tree.

vegasgroom

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_snarky-brides_christmas?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:17Discussion:a09b5521-b5e1-423e-812a-57cca5d5df61Post:7922b8bb-e815-4e97-b322-f154e00e5f88">Re: Christmas</a>:
[QUOTE]We're planning on being in Vegas over Christmas, so I'm hoping everyone will forget about gifts and whatnot. I just dealt with putting away a bunch of wedding presents, and the idea of getting more stuff makes me want to set my hair on fire.
Posted by zippityb[/QUOTE]

I love Vegas over Christmas, however, one downside to that which I've experienced not once, but twice, is that since it's the slowest week of the year, a lot of the hotels like to get their mandatory annual fire alarm  testing out of the way that week apparently.  At two different resorts I would party or gamble all night, go to bed at 6 or 7 AM and next thing you know the fire alarm is going off at 10 AM with some announcement just ignore this, it's a test.  I figured how could this happen again and went a second time at a different place in a different year and it did. LOL

vegasgroom

I'm completely random at Christmas mostly due to work and how busy I am.  If I have some free time in December I'll end up buying gifts for nearly all of my close friends and then my very immediate family like parents, other years just cards for a few if that's all I have time to get.  I'm sure that pisses them off because they never know if I'm going to show up with no notice and a $500 gift or they're going to get a card in the mail a few days after Christmas.  I'll probably be a bit more predictable going forward since I'm engaged now.

andyandhillary

I've changed my spending habits for Christmas a lot in the past few years.  Up to this year would would buy for all of our siblings, their kids, their spouses, parents, and then a few of my aunts and uncles and my grand parents.  With everyone it got ridiculously expensive.  So, everyone (finally!) agreed to reduce the costs.  We're just doing around $30 gifts for my immediate family and then his family is doing a white elephant gift type thing.  You just get a generic gift that anyone would like (no GCs) and then swap them.