How much do you spend on Christmas gifts.

[mamawmom]

 I just wondered in these hard times how much was too much.My dh has never beleived in exchanging gifts.He thinks just getting together is enough.Although I agree with him,I still ahve to see Christmes through the eyes of a child.Children expect presents for Christmas and I would not hurt them by not having them one.I can still remember as a child wondering what I had done that Santa didnt like me since we had very little for Christmas and I would go to school and hear and see all the great stuff other kids got.Children dont think like adults and just getting together is not enough for them.But I dont think you have to go overboard and put yourself in debt either.Theres a middle ground and you just have to find it.

[funnymom32]

I have young kids so this will eventually change.  Over the last few Christmas' I spent $20 on each kid.  I begin shopping in June though and hit all the clearance sales (TJMaxx has some great clearance items), garage sales, and consignment shops that I can.  The money goes a long way.  

Now that my kids are getting a little older (2 &4) I spent $30 each plus the KMart giftcard.  I used cash when I had it.  I have a good amount of toys this year for them including two giant trucks that I got at KMart.  I am so excited to see them open that.   I have asked half of our siblings to not get each others' kids gifts and they are fine with that.  The other half we will get $5 gifts for.

[MommaReynolds]

Hello Long Lost Sister!!!

I am totally with you on the present thing! When I was younger I would never participate in the "What i got for Christmas" discussions. I was fortunate enough to always get at least ONE thing I asked for. But normally...it was that one thing and a few random things my mom found on sell. I am a HUUUUUUGE kid when it comes to Christmas. To me there's always been a magically feeling at that time of year. Seeing family, the smell of homemade made food, kids running around, football on tv, etc. You get the picture. I want so bad for my kids to feel that magic, and I really do think that kids feel some of that magic by Santa getting them what they want for Christmas. Heck...my dirty little secret is despite the fact that I'm 23 years old and KNOW Santa is mommy and daddy I still wake up every Christmas HOPING "Santa" stopped by. (I told you..I'm a kid!)

With that said these past few years I've spend about $100-$150 on my kids for Christmas. This year I want to spend more because there's alot of stuff I want to get for them that I think the deserve.

**with that said! I do want to get my kids into the spirit of giving. nothing feels better than giving. So please say prayers for me that I sell my wedding dress FINALLY can cause use that money to give about 4-5 kids a rocking Christmas!**

[tretresmom]

I don't have a spending limit I just buy what I can afford. 

[Sabella24]

Last year we were able to commit $50 to each child for all presents plus $50 for each Santa gift. This year we have almost no income so all I've been able to spend was $50 total for all 5 boys (from the Kmart gift card program).

[JennyMarie]

I have 3 boys and for the past 5 yrs I have spent $200 per child. This will not change. They are oldet though so they want more expensive stuff. When I had only the 1 son a long time ago...I spent over $500 on Christmas for 5 yrs till I had my 2nd. So that was way way to much.

But I had great Christmas when I was a child. And I want my kids to have one too

[Bekah062205]

to much is spending what you dont have. to much is putting your shopping on credit cards. I dont normally have a spending limit...but this year i can only get a little at a time with the money we have left after paying bills.. This year i think i have spent only 150.00-200.00 and im about done. I only need to get dd stocking stuffers. We are going to MIL's house for the Holidays and also going to stop by my bff house and she has 3 of my Godchildren there...I can not afford presents for them. so i told dh that we are going to be there for a few days, thats Christmas enough. Unless i win the lotto then i cant afford extra gifts.

[lizzy-k]

not sure.. we are having a really hard time. my dh job said that they are not giving out bonuses. we make $18 to much for PA, so none of the charities will help us. my children has not asked for much because they can see the hard times were having.they will get something but dont know what or how much yet.

[iHEAVENn]

Well..

It really just depends..

So far we've spent about $80 on gifts for our son.. however only $30 of that was actually out of our income. (My father spent $50 on a gift for him that we really wanted but just couldn't get right at this moment cause we paid off our monthly bills... he said to tell our son it's from Santa.)

So that's nice..

other than that money we plan on spending around $80/$100 total I'd say.

We don't have credit cards.. so we can't get into debt over Christmas which is nice..

But then we also only get to spend what's within our left over monthly budget. (After ALL our bills are paid)

[cheergurl84]

We'll probably spend at most $300 total on everyone.  That's all the extra we've been able to save for Christmas.  It's the thought that counts though and I'm just glad we will be with family for the holiday season.