How much to spend per child at christmas?

[macemesmum]

Just wondering how much each of you spend per child and the age of the children you are spending it on? My daughters are 5 and 7 and last year was ridiculous, get ready for it probably about 1000-1300 between them!!! I am ashamed (was paid for in cash on layaways) and I am not afraid to admit I am a christmasaholic!!! So this year since we are going to be in usa christmas will be pared down in terms of toys , not in terms of tradtions or experiences, and was wondering how much you each spend on a child and about how many presents they get.

[COUNTRYBUMPKIN]

$50.00 is the limit here. DD's learned a long time ago that christmas is not about getting lot's of gifts! They would actually rather volunteer their time in the soup kitchen, the Grand rapids Vets home or delivering christmas baskets to the needy.

[TheRootedNomad]

The last few years we have spent a little more than we use to. There are two reasons for this. We have it and the boys are older so the things they want cost more. I think we will be scaleing back again this year though. I noticed a couple of things that they "REALLY WANTED" that they hardly ever played with. I am going back to relying on my judgement.

I have to say that I can say my kids have plenty but they aren't really spoiled. They appreciate everything they get. For several years we couldn't really afford to do much other than necessities and so I would shop all year for sales and try to make the necessities fun. Luckily my boys have made that kind of easy. My oldest has always LOVED sheets and blankets. As a toddler he would roll around in a bright sheet or drag it behind him, or try to make a tent with it, for hours and never pick up a toy.

At 5 and 7 our list looked something like this:
1) pair footie pjs
2) 2nd pair of footie pjs
3) 1 or 2 packs charecter underware
4) kid friendly beach towel (to be used for everyday)
5) kid friendly sheet set or blanket
6) building toy
7) game
8) stuffed animal type thing
9) bigger toy like maybe an $18.88 bike
10) another toy
11) needed clothing
12) bubble bath


Stocking
~ bag of candy
~ gloves
~ socks (out of pack)
~ pk of pokemon cards
~ chapstick
~ cars
~ fun toothbrush or paste

It looks like a very long list but I generally did it for WELL under $100 a child. Probably most years it was between $50-$75. They had lots of stuff to open, they enjoyed it all, and it all got used. Most of the stuff was clearneced that I shpped for all year. Some things I made. Like thier HUGE hit Harry Potter fleece blankets. It cost me under $3 each in material several years back, a few minutes in time, and they still drag them everywhere.

As they've gotten older the video game stuff is what they tend to enjoy and that is more expensive. We dont stay on the cutting edge though so I still manage to get away fairly easily. We had a couple of years recently where I got lazy with watching for sales and was more comfortable splurging. This Christmas though I am going back to the way it was as the "extra" didn't get the attention. This Christmas the boys will be 10 and 12. I am going to try and stay under $125 each definately under $200. I am only even considerng the $200 because we might do a Wii.

So far I have for each of them
~ a kid friendly beach towel ($1.88 clearence)
~ big mug with thier favorite animal ($2.59)
~ several stocking stuffer freebies like deoderant
~ desk light ( bought at a yardsale for .50) that matches DS#2s room to a tee
~ a couple of pairs of jeans (1.00 clearence rack at Wal-Mart)

I think there might be a few more items as well but that's all I can think of.

I'm a christmasaholic too. I love the whole spectrum of it. I keep attempting to pare "the list" down of people I give to but I enjoy doing it so it never really gets much shorter. It's never really about spending a lot of money either. its about finding/creating something each person will enjoy.

.....sorry so long...I;m kinda rambly this morning

[warramra]

I've been running numbers in my head also for Christmas. I've been trying to cut back on presents for a couple years now. Mainly because of all the toy clutter that develops with four children. It doesn't help that all of our children celebrate birthdays between September and December, with two in December. This year we have decided to buy one 'big' gift for all four (a Wii) and an additional $40 per child for another gift, stocking stuffers. We'll still end up spending just slightly less than last year. We've also implemented a $40 and 2-gift limit for birthdays, which will be the bigger $$$ savings for us.

[nodmicks]

150-175 for each of our kids. I'd love to spend more but we shop for almost 30 total.

[DebtFreedomFighter]

I have only one child to shop for. His birthday is at the beginning of the month too! We usually budget about $200-$300 for gifts. Being a frugal shopper - that actually goes a long way.

[ri*smom]

A hundred or so per kid--mine are 3 and 1. And really, I still think we over did it last year (which is what I said the year before). My ds gets so excited over the first couple presents, it will be 5 in the evening before he opens the next. In fact, I think he still had two presents sitting under the tree the next morning I had to remind him about. Many of the things I get NIB at garage sales or crazy cheap from co-ops and then they get some small necessary items like socks, pajamas, etc. The Easter bunny brings new spring pajamas too (that I buy after season the year before 50%+ off)!

[Neeley]

Our kids are 13 and 15. We spend around $500 for each.

[jamie79]

When my kids were that age I could do $100 a kid and they seemed very happy with what they got. Now at 19 and 16 things are alot more $$$$$ so they get less because I spend more

[Iansmommy]

Last year I tried to stay around $100 per child. We spent way less than that on our youngest who was about 5 months at the time. We will probably do around the same again this year. The older they get the more expensive their "toys" get, so we'll see.

[lovestolaugh]

I budget $250 for each of my 2 kids ages 10 and 12. I will be following the want,need,wear,read + stocking format this year. I have already decided that they will each get a Nintendo DS Lite as their "want" gift. That will take a hugh chunk of the budget so the other gifts will be small. Fortunately, with this format I have a lot of flexibility with the amounts spent on each item. The remaining three items will be very manageable with remaining funds. The stocking's are primarily neccessities that I would have to buy anyways with a few special gifts thrown in!
My family has scaled back to just sending family gifts (i.e. gift certificates to dinner or movies). My inlaw's just give me a check to use for all four of us. They usually give me $400. The kids each want/need a new cell phone so the in-laws will pay for that. So although there will be fewer gifts under the tree, they will be much appreciated gifts and we will all be happy!

[baronmom]

I end up spending about $250 for each kid. I just can't spend more. Sometimes this is even too much for me, but with the prices of things now a days, even $250 doesn't get you that much.

[Wendy99]

We will be spending $75 each for our twin 7 year olds. I cannot do anymore than that & they will be happy. I already got dd a little pet shop digital pet (normally around $12 for $5) to put in her stocking and ds 2 dinky cars on sale for 50 cents each (regular $1.29) each for his stocking. I learned a lot when I read the Tightwad Gazette about children and Christmas. I'm looking for sales for stocking stuffers right now (so I have more of the $75 for their bigger gifts), but will wait closer to for their "big" gift so I can see what they will ask Santa for.

[Izzy0906]

I buy for 25 people. I spend $150 on my daughter, $150 on my DBF and then $100 on the other 23 people (I make gifts).

[Michelle]

I am thinking $100 per child. I usually have Christmas wishlists in hand by now so that I can be on the lookout for good deals.

Oh, and Lauren's birthday is 3 days after Christmas