Christmas & B-day reality check please

[cheles2kids]

What we normally do for Christmas is to buy them a "together" gift and then either two or three additional gifts. In the past a "together" gift has been a trampoline, a game system, a t.v./dvd combo for the car, etc.

This year we are looking into buying them a new computer, we are still a one computer household and with having both of them back in p.school & now hubby is taking online classes, we sometimes have a waiting line to use the computer, it's time to think about a second one.

As far as how much? Hmmm, that's tricky but *usually* around $400.00-$500.00 for the both of them, for Christmas. This year might be a little bit more with the cost of the computer, but on a normal year that's about right.

For birthdays? We always do a dinner out & movie. They're choice, obviously.
We've been doing this for the past 4 years or so and we all love it. Ds. is now 15 & dd. is 13.
We don't go to the movies alot, *maybe* twice a year, so this is a special treat for everyone in the family that we all get to enjoy together.
So, around $100.00-$150.00 for 4 people?

As for neices & nephews? We did away with buying gifts for one another's kids years ago.
But I would say, depending on age, between $20.00-$30.00.
If you have alot of them, I would say to let all the kids draw names and keep the gift around $20.00.

[purktoni]

$50 each for Birthdays and $100 for Christmas for each of my 4 kids. For neices/nephews, I used to spend $10-15 for Birthdays and Christmas, but we've stopped exchanging. If we "draw" for Christmas this year (on my side) it will be about that amount.

For my DH and I, we used to spend $50 on each other- I could get pretty creative with that much. This year, it will probably be more like $30.

[Grayce]

My kids are 11 and 16. For birthdays we usually spend $50-$100. Depends on what they need, what they are asking for. Sometimes we spend more for special birthdays. When my DD turned 16 we paid for her drivers training as her gift and it was $700. My son needed a bike this year so we spent $140 at his birthday for one. Other times we spend much less.

For Christmas we probably spend about $200-$300 per kid. Again sometimes more, sometimes less depending in what they are asking for. Often I will spend a bit more on my DD because the things that she asks for are more expensive. I just try and make sure that they have the same # of gifts.

For my nephews I spend $30 for Christmas and birthdays. We do not buy for any adult extended family members.

For my husband I do not have a specific $ amount. For many years when things were really tight we just bought for the kids. Now I tend to buy things that he has been wanting or needing. Often it is practical things like a new winter coat, mittens, clothes or tools.

[AmyBoz]

As an update on my original answer:

Our family (extended) decided not to do in-laws and nieces and nephews this year.

We wound up spending $135 total for our kids. It wasn't an even division by 3, but it works out. I bought quite a few gifts at our church bazaar, from people here at the village, and then some new items as well. Our kids will be pleased with what they get and we feel good that we don't have to go into hock when the bills come in.

[Missourimom]

In the past we spent around $300.00 on gifts for each of the 3 girls and $150.00 for birthdays. We don't do parties. I would also spend around $200.00 on dh's gift and 100.00 on my MIL and $75.00 on my FIL. My parents are gone. We don't buy for any other family except my stepdad and I usually just make him cookies.

This year will be different because we've been hit hard like a lot of folks.

Dsd18 a GPS ($100.00 on Black Friday) $100.00 cash
Dd17 a GPS ($100.00 on Black Friday) a heated mattress pad $40.00(50% off,) a pair of pj's ($15.00) a pair of gloves ($10.00) and $100.00 cash

Dd7 turns 8 on 12/21 and we're regifting a gameboy advance, a couple of games (used,) a stuffed animal ($5.00 Kohls special,) one of those $10.00 pop guns from Bass Pro she's always wanted and a hanna montana bedspread $25.00. She'll have a homemade cake at home.

For Christmas, I know we're buying her a MP3 player with video for $40.00 on Black Friday and I'm not sure what else. But, my budget will be around $150.00. I did pick her up some Hanna Montana stuff at the dollar store too. lol.

FIL~ cookies and pictures of the kids in frames. If I can find a pocket knife at a very reasonable price, I'll buy him that.

MIL~ I will spend my usual on her.

My stepdad will a big can of homemade cookies. He loves that.

Dh and I will not be buying for each other this year.