This may sound stupid

**Critter** · 12-23-2007, 03:48 PM

but what did you spend on Christmas gifts? I was reading another site and this lady felt guilty for only spend $750 on her son (mainly becuase his gf comes from money and she gave pricey gifts) but anyways she said that is 1/2 of what she would normally spend. To me $750 on 1 child is a lot I don't know that my parents every spent that on my brother and me.

Now my parents give us each $100 and usually a small gift and we are happy with that I think I would be uncomfotable if they gave us $750 worth of items. So I guess my question is this what did you spend all together on Christmas?

I think we spent right around $500 that is including a new camera for us that we needed.

Also included in this are
His mom
His dad
His sister
His brother in law
2 Neices
1 Nephew
Him
Me
My gift exchange for my partylite christmas party (we had 2 gift dh and mine)
My gift exchange with my family (my aunt)
My dh gift exchange with my family (my brother)
2 gifts for a gift exchange (after christmas) with his extended family
2 cats
1 dog

That is it. We don't buy for my parents they told us not to because they want us to save our money and we don't exchange with my brother and his wife anymore because we do a name draw with my whole family (which is not nearly as many as his and they are doing a white elephant type game this year).

So over all I am happy with how we did. I did shop sales and got some great buys.

So what about you? I was just floored when the women felt guilty for not spending more on his son and his gf (she only spent maybe $50 on the gf) but to me that was nice of them. But $750 on one child is WOW in my book. What about you?

**bumplett** · 12-23-2007, 04:08 PM

Wow!!! $750 on one person is insane!!

I think I spent around $550 on everyone!

2 kids

My mom
My dad
My MIL
My FIL
My brother
My hubby (just something small)
Hubby's best friend/wife/kid
Family friend / kid
2 dogs (they each got a huge rawhide bone)
8 cookie tins full of homemade cookies for other family/friends

PLUS - our little j's birthday is the 27th - so I bought his birthday gift AND
my friend's kid (another Dec b-day) AND the best friend's kid (yet another Dec b-day)

sooooo - that's including 3 birthday gifts!!

I think I did really well - but next year I hope to spend even less.

**fernykins** · 12-23-2007, 04:25 PM

I think I spent maybe 150 on 6 children and 13 grandchildren. Some I made with items on hand....... and of course my coke rewards........and a few items I brought I have never ever spent that much even when they were all home
Fern

**wulong32** · 12-23-2007, 04:45 PM

$750 on a child is ridiculous. The commercialization of the holidays is ridiculous. Raising a child to believe that they should spend outrageous amounts of money on gifts will, IMHO, lead them to believe that excessive spending and debt is a way of life. What a sucky gift that must be!

**sixfreds** · 12-23-2007, 04:50 PM

I think that $750 is way too high for 1 child but I have a friend who does spend at least that much per child so for each his own I guess.

I have spent about $1000. all on the gifts I bought that includes 4 kids and hubby and what hubby has spend on me plus the materials to make the cookies and stuff we give out. So that works out to about $170 per child for us.

Eileen

**kaykwilts** · 12-23-2007, 05:02 PM

I think I know what site that was on. It was the spam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typed board wasn't it? I just read it and I was shocked. She was used to spending $1,500. I was thinking either they had money or just went up to their eyeballs every year trying to impress people.

**Michelle68** · 12-23-2007, 05:11 PM

We spent about $650 on:

Our 2 kids
My Dh
Dh's gift for me
my mom
my stepfather
my dad
my brother and his GF
my FIL
My BIL
My SIL
My brother's girlfriends little boy
My niece
Our friends' two little girls
Our friends (couple)
Another couple who are very good friends
Secret Santa gift for work...

Whew! Seeing that, I guess we didn't do too badly. We also bought around $120 in gifts for two families who have fallen on hard times and we've spent more, of course, on food and stuff now that we've found out we're having everyone over at our house.

But $750 for one kid? That's crazy!

--Michelle

**FrugalMomof3** · 12-23-2007, 05:18 PM

Wow I didnt spend that much, I think it total maybe $60 for 7 kids, DH, gift from DH to me, grandson, 2 almost son's-in-law's, my mom and my step dad... so 13 people.

I shop early in the spring at flea markets and yard sales (for new items) and I do this throughout the year.

**Droppedonmyhead** · 12-23-2007, 05:18 PM

This year, me, my Mom and my daughter decided that we would only give gifts to my 2 grandsons. We spent less than $100 for both boys between the 3 of us. The gifts are nice and were purchased on sale months ago.

**Critter** · 12-23-2007, 05:24 PM

Originally Posted by kaykwilts

I think I know what site that was on. It was the spam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typedspam! It is better fried than typed board wasn't it? I just read it and I was shocked. She was used to spending $1,500. I was thinking either they had money or just went up to their eyeballs every year trying to impress people.

Yes that is the site. And I couldn't believe what she said she normally spent on just him. I hope it was ok to post here but I was just wondering what others spend and if I was crazy to think spending that much was out of mind.

**Michelle68** · 12-23-2007, 05:47 PM

Originally Posted by FrugalMomof3

Wow I didnt spend that much, I think it total maybe $60 for 7 kids, DH, gift from DH to me, grandson, 2 almost son's-in-law's, my mom and my step dad... so 13 people.

I shop early in the spring at flea markets and yard sales (for new items) and I do this throughout the year.

As always, you are the Frugal Queen, Tracy! WTG!

--Michelle

**MOMMYDEAREST** · 12-23-2007, 05:49 PM

I spent about 2,800.00 that includes my 4 kids, my hubby, my mom & dad, my niece & nephew, my bother & sister in law, my 2 neighbor kids & 10 of my cousins kids.

**Missourimom** · 12-23-2007, 05:54 PM

About $1,500.00

**Daisygirl** · 12-23-2007, 06:09 PM

I spent around $650 - this was for my children, extended family (grandparents, aunts, uncles, dad), best friend, secret Santa at work, 12 dozen cookies for the Senior Center, teacher gifts, and cookies for neighbors and friends.

**Mamaof2rugrats** · 12-23-2007, 06:24 PM

Between both Chanukkah and Christmas for both kiddos, my huge family, the boyfriend in Boston, friends, everybody for both holidays I spent right around 200.