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How much should I spend on a Christmas Angel?

22K views 16 replies 8 participants last post by  imagine 
#1 ·
Have you seen those "Angel Trees" where they have the name/age of a kid that you can buy for? I grabbed one from our Walmart and it has a list of a couple of wants, a couple needs and her clothing size.

Have you ever done these before? How much is reasonable to spend? Am I going to be the only one shopping for this kid, or do they make multiple cards for every child so that different people shop for them? I had budgeted 100, but I'm not sure if that's, I dunno, standard?
 
#2 ·
The child gets gifts from only you as far as trees go, but may get some things from their family as well. $100 here would go a long way. I normally shop/make what I would for someone like a sister I exchange gifts with. When my kids were small we'd always pick an infant. I'd make several outfits and blankets, pick up some little things when I could. My kids would try to earn a few extra dollars so they could buy for baby too. We were so broke then we'd have qualified for all kinds of aid, but I'm too stubborn!
The teens and the elderly are usually not picked or picked last...
 
#3 ·
Ah, you're probably right. Now I feel kind of bad. I picked a 7 year old because she was close to my daughters' ages and I thought they would enjoy shopping for her. I could probably just split my 100 and get a teen to sponsor too. Most of them just wanted gift cards so that should be easy.

They've got an angel tree in the front of one of the assisted living homes around here so I figured we'd check out that as well and see if there were any wants that we could fulfill without too much hassle. :laugh:
 
#4 ·
Shopping for someone you can figure out good gifts for makes lots of sense! Sometimes I think the other groups mostly want to be remembered in some way. When I shop for someome elderly for example, I generally try to get things that can be consumed in some way... food, cards to send along with postage, that kind of thing. It isn't usually about what someone spends... It's just hard to feel left out.
 
#5 ·
we picked quite a few this year...for a 12 yr old girl via SA...she needed jammies, hat and gloves...went to target and got a fleece jammie set, fleece hat and gloves for about $30.

thru PSR program - picked a 4 yr old girl w/ a book needed...bought a great little schoolers preschool book for $7.99.

still have a few other gifts to buy and donate.

i think that what is on the tag is what is needed and that is what i will buy...i did put the target give cert in the bag..
 
#6 ·
Our church does Angel Tree, which is a ministry to children of prisoners. There are various ages of children, and each is to get a clothing item and another gift such as a toy or craft or books, etc. Suggestions are on the angel card. It is suggested that we spend about $15 per gift. I am so looking forward to our Angel Tree party where we get to meet the kids!
 
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#7 ·
I think $100 would go a LONG way. I'm pretty sure you'll be the only person buying for the kid whose angel you picked. Best of luck on your shopping!
 
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#8 ·
I have done this every year before.

$100? IF that is what everyone else was doing then I feel really bad.

I usually spent about $25 per child or so

I let the kids pick one each and we buy that child a item of want ( toy listed something like that) and then buy a shirt or something like that

Maybe my angel tree child was disappointed but there is no way I could spend $100 that would be 1/3 of the though Christmas budget (including extended family).

This year I don't feel I can do the $25 so I'm not doing the angel tree this year and feel so guilty about it. There are so many angels on the tree.
 
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#11 ·
That should read my angel tree child might have been disappointed. I have no way of knowing if they were or not.
 
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#9 ·
We don't really do the Angel Tree because I can never find where the darned trees are at in this community. I can't find a Toys for Tot box to save my life.

There is a mitten tree at the public library that I will be dropping some hats and mittens off too. I also donated $20 to the fund at work as we adopt a family. We adopted a family from the food pantry this year. THey asked that we provide one gift per person and provide either the holiday meal, the stuff to provide the holiday meal, or a gift card to a grocery store.
 
#13 ·
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#15 ·
I ended up buying her a fur real friends zhu-zhu type play set and a Lisa Frank sticker set. All told it was about 42 bucks.

I tried to get her what she asked for but there was no way it was happening. She wanted either a Little Einsteins laptop, a bike with training wheels or a Princess and the Frog blanket and Pillow. No one carried a Little Einsteins laptop. Bikes that were appropriate for her size didn't come with training wheels. I have no idea where I'd get the blanket and pillow.

Anyway, she got what she got. I hope she likes it.

HASBRO - FURREAL FRIENDS FURRY FRENZIES SCOOT & SCURRY CITY Playset

I took it into the resource center and I asked if they really needed to know who donated it since i didn't bother filling out the card. I was in a mad rush, kids in the car you know. She's like "Oh, I guess that's okay." I really just didn't get her 'tude. Is there some super important reason for wanting my name and address?
 
#17 ·
I have never heard of name and address.

They are anonymous here. We just put them back under the tree we pulled the angel from. presents Wrapped or unwrapped.

I'm sure your girl will love her presents
 
#16 ·
Oh, and I stopped by the tree today while shopping for my little angel girl and I looked at the people who were left. It was noticeably less crowded but I did see quite a few teenagers on it. I think one was 7, the rest were teens.

I've decided that starting in January I'm going to put 25-50 a paycheck away and buy just gift cards for the teenagers. We'll be in a different city but I'm sure they have angel trees there too.
 
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