I try to keep it equal amongst my 3 girls and I am just curious how much you allow yourself to spend for each child,. I never really thought about it but with the economy I am sure some of us will this year. I am trying not to charge anything if possible.

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Without Health you have no Wealth!

We don't charge. Period.
That makes for a much Merrier Christmas!


My kids honor the true meaning of Christmas by using the story of the three wise men's gifts when asking only three things from Santa.
If all these items were to be purchased from a store instead of coming from Santa, it would total close to $1,000.00 dollars. Relatively reasonable when divided three ways.
Monetary value per each kid's wish list is not equal in a sense, however they are on the NICE list and I just bet come Christmas they will be receiving just what they wished for.

We as parents sound like tight wads compared to Santa!
We try and spend about $100.00 a kid on a gift/gifts we'd like to give them.
We do our family of five gift exchange on Christmas Eve night after we come back from candlelight services.


X

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Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

it's not an exact dollar amount with us. A lot of the gifts are for both kids (Wii stuff). We got them a Wii Fit and a Wii Adventure thing. So a little less than $200 there and then a DVD. They will also get some books and the staple of socks and underwear. So I figure I've spent $300 total so I guess $150 per kid if you want to look at it that way. That is both parent gifts and "santa" gifts (although we don't do the traditional "santa"...we are "santa mom & dad"and each child buys a "santa" gift for their sibling). We focus on family more and spending time together. We usually get a new game for Christmas so the whole family has something to do together besides eat LOL

We have spent more in the past and we've spent less. We usually get 2 "bigger" gifts (the Wii stuff this year) and some smaller stuff. Sometimes the bigger stuff doesn't cost as much as it did this year. I suppose I am still ucky that my kids are in the ages of "sharing" gifts. Once they are a bit older, I'm sure they will want more "Me" gifts and less gifts that can be shared with the family.

Out of pocket, I spend around $300 on holiday gifts. The rest I use Amazon GC's that I earn all year (I put all biz stuff on it). The only reason I am out of pocket at all is that Amazon doesn't have everything I want to buy. Some things i have to feel and touch before I buy them...I'm weird that way.

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Proud to say I haven't shopped at a Wal-Mart since Sept 2003

OMG, there is so much that would go into a personal decision like this, I don't see how anyone could post her amount on a board. If someone had no economic concerns and spent $1000 per child or if someone was going to spend just $10 for stocking stuffers because of job lay-offs, neither of those amount or any in between would have any relationship to what you spend.

You spend what you can afford to stay out of debt....or spend what you want if credit card debt is your thing.

I do agree that some sort or equal amount among the children is the only fair way to go.

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Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent.

E. Roosevelt

I don't think it's a big deal to say how much you plan to spend on Christmas.

I plan to spend about $200-that is to buy gifts for my mom, dad, sis, bil and a couple friends.

There have been years I've spent more, many years I've spent much less. It just depends on the finances at the time.

My family has always been very up front about how much is spent during the holidays. From about age 12 or so we knew exactly what my parents had to spend on each of us-it was always an equal amount for each-so we asked for things that fit in this budget. No point in asking for a $200 item if the spending limit was $100.

But then gifts never were a huge deal in our family. We got them of course but it was never a huge gift blowout with my parents driving themselves into the poorhouse to buy us everything(not saying anyone here does that but I'm sure we all know/know of people who do).

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Jesus SAVES by shopping smartly and using double coupons!

I think we will end up spending around $100 per child plus the big gifts from Santa (around $500 total). Santa has gotten them Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Lego Starwars with Lightsaber attachments for the Wii remotes, and a tricycle for the 3 year old. I still haven't figured out what they are getting from "mom and dad," "Santa" isn't leaving much for us to get.

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I don't really have a set amount. My youngest daughter (12) hasn't really mentioned what she wants. I know I will probably get her a couple of Wii games, but other than that I have no idea what to get her. My oldest is married and I have already picked up a few things for her and hubby. She did make me out a list and most of what she mentioned is stuff for the two of them. Dh and I both agreed not to spend much on each other, instead we are planning a night away at a local inn. We draw names for the family, so I already know who I have to buy for, now I just have to find out what they want. We do gift certificates for the inlaws. So...I guess now I just need to get going on the shopping. I am not going to spend what I did last year. We are all going to need extra money for heating oil this year....

In the past, I've averaged around $200 per kid plus stocking stuffers, -- we're cutting back this year to $150 per kid, including stocking stuffers! And Scott and I aren't getting each other gifts this year.

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Forgiveness is love in its most noble form. -Anonymous

I honestly have no idea! I buy things I see throughout the year and then toward Christmas I go out and get things they have asked for. I just listed everything the other day and DD is about done ( I need 1 or 2 more things) but i still need stuff for DS. I have to buy for us, Santa AND for my Mom though, so it looks like more than it really is.

How about for the rest of the family? How much on them?


I usually buy 3 or 4 things for each neice and nephew.

Inlaws (who are worse than the kids) FIL wants a Wii so we might split that with my SIL. I always get the MIL a Yankee Candle set, $25 gift card, framed class pictures of the kids and then something else, maybe some sort of Omaha Steak GC or something.

It isn't the budget for my kids that gets me, it's the other 10 people I have to buy for!

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"A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked." ~ Bernard Meltzer

For the past several years (yeah, I keep a spreadsheet ), I've spent between $300-400 on each of the two boys. I expect to be in that range or a little higher this year. I try to keep not only the $ amount close but the package count the same.

For DH and the rest of the family, it varies widely, but usually all the gift giving rolls up to about $1500. This year, I am buying a couple of digital cameras (DS1 and DH), a 8G Ipod Nano (DS2), and as usual, several $60 video games. I use credit cards, but do not use credit.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

First of all my husband and I never buy anything for each other. We figure that we get things we want during the year. Our children are older and in the last year we have had 2 grandchildren. We have always bought for our children and their spouses. This year we are cutting back because now there are two grandchildren with a third one on the way. We are still getting presents but not spending as much. Last year, I spend about $150 on each (six people).

My son's birthday is on Christmas Day. He will be 25 and he goes to college so cash is the gift for him. I give him anywhere from $250-$700 depending on my financial status at that very moment. Everyone else gets about $50 presents bought at 50% off or more usually on Black Friday.

My husband gets the most expensive stuff. This year I am getting him a new camera and a rock tumbler and some little things like waterproof socks etc.

We don't use credit cards in this house for anything. Someone would have to be on the verge of death that is the only emergency I see that is worth paying interest for. When the banks start paying me 18-30% interest for my money I will consider it.

We are all good shoppers here there is no reason to pay retail or to spend a lot of money on nice things.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

I don't have a budget for my own kids, but for the nieces and nephews it's up to $20 (I can usually get a great gift for less than that when everything goes on sale). I get the older kids - High school and above $25 Gift Card to the store they like.

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Mary

You are so like my Sister organized with a spreadsheet. I too keep the package amount equal as they sit around and open. My liitle one is getting a WII so I will buy some games hopefully on Black Friday to give wtih it. My other DD wants a Digital Camera and My College daughter is going to Ital y so wshe wants Euro's. Then there are the other things they want new stuff for their room and clothes etc.

I agree with others it;s not my kids but the other misc Gifts thay drive me crazy because like my parents lack nothing so need to be creative.

I do love Christmas because of the cheerful music, getting together with family and friends and this year I would like to dontate some time to a shelter or food pantry because this is so important. Not that I have any extra cash but time is something I can offer.

Thanksgiving is my favortie because you have all this without the stress of the giftgiving. Just enjoy family.

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Without Health you have no Wealth!

I spend around $100 each for my DD and DS, but with sales and coupons, many items I can get for free or cheap, so I might not spend that amount.
For my DH we might spend $25-50, because it is our money pooled together and so if we want something during the year we discuss it and buy it. The presents are just little fun surprises.
We prefer to just have fun little gifts to laugh and enjoy unwrapping, rather than big purchases.

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We don't use a budget for our kids either. We also don't spend the same amount on them. We get them the same number of gifts. We try to get them what they want or are interested in and that doesn't always equal the same amount of money. They do not know how much we spend on them, but I've told them before that they get the same number of gifts and they agree with it. Sometimes we spend about the same amount, sometimes it's more on 1, sometimes it's more on the other.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

Each child can ask Santa for three things. Their dollar amounts vary widely...my son's list will probably be around $150 and my daughter's list is $50. My 2 yr old doesn't get it yet so Santa will improvise. Then there are other gifts from dh and me. We just make sure there's an even amount of stuff and don't worry about the equality of the amount spent. I've been paring down the last few Christmases...I was buying things just because they were a 'good deal' but they weren't getting used. Too much filler iykwim. Now I only buy what I'm certain they'll use and enjoy.

Maureen

We try to spend the same amount for each kid, the boys are old enough to understand that their sister ends up with more packages but that's because her presents usually aren't as expensive as theirs. This year I'm going to spend about $300 per kid including stocking stuffers. I haven't figured out what to give my oldest, my middle son is getting $250 in gift certificates to best buy (he had tons of electronics on his list & I'm not about to figure out which one to get). I finally broke down & got the ds for my daughter and a guitar from her list.
My husband & I don't usually exchange but I think we will this year (a little birdie told me my dh is giving me a gps for my work vehicle so now I have to decide what to give him).
We don't have any nieces or nephews to buy for, we spend about $25 per person for our siblings & parents. I also by for my daughter competition (dance) team & her dance teachers (about $150 this year).
My husband has had to do alot of traveling for work, he is pretty good about remembering to use his travel rewards numbers so we were lucky enough to get about $500 in gift certificates so far that I am using toward Christmas gifts - I LOVE that!

JessieProud Mom to Kyle(17), Garrett(14), and Emily

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I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I lived just the length of it. I want to have lived the width as well. - Diane Ackerman

It really depends on the ages of the kids too. We have three daughters (20, 17, 16) and their gifts get spendy. Our oldest is in college so we kind of go "all out" just because all three are home. I went to some outlets in Massachusetts a month ago and Orlando last year (tagged along with DH on his work trips). Scored some great deals at the Coach, Juicy and North Face outlet. Sephora had it's F&F sale last week so I got some stocking stuffers there. They all like to ski, so that adds ideas (and expense too).

Honestly, between the two outlet trips I'm pretty much done. We refuse to charge anything (any time of the year) so I don't feel bad about any of my shopping. I'm a nurse and since the hospital has been so busy, I've been picking up extra shifts (for time and a half). I'm only a part timer but will only pick up a shift if they pay me overtime. It's worth it so I don't have to worry about shopping.

Heck, the Coach outlets are having such amazing deals, I got gifts there for all three girls, niece, and two sister in laws.

We don't spend a certain amount per daughter but try to even things out (eye balling it). They've never been the types to count their gifts to see who has most. I've heard there are kids like that. Sad.

Our kids are now 21 and 25 so it gets a little more difficult to shop, thank goodness for gift cards which they seem to prefer. Each kid gets new pajamas on Christmas Eve even if not living at home, we've had that tradition since they were born. We have a lot of family to buy for even with drawing names on my side. This year I think we'll spend about $200 per kid. They've always had the same number of gifts to open and the same amount spent. The way we do this is by keeping a running total while shopping and on Christmas morning the kid who had a lesser total gets the difference in cash. I don't think it's ever been more than $7. When they were little they got so excited doing that & hubby and I have just kept it up.

Laurie

We don't really have a budget for our kids and we don't really try to keep it even. It's not like one gets a $3 item and the other gets $500 worth of gifts -- it's somewhat even, but not exact. I decided when my second was born that it would drive me nuts to have to keep track of everything to make sure it was 'even' and my kids would pick up on that. If we just did what we wanted to for both of them it would be easier and a lot less stress. They are 8 & 5 now and never compalain that one got more than the other. Sometimes they do complain that one got something the other really wanted, but it is about the specific item and not the value or number/size of the items. I buy all year round when I see things on clearance or a good sale price, so that makes it even harder to keep track of what I spend on Christmas. We use credit cards, but pay them off every months, so we don't end up with a huge billi n January.

I tend to spend around $50 each for everyone else on the list (12 people -- 11 adults and a 2 1/2 year old). Some get more, some get less, it just depends on the item(s) we choose for them. For DH, it just depends on what he wants (or more likely what I can come up with that he can use). He hardly asks for anything and is really hard to buy for -- buys most stuff for himself when he wants it. To top it off, our anniversary is in November and his birthday is December 30, so I have a lot of gifts to buy him in a very short period of time.

Sarah...............