Welcome to the "How Much Do You Spend on Christmas" Poll -- For All the High Rollers! :D

[seoulsearch]

Hey Everyone,

This thread is inspired by an exchange on the other thread, so I must give all the credit for the idea to Ghoti2:

I had to chuckle at your $ choices. Who spends that little?

The old CC system allowed 40 answers.

The new system allows the number of answers you see and I maxed it out. Do you write polls here? I hope you will. I really want to see how others work within the limitations.

Also, as you get to know the community here, you'll also come to realize that many on the forum are working with limited finances, and $100 is actually a lot of money to many people here.

It's not really that much when you consider what they spent on the electronic devices they are typing on.

I certainly understand what Ghoti is saying, so this is the thread in which all the poll answers are dedicated to the dollar amounts spent at Christmas.

Feel free to include expenses like decorations, travel to see family and friends, and special holiday food to your estimate. The poll should be multiple choice and is anonymous.

And so, if you should dare (just kidding... no judgments!), how much will YOU be spending on Christmas this year?

Feel free to tell us what your expenses are in your post (are you traveling to stay with your family? Are you expected to pay for all or part of the meal? Or are all your costs in the gifts, etc.?)

 

[Pipp]

I usually allot about $25 per person I give to. Sometimes I go under, sometimes I go over, but I stick near that.

 

[Solemateleft]

I am guilty of spoiling my kids once a year for Christmas - as I am guilty of buying them too many gifts and spending way too much...
However, this year my goal is to rein it in - as this is the first year of post D-word litigation and they are all young adults and no longer living at home...

I think I am 90% done with my shopping (praying) - I've done two days of online shopping and I have bought all three of my kids an equal number of items from eight different vendors (inspirational blankets, personalized body pillows, personalized shirts, inspirational bracelets, individual Alexa's, and slippers) and I'm already over $900...

Background: Myself and my FIVE siblings were raised by a widowed mother - who we learned years later had shopped for x-mas year round and stuffed her closest(s) and under her bed full of all Santa's presents to ensure we experienced the magnificence of Christmas morning...

As a young parent - it was always my goal to ensure my kids shared that same experience... I learned to try to strike the balance in quantity and volume... Every year each kid would get at least one BIG present or all three would get one big present to enjoy (ie ping-pong table, bikes, trampoline, basketball backboard etc). They would always get sports gear, along with board games and puzzles (ie rubrics cube) that would stimulate their minds, along with new cloths and or electronic devices...
The past few years I've snuck in some spiritual items into the mix along with always stuffing their stockings with goodies...

 

[Mel85]

Probably $250 - $300 on my neices and nephews (6 in total) and $200 - $250 on family.

I usually spend after Christmas when all the sales are on.

 

[selfdissolving]

i prefer to make all my gifts out of things i found in the yard

 

[selfdissolving]

sticks, leaves, pine cones, etc

 

[Tinkerbell725]

I will recycle gifts. Things I received that I did not use or I will find some unused stuff at home, like books that I have already read, and I will give them away, so others can use them. I will challenge my self not to spend anything on gifts. Maybe I will just make some cup cakes or other food and share them with family and friends.

 

[Mel85]

sticks, leaves, pine cones, etc

 

[Lynx]

I usually spend about $80 on flour, oil, etc. for making sourdough bread.

Aside from that, it varies depending on what I see that I know somebody will like. Even a humble jar of pickled asparagus can be a good present, if it's for my uncle Fred... we can't get that in stores here in southwest Tennessee, y'see.

All totaled, I don't think I spend more than $300. But I flatter myself that I spend it well.

 

[seoulsearch]

sticks, leaves, pine cones, etc

Wow.

Is EVERYONE you give to on The Naughty List, or are they all squirrels?! 😳

I mean, why not just give them lumps of coal?! 🤪

(Hopefully you can tell I'm just kidding.) 😁

 

[Lynx]

I mean, why not just give them lumps of coal?! 🤪

I got a better idea from an old Calvin & Hobbes comic:

"Santa's gonna go out to the reindeer stable with a shovel to fill your stocking this year."

 

[Adstar]

My family has a pretty good system for Christmas.. We have a secret present giver draw.. Everyone in the family puts their names into a hat and names are drawn out. In the end everyone is allocated another member of the family and they then go out and buy One present for that person.. So we only have to buy one present per Christmas.. Saves a fair bit of stress and money.. You only have to think of one person and get a present for one person..

 

[icequeen]

I make most of the presents myself so I am spending less than 50 USD on that. Most of the materials I have bought on sale through the year. My kid gets a present that costs 100 USD roughly. People have enough of stuff anyway. I use more money on Christmas food, drinks and cakes, and invite people in.

 

[Lynx]

Cakes? Somebody say Christmas cakes?

You had me at cakes. When do we eat? I'll be right over.

 

[Solemateleft]

I am guilty of spoiling my kids once a year for Christmas - as I am guilty of buying them too many gifts and spending way too much...
However, this year my goal is to rein it in - as this is the first year of post D-word litigation and they are all young adults and no longer living at home...

I think I am 90% done with my shopping (praying) - I've done two days of online shopping and I have bought all three of my kids an equal number of items from eight different vendors (inspirational blankets, personalized body pillows, personalized shirts, inspirational bracelets, individual Alexa's, and slippers) and I'm already over $900...

Background: Myself and my FIVE siblings were raised by a widowed mother - who we learned years later had shopped for x-mas year round and stuffed her closest(s) and under her bed full of all Santa's presents to ensure we experienced the magnificence of Christmas morning...

As a young parent - it was always my goal to ensure my kids shared that same experience... I learned to try to strike the balance in quantity and volume... Every year each kid would get at least one BIG present or all three would get one big present to enjoy (ie ping-pong table, bikes, trampoline, basketball backboard etc). They would always get sports gear, along with board games and puzzles (ie rubrics cube) that would stimulate their minds, along with new cloths and or electronic devices...
The past few years I've snuck in some spiritual items into the mix along with always stuffing their stockings with goodies...

Also, as the kids grow their BIG gifts are becoming both smaller AND more expensive. Given that I have conditioned them for the shock and awe of the volume of gifts around the tree on Xmas morning, I have learned to compensate using the old Russian Dolls trick of wrapping their BIG (more expensive/smaller) gifts into a collection of increasingly sized and wrapped boxes... 😃

 

[Lanolin]

i am a low roller.
Ive decided to give out priveliges to my children you can borrow THREE library books instead of just two next year.
and make little sticker books for them to put their stickers in. they are from old library book cover sheets.

I used all my old socks to use as christmas decorations. You have to be creative when youve got no budget.

 

[up]

i let the {presence}
of Jesus, my Lord and Savior come to me,
each and every day!