Talk to me about holiday gift budgets and who you exchange gifts with

auburnbride2be · November 2013

It's all so stressful. We are trying to set a budget for once and we are completely out of touch with what we normally spend. We also still buy for uncles, cousins and lots of adults. I would love to trim that back some. What do you do?

credcat7 · November 2013

I want more than anything to have the family pull names but no one will agree... I buy what I can and that's all I can do

Jenner37 · November 2013

Since you have never done a budget and don't know what you typically spend I would say pick a number say $500 for everyone and as you start buying, write down what you spent for who and if you need to spend more you can. You could also plan out what you are buying for everyone, write it down with price, add it all up and see if it's affordable, if not do some arranging and if it is then go buy ONLY what you put on the list.

Kmartinrvt13 · November 2013

I buy for my parents, DH's parents, DH and this year baby girl. That being said we do go to a family Christmas for FIL's side of the family and we do white elephant. It's usually themed and the limit is $20 which makes it nice. And this year Emma will be a little older, last year she was only 16 days old when we went so this year should be fun

maven212 · November 2013

Starting last year we dropped most of the people on our lists and made an agreement with grandparents and siblings that we would purchase gifts for the kids only. All other exchanges have to be homemade. We all agreed to do it, and then my parents and my brother's wife decided that they would all exchange purchased presents with each other. So DH, LO and I showed up handing out homemade vanilla and they were swapping electronics.

That said, they were low cost electronics and they were very appreciative and understanding of our financial situation. We were pissed but the upshot is, we pared down our Christmas list. Our financial situation is worse this year, so we will be giving low cost gifts with a baked good to grandparents and siblings, and buy one or two nice gifts for each of the kids.

This might also be the first year in three years that DH and I buy presents for each other. Again, low cost (e.g. a book or two). We've gotten into the habit of wrapping up items from around the house and giving them to one another - as a joke, really. It's super fun, though, and helps us make due until we are financially normal again.

GHBEA · November 2013

For our kids we spend no more then $100 each ( there are 5 total)

DH and I try to keep it with in reason like something we could use. new clothes and such.

We only buy for nieces and nephews who are still in school (not college) and younger.

We buy something for our parents or in DHs family every one chips in for a bigger gift.

We do not buy for our siblings.

kbl13 · November 2013

We try to stick to a $25/person budget for parents, siblings, and nieces. DH and I don't really do gifts for each other, but try to do something nice together (before LO it was spontaneous trips, now it's a nice dinner or bottle of wine). B was a little overwhelmed by gifts on his bday, so I think we might just stick to a few new toys/books this Christmas... prob no more than $50 on him because I know our families are going to go a little crazy with gifts for him this year - even though I've told them it isn't necessary.

shaunnna · November 2013

We actually just got e-mailed the match-up list for FI's mom's family for gifts. Each adult has another adult ($75 max on gift), and each kid (there are 4 of them) has one of their cousins.

My parents send FI and me each a gift around $50 or less. FI's dad will also probably buy each of us a small gift (last year he paid for the repair on my watch).

This year we are telling family who ask what to buy DS for Christmas that we plan to open him a savings account, and they can contribute to that if they would like. FI and I may or may not exchange gifts with each other. We're talking about purchasing a car here soon, so we will not have any extra money until tax returns.

jg1011 · November 2013

We have 15 nieces and nephews so we definitely need a budget. We spend $40 on each unless its a godchild. They get $60. Up until last year we exchanged with all our siblings too. That was a $50 limit. Last year we just exchanged for kids.

This year we are going to put the adults in grab bag. Still $50 limit.

shella923 · November 2013

This whole gift giving thing is so out of control in some families IMO. We only buy for our parents. , my grandma , our two nieces And of course our LO. I like the idea of going out to eat or doing something fun together. I buy most things online or gift cards. At the end of your life the most important thing is the time spent with family. I would most certainly not go in debt over the holidays. Ridic ! Anywho we don't spend more than $50 a person
DH and I usually just tell each other what we want but this year has been $$$ so I'm happy with a night out.

Hummingbirdbaby3 · November 2013

Ugh. I love this time of year. But this is the stuff that stresses me out. We buy for only the kids in the family. But that's a shitload of kids. Nieces and nephews, and our parents get a little something. It's so much when it's added up. This year we will be buying gifts only for those that we will be seeing on Christmas. I am not going to give Christmas gifts two months later like we have in the past. If we see you, great, if not, then too bad. I would expect everyone else to do the same for Benjamin.

kjmommy1214 · November 2013

We only do gifts for the kids, maybe $100 a piece if that. We usually do something small for our parents, no more than $40. We have never done gifts for each other.

SurpriseAt39 · November 2013

I try not to buy anything. I find shopping in general stressful. I dislike shopping at Christmas time even more. I always get everyone a similar 'token' gift that doesn't require much thought, stress or money.

In my family, if I see something I want to give someone, I buy it. If I don't see something for anyone else, nothing.
My family is large;
Parents, 5 siblings, 13 kids (ages 1-32), and then some of the kids have kids (4, ages 1-7)

DH's family, he is an only child and his parents STILL spoil him like he's 10 years old. They have been buying stuff for DS since the day he was born. I suspect we will need 2 cars to get all of his gifts from their house to ours.

DH and I plan to buy something for the house. We have replaced most appliances since we moved in, but have one left, and that's likely what we'll buy.

I don't like getting gifts, unless its extra special, or extra sweet
If someone asks what I want, I say gift cards for someplace I shop regularly.

fusionbride · November 2013

we buy for our parents and siblings ($50-100 each), and one cousin we are really close with ($50), one cousin's kid ($40) who is LO's closest thing to a sibling at this point, plus each other and the baby (no idea how much we'll spend-- she's still so little, so I think we'll get her one nice toy this year, and mainly let her play with the wrapping paper from everyone else's gifts). I do give small gifts ($20ish) to three of my close friends.

Im thinking tickets to a show for all the adults this year-- the idea of the mall doesn't interest me this year.

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