$5,000 Christmas

[terry1156]

I stole this from an article at <A HREF="http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/general/2004-11-26-mym_x.htm">USA Today</A>

Almost no one knows exactly how much they spend on Christmas. That's because most of us just don't count everything or keep track of it all. To get an idea of what kind of money gets spent — and not budgeted for — reporter Mindy Fetterman has priced out Christmas for a family of four. She's given them a 14-year-old daughter and a 7-year-old son. The family loves to do Christmas pretty big and likes to be thought of as "generous." They usually buy brand-name products.

Most prices come from catalogs or Web sites of stores that are nationwide. Others come from businesses in several cities across the country.

Home decorations
Tree: 9-foot live Fraser fir tree with lights and red bows, $119 (Williams-Sonoma)
Garlands: Lighted 9-foot outdoor garland, $39 (Frontgate)
Wreath: Lighted 30-inch wreath, $49 (Frontgate)
Candles: Set of six glitter pillar candles, $113 (Pottery Barn)
Cookie jar: Holiday snowman, $42 (Williams-Sonoma)
•Total: $362

Christmas cards to hold a photo
Cards: Five boxes of 10 photomount cards, $110 (Crane & Co.)
Stamps: 50, $18.50 (U.S. Postal Service)
New pen that matches the cards: $10.50 (Crane & Co.)
•Total: $139

Office Christmas party
Dress for Mom: Beaded V-neck, $188 (Talbots)
Shoes for Mom: Satin sling backs, $98 (Talbots)
Tie for Dad: Gray-striped silk tie, $65 (Talbots)
Babysitter: Four hours at $10 an hour, $40
•Total: $391

Dinner party at a friend's
Bottle of wine: Kendall-Jackson 2001 Vintner's Reserve Chardonnay, $15 (wine.com)
Babysitter: Four hours at $10 an hour, $40
•Total: $55

Holiday traditions
The Nutcracker: Four orchestra seats at $67 each, $268 (Atlanta Ballet)
Adopt-a-family charity: $150
Making a gingerbread house: Pre-made, decorating kit, $25 (Williams-Sonoma)
Trip to the movies the day after Christmas: Four tickets at $6.50 plus popcorn and soft drinks, $51 (Phoenix-area AMC Theater)
•Total: $494

Christmas Eve dinner at home
Place mats and napkins: Six, $108 (Pottery Barn)
Reindeer dessert plates: Four, $39 (Pottery Barn)
Food: Ham, salad, potatoes, dressing, green beans, apple pie, cookies, $105 (Peapod.com)
•Total: $252

Celebrating Christmas morning
Donation at church: $200
•Total: $200

Gifts for immediate family
For Dad
Sport coat: Tailored year-round blazer, $155 (Lands' End)
Golf club: TaylorMade Titanium driver, $200 (The Sports Authority)
Sweater: Wool cashmere button mock, $69 (Lands' End)
Game: Old Century Baseball Game, $100 (Alsto's)
Stocking stuffers: $50
For Mom
Diamond necklace: Three-stone drop necklace, $200 (Kay Jewelers)
Spa treatment: Half-day Signature service, $240 (Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa, Dallas)
Robe: Terry cloth robe, $54 (Lands' End)
DVD: Gone with the Wind Collector's Set, $28 (Amazon.com)
Stocking stuffers: $50
For teenage daughter
Mini iPod: $249 (Apple Computer)
Jeans: Stretch, long, faded jeans, $49.50 (The Gap)
Sweater: Ribbed V-neck, $20 (The Gap)
Boots: Multi-rubber, $34 (Nine West)
Stocking stuffers: $50
For grade-schooler son
Sports game: Spartan 54 Foosball table, $200 (The Sports Authority)
Sneakers: Jordan team, $75 (Nike)
Jeans: Boot fit light fade jeans, $49.50 (The Gap)
Sweater: Hooded zip sweater, $20 (The Gap)
Stocking stuffers: $50
•Total: $1,943

Gifts for other family members
Mom's mother and father: $100
Dad's mother and father: $100
Mom's niece and nephew: $50
Dad's nephew: $25
Mailing seven 10-pound boxes from Virginia to Kentucky: $97 (FedEx)
•Total: $372

Gifts for non-family members
Son's five teachers: $50
Daughter's five teachers: $75
Golf game for three of dad's friends: $150
Lunch for three of mom's friends: $120
Gifts for daughter's friends: $100
Gifts for son's friends: $50
•Total: $545

Gift wrap
Wrapping paper: Four-roll pack: $7
Ribbons: One multicolor ribbon stack and one roll of shiny ribbon, $4
Plain gift boxes: $5
Bag of 35 bows: $5
25 gift tags: $2
Gift bags with tags: $5
Tape: $2
•Total: $30 (all from CVS Pharmacy)

Last-minute items
Camera film: Two boxes of Fuji four-pack, $22
Developing eight rolls of film: $36
Disposable cameras: Two Kodak disposables, $20
Batteries: One package of 12 AA batteries, $9
New lights: Box of 100 white lights, $3
Tree decorations: Box of 12 balls, $4
Candy canes: One box of 12, $2
More ribbon: Multicolor ribbon stack, $2
More bows: 25 bows, $4
Extension cord: $4
More tape: $2
Candy: Two bags of Holiday Hershey's kisses, $6; box of Russell Stover candy, $9
•Total: $123 (all from CVS)

GRAND TOTAL:$4,906


OUCH. Do people really spend this much on Christmas?

[PrincessPerky]

Guarantee I don't. Doubt I would want to if I could. Prolly close to 2000 though.

[lieweheksie]

Stole this from the South African version of "O"- the oprah magazine: according tho the UN to provide basic health and nutrition throughout the world would cost R78 billion( convert to $ at 5.5) , providing basic education R36 billion, while in Canada alone R100 billion will be spent on holiday gifts this year- that;s excluding the US and Europe - kind of puts it all into perspective

[jhd815]

I would say I spend around $800 or so each year on Christmas, maybe even less.

I come from a large family (7 boys) and we used to all buy presents for each other, the spouses, the kids. About 10 years ago, we finally went to a family grab bag idea where the adults would draw a name and buy one present for that person somewhere in the $50-60 range. It works out so much better. Everyone gets something of value, instead of a bunch of $10 items like before.

We still buy presents for the kids, after all, it really is for them.

I also buy presents for a best friend from college, her spouse, and two kids.

My other expenses include: new decorations around the house, Christmas cards, postage, one or two new Christmas CD's, a donation to a needy family either through work or community, and a donation to the Salvation Army bell ringers.

Was going to try to keep my budget around $500 this year, but it looks like that's not going to happen. I have five kids 12 years old and younger. The older kids of course want more expensive items, but they are things that they will use and will hopefully be around for a few more Christmas's!

That amount is just for gifts. I never think about how many extras I spend like on Christmas cards, stamps, food etc. Definitely something to consider and keep an eye on!

[DivaJen]

Funny - I don't count Nutcracker tickets as a Christmas expense. It is part of culture and entertainment for us that happens to fall at Christmas, to me.

The only way I could see us spending that kind of money would be taking a fancy trip for a week or so - skiing, perhaps - and buying new clothes and gear for it, eating at restaurants the whole time, shopping strictly by catalog and having things shipped, etc etc.

If I had $5000 to spend on something like that and wouldn't even miss it, it'd be a fun trip.

[PrincessPerky]

Do you count the fancy dinner? cause the many fancy diners is part of my 2 grand. One for my father one for my mothers side, one for my husbands side, one for the party dinner (I like my friends) Fortunatly I have never been known for style so no one minds if I wear the same stuff I had in highschool, no fancy dress cost. Although I do have friends over once a month at least so it isn't that much more than a normal month of entertaining.

Also only 350 is gifts for the family, I wouldn't pay those magazine prices either. The rest of the gift grand is for extended family and friends. I origionally was going to post it was only 500 but then I started adding up all the presents for this person and that person and the extra goodies (I bake half of the presents) and let me tell you chocolate even on sale costs alot more than I thought. I don't however spend 2000 all at once, a little here a little there. some extra sugar one week, more stamps another. (oops I need stamps) did you know that 100 cards costs 37$(in the US) to mail? ('course you can multiply 37 by 100 as well as I can, but did you?) Plus all the thank yous to people, only 10$ but each little thing for christmas really does add up. I make our christmas cards, not sure if it is cheaper to print out 100 cards or not but everyone likes the newsletter style. at 20 for ink(need more of that too) and 20 for paper, plus stamps we are almost up to 100 right there.

Oh and the visit to go see my brother, and the extra food for his family (they expect pop! around here that is 4 or 5$ a case!) Admitedly I do include Thanksgiving in the 2 grand, turkey might be cheap, but all the trimmings?

How about pictures? We get them done twice a year for family. The pictures themselves are only 50 (with disk) but then we have to make sure everyone is in apropriate clothing, easy for mom and dad, not so easy for kids who grow like weeds. Then we have to mail the pictures to people. (we are cheap, only mail 'em to his mom and mine, they are in charge of distribution after that.) Yes it would be cheaper to have a quality printer at home and do them ourselves, but my husband is the best photographer and I want him in the picture, and I don't have the quality printer yet.

Anyway, I suppose 2000 sounds like alot, but I don't have a problem entertaining or spending money on small things for everyone (usually I see the same toys played with year after year, so it doesn't seem like a waste) And no one seems to mind the fudge or pumpkin bread.

[terry1156]

I think that a lot of people only think about gifts when making their Xmas budgets. I really don't think about the little extras, but that article made me realize that the holidays have a lot of hidden costs that I don't count. I'm sure if I count dinners out, and all the extras that my Xmas bill reaches $2000 or more. I will have to try and keep better track this year.

[Luv2shop]

I spend way too much money on Christmas (no way would i soend $5000).

[Armywife]

I am cringing because I know we spent more than 5 this year collectively. We had a very limited christmas last year so hubby went way overboard! I'm starting to map out a better plan of attack in 2006 to avoid this financial setback!

[mjrube94]

Entertaining definitely increased our budget this year. We had 2 dinner parties, plus Christmas day, plus my brother and his family up from NC the week between Christmas and New Years. Didn't think to budget especially for these things, but I guess I should have, and definitely will next year...

[locolorenzo24]

I guess mine fell to about 450 or so....I don't have a spouse/kids/etc...so I just had to spend on the immediate family....
Dad and stepmom, mom, Grandmother, work secret santa, brother, nieces, nephew, and a small expense for my boss.
This year was a blessing as I was able to find affordable gifts and started budgeting in June for Christmas, which was nice.
The brother got nothing as he told me "I'm too poor to put a package together for you." At least he was honest. The last time, he told me he'd mail something. The kids all got $20 from me. He got a heartfelt message in a nice card.
Dad and Mom and stepmom got one big ticket item and a few smaller items (BT being 50 bucks or so.)
With the postage for mailing, was around 14 dollars.
But, all the little incedentals were covered in my normal food budget as I made a regular dish as a potluck item, and anything else (gift wrap, tags, batteries, etc...) I pretty much found down at the dollar store. I understand people who won't shop there because it makes them feel "poor", but for the little stuff it's not such a big deal.
Just my .02 cents

[jodi]

I just tallied up our Christmas (gift) expenses for this year...about $850, not counting the vacation DH and I are taking as our gifts to each other (another $750). But that is for the two of us, two children, four parents, five siblings, three nieces, and two nephews, plus stocking stuffers for the rest of the family. We spent nothing on decorations this year - we already have more than we can use, spent nothing on a tree (artificial), about $10 on cards (bought at 50% or more off, usually after Christmas) and less than $15 on postage, maybe $50-100 on groceries and cookies (we get a free turkey from my uncle, who works on a turkey farm, and did a cookie exchange to get the most variety of cookies without having too many). Plus I purchased about 10 rolls of wrapping paper and a gift box full of bows a few years back at a garage sale for $1 each...still trying to get through them - they last a long time when I also have about 20 gift bags (never bought - given to me by others!) that I reuse every year.

I would never pay those prices listed in the original post...ouch. $188 for a shirt? $113 for six candles????? I am always amazed at these prices...

[Snoopy2645]

Ours with 3 kids came to about $600 they each got a bike & one got a toy box & I spend alot on my mom kinda to make up for her babysitting threw the year & not taking money for it. Most of my family though got stuff I got free for whatever reason so I didnt have to buy everyones gifts & the kids were the most costly. DH picked out alot that was $20 here & thier it adds up ya know. I would say we spent $400 on our 3 kids & then $200 on like my mom & grandma & stuff. My mom also cooks the dinner & has all over to her house. So we dont have to pay for the food

[baselle]

Terrible how out of $4906, only $200 of it was given in the true spirit of the season.

In the battle between retail and the spiritual, retail won.

I figure I spent about $350 on Christmas. Gifts to only close friends and family, a little shipping cost, and my tradition: give to any Salvation Army bellwringer, and any other charity with some body standing out in the cold asking for some.

[Ima saver]

I budget $30 a week, so i spend about $1400 on christmas. I just send money to my daughter and my granddaughters. My husband and I only buy for each other. My husbands presents are the most costly cause he always wants new tools. I did charge some stuff, but I paid it all of this week. so I will not be paying for anything for the next 12 months. I don't count eating out, because we eat out almost everynight anyway.

[PRICEPLUS]

2500 spent on Christmas. What were we thinking? Gifts, decorations, etc.... It all adds up to a rather large bill. I had money saved for this situation but still......

[pyotr]

I looked at my Quicken reports.
Last year we spent $3,198.03 and This year we spent $3,355.85 on Christmas.

Related but maybe not technically, we gave only $467 in cash gifts to charities last Christmas, we gave $1285 in cash gifts to charities this December.

[sweeps]

Originally Posted by pyotr

This year we spent $3,355.85 on Christmas.... (W)e gave $1285 in cash gifts to charities this December.

Will you adopt me?