What do you spend on the holidays?

[Broken Arrow]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

Christmas is kind of hard for us because we are all alone.

I can understand the pain. Last year was the first time I've spent Christmas without my ex. So... it was a very difficult time for me.

This year will be no different of course, but at least I will be better prepared for it this time.

Originally Posted by Ima saver

Christmas used to be a big deal for us, we wrapped up everything even if it cost 50 cents!! My husband started a trend where he would give me one present for every year old I was and I would match it. We quit that a while back. (I got too old)
Now we just give each other a few gifts. I send my grandchildren $100 each. I use to send my daughter $200, but since I have never gotten a thank you note, birthday card, etc. from her in the last 15 years, i think she is going to be surprised this year.
I like getting toys and donating them to local causes.
Christmas is kind of hard for us because we are all alone.

I'm sorry about your daughter. To me that is terrible that she would not feel guilty when she received that check. No phone call either?

[Ima saver]

My favorite present to give or get, are gift certificates to our favorite restaurant. We always give each regular waitress an extra $20 along with their regular tip.

[Ima saver]

Oh Brenda, I did not read your post. No, no phone calls either. I gave up after giving her so much money to pay bills, I bought used cars, a new house, etc. paid rent, electric, heat, water, etc. and she just keeps begging for money (does not work) When I finally said no, I no longer hear from her. She is a big disappointment. She was adopted, bit not raised not to work or pay your way.

[b4freedom]

Originally Posted by Broken Arrow

$1000 per child?!

Seriously!?

My parents totally gipped me.

Seriously.

But, if it makes you feel better, their house is full of junk.

[b4freedom]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

Now we just give each other a few gifts. I send my grandchildren $100 each. I use to send my daughter $200, but since I have never gotten a thank you note, birthday card, etc. from her in the last 15 years, i think she is going to be surprised this year.

How old is the daughter? What's the surprise? If it's nothing, she'll just resent you for it. She won't learn anything from it. If it's something clever and creative it might catch her off guard.

I think that many people just expect gift as if it's an entitlement.

[kealina]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

My favorite present to give or get, are gift certificates to our favorite restaurant. We always give each regular waitress an extra $20 along with their regular tip.

that's great ima.... i bet they must love you... my grandpa (the unfrugal one who is very lucky he has my grandma to balance him out) has been known to give out random $20 tips to waitresses just for bringing him a bowl of ramen... i bet they were surprised... like you've said you are, my grandparents don't dress very fancy at all... almost always shorts and a shirt unless they are going somewhere fancy...

as for your daughter, i've seen you post about her and it is a shame... it's one of the anecdotes i've told DH showing how we can't really change our families if they don't wish to change... all we can do is wait and help or not help depending on the circumstances...
i'd say you did plenty for her... more than many parents do for their children...and it's possible that she really needs to hit bottom, realize her mistakes and shape up before she gets anything more... i know it's hard to watch and it sucks but sometimes it's better for people... i know somebody who had to get in trouble and go to military academy before he changed his path and headed in a better direction...

[jodi]

Ever since DH and I got married, we had been buying for two sets of parents ($30-40 each = $140), one set of granparents ($50), 8 siblings and spouses ($30 each = $240), several friends ($75), nieces and nephews ($30 each = $150), each other ($200), and, more recently, two kids ($200). So that's well over $1000 right there.
Last year I told DH NO MORE. It's ridiculous. We get a ton of things that we don't want and can't use. We give a ton of things that won't be used. We stress ourselves out over shopping and spend too much. Last year we switched to a gift exchange with my siblings (6 people - we each drew one name and spent about $50 - so it cut out about $120). His siblings didn't want to do an exchange, so we set a $10 limit and forced ourselves to get creative. One sibling and his wife arranged with us not to exchange, but just to get a little something for the kids instead. So we saved quite a bit there too. I would love to only spend about $50 on each child (they are 1 and 3 - they still get as much pleasure out of $1 toy as they do out of a $20 toy), but DH has a lot of emotions tied up with the opening of presents on Christmas (I think it was one time in his family where his parents really splurged on them). But I can live with $100 per child. We probably spent about $600 this year, which was a huge savings for us. I would like to do the same (or less!) this year as well.

[ummabdullah]

Thankfully we don't celebrate holidays, bdays.. we have one day a year we call eid where we cook a huge family meal and each person in the family gets 1 new outfit to wear on that special day. Families all get together and enjoy each others company and sometimes buy cheap £1 gifts for the children.

[Ima saver]

For those of you who ask, my daughter is going to be 37 this year. I helped her when she first married, to the tune of getting her a brand new house. She ran off, left the house and her kids behind. I kept helping out, but I finally realized it is no use. She has borrowed over $50,000 and never paid back a dime. She makes no attempt to get a job or do anything with her life.
This christmas I will not send her any more money. I will continue to send my granddaughers money since they live with their other grandparents.
Jodi, I think you are very smart to not give to each member of the family. This may seem silly, but I sometimes buy things I want for christmas, put them away and let my husband give them to me. Usually, I have forgotten what I bought, so it is a surprise to both of us.

[simpleselu]

About $125. $50 each on both sets of parents and $25 on baking supplies.

[Ima saver]

Wow, that is really good, simpleselu!

[simpleselu]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

Wow, that is really good, simpleselu!

Thanks! I've worked really hard to get it down, I used to be pay Christmas debt in July.

[pearlieq]

I'm guessing it will be around $800 - $900 total this year. My goal is to come in under that.

About $500 is presents for my family and friends. I would just as soon not exchange with DH, but he doesn't want to give that up. I'm also planning on having a talk with my mom about downscaling this year, but I'm not quite sure how to word it.

I try to resist getting into exchanging gifts with my friends. Right now I've only got 2 that I exchange presents with, and they're usually small. The others are covered with a card and maybe a token like cookies or an ornament.

The other $300 - $400 is for decorating and entertaining. I try to choose durable decorations, so there will be little I need to purchase this year. I've thrown a holiday party in the past, and I'm trying to decide whether I want to this year or not. On the one hand it's kind of fun, but it's also draining and costly. We'll see.

[Ima saver]

My good friend and I have decided to quit exchanging gifts too. We just don't need anything. I would rather have some home made choc. fudge than anything someone could buy me.

[Kirbycruiser]

We have a huge extended family so buying gifts can easily get out of control. we buy gifts for every child in the family but try not to go overboard. I found that the kids really love weird books wich we find pretty cheap. Like Guiness book of World Records, or The Worlds Grossest Animals plus it gets em reading. For our son we spend alot but I like to buy mostly things he needs like underwear, socks, toothbrush in stocking etc. We try to get at least one of the big ticket items he is dreaming about and lots of little stuff.
Christmas is still a magical time for a child no matter how much corporate America tries to capitalize on that it still rings true.
Last year I bought DH a new grill (we really neede one) He tends to buy me jewelry etc. I try to stop him but to no avail (I know other women wish they had my problem).
I love the Holidays!

[Ima saver]

Christmas is not near as much fun without kids around. So far, i have bought some jeans for my dh, that is all!

[Ima saver]

Oh, and I did get my christmas cards last week, they are the cutest I have ever seen!

[debtfreeme]

i spent about 350 last year for about 10 people plus my mom who got extra.

I save all year and the extra i don't need just stays in the account and builds. someday i hope to spend just the interest in this account on Christmas gifts!

[Snoopy2645]

I try not to spend to much I try to get everything free or close to it some years were so tight I only gave free gifts like free movie tickets from rebates & stuff I got free with coupons. This year I have got somethings put away I got clearanced I always do that to I got one of the girls a bed in the bag set strawberry shortcake for $23 & I got the girls some pjs for $1.50 at kmart these are all gonna be gifts the rest we will see about usually I get some good deals right before xmas with all the coupons places send out like $10/10 ya know