Am I the only person...

[QueenAdrock]

who isn't bent on spending hundreds and hundreds of dollars for Christmas? I have a $25 limit on each person I'm buying for. I'm buying for 6 people. $150 altogether. I have a few friends who are going all-out for their boyfriends and spending well over a hundred on their gifts...I just don't GET it. If I was engaged to the guy, or even living with him, I could justify spending a good deal of money for Christmas. If it's not super, super serious, I'd be more than happy to grab him a video game or something he'd love and put the money I saved towards going OUT with him. I'd much rather spend money on being with someone then spend it on material stuff.

It's just so weird to me to drop damn near $600 on one holiday. Is it seriously just me? How much are you all buying?

[DandyFop]

I think it just depends on the gifts...I live for finding awesome stuff for people, I always come up with the perfect thing, so if it costs more I'll usually scrounge up the money for it one way or another.

This year's going to be pretty simple it looks - I have 5 presents for family and then my friends and I do a thing where we each put in 30 dollars and get just one present for each person that has everyone's input. It works out pretty well.

I'll probably end up spending about 50 on each person from my family though...well that's not true, a little less for some, so maybe $250 including my friends.

[ToucanSpam]

I'm so poor that I can't spend any more than 20 dollars on each person. I feel bad but I do like to consume essential nutrients to survive, so I hope they can understand.


Aside from being poor, I have no idea whatsoever to buy anyone. I figure movies are great...:(

[Loppfessor]

Dude I'm going El Cheapo Mucho this year...I just spent aobut 2K on my trip to OH so that's a factor but I'm just not in the mood this year. I'm probably going to just go gift cards like a chump. I think it all depends on the mood though in years past I was so into the holiday and shopping that I spent a few grand but that's just cus I was having so much fun buying gifts.

[Nivvie]

I'm buying very little.

People rarely get what they want anyway, so what's the point?

I'm on my high horse right now about how much people I know are spending on their kids, setting daft limits of like £500 ($986) on each child, often on credit cards, just to keep the spoilt little bastards happy. And when you consider all the presents from grandparents and the like, it's all horrble, and setting them up for a life of greed.

We'll spend £100 on the daughter, about £50 on the husband, and about £25 each on nieces and nephews.

Bah humbug.

[Otis Driftwood]

*panicks* I have no clue yet!*
But I always found something on 24th without to much hassle or spending too much...

[QueenAdrock]

I'm with Dandy, finding something that's perfect is worth much more than spending a lot of money. If it costs more, so be it. But I like to find something for people that says "I know you, I know what you want." Case and point, one year I got the ex-boyfriend a DVD of "The Rutles." He absolutely loved Monty Python, and he also loved the Beatles, and he had never even heard of the DVD. It was thoughtful, and the idea of "Wow, she knows me," is worth more to me than getting him crap that he just needs/kinda wants.

It just kinda bothers me to see people going out and spending so much money on stuff like $100 shaving kits from Bloomingdale's when I feel there can be something more personal and less expensive out there.

[DandyFop]

It sucks slightly that my boyf and I broke up recently because I had a few perfect ideas for him for a present, but he probably would have gotten me something lame so I guess I don't have to deal with the dissapointment of that at least.

[abcdefz]

Including Christmas cards, I know I'm under $200.

[ToucanSpam]

I like the idea of finding something relevant to the person. However, the other day my younger sister said I could buy her a bucket and she would be happy with that; if I can't find anything I might have to take her up on that one.:o

[QueenAdrock]

^put candy in it

oh god i'd love someone forever if i got a bucket of candy

[ToucanSpam]

^put candy in it

oh god i'd love someone forever if i got a bucket of candy
YOU ARE A GENIUS.

A bucket of candy would be awsome, she loves candy, and apparantly buckets.

[Dorothy Wood]

I found a bunch of silly stuff at thrift stores to give. I usually buy things spread out so I don't remember how much I actually spend. the biggest gift I got anyone was a couple years ago when I bought my mom a stereo with a record player. it was like $70. I bought my cousins some books too, so with all the shipping I spent about $200.

my other roommate bought her boyfriend a zune! jesus! well, it's his birthday present too. but still. yowza.

[Praying Mantis]

Im at around a 1000.00 b/w daughter, wife, hers/my parents and rest of family,.

[Stone]

I'm sticking with donations to the Human Fund.

[skinnybutphat]

It's just so weird to me to drop damn near $600 on one holiday. Is it seriously just me? How much are you all buying?

What kind of stuff are you getting people for $20? I'm budgeting $900 for 14 people.

[Jitters]

I never really get anything for people but I'm young and jobless so they understand :D

For the last few years though I tell people not to get me anything because it has always bugged me how people really forget what Christmas is all about so it's kind of my way to remember not to be so materialistic.

[QueenAdrock]

What kind of stuff are you getting people for $20? I'm budgeting $900 for 14 people.

Brother - Inconvenient Truth DVD
Dad - Lenny Bruce live at Carnegie Hall Record
Mom - B&BW 3-in-1 bubble bath/body wash/shampoo in Spiced Apple
Both Mom & Dad to share- March of the Penguins DVD, $25 gift cert. to Outback

Grand total of $85 for my family. They're simple people to buy for. I get my mom and dad something small, and then give them one or two joint-gifts, just because.

[jackrock]

Your parents smoke pot? And you encourage it?!

[QueenAdrock]

HA. For a minute I thought you were referring to the Lenny Bruce record.

[Miho]

I think I may just buy gifts for the children in my family. I mean, it has a greater affect on them than adults. I may buy them some GBA and DS games.

[venusvenus123]

i'm spending anything upwards of £100 on my husband. he's difficult to buy for but i like to spoil him as nobody else does :o

my son... £50- odd. he wouldn't even notice anyway. he just wants a few dr who bits and pieces.

£15 on my blood niece

dunno about my husband's nieces. he can spend on them

ummm... £40-60 on my parents, combined. not sure yet.

between £15-30 each on my sisters (2). one gets more tho as she's single and shells out for all of my family... plus i'm closer to her.

i've got one sister who's incredibly stingey, so now i've learnt not to go overboard with her, or her daughter... as i've felt like a complete mug in the past!

$600? depends on the size of budgets and families. i spend maybe £300.

[b-grrrlie]

I don't buy any Christmas presents (except now I gotta get that Secret Santa thingy...). My kid sister was a Jehovas witness for a few years so there was no need buying presents for her family (and I don't think I'll start again even tho she's given up that religion now), my other sister always buys crappy presents so we've decided not to buy presents since several years back. I don't get anything to my father after the divorce and for mum I just paint something myself (also it's her birthday close to Christmas, I might have to send her some flower arrangements this year as she hinted on sending something). I don't get any presents to my friends (unless I get a last minute invitation to the archipelago again, which I think I'd say no thanks this year) except maybe some food stuff from Fair Trade shops or my homemade preservatives.
My cousin here is gonna have her second child between Christmas and New Year (her first was born on New Year's Eve) so I might have to get some babyclothes or flowers, but that's not a Christmas present...
So my Christmas is really cheap...

[Big Gus]

I spend about £200-250.

I only have 5 or 6 family gifts to buy - they'll be anything between £20-£30 each and I'll spend about £100-£150 on my "significant other".

She goes mad at Christmas so I usually get the best end of the presents anyways.

[Yeti]

I am getting the Sony DVD cam for my wife......but really it is for me.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7603471&productCategoryId=pcmcat70000050015&type=product&cmp=++&id=1130982553071

[cookiepuss]

I have a credit card this year. so dangerous. basically I've already charged my entire xmas bonus to the card...and ah I don't get my bonus til next week. but people are getting some cool things so I guess I feel good about that.

[little j]

so December there are 3 pay days for me instead of just two. the pay check on the 15th is going mainly to christmas. i've tried to budget for everyone. seth and i are buying eachother personalized jerseys and like stocking stuffers and thats all... i dont plan on spending over $300 for everyone...