What is your budget per child for Christmas?

[jujsky]

 

I would never tell stuff like this IRL, not even my parents.

 

And I love watching everybody opening their gifts too and I love opening presents. I don't think materialism necessarily has to be a bad thing. For those of us who are Christian, our God took on material form so the material is certainly not evil. And if people have more resources than us, I'm glad.

 

That said, I don't think I remember a single Christmas gift I got as a kid after we moved to America. But, I do remember opening tons and tons of presents, ones I wanted and that my parents went to a lot of trouble to get. Most of all, I remember the family dinners, the Christmas tree, the decorations, Midnight mass and caroling. Those are the things that have stayed with me through the years. I also remember every single gift I got as a little girl in Russia. I got one gift for New Years (Christmas was banned in the USSR and everybody exchanged gifts on New Year's that were brought by Father Frost) and each one was special. So, I don't feel at all guilty that we can't spend more on Christmas than we do, that's what we can afford and it's still far more than what most of the world gets and I honestly don't think my kids are deprived one bit.

 

My DH is also from Russia so I completely understand what you're talking about. He is a Jew and couldn't celebrate Hanukkah either, but he celebrated New Years. We still do, in addition to Hanukkah and Christmas. Grandfather Frost comes on New Years and brings the kids each a present. We told them he's Santa's Russian cousin ;) He's been here almost 20 years now and thinks American Christmases are excessive and extravagant. Poor dear -- that's how I grew up and what I'm used to. At least we manage to spread out the excess a bit with Hanukkah. It makes Christmas smaller --- at least until we do Christmas with my mom. You're fairly new, so welcome to the boards :)

[Dory]

About $50/kid. We spend plenty on their birthdays. For the holidays they get one small gift and then we do family activities and have people over for meals and games lots all month. I want their memories to be of good times with friends and family and not of what they got. I LOVED listening to my grandparents and parents stories of holidays, and none of those stories included lots of gifts.

[tex-mex]

I should not have read this thread. :crying:

 

Our budget this year is $50/child, and that includes one big gift to go under the tree, stocking stuffers (a couple bags of candy split up between the three stockings and five items each from the dollar gift bins at walmart), and one homemade gift in the stocking from Santa.

 

No gifts for my husband or I (maybe some candy in the stocking, though) unless the church gives my husband a Christmas bonus...but that is about as likely as pigs flying by outside my schoolroom window.... :laugh:

 

 

Now don't let those other posts get you down. Shoot... I'm in the same boat with ya. ;)

 

There have been times when we were rich and could afford to spend $200 per person for Christmas, including extended family like aunts, uncles, cousins & grandparents.

 

The last couple of years? Eh, it is $50 for our only child. And hubby and I get our gifts from the thrift store for under $5 --- LOL. Oh my. Son will get a stocking stuffed with small bits I managed to save that I know he would love. This year, he understands pickings are slim and all he wants is a video game. I know there will be the local food pantry to help us with a meal and son will be blessed with the Toys for Tots program too. I think gifts are one thing... try to create a memory by serving others or do something (free) as a family. Years from now, they will remember the year Christmas was tight $$ but have so many good memories of how y'all made do with a smile. ((HUGS)) :grouphug:

[momto10blessings]

I already bought all presents and stocking stuffers and spent $40-60 total on each child. I only spent $23 on my 3 year old and $10 on the baby (stuffed bear and fabric to make a blanket)... My kids are getting 3 presents each this year. We usually only do 2, but we added an extra because they all need backpacks so we may as well wrap them. They get things they asked for in their stockings too (laser pointers, knives, watch, card games, etc)

They get lots of presents on their birthdays and we really do not need more STUFF in the house.

[morningcoffee]

We spend about $50 - $60 on each dc.

[KungFuPanda]

I have no idea!!!

 

I haven't started anything. My kids haven't asked for anything. I'm in denial that it's December. Our budget does get artificially inflated because I buy about 2/3 of their winter clothes at Christmas. It's just not very cold here until Jan-Feb, so it works. My kids are 12 and 15, so it's not as easy as it was when they wanted toys. My high schooler is too busy for a trip. I just don't know.

[Night Elf]

At one point we had actually thought about saving all the purchases that they need throughout the year for Christmas (clothes, books, school/craft supplies) but I don't think that's going to work out because that requires way too much organization/foresight on my part.

 

This is a good way of saying it. When I hear of other people doing this I'm in awe because I know their Christmases must be big and exciting but the idea of tracking it all, or even storing it all as it's purchased, is beyond my comprehension. I'm simply not that organized. Somehow I would make a big mess of it.

[Clear Creek]

I'm sorry. I know that threads like this can certainly make others feels bad. My family has had bigger Christmases and smaller Christmases, so I do understand. Just wanted to give you a :grouphug: .

 

Thank you!!

 

I know it's hard, but please don't let it get to you. We've been like that for years, and really, it's only recently that we've had more than something like $50/kid for the holidays. And really it's only because we opened this Christmas account at our credit union. We set it up and forget about it. Two years ago, we ended up having to raid it for two back tires sometime in June and ended up on the short end. Between handmaking things, picking up things on supersales, and very good secondhand, we end up doing pretty good. Would it help if you tried something similar? I keep spot where I just store things I find or pick up when it's a great price. When the holidays (or a birthday ) come around, I can shop from what I have stored. If my kids outgrow it or aren't interested in something anylonger, it makes a good donation for toys for tots or whatever. You wouldn't believe what I picked up after Easter! Tons of things were discounted like crazy that would be high right now since toys get pushed at Easter too. Just to throw out some ideas that have worked for us. We also don't wrap things under the tree for the kids and that saves money, but that can be extreme for people.

 

The $50/kid is being stretched pretty far by doing most of what you have listed...two of the big gifts I got on ebay, and two of the small gifts for the stocking are handmade (a sewing kit for my oldest and a fort kit for my youngest; both ideas I got from the thread on homemade gifts). The stocking gift for my middle child is a scrapbook kit I got at B&N this summer on the half-price clearance table. The purchase of the big gifts was spread out over the last several months so that we didn't have to put them on credit...we don't have that much extra money at one time in any given month.

 

:grouphug: I'm totally feeling you on this one. I was feeling a bit down for a few minutes and then I remembered for our family Christmas isn't about the gifts anyways. We have so much fun finding and doing family activities/crafts/movies etc. I already have a whole list written out of things to do each day and I can't wait to start. I just remembered one year when we had just the two oldest kids my dh brought boxes home from work and we set up a box fort while the kids were sleeping on Christmas eve and that was a huge hit on Christmas morning. There are so many ways to make the whole month special for very little money.

 

If you wanted to share any of the ideas on your list, I would appreciate that! So far I had already planned to do a Jesse tree and read from the House of Wooden Santas every day, and at some point we are going to make cookies. Our Christmas Eve tradition is to watch a movie together after church, and we watch a different movie each year (one that the kids haven't already seen).

 

Now don't let those other posts get you down. Shoot... I'm in the same boat with ya. ;) There have been times when we were rich and could afford to spend $200 per person for Christmas, including extended family like aunts, uncles, cousins & grandparents. The last couple of years? Eh, it is $50 for our only child. And hubby and I get our gifts from the thrift store for under $5 --- LOL. Oh my. Son will get a stocking stuffed with small bits I managed to save that I know he would love. This year, he understands pickings are slim and all he wants is a video game. I know there will be the local food pantry to help us with a meal and son will be blessed with the Toys for Tots program too. I think gifts are one thing... try to create a memory by serving others or do something (free) as a family. Years from now, they will remember the year Christmas was tight $$ but have so many good memories of how y'all made do with a smile. ((HUGS)) :grouphug:

 

We plan to help serve Christmas dinner at the local homeless shelter...my husband and I figured it would not only help the kids feel more blessed by what they do have, it will help us with our perspective as well. ;)

 

This year (and the past few years) have really made me appreciate my parents more. They had seven kids to buy for every year, and we were dirt poor (as in, many years we didn't even have a tree, we had a Christmas card table). I always used to assume that my grandparents only sent Christmas money for each of the children; we always got to cash the check and spend it however we wanted at Toys R Us after Christmas every year. It wasn't until I was an adult that I found out that my parents each got a check as well, but they would use the money to buy us each a gift and fill the stockings, they never once spent it on themselves.

[Hoot]

We don't really have one. DS13 is our only child so we tend to just look at his list, decide what we're going to buy and then divvy the rest up between the other people who ask what to get him. He typically gets everything on his list (and then some) simply because he is the only grandchild on one side and the only nephew on that saide as well. On the other side, he was the only grandchild for 11 yrs. His lists are never very long, though they do tend to add up.

[Mrs.Gregg]

We budget $150 per child this includes 'stocking stuffers'. We also budget an additional $150 for joint shared gifts. We have 2 kids.

[Rivka]

Usually around $150. One "wow factor" present from Santa, a couple of smaller presents from Mom & Dad, and stocking stuffers that are usually dollar-store things.

 

This year my 7-year-old is getting:

- Engineering kit from Santa (makes motorized models)

- Friendship bracelet maker and extra embroidery floss

- Origami book and paper

- Fashion design toy similar to "Fashion Plates" from my childhood

- Parchment, quill, and ink

 

One of those presents will be "from" her little brother.

 

My 3-year-old is getting:

- Train table from Santa (only $108 from Kidcraft, I am very impressed)

- very pretty wooden gun from Colonial Williamsburg

- a big stuffed penguin

- a little stuffed monster from his big sister

 

They each get one nice present from my parents (Matchbox car garage for 3yo, board games for 7yo) and a present from their 4 aunts/uncles. That's it. I always feel like maybe it should be more, but it really seems like enough Christmas for them.

[marbel]

We never budget per child. We try to have an even looking amount of presents under the tree but each kid has different wants and it never seems to completely even out price wise. We go for the gifts they want or know will like so they're all happy in the end. :)

 

That's how we've done it, most years. Last year both kids wanted the same thing - ipod touch - so we gave them a gift card from Amazon to pay for most of it. Between the other things - books, a bit of clothing, other odds and ends, we might have spent $150 per kids, thereabouts. Some of their gifts are really school supplies.

[meggie]

About $30 per kid

[lcelmer]

I am looking at a budget of around $30 for each of mykids, but it might be more like $20. I have a large family (17ish total people to buy for) that still does Christmas morning together, and my husband is divorcing me after 14 years as a SAHM, so this will be a hard year for me. I hate it, becuase I would really love to give my people things they would really, truly be delighted with.

[Izzy]

We average about $200 each for 4 kids. But we spend less on the youngest than the oldest so that's just an average.

[Ewe Mama]

This year I am purposefully spending less for the kiddos. I have been trying to do the whole Simplicity Parenting and more minimalist thing. Simple pleasures, more homemade gifts, spending more time with each child, etc.

 

We are looking at about $75 per child, total.

[Meriwether]

I am looking at a budget of around $30 for each of mykids, but it might be more like $20. I have a large family (17ish total people to buy for) that still does Christmas morning together, and my husband is divorcing me after 14 years as a SAHM, so this will be a hard year for me. I hate it, becuase I would really love to give my people things they would really, truly be delighted with.

 

:grouphug:

[Parrothead]

it is never a set amount. When she was little a little went a long way. Now that she is a teen it is hard to get what she wants due to the higher costs.

[mama2cntrykids]

Our budget is about $50 each for five children (ages 18 years old-18 months old). I wish it was more, but we deal with what we have. I'm blessed just to be able to stay home with them :).

 

Over the years, it's been anywhere from $35-$100 per child and that was before the baby was born. It's hard b/c they really get nothing during the year (except for birthdays and then it's about $25 per kid). They understand though, it's just tough on the mama!

[MiniBlondes]

We have two and usually spend ... a lot. It helps that we don't have to buy for any other family members or friends. Except for Secret Santa at cheer and my husbands employer.

 

A few things that help us... my husband cashes in his unused vacation and sick time at the end of the year. His employer is very generous with the vacation days and while he gets 4 weeks, he only takes one. Also, I start shopping in September. I slowly accumulate things here and there and before I know it, we've got a ton of things. I buy many things secondhand, off Craigslist, and eBay. I don't mean junk either... I mean good stuff! I bought DD7 a HUGE lot of Littlest Pet Shops off of eBay. It was 15 houses, over 100 pets, a board game, and 2 carrying cases for $100 and shipping. Both of my girls are getting iPod Touch this year as part of their gifts. I got them both for less than $150 on eBay in September. I ALWAYS buy their clothes at Goodwill. I've spent about $75 altogether on clothes, and they both have 6-7 boxes of clothes to open. Not junk either... good stuff (Aeropostale, Justice, American Eagle... I even got DD9 a pair of Miss Me jeans.) It's amazing how far you can stretch a dollar if you buy secondhand!

[TravelingChris]

I have no idea. It isn't the same for each child nor the same for the child each year. DD 19, received a car for her 18th birthday, a tv for her 18th Christmas, a small aquarium for her 19th birthday and will receive a DVD set ($24) and a netflix subscription and a Publix food card for this Christmas. DD 15 will receive minor gifts for birthday and Christmas (birthday is very near Christmas) since she received an expensive tennis racket in August and will be getting a car once she gets her DL: license in Jan or Feb or whenever. (The practicalities of our lives determined when kids got cars. Our son got his car when he was 22. OUr older dd got one when she was about to go to college which she uses to drive herself to and from campus and to and from medical appointments. Our soon to be 16 year old will get a car much sooner because she attends a coop twice a week that is far from our home and this will save me a lot of mileage and also she has many, many sports and service commitments and I won't have to drive her anymore. I don't want her using my car all the time because then I won't be able to do my errands or my volunteer activities or my doctor visits).

 

My adult son is getting a French press, a pair of pants, a shirt, and a Publix food card.

[J-rap]

It varies a lot for us from year to year, and I kind of like it that way. Our kids have never had big expectations... If it happens to be a year when we feel we can spend a little more, then it's a nice surprise for them. It usually ranges from $75 to $150 nowadays, although when they were very young we never spent more than $25.

 

Sometimes, if they really want or need something that's out of our price range, we'll go half and half on it, and still wrap it up and put it under the tree. :)

[Heidi]

I spent less than $15 per kid this year. I think it is great! We're not poor at all, I'm just tired of all the stuff. They have so much already. I'm tired of the commercialized Christmas. I let the kids know. They're cool with it. We don't do Santa either. The three oldest earn money and buy their own stuff anyway.

 

For dd8 & dd6 I got them a card game and a banana scrabble game to share.

For dd4 I picked up a Little People house from the thrift store to go with the Little People we already have, and a $10 microscope for the three girls to share.

For ds2 I got everything from the thrift store: a pack of cars, a car racing ramp thing, and a carpet with roads on it.

For all of them to share: a marble run.

For dd1- nothing.

[justme824]

Enough :)

[brownie]

We've always been able to "afford it" but we always spent only $100 per kid or less when they were 10 and under. I shopped church sales, gift cards, and used hand me downs from my mil's attic to get more under the tree. Now that they're older it's a bit harder and I don't really have the time to work the deals! This year I feel guilty for going "overboard" but we still only spent $160 on the younger 2 and the oldest technically more $ but he's got a lot of practical stuff under the tree I would have had to buy anyhow. I just put it under the tree so he has more than 3 things to open.

 

We have too much junk sitting around anyhow. We couldn't possibly use any more! Besides school and activities, the kids are on the Wii, computer, reading books from the library, drawing, or playing made up games with random toys. Oh and board games from our huge selection, many of which are garage sale finds but we always supplement it at Christmas for something fresh and new to play as a family. There's really nothing more to buy than the occasional video game. Brownie

[Shellers]

We spend about $300-$500 per child.

 

 

Same here. I buy for our four kids plus DH's DD.

[jennynd]

We don't have a limit. But we also have kids don't want much. My younger just want stuffed. Animal and my older want a Lego and a DS game. I am buying them stuff they did not even asked. It is kinda wired ... I supposed

[CheerioKid]

maybe $100/child, not including grandpa's "allowance" he sends every Christmas, of about the same amount.

[Scook86]

Our budget this year will probably be around $150.

[twoxcell]

If you wanted to share any of the ideas on your list, I would appreciate that! So far I had already planned to do a Jesse tree and read from the House of Wooden Santas every day, and at some point we are going to make cookies. Our Christmas Eve tradition is to watch a movie together after church, and we watch a different movie each year (one that the kids haven't already seen).

Just saw this. Several of the things on my list are local free events so they wouldn't pertain to you.

 

1. Watch a new Christmas movie, drink cocoa, and sleep on fold out bed.

2. Advent wreath, Mom's Birthday, and draw names for Christkind.

3. Make Pleated Yule Hearts

4. Go to drive through light display(free night)

5. Buy socks/gloves/etc. For Dream Center. Don't forget to put out your shoes tonight.

6. St. Nicholas day. Read St. Nick book and eat St. Nick cookies.

7. Drive through Nativity

8. Crafts at Grandma's

9. Interactive nativity. Do something for your person.

10. Drive Around and Look For Lights.

11. Drive through lights again and Make paper snowflakes.

12. Make Bracelets for Indonesia and send to Wally.

13. St. Lucia Day Make Chocolate Gingerbread Men.

14. Swim Race/Team Party, Monster cookies and New Movie.

15. Light Parade and look for lights in old town near by.

16. Make graham cracker Nativities. Do something for your person.

17. Christmas Caroling with church.

18. Make Something for grandparents.

19. Random acts of Kindness. Find a few people to secretly bless today.

20. Angel Tree lunch. Kids buy gifts for Christkind.

21. Make cut out cookies, frost and sprinkle.

22. Walk through garden with lights, and Christmas train display.

23. Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa's. Wild Lights at our zoo. Do something for your person.

24. Christmas Eve, Kids play/Sing, Church, Watch the Nativity Story.

 

Along with this list daily the kids open there advent box(candy and the activity are inside), hang up an ornament book, and we do nightly Advent readings. On Sundays we do the Advent wreath and carols.

[Tap]

$200-500 which seems high but there are somethings that are 'practical'. This also includes a bit that the grandparents send and dh's best friend.

 

Ds18 is getting an upgraded Digial Piano (he is adding X-mas to his graduation present) for his big gift which is more than $500 but I consider that more of an 'education/career' builder. He takes piano lessons in college, plays keys in the band at church, and is going to school to become a pastor. We are buying him a tool, but upgrading it as a 'pleasure' gift. We have an upright piano but it is a bit loud at 11pm when he prefers to practice. LOL He tries to practice when no one is home, but that is hard to find around here.

 

DD13 is chipping in and wants an iPad Mini. I don't know if she is getting it or not. She also just joined Cheer at school and the uniform is $200. Had she played basketball instead, it would have been free, so she offered to chip in $100 of her own money for the uniform, which means she won't have it to contribute to the iPad. She would rather wait and get an iPad that to get another brand so I have to make a decision on that one still.

 

DD5 is getting xbox kinnect games for fun (she doesn't play with toys) and swimming lessons. Again....no necessarily just a gift, but practical as well.

[readinmom]

In the past two years, not as much as we did in the "old days"...I think we've become more realistic after going through a period of unemployment. It has definitely changed the way we think. Dd9 is getting an American Girl doll, the only big thing on her list, along with a small board game we got on Black Friday. Ds 16 is getting the new Walking Dead book and sweatshirt. Still working on older ds. Dh and I won't exchange gifts this year. They will get some money from grandparents to spend as they want. We will also give them some money to go clothes shopping at the after Christmas sales.

[Julie Smith]

We don't have a limit. But we also have kids don't want much. My younger just want stuffed. Animal and my older want a Lego and a DS game. I am buying them stuff they did not even asked. It is kinda wired ... I supposed

 

Me Eldest is similar. He asked for pillows, a special t-shirt, and black licorice. ... oh and present in the mail which he already got thanks to a Hive Mind mail elf.

[txhomemom]

I probably spent a little more than necessary, around $250 per child. Really, I spent the most on the younger one because she needed a tricycle and helmet. My oldest was happy with everything she got and I mostly spent money on movies for her and some music downloads. There were years where I definitely spent more on her, depends on if buying a bike, game system, etc. This year, to save a bit we cut down on stocking stuffers and my dh and I decided not to exchange gifts. I also did not buy any additional holiday decor, gift bags, etc or anything too expensive for baking. We just made cookies and decorated them with all the sprinkles and decor we already had. I have to say keeping it simple this year made it a lot easier on me, less stress.

[kdownie]

About $35 each, and that includes stockings (about half that for our 6 week old). They get items from extended family, and while the $35 is because we are on a tight budget, I doubt we'd spend much more even if we had plenty of money. They just don't need much. Our main gifts were a tent for them to share, water bottles and flashlights. And they were thrilled! Our youngest dd really, really wanted a yellow rubber ducky, and that was all of $3 :-)