Are you cutting back this year on holiday spending?

[Kay in Cal]

It seems like times are tough for a lot of people, and even those who are doing well are in a "frugal" frame of mind.

 

I was wondering because my mil called to say that they would be spending around $50 per person this year, and not to be surprised. Usually they have spent more like $400-$500 dollars per each grandchild, my dh and his sister, and myself and my brother in law. That's simply their family tradition, though I sometimes have found it overwhelming. I've always done smallish homemade gifts for grownups, but this year we'll be limiting our dss to one large-ish gift apiece, and only a few smaller things like books as our budget is really limited this year. I think I'm feeling pretty good about the whole shift overall, but...

 

How about you? Are you cutting back this year?

 

(Note: please ignore that I mistyped "popular" as "oopular". I can't edit the poll!)

Edited October 31, 2008 by Kay in Cal

[Rhonda in WA]

We are cutting back this year. You never know when you will need that extra money. We have been cutting back for a while now.

[Mama Bear]

Things are a bit upside down here. Haven't yet managed to get into a home of my (and kids) own. It's not looking terribly likely to happen either, with recent legal stuff...

[King Alfred Academy]

I chose a bit less because our income vs. outgo hasn't really changed much, but we are trying to place ourselves in a better position for the future.

[RoughCollie]

Our Christmas budget is 1/3 of what we usually spend on the kids. Their big shared present is Guitar Hero World Tour band set (drums, mike, guitar) with an extra guitar. That will keep all 4 of them happy for a long time, as long as they keep DD away from the mike. DH and I will get each other one small thing (a book, most likely). I am going to tell everyone else (a few of my immediate family members) that we cannot afford to exchange gifts this year. This will come as no surprise to them because I've kept them apprised of our financial situation.

 

MIL is a 94 year old widow and DH is her only child, so we will get her a present.

 

RC

Edited October 31, 2008 by RoughCollie

[caitlinsmom]

We will be spending the same as last year. We limit ourselves to a very small amount per person in our family. For siblings and parents we do a family gift that is usually a craft I make sometime in the fall. Our cost is spread out over many months.

We have always done a simple Christmas with more focus being on helping and serving others than on reciving gifts. My kids dont expect anything and neither do we. Thats how we like it. :)

[FriedClams]

I haven't read other replies - but here's mine...

 

We're trimming considerably - but not primarily for financial reasons. The kids have too much junk, we don't need more "stuff" and all the present junk really detracts from the peace and reflection of Christ's birth. SO - we're trimming a lot - little from us, whatever the family sends, simple home-crafted gifts for each other. Simple. Peaceful. Sentimental. That's our goal this year.

[E_Edgerton]

We are cutting back a bit, but we are usually pretty frugal this time of year. I try to be creative and give gifts like books, pictures, and homemade food items.

[emeraldjoy]

Other for us.

 

Although our financial situation has not changed (still as poor as ever; my hubby is a student and I stay at home, mostly), we are considering spending quite a bit less in general. The moral reasons far outweigh the financial at this point. We are trying to live more responsibly and graciously. This involves seriously considering if we need something and why we feel we need it.

 

I have always liked the idea of reusing and homemaking things and this year will be the first full implementation of it....

 

I am finding that I feel guilty when I think of our children though. They are so amazing and they deserve so, so much and I know I have been brainwashed into believing what they "deserve" is things....anyone else in this boat?

'

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[joannqn]

We're cutting back to spending next to nothing. DH was able to get a Wii for free through a training incentive program. He has two mastercard/visa gift cards he got the same way that we'll be using for accessories. I don't know how much they are or how far they'll go. If we can't get much with them, we'll probably buy a game or two and get our toddler a gift or two. We'll be giving nothing outside our family except, perhaps, homemade treats from the kitchen.

[anissarobert]

My dh lost his job this week, so we are in the cutting way-back category.

[nmoira]

We're cutting way back, but not because of the economy. We don't really need anything and it seems kind of silly to spend money just for the sake of it. We're planning on a nice, cosy family holiday.

[Aubrey]

Other for us.

 

Although our financial situation has not changed (still as poor as ever; my hubby is a student and I stay at home, mostly), we are considering spending quite a bit less in general. The moral reasons far outweigh the financial at this point. We are trying to live more responsibly and graciously. This involves seriously considering if we need something and why we feel we need it.

 

I have always liked the idea of reusing and homemaking things and this year will be the first full implementation of it....

 

I am finding that I feel guilty when I think of our children though. They are so amazing and they deserve so, so much and I know I have been brainwashed into believing what they "deserve" is things....anyone else in this boat?

 

Yes. To all of it.

 

I am hoping to do things differently this yr, but right now I'm...well...I've always done my shopping at thrift stores. Last yr, several items didn't work out. A week before Christmas, we realized one pc was missing a part. Christmas AM, something broke.

 

The dc were really sweet & cheerful about it, but...I kind-of feel like...well, I've been varying degrees of poor my whole life. If we're going to spend $, I'm at the point where I'd rather it be on one quality item than a bunch of junk.

 

I think what pushed me over the edge--other than ds's face when the plastic knight suit broke--was my mom visiting last weekend. She's been poor her whole life, too, only more so than me. She expresses love w/ gifts, & in her book, it's quantity that counts. Unwrapping one after another cheap plastic thing from China just broke my heart. Each gift reminded me of all she's been through. Knowing that we don't need any of it, don't have room for it, don't really want it, makes me feel like a traitor.

 

Anyway, I've told dh that I want to try to earn the $ for Christmas gifts myself this yr. I've got some things I can sell, & I'm hoping that that will balance w/ what I'd like to get the dc. I'm also hoping that spending the mos before Christmas making gifts & earning $ for other ones will help alleviate the feeling of drunkenness that can accompany holiday spending. As little as we've ever spent, it's surprising to have that feeling, but there it is, all the same.

 

And yeah, when we want to give our kids the moon, anything else seems small, doesn't it? Sweet children.

[sgilli3]

Our spending wont change much.

We are blessed to be in a good financial position, but the kids wont be receiving too many gifts, as we are taking a few international trips between now and January- and some trips will count as gifts for the older 2.

The toddler will receive a few gifts ( always practical gifts at this age still- clothes, books, puzzles etc)

The older 2 will receive some new clothes,books and maybe 1 or 2 things they can use for their schooling.

[Sparkle]

If you'd asked me this yesterday, I would have said we were cutting back quite a bit on gifts, but today I found out that dh unexpectedly got a raise (woohoo!), so maybe we won't have to be quite as frugal. DH and I already agreed to wait until January to exchange gifts with each other.

[SquirrellyMama]

We are doing the same as last year. We already don't spend much ($20 per child) and only give gifts to our parents and sometimes to siblings.

 

Kelly

[The Governess]

We're cutting way back, but not because of the economy. We don't really need anything and it seems kind of silly to spend money just for the sake of it. We're planning on a nice, cosy family holiday.

 

Same here! We are still going to exchange gifts, but I'm planning on spending less and keeping it much more low-key this year.

[Bee]

I won't be buying fewer gifts for the children but they will be getting more practical gifts.They have a room full of toys.They don't need a whole lot of new ones to add to the piles they already have.So there will be more clothes and books than toys.I am starting my Christmas shopping a little earlier this year and buying most things on sale.

[G5052]

DH have worked out the budget for the kids, and it's about 1/2 of last year, but in my mind, that's still generous. We live in area where the "normal" presents includ iPods, Wiis, DSs, and such, and that's never been our way even in better times. Both kids will be happy, I have no doubt.

 

DH and I are forgoing presents for us all entirely.

[RebeccaS]

Ours will stay the same. We don't spend much to begin with on each child. My dh's family might be cutting back though, I don't know. They have always gone overboard on the kids (only grandkids for dh's family). It should be interesting to see how it goes this year.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

We cut way back last year. This year we are spending a little bit more than last year on the kids, but gifts to ourselves and those outside the family will remain at the same level.

 

However, there will be no Chinese junk toys- Books, games, clothes, and one nice present for each child.

[TraceyS/FL]

We are and we aren't.... should be about similar to last year - which was out big cut back. I guess we are - i have no control/say of money in the house. i suggest - he agrees or disagrees.

 

And, this year they aren't getting much little stuff. I have no clue what anyone else in the family is doing.

[Academy of Jedi Arts]

We are cutting back on other things so that we don't have to cut back on Christmas. We did charge the bulk of dd's gifts this year so all we have to do is pick up a few more small things for her, my in laws' gifts, and things for each other and not have to shell out a grand all at one time in Nov/Dec. I bought one of dd's big gifts over the summer which helps a lot too.

[MyThreeSons]

I voted cutting way back, even though we did very little last year. We were very blessed last year that someone gave us some cash, with which we were able to get the family a Wii system. Other than that, it was just stocking stuffers. It may be just stocking stuffers this year.

[hsmamainva]

We've cut back on the number of gifts. Seriously, my kids get way too many presents anyway (by the time you count Grandma, aunts & uncles, cousins, etc.) There are some Christmases where each child would easily have 15-20 presents by the time you count all the family members. So this seemed like a very good time to say "Not so much"...since so many folks are cutting back as well.

 

We're still giving each child one 'big gift'....that's something in the $100-$125 range this year (that amount was higher by at least $100-$150 last year).

 

And then they're each getting maybe 4 or 5 additional presents (DVDs, video games, baby dolls, Lego kids, art sets, new headphones, CDs, etc. -- depending on what they each enjoy) and that's it.

[TXMomof4]

We're cutting back on gift spending, but only because we bought tickets to Germany and England for a month. The kids are getting fun presents, but everyone else will get a "thoughtful" gift - Which translates into - they'll probably hate it, but I don't care because it's the thought that counts and if you don't recognize that you're a big fat grump.

 

(Can you tell I *know* there is someone who will be disappointed because she didn't get a huge gift and am preparing myself to be grumpy about it?)

[Jean in Wisc]

I told my son I'd buy him an iPod or MP3 player so he can take it to the hospital with him with some of his favorite books on it. Just this one item is going to be more than I normally spend on a child's Christmas presents! I had planned to buy him a bicycle (also more $$ than normal), but spine surgery makes that a moot purchase.

 

I don't know what I'll get the other two kids. It will depend upon what they want/need.

 

Normally I would say that we would spend less, but we don't spend much as it is!

 

:D

[8filltheheart]

I voted cutting back. It is something we would have been doing regardless.

[Jennifer in NH]

We've cut back on the number of gifts. Seriously, my kids get way too many presents anyway (by the time you count Grandma, aunts & uncles, cousins, etc.) There are some Christmases where each child would easily have 15-20 presents by the time you count all the family members. So this seemed like a very good time to say "Not so much"...since so many folks are cutting back as well.

 

 

 

This is us as well. I've been bemoaning all the toys the kids have. They have so many aunts who give them gifts, plus my MIL and FIL.

 

Every year I end up donating toys to charity, just to clear them out of the house...plus we rotate toys.

My little one who will be 2 1/2 about Christmas time is getting a few "used" toys. I have a bunch of things in our basement packed away that he would love. No need to spend money on him this year at all.

The other 2 will be getting less from us, or at least less in the way of toys.

Now, as usual, DH is hard to reign in at this time...I am hoping that he doesn't go out and buy stuff this year...he has in the past. He and I both have to fight the urge to buy things for the kids just because we either think it is a really cool toy, or because we wanted that toy as a child...

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

We don't have commercial tv to bombard the boys with ideas - so every year the grandma's are perplexed.:001_smile: as to what to get them.

 

My MIL bought us Rock Band for the Wii when it was on sale in June. It's up in the closet. My mom was laid off in July, so my kids will get probably a favorite CD (Sweeney Todd), DVD, online game subscription or book from her. Dh and I will be purchasing a MP3 player for the oldest and a unicycle for the youngest. We do toothbrushes, funky flavored toothpaste, and less than $5 items for stocking stuffers.

 

My kids don't ask for much during the year, so we try to make their gifts meaningful to them.

[runamuk]

Our Christmas spending is down a bit this year. We won't be doing a gift exchange with my husband's family this year (finances are tight there, too), but I'm knitting a lap blanket for his dad. My family exchanges small gifts, no more than $25, and there's just our family, my sister's family and my mom.

 

For the kids, I'm spending a bit less, but getting things I know they'll play with versus the things they've seen on commercials and insist they can't live without.

 

My husband and I rarely exchange gifts, usually opting to buy something we both want or need. He's been hinting at buying separate gifts this year, so this may be the first time in 15 years I've had a present from him under the tree. :D

[Melinda in VT]

I voted other.

 

Mostly because I can't really remember what we spent last year and we don't have a set budget for Christmas. We don't have any big gifts planned, so I'm guessing we'll come in slightly under what we did last year.

[Renee in NC]

Same as last year, but we spend way, way less than most!

[Carrie12345]

We plan to spend less, but we haven't finalized a budget yet.

 

Money is only a small part of the reason. Dh and I always wind up going a bit nuts on last minute items, and our families have always gone overboard. As a result, there's simply way too much junk in our small house (no matter how often we weed things out), and most of it gets ignored, broken, or loses pieces.

 

This year, the focus is on special gifts that will truly be appreciated. That may not mean an enormous savings since junk toys can be much cheaper, but we figure it's a better value for our money and an investment in our sanity!

 

And I will not allow myself to feel guilty for returning any gifts of Moon Sand or Polly Pockets, darn it!

[Jenny in Florida]

Every year, I want to cut back, and every year I get ignored.

 

This year, I feel guity complaining about it, given that we've been so lucky compared to so many other folks. My husband hates his job, but he still has it and it pays well. So, I guess if he wants to spend the money he makes going every day to that job he hates, I won't fight him too hard.

 

Neither of our kids "needs" anything, but my husband doesn't like giving (or getting) practical gifts, anyway. We sat down and talked about gift ideas for the kids a month or so ago, and he made a list, but I don't remember most of what we put on it.

 

Not to be a downer, but, honestly, I've started getting irritable and depressed every year beginning in September when I realize the holidays are coming.

[Jane in NC]

For years I have argued for cut backs. Reading Bill McKibben's Hunded Dollar Holiday convinced me that I wish to find joy in simple things, in our family rituals, not stuff.

 

There is an upside to this financial downturn. Previous requests not to give me knick knacks, etc., have fallen on deaf ears. My sister, who has exercised extravagance to the point of our discomfort, finally heard the message, "Give us consumables--or donate to your food pantry."

 

But as one of the financially fortunate, I must say that this will be the year in which I feel a call to donate to those in my community who are facing difficult times. Thus I will spend probably the same--but not for gifts under our tree.

 

Jane

[Gailmegan]

We are seriously cutting back. We have only been giving the boys 3 items each at Christmas (we want them to appreciate what they have, and we tell them that Jesus got 3 gifts from the wise men, so they get 3 also - we really focus more on Jesus's birthday than the gifts stuff). But we are going to be hard pressed to do that. I think we will have to use credit left on some gift cards that we have lying around. We used gift cards (intended for dh and me from my in-laws and my aunt) to buy the boys' birthday presents. But I am telling my husband he is only allowed to buy me one thing - and I'm only getting him one too. I think the key really is going to be how we choose to focus our celebration.

[Holly IN]

I wish I can vote both little bit less and other. I had to pick... so picked little bit less. However that can change after the election is over. It depends on who is elected that will determine how much we will spend for Christmas.

 

Now the kids have already come to us and gave us their WANT list. It is a very very small list. My oldest only gave me 2 items that he really wants. My other son gave me a 3 item list but did say that if you do have enough money then buy me other lego sets. My dd only has 3 on hers. The kids have heard us talk at night about Christmas spending so they decided to give us their absolute must haves for Christmas. They said there is no need to have a lot of presents except the ones they really want. I really have to give them credit for this. However my dh and I LOVE to give our kids presents...LOTS OF THEM!! They told us to tone it down this year...:001_huh: We were like "Are you guys kidding?" They said they are serious.

 

Oh well but it is still dh and I's decision.

 

Gotta love those kids of mine!! :D

 

Now on the flip side....dh and I's recieving end... We really want HIS parents to stop gifting us. After our Christmas with them we go home and throw our stuff in the trash or turn it over to the Caring Center. Why do we do that? It is knick knacks, wrong size shirt or a shirt we do not like, lotion I can't wear due to dh's allergies, and so on. Mainly junk. I have told his mom that gift cards is fine with us and the kids. The kids get really upset with her though because they rather her keep her money if she can't afford it. She can afford it but they have always been that way. Gifit giving is a joke to them so they give junk for Christmas. The kids rather we all just go over there and spend time with family and do away with gift giving.

 

 

 

Holly

Edited October 31, 2008 by Holly IN
forgot some things...

[sadiegirl]

My husband and I would like to cut back but his family makes that incredibly difficult. My mother-in-law goes crazy with Christmas gifts for all of her 5 grandkids. My husband warned her in the early years that if she continued that tradition of so many gifts each year and the kids anticipate it that it will really bite her as they get older and the gifts get so expensive! Oh well, you can only say so much!

Also, my sister-in-law is a shopaholic and it is not that she spends so much per person but how many gifts she gives to each! She finds the greatest gifts throughout her shopping journeys at great prices and so she may give as many as 5-6 gifts(one from each daughter and then some from her) That makes it difficult for us to give them our gifts which I try to do the gift of 3(a book or educational item, one small fun item and then a small item of jewelry). Also, her husband is a farmer and after harvest is when he has his cash and he only shops at Christmas and he overdoes it on the hunting end for my husband and sons)

So, that's our problem...and then to make matters worse. My folks honor our request to do less so to the kids it seems out of balance compared to my husband's family. My mom and dad love the homemade gifts and believe or not simple things like rocks from my dad's family homestead to put in their flower garden. They love the unique and not store-bought!

[Kari C in SC]

I voted we were cutting back, but then as I read the responses - I thought about it more. I guess we haven't really cut back all that much as far as cost. I don't know what I have spent because I buy all year when I see stuff. I think it will probably come out to the same $$$ amount, but probably less stuff. We did just get my dd a Yorkie puppy while we were in Oklahoma for my ds Army graduation. She saved $100 for this and we kicked in $200. That is A LOT for us. We have never bought a dog like that always adopted from the SPCA. She was told that was considered her Christmas present and not to expect a lot. Well, when I got home and looked at all the little things I had picked up over the year for her - it is not like she will not have a gift to open come Christmas! LOL!

 

We are cutting back on extended family. We have a BIG family and we all live on the same street. We are close. We got each couple a $10 or under gift with fudge and each kid is either getting earrings for girls or $5 Burger King cards for boys. That has kept it really reasonable for extended family.

 

Then there is my oldest ds. He will get to come home from Army training for Christmas. Last year, when money was tight, he told me to forget about him and concentrate on the younger kids. I still got him my usual budgeted stuff. This year, he will get one present and some stocking stuffers. He has plenty of money to buy his own stuff and I have finally decided he is a grown up. It is hard not to buy him all the traditional stuff. My baby grew up.

 

So, take one off of the cutting back count because I guess I voted wrong.

[Donovans4]

We are cutting back, and are also doing something I swore I would never do. My dd's birthday is Dec 23rd, and she really wants an electric guitar this year. I found a great deal on the guitar she wants, but I told her it would have to be her Christmas and birthday present combined. I have always made an effort to keep her birthday and Christmas separate, and have always encouraged others to do the same for her. I have a lot of mixed emotions about this, but she understands and really wants the guitar, so she is ok with it.

 

LauraD in MN

[lynn]

We don't budget. I stay around the same for each so I guess that is sort of budgeting. Sometimes is alot less than budget sometimes slightly over.

[Kari C in SC]

We are cutting back, and are also doing something I swore I would never do. My dd's birthday is Dec 23rd, and she really wants an electric guitar this year. I found a great deal on the guitar she wants, but I told her it would have to be her Christmas and birthday present combined. I have always made an effort to keep her birthday and Christmas separate, and have always encouraged others to do the same for her. I have a lot of mixed emotions about this, but she understands and really wants the guitar, so she is ok with it.

 

LauraD in MN

 

I wouldn't beat yourself up if that is what she really would love. Two years ago for Christmas, my oldest really, really wanted a 30g IPOD. That was way more than our normal Christmas budget. He didn't really want much else. So, we got him that and said it was his Christmas, birthday (March 5th) and graduation gift. I wrapped in a graduation hat box, a box wrapped in birthday paper and then a box wrapped in Christmas paper. We did give him some clothes on his actual birthday, but nothing big. He was fine with it because is was what he really wanted.

[KrissiK]

We will be spending less, but not because of the economy. Our kids just have too many toys and they're turning into selfish little buggers. They will be getting things for Christmas, but we're also trying to teach them about giving and that just because it's Christmas they aren't "entitled" to a big haul.

[JennifersLost]

We're spending the same on the kids and other family members, less on ourselves. We're just doing "stocking stuffers" this year. I'm happy about that because all we normally do is give each other lists of exactly what we want and need, and no matter how specific we are the other person never quite gets what we really want....and we just don't have tons of extra money, so each purchase counts.

 

This year I want to concentrate more on making the holiday itself fun and less on the gifts.

[Danestress]

DH's firm administed pay cuts across the board, so that's part of it. DH is a bit upset about that, so for the first time, I think I can convince him that for the two of us, we should be much more modest (he regularly spends a few hundred on me and expects the same back, and I *hate* that in good times and bad).

 

We are cutting back a little on the kids, a little more on extended family, a lot on the "extras." We are giving to local charity a bit more because I think they need it more.