Christmas Spending

[FarmerChick]

I bet retail stores will be WAY DOWN this year. No one I believe will be handing over big money for Christmas gifts.

What are you doing this year?

We don't give adults gifts. We now just have a fantastic dinner, get together and party and have fun. Mom and Dad give money which is perfect. We want that. I pick up a few gag type but useable gifts for Mom and Dad. Dad needs a new monster thermometer on his back porch at the lake and Mom will get new fuzzy slippers cause she lives in them...LOL

Only buying a few toys for Nicole. She wants Ponyville stuff from My Little Pony. So only spending like $250 on her this year.

My brother Rich deals in computers so getting Tony a refurbished laptop for like $250. Will be top of the line and reasonable at cost from Rich.

So that puts me at about $500---and I add in about $250 for other things in general.....that will put me at $750 for ALL OF CHRISTMAS. I am thrilled with that cause last year I spent near $900.

So I am doing well this year.


Give us an idea of what you will be spending for Christmas? I haven't seen stores doing any "big discounts" just yet.


oh and edited to say---I have $800 saved in cash for Christmas. Whew......I did well this year.

 

[Wifezilla]

Doing home made stuff this year.

I have some bottles of mead ready to go. I have some limoncello started. Others will get cards with a calendar in it (being a graphic designer has its advantages )

The only "spendy" thing we will be getting is a DVR...and that will be a Christmas AND anniversary gift for both of us.

Oldest son will get a care package (he is stationed at Ft. Riley). Movies, one computer game and clothes for the youngest. That's it.

Oh, and the cats will get some new cat nip toys. The ducks will get some feeder goldfish as a special treat. I think that takes care of everyone

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Well, we do quite different at Christmas here!

What's Ponyville stuff?? My DD is over MLP and into the Littlest Pet Shop stuff.

We maybe spend $200 total a year on Christmas. We shop for bargains and I do make some gifts.

Last year I went eBay nuts to get those Calico Critters for my kids, and I probably spent $100 on those.

We usually get the kids 1 outfit, socks, underwear, and 2 toys. They get tons of gifts from grandparents so I try to keep it simple.

Oldest two this year have asked for Nintendo DS each. You know those stupid things cost $129 NEW?! NO way. Not happening lol Might get them one to share, but again, watching eBay or for some to go on sale and trying to get it at a lower cost. They showed us the games they like, too, and those are only $20 each, so we'll see.

 

[sylvie]

The dog will be getting a new collar. $7-10.

Won't exchange presents with the family, last of the kids are now grown and we adults never really did exchange. We do make ornaments to exchange so I guess that is a present.
One year we set a one dollar limit and had about the most fun Christmas ever with that. Much more challenging to find a nice or funny present for a buck.

Ok, the dog will be getting another large load of stuffed animals from Goodwill. $5. She will get raw hides and squeaky toys.

I am making little stockings for each of my chickens. Filled with corn, oil sunflower seed, etc. I will hang like a garland on the outside of coop until Xmas Eve, when filled by Santa.

That's as far as I've gotten on the Christmas ideas.

I'll be reading this topic for ideas, for sure.

 

[me&thegals]

I feel like Scrooge, but we don't do presents at all. We enjoy the time with the kids off school and take a mini-trip, go visit family or just spend time at home playing games and eating treats.

 

[FarmerChick]

me&thegals
Do you "not have Christmas" at all? I understand the festivities with family and sharing, but, with a tree and any presents?
Did you grow up that way, no tree and presents?

curious about the background to your answer?

 

[me&thegals]

Neither of our families grew up doing Christmas the way it is usually done. Now that we're all grown up and with our family of our own, it's something we've really thought about. We just don't feel a link between the religious meaning and the current day traditions. No judgement here at all, just our feelings on it.

But, it's an awesome time to just be with family, play games, have treats, go on vacation, or whatever we decide for each year.

And it IS cheap!

 

[lorihadams]

I am recycling all my old barbies and my brothers legos for the kids and the adults will get a memory card with all our pictures we have taken for the year. Last year we gave everyone a digital picture player frame thingy so this is our plan....we only have to purchase memory cards every year for everyone and transfer the pics on to the card for all the grandparents/great-grandparents and they love it!

 

[Dace]

Sylvie, you are great!

I am making little stockings for each of my chickens. Filled with corn, oil sunflower seed, etc. I will hang like a garland on the outside of coop until Xmas Eve, when filled by Santa.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I agree, Dace. I want to see pictures of these chicken stockings!!!

Last year we decided to limit our Christmas gift giving to eveyone picking one person's name and getting a gift for them. That worked out well. We are going to do it again this year.

We ended up being more focused on having a really nice meal and just sitting around and talking. There aren't any children in our family, so none of us really get worked up about Christmas much.

It was so nice to not have any sort of stress related to picking out presents for everyone . . . or feeling compelled to go out and shop.