Spending for Christmas 2007

[renovation]

Would you say you are spending more or less this Christmas compare to Christmas 2006?

[chrissy]

Less. I think...

Trying to be smarter about what we buy. They seem to still be getting what they want/need. AND we just spent $2600 on the truck's transmission so that played into this too.

[Layla]

I spent about the same as last year. I would have been right on with last years budget, but I actually found a gift I thought my husband might enjoy, so I'm a few hundred bucks above 2006. I generally knock out about 15 people (ten of them kids) for under $500 bucks.

[DarkFury]

I've already spent more than I did last year.

Mostly because the kids (my son and my niece and nephew) are growing up and their gifts just naturally cost even more now, plus I'm once again trying to upgrade my family back home on some stuff that they should have taken care of a few years ago.

Of course, my Christmas presents to myself got a little bigger as well.

[uncledaddy]

I'm with DF on this one. Also there has been two additions to the family this year, a baby and the nephew's girlfriend.

Tho no gifts for myself.

[baggio248]

Last year we moved, and I was unemployed for 5 months so last year was a cheap xmas. We did co-gifts for both of us. This year I spent a good amount of money on my wife on just two presents.

[Kevster]

With the addition of little Annarchy to my fold, spending priorities were adjusted accordingly (College 529 plan, baby stuff, etc). I just had to buy a new tankless water heater for the house, as the 12-year water heater we had was running on year 15 and had rust showing in the hot water. Accordingly, the Christmas gift budget is a bit smaller this year.

[oblongmelon]

I have a Christmas club for 1000 dollars that I start each previous October. Plus I have an envelope at the house that I put 20 dollars a week in for each one of the kids (plus the s-i-l)..At Thanksgiving, I give them their envelopes to either spend on themselves during the Christmas season (sales galore!), then I use the Christmas Club to pick them up socks, underwear, a sweater or two, and some other goodies. I spend the same amount on each family member and since the only other purchases are for my mom and one of my sisters and her husband (the one who's daughter was killed) the rest get their gifts in the form of cookie platters.
Although this year there is an exception to the rule. My daughter and S-I-L recently became the owners of a beautiful old victorian home and all my kids surprised them at Thanksgiving by turning over their cash envelopes to them to help them with paint,wallpaper, and other whatnots for the house-which surprised me as well as it did my daughter and s-i-l. I bought them a new stove and refridgerator and chairs for in front of their GIANT fireplace...which I had ready for them the day they moved in. It's a beautiful home, and well worth the bargain price of 83,000 that they paid for it!