How much on Christmas spending?

lady_fuschia

Even pre-LBM I have to confess I found it a bit silly that people placed so much emphasis on how much presents cost.
I mean if you were going to buy someone a CD, and it was £15.99 in HMV and £6.99 in Woolies would buying the one from HMV somehow mean you valued the person more?!
I admit its a bit embarrasing if someone buys you something really exciting like a balloon ride and you get them a box of chocolates- but its more because of the thought that went in than the cost of the gift. I tend to think, well if someone gets funny about how much they think I spend on them then b*****ks to 'em, they don't get anything next year!
Just stick to your guns on this and refuse to play the game.

climbgirl

I agree with all the other posters, it's the thought that counts, not the cost. I've always tried to make a real effort with gifts and try and get something that I know the person wants or will love.

Besides, you say you got a £35 gift for £8 - that sounds like a total bargain to me, and your brother's not going to know what you paid for it!

emylou

"Besides, you say you got a £35 gift for £8 - that sounds like a total bargain to me, and your brother's not going to know what you paid for it!"

I totally agree with Climbgirl; pre LBM ifI bought a present "cheap/in sales" I used to say "I'll have to get something else to make it up to £x "(whatever I had limited to each person) but in reality, the person receiving doesnt know how much I spent & it's not about the cost/amount spent it's whether it's something the recipient wants/needs/would love!

mrslawrence2003

pretty much agree with everyone else on here. i have set a budget of £10 max for adult couples, and for my niece and nephew (their parents buy them so many presents that it usually takes them all day to get through opening everything so they rarely notice what we get them and every idea i have for them has already been bought for them so quite impossible!!!!), apart from our parents who i have budgeted for £50 each. each other - my OH wants to spend something like £200 on me but i really dont want him too. this is causing muchas friction!!!

PigginSkint

I have told, (ahem, I mean suggested!) my OH that we should spend no more than £5 per person on our family members, no more than £20 on each other (considering we normally spend £100 this will be a big change!) and perhaps a bit more on my son (but I usually just buy 1 big present and then lots of little things). I buy things gradually anyway so it is not so bad - I have got about half of our presents already.

halloweenqueen_2

The original price of the prezzie was £35, the fact that you shopped wisely and got it for £7.99 makes no difference.

tyllwyd

My mum in law keeps asking what I want for Christmas and I find it extremely embarassing. I'd rather she didn't buy me anything to be honest - it is expensive enough buying presents for her grandchildren. If I said something I really wanted, it would be £20+ and I don't feel comfortable demanding a present that big. I end up just asking for bubble bath or a calendar, something I know she can buy for less than £5 if she wants. She's never that impressed with my uninspired suggestions, but I feel I'm between a rock and a hard place.

mountainofdebt

My mum is a classic.

My son is having a PSP game from her (have got it on the internet for her so a tad cheaper) and because I've spent only £17 by going on one internet site instead of £30 if I'd gone to another, it means she has to find something worth £13 for him.......barmy!

lady_fuschia

I also think there's somethinga bit cynical in the whole Christmas List culture.

Is it just me or if you end up writing lists to tell people exactly what you want to be bought a bit pointless- you could just all keep the money and buy the stuff for yourself!
I always thought the idea of gift giving (with adults anyway) was to find something for someone they wouldn't necessarily have been able to get for themselves. So the DVD player is a bit silly, seeing as if they hadn't spent money buying you an ipod they could've just gone down to Argos and got their own. Much better the cakes you made for them, the framed picture of your family, or a special book you picked up in a second hand shop on holiday.

immoral_angeluk

We've budgeted £100 to buy for everyone except our daughter. That's £30 each for DH and I, £10 for MIL and £5 for each of our close friends. Everyone else is getting xmas cards! lol! Our daughter's presents probably came to around £70 altogether, and after all christmas is really for the kids anyway and it's our last chance to spoil her before her little sister comes along in January!