Who do you buy for and how much do you spend?

KiwiCrazy

wanchai wrote: »

What's a Christmas Eve hamper?

Christmas hamper is just instead of letting her open a pressie on xmas eve. This year in the box is pj's, slippers, dvd (to watch before bed), a very small tin of xmas chocs and a rag doll I made for her. Last year was roughly the same but a homemade blanket instead of a rag doll.

EVIESMUMMY_2

wanchai wrote: »

What's a Christmas Eve hamper?

There are a few threads https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3258080

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/1175727


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3537683

I love this idea a box of goodies to help prepare for christmas day!

postingalwaysposting

What an eye opener :eek: Didn't realise that some people would get 'funny' because they won't be recieving a christmas gift. Strange, especially as most people know how hard it is these days.

In our 'household' we are all christmas babies, starting next week through to the end of January That doubles christmas spends before you even blink, however this year I am doing the following...

Mum £70
Sister £10
Brother £20
Brother's OH £10
Brother/OH combined £50
Children *4 £15 each
Work £10
6 birthday's £15 each

I then buy myself a birthday gift which is approx £10-£150 depending on what it is. I think this year I will be spending £20 on myself :T

TimBear

Well I've bought and wrapped all my presents now, and totting it up I have probably spent more than I realised but still not crazy money for me so I'm plesed!

Next year I will be buying throughout the year again and probably put away about £30 a month in order to do this, and to have some spending money to treat myself for all the Christmas events that we are invited to!

It's nearly the big day now (kind of!). Are most people well under way with their shopping or is there still lots to be done for you?

*zippy*

I feel a bit like scrooge this year, but I had got the point where I was dreading Christmas every year as money is tight and work is busy. So I've really simplified things and I've only bought for my 2 children about £80 each, DD's BF £15 and I will get my friend something or make her a gift probably about £10, OH and myself £20 each, I've even said I'm not doing the secret santa in work. About £225 altogether then, but it's done the trick and I'm really looking forward to Christmas again this year.

TimBear

*zippy* wrote: »

I feel a bit like scrooge this year, but I had got the point where I was dreading Christmas every year as money is tight and work is busy. So I've really simplified things and I've only bought for my 2 children about £80 each, DD's BF £15 and I will get my friend something or make her a gift probably about £10, OH and myself £20 each, I've even said I'm not doing the secret santa in work. About £225 altogether then, but it's done the trick and I'm really looking forward to Christmas again this year.

I'm not doing the work Secret Santa either...I did get a bit 'told off' for being a scrooge, but I'd rather spend that money on loved ones (or myself!). Plus, knowing my luck I'd pick out someone who I didn't really know, or them me, so we'd end up exchanging presents we really don't actually want.

Ohhh typing this out I do feel a bit a of a Scrooge but never mind!

Possession

Don't feel like Scrooges, we do what we have to to get by, particularly at the moment. I bet if people were honest lots of them probably admire you for opting out and wish they had been brave enough.

Mayflower10cat

About 10 years ago husband and I, my parents and my sister & husband and my brother had a long talk about Christmas and how ridiculous our spend-per-head had become - we're all adults and thankfully can afford the things in life we need and even those we don't need. We made a pact between us that each year we'd agree on an amount to spend per person (normally NO MORE! than £15) and the money above and beyond that we 'used to' spend, (say £20 each at least) we'd give to our favourite charity. When the concept of 'Oxfam Unwrapped' started it really crystallised what we'd agreed and made it so easy to do. These days we tend to pick a local charity close to our hearts (usually with far lower overheads than the biggies) and give them a decent cheque that they can really do something with. The deal is everyone makes a wishlist, Amazon or whatever, with lots of CDs/DVDs for the £5 mark and that way it's so easy to buy a few things that people really do want. Works for us, anyway!

TimBear

Mayflower, that's a brilliant idea

Mayflower10cat

it gets even more ridiculous when the inlaws insisted for years on sending us a cheque for £100 between us and we'd buy them M&S vouchers, each, £50 worth. How daft is that!!!