Am I being to tight??? - Christmas Pressie help

Hollyberry

Firstly, I agree wholeheartedly that as a recipient I would much, much rather have something I loved that cost a little, than an extravagant unwanted frippery. The latter would also make me feel guilty that I didn't love it, when the giver had spent so much. So I don't think you are being tight at all, OP. I loved lostinrates' tale of the thoughtful gift - absolutely brilliant.

As far as my own spending this year is concerned, OH and I have an agreement where we spend no more on £30 on Christmas gifts for each other. I don't think he reads here (more fool him!), but if you do, sweetheart, look away now before I reveal that he'll be eating or reading most of it this year (bargains galore, plus ebay stalking for some months!). I have spent about £50 on my MIL, around £35 on my bestie and about £30 each on our godkids, and we don't really have many others to buy for save for token gifts.

For house spends, I have ordered in some extras, as both MIL and I are Christmas Eve birthday girls, so we'll be having a posh fish feast. And OH and I are planning on having a picnic lunch out (probably in the car, with the weather forecast as it is!) for Christmas Day, plus roast beef that night. With all that taken into account, my shopping bill is approximately £40 more than normal for the fortnight.

So I'm happy with our spend this year. I have spent way more in previous years, but I don't imagine we will have any less happy a Christmas for spending less this time round.

AlwaysAllie

Firstly, I don't think cost has anything to do with it, better that it's a useful present that has been well thought out.

For the record I spend about £40-50 each on my parents (but they are my only family), £20-25 each on a couple of close friends, I fact that's for a couple in one case. About £10 on other friends. The only person I would spend 'hundreds' on would be a partner and that would rarely be more than one 'hundred'!!

AA

CommitedToChange

I spend £20 per person for parents, grandma, brothers, SIL and my neices and nephew

That's 10 people this year plus a few small gifts for a few friends, friends kids.

I think that is more than enough. Esp as I try to get bargains so I can make that £20 go as far as possible.

anotheruser

This is why people take the prices off of things because more and more people are beginning to see Christmas as a time for receiving rather than giving

I never give cash for this reason.

Personally I stick to around £10 per person with closer relations getting more. However with my partner and I there are about 40 people in that £10 bracket so that's £400 right there!

Some will get more than £10, some will get less but it's not about the monetary value, it's about the gift itself.

I pity those who see it the other way around.

Renoir77

How about doing the memory test with everyone and just see if they can remember what pressies they had last year .....I promise you the ones that they'll remember will be the ones that had the extra thought put into them or the quirky unusual gifts and not the real expensive costly ones

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

I don't think you are being tight at all and I think a lot of people go mad at xmas anyway.


We buy things throughout the year on offer and the kids challenge each other to buy things from the poundshop or make things for each other.


I asked hubby if I could get some of the madame glamour perfume sets from lidl this year as it is lovely and such good value. We put our money towards paying off debt and now lucky enough to be debt and mortgage free with savings, its a much better feeling than opening up a pressie that will take all the following year to pay off.


Xmas is about the people you spend it with and the love that you share with each other. Its not about 'stuff'.


I always thinks as long as we are together and have some noce things to eat then we are the luckiest people.

mi_jardin

I spend £10-15 pp except for hubby which is usually around the £50 mark. This year we have a new baby and have agreed not to buy each other bits as we have bought lots for our baby boy in general not just Christmas, besides, we really don't need anything. I did think we may buy a few clothes in the sales and call that our presents to each other.

redcard

So you've only been spending £20 on your sister and she has never noticed?

MummyBobble

Not tight at all. Far too much pressure to spend money on gifts which often aren't really appreciated (without wanting to sound ungrateful, how many of them turn up at car boots or get donated as raffle prizes?).

Single mum with DD16 (just) and DS13. For several years now I've put £50 each towards their main present and their dad does the same. They also get money from several other relatives so it all goes towards the "big" present if needed. This year DS decided he wants a PS4 :eek: so has saved his £170 birthday money since September to put towards it along with his Christmas money.

They do get other presents, but all things I'd have to buy anyway like pjs, underwear, shower/bath stuff, stationery for school etc (I have been known to separate packs of socks and pants to wrap them up individually for their stockings!).

My two sisters/bils get a maximum £20 per couple, neices and nephews get £20 worth each until they're 21 then they just get a card (and probably have more money than I have anyway).

I work part time and every so often have a conversation with DD and DS about how we'd have more money if I took on extra hours, but they wouldn't see me as much. Even at 16 and 13 they prefer me being around to having more money, even though they both have friends that get every new gadget going the day it comes out. DD loves making cards and they both make cakes, biscuits and chocolates to give as gifts. They're probably more OS than me!

lostinrates

anotheruser wrote: »

This is why people take the prices off of things because more and more people are beginning to see Christmas as a time for receiving rather than giving

I never give cash for this reason.

Personally I stick to around £10 per person with closer relations getting more. However with my partner and I there are about 40 people in that £10 bracket so that's £400 right there!

Some will get more than £10, some will get less but it's not about the monetary value, it's about the gift itself.

I pity those who see it the other way around.

I often give cash. Sometimes the biggest gift you can give is giving the freedom to choose. With young people whose tastes are quickly changing, for example, or people whose budgets are so tight that the gift is not the cash, its the deliciousness of having a choice, not a lack of it.

I'd always rather have no gift, so its not giving to receive.