How much do you spend at Christmas?

StevenB12

When this time of the year comes up again I always ask friends etc what they are buying family/loved one's/partners etc for christmas or how much they are planning to spend etc, and when they ask me they always look in shock as to how much I spend on people:rotfl:

Is there a line to be drawn on how much christmas should cost, though?
Last year I think for..my dad/mam/sister/girlfriend/girlfriends family (mam/2 sisters/ 3 kids to one of her sisters/a sisters boyfriend) and then my grandma etc I probably spent around 1800 or so..

When ever I ask friends and that it's always a very low figure, and it's not that that is what they can afford it's just what they choose to spend, am I being to generous when it comes to presents?

[purplesignup][/purplesignup]

GothicStirling

I spend £20-30 each. Mainly because it's family time that matters, not the presents that matter. Secondly, my Mam would go berserk if she knew I spent even that!

StevenB12

I think the problem with me is when I was being brought up my mam and dad never had a lot of money etc but always made sure I had a good christmas etc which I think is something that I try to make back for them now but they often still get mad at me for over spending on them

Trina90

£30 on each of my two nieces and my nephew, no longer get for my brother and sister as they insisted they only wanted me to get stuff for the kids now. My mum I spend around £40-£60. My nan about £25-£30. My husband isn't a set amount, just whatever he wants or I think he'd like.
So I'd say around £300.

C_Mababejive

As little as possible..

Robin9

When I was in town today there was a man buying a Boots Gift Set for his wife/partner/girlfriend - he was spending more on one present than I have given my wife in over 30 years. Not a skinflint but I wouldn't try to choose cosmetics for my wife.

balletshoes

StevenB12 wrote: »

I think the problem with me is when I was being brought up my mam and dad never had a lot of money etc but always made sure I had a good christmas etc which I think is something that I try to make back for them now but they often still get mad at me for over spending on them

so clearly, if you had a good christmas when you were younger, then it wasn't about spending loads of money was it? I like that sentiment, and I try to keep it that way now, its the thought put into the gifts which count, not the monetary value, in any way, shape or form.

Mrs_Ryan

This year- £65 each on mum and dad, £12 on sister, £10 on BIL, £10 each on nephews and step niece, £10 on one friend, £40 on another, £45 on best friend and £400 on OH. However OH’s only family is his brother and SIL so me and mum always buy him plenty of gifts- I come from a close family and mum always buys me loads so we work together to make sure he doesn’t get left out. He hasn’t got much to open this year as I bought him a Dyson vacuum and I’m buying him a half season ticket to the rugby but he knows he’s had plenty spent on him.

Pollycat

Surely it's not about how much you spend on gifts at Christmas but how much you can afford?

Why do you ask other people how much they spend?
Is it because you spend a lot and want to tell them?

Having a good Christmas really isn't about how much you spend on gifts.

[Deleted User]

People spend what they can afford , buying gifts is not about a competition to spend the most and the cost of a gift should not be considered acknowledgement of how much you love someone.


Having said that as a family we don't splurge in the year and Christmas we do , so for each person we probably spend in excess of £500 which sounds a lot but you only have to buy one good piece of tech and a pair of socks and your there.

Pollycat

BBH123 wrote: »

People spend what they can afford , buying gifts is not about a competition to spend the most and the cost of a gift should not be considered acknowledgement of how much you love someone.


Having said that as a family we don't splurge in the year and Christmas we do , so for each person we probably spend in excess of £500 which sounds a lot but you only have to buy one good piece of tech and a pair of socks and your there.

I think it's more accurate to say people should spend what they can afford.
Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be how it works given the number of people who get in debt (or even deeper in debt) at Christmas.