How much do you spend at Christmas?

NineDeuce

Happy_Kitties wrote: »

Have to disagree with you nineDeuce. I am disabled, apart from the bad weather,the cold, the crowds with a wheelchair and spinal damage there is the fatigue on top. If I didn't do it throughout the year then i wouldn't be able to do it. I am also a home economist and have tracked my spends and savings. I've saved nearly £1000 on buying birthday and Christmas presents throughout the year. I am able to do It at my own pace.

I think I mentioned on a previous thread about my mum in the 1970s who not only borrowed from everyone she could, working full time, 2 kids looking after the house, she was absolutely frazzled and did not enjoy Christmas one bit. Where was the Christmas spirit there?

Everyone is different and you just have to respect that. It was watching my mother having a meltdown every year that made me make sure that I was going to be different.
P.s. buying throughout the year I've bought some really great presents for peanuts that have gone down incredibly well with the family, and I've kept under budget by a lot. I set a budget and I make sure I get the maximum possible for my money that people will like. Its worked well!

I don't understand why you think you have saved more than £1,000 for Christmas/birthdays. I would argue that your expectations of what you need for Christmas and birthdays are too high. Why wouldn't you just spend the same on other things at the time? Has Christmas really told people this? Are you really in belief that your family will have an inferior time or think less of you if you had bought something else?

In this you have kind of admitted my point. In order to avoid the corporate marketing push, you feel the need to plan all year... for a one day event.

And I am sorry, but I dont understand the point about your mother being overworked. How is that related to the points about marketing?

It shouldnt have to be like this....

7roland8

Happy_Kitties wrote: »

Have to disagree with you nineDeuce. I am disabled, apart from the bad weather,the cold, the crowds with a wheelchair and spinal damage there is the fatigue on top. If I didn't do it throughout the year then i wouldn't be able to do it. I am also a home economist and have tracked my spends and savings. I've saved nearly £1000 on buying birthday and Christmas presents throughout the year. I am able to do It at my own pace.

I think I mentioned on a previous thread about my mum in the 1970s who not only borrowed from everyone she could, working full time, 2 kids looking after the house, she was absolutely frazzled and did not enjoy Christmas one bit. Where was the Christmas spirit there?

Everyone is different and you just have to respect that. It was watching my mother having a meltdown every year that made me make sure that I was going to be different.
P.s. buying throughout the year I've bought some really great presents for peanuts that have gone down incredibly well with the family, and I've kept under budget by a lot. I set a budget and I make sure I get the maximum possible for my money that people will like. Its worked well!

I'm in a similar camp to you Happy Kitties and get where you are coming from.

With the saving she means the cost if she'd bought everything full price I am assuming. So you can get nice items at a fraction of the cost. I mostly buy stuff for £5-10.
Just because we do it through the year does not mean it is a chore but we do it when we see items. It does not cost a lot and some of us get enjoyment from having a few gifts for people rather than spending on ourselves.
Christmas may be only one day but its good to have everything ready and my presents are all wrapped up now. Also lots of January birthdays so they are catered for too.


Oh yes and I get your mother point too - so now oyu can 'do' Christmas in a relaxed and unhurried way without spending a fortune.

Happy_Kitties

Exactly 7roland8 I am in total agreement with you, you get exactly where I am coming from.

The savings I made were in comparison to if I had bought items full price, plus fully price checked so I know I'm getting the best possible for my money.

It was horrible growing up not to see my mum enjoy the day because she was just so tired and being dragged round as kids when the shops had one evening where they stayed open for customers after 5pm to Christmas shop. By that point it became any old thing would do......money wasted and such a rush and definately not enjoyable

NineDeuce

Happy_Kitties wrote: »

Exactly 7roland8 I am in total agreement with you, you get exactly where I am coming from.

The savings I made were in comparison to if I had bought items full price, plus fully price checked so I know I'm getting the best possible for my money.

It was horrible growing up not to see my mum enjoy the day because she was just so tired and being dragged round as kids when the shops had one evening where they stayed open for customers after 5pm to Christmas shop. By that point it became any old thing would do......money wasted and such a rush and definately not enjoyable

All of which Christmas doesnt and shouldnt oblige anybody to do....

Magnolia

7roland8 wrote: »

Congratulations. But if you give too much now you'll maybe saying in a few years that he has everything and what can you get.

Murphybear wrote: »

Congratulations on your grandson :T

As you say, he won't have a clue what's happening, so why don't you open a savings account for him and put money into it over the next few years? Sorry if that sounds boring but when he gets older he will really appreciate it.

See post #20 :beer:

Happy_Kitties

Well I think we will just have to agree to disagree NineDeuce and just respecting what everyone does is different instead of forcing your opinion on people

wunferall

Pollycat wrote: »

If me & my OH had agreed that and he'd broken that agreement by spending his bonus, I'd be absolutely furious with him.

Someone I know did exactly what you've done & it ruined Christmas for both of them.
His partner refused to speak to him.
I did warn him that she wouldn't be happy.

In which case it is a very good thing that you are not my beloved. She is not, it seems, so needy and we are fortunate enough to have a very good understanding of each other so that we very, very rarely get "furious" with each other. We also like to surprise each other rather than having what some (like ourselves) would perhaps describe as a dull relationship.
Perhaps you would also have returned the new Mini Cooper received as a surprise birthday present, or the surprise fortnight in the caribbean (arranged by OH BTW)? How about a bunch of flowers?

I understand completely that there are some that may indeed be upset by such things and count myself fortunate that neither myself nor my better half are so inclined.

Pollycat

wunferall wrote: »

In which case it is a very good thing that you are not my beloved. She is not, it seems, so needy and we are fortunate enough to have a very good understanding of each other so that we very, very rarely get "furious" with each other. We also like to surprise each other rather than having what some (like ourselves) would perhaps describe as a dull relationship.
Perhaps you would also have returned the new Mini Cooper received as a surprise birthday present, or the surprise fortnight in the caribbean (arranged by OH BTW)? How about a bunch of flowers?

I understand completely that there are some that may indeed be upset by such things and count myself fortunate that neither myself nor my better half are so inclined.

It's not abut being needy at all (I have no idea where you've got that idea from).
It's about reneging on an agreement.

Yes, it is indeed a good thing that I am not your beloved.
My 'beloved' sticks to his word. As do I.
You and your OH clearly don't see the importance of that.

The other items you mention (car, holiday) were apparently surprise gifts.
If there wasn't an agreement not to buy surprise presents then that is not the same thing at all.

wunferall

Pollycat wrote: »

It's not abut being needy at all (I have no idea where you've got that idea from).
It's about reneging on an agreement.

Yes, it is indeed a good thing that I am not your beloved.
My 'beloved' sticks to his word. As do I.
You and your OH clearly don't see the importance of that.

The other items you mention (car, holiday) were apparently surprise gifts.
If there wasn't an agreement not to buy surprise presents then that is not the same thing at all.

Sadly you appear to desire unpleasantness rather than contribute to the thread. How sad on what is supposedly a friendly forum.

The suggestion that both myself and my OH do not stick to our words is both unnecessary and incorrect - more-so when you know neither of us or what was originally agreed - so it looks like you are the one "reneging on an agreement" by ignoring forum guidelines asking posters to keep these threads friendly.
Never mind, you carry on making your digs at people you do not know on what is supposedly a festive thread since it appears that you need to get some sort of satisfaction from such actions.

Pollycat

wunferall wrote: »

Sadly you appear to desire unpleasantness rather than contribute to the thread. How sad on what is supposedly a friendly forum.

I regret that you feel that way.
I have merely expressed my opinions.

wunferall wrote: »

The suggestion that both myself and my OH do not stick to our words is both unnecessary and incorrect - more-so when you know neither of us or what was originally agreed - so it looks like you are the one "reneging on an agreement" by ignoring forum guidelines asking posters to keep these threads friendly.
Never mind, you carry on making your digs at people you do not know on what is supposedly a festive thread since it appears that you need to get some sort of satisfaction from such actions.

It was you who posted:

wunferall wrote: »

My far-better half and I decided that - having had such a heavy-spending year for various reasons - we would not buy for each other. Stocking-fillers only, we said. Well I hope she's got some very stretchy stockings because I spent almost my entire bonus on her BUT everything will fit in a stocking. Just not all at once.

If that's not 'reneging on an agreement', I don't know what is.