How much do you spend on Christmas for your kids?

[TaChapm]

DH and I were discussing this last night. We save all year so that we pay cash only for Christmas. We usually spend right at $200 per kid for Christmas. My mom always made a big deal out of Christmas. We never got random things through out the year because we just didn't have the money. She always worked a lot of overtime so that Christmas was always extra special. DH's family didn't so he thinks we go overboard. I am just wondering what others do.

[sarahsthreads]

I voted $100-$200 although we were aiming for under $100. We easily stuck to that budget for DD2 (who doesn't really need anything but is getting a couple of new colorful toys for DD1's sake) but not so much for DD1... Overall I feel like we're close to going overboard for her, but we also have not been buying new random things beyond a few Scholastic books here or there (we mostly use the library) or art supplies as needed, so really these are the first new toys/games in a while. Of course, her birthday was just two months ago! But with the exception of a small toy in her Easter basket and a few big sister gifts, we haven't really gotten her anything new the rest of the year.

ETA: I should also say that that amount included a few things each girl needs, like a new sleep sack for DD2 and a new robe for DD1, so they were technically things we would have purchased anyway at some point this winter. They just conveniently enough can be wrapped up under the tree!

Sarah :)

[american_mama]

I'll be very interested in the other answers. I voted under $100. This year, we're getting both kids tickets to an indoor water park which are about $100 for a family of four, plus gas for a two hour round trip drive, plus babysitting for DS, so in some ways, our total per child is rather high. That and a stocking with about $10 worth of stuff is what they're getting from us, unless DH caves.

My parents usually gave me multiple gifts for Christmas, but I don't think their total outlay was particularly high. I am moving towards one gift per child because I think they enjoy it more. My MIL has gone gift crazy in recent years, and they get so much all at the same time that things get lost in the shuffle. I want to minimize that this year, hence the non-tangible present from us.

For a baby, I spend way less. For DD1's first Christmas, I bought her $2 worth of stacking cups from IKEA and that's it. For DS, I just bought a book for him today which may be his only present.

I don't buy many toys throughout the year, but I do buy clothes, hats, art supplies, garage sale stuff, and fun things throughout the year rather than save it all up for Christmas.

[kijip]

This year it was less than $100 spent, but easily almost $200 in value (lots of bargains, lots of sales and we have no hesitation to give used items).

In previous years it has usually been more. Last 2 years I would say closer to the $300+ mark.

The economy is not the reason it is so much less for us this year...we actually realized that he had very little big ticket items he wanted or "needed" this year (for example last year he got a bike and a dollhouse...you don't need 2 bikes or 2 doll houses, LOL) and I decided to tone it down a bit because I felt I was trying, on some level and to some degree, to make up for my own sucky childhood holidays. He asked for very little this year as well. We had to really dig to figure out a "big" thing for him this year and then I ended up getting a $85 one for $30. Overall, factoring in the families we buy for we are spending about the same on the holidays as last year. We started doing 1 present for his birthday and really liked it. For Christmas we decided not to do just one, but more like 4-5, kinda in line with the something to wear, read, want, need rule of thumb:

"Need"/Learn: Telescope
Want: Legos and Wall E DVD
Read: Set of Magic Tree House books ($10) + used books
Wear: Hanna long johns

Some things we shopped for but my parents bought (How things work book, microscope) so we ended up getting him more (LJs, new book set).

[AngelaS]

My girls getting older and their toys are getting more expensive. LOL They're into American Girls and Playmobil now. LOL I voted $100 to $200 per kid. :)

[WatchingThemGrow]

I'll say less than $100 b/c my mom sent $$ for us to buy stuff "from her" and I'm using that money to buy us each something from our wishlist. Well, DS doesn't know he wishes for playsilks and DD doesn't know she wishes for that LR cash register, but... I guess I've got a few things for them that add up to under $40 each.

[KBecks]

I put $100 in each of the kids' savings/investment accounts at Christmas and birthdays.

Then I spend between $50 - $100ish on presents for under the tree. I have not kept great track this year and I have bought quite a few books. I guess I have not spend that much this year because I have $30 of toys for John, $30 of games for Alek, a teething toy for Mark and a bunch of books to wrap up (the books are probably another $50 though). I should possibly do more shopping! I started early and then just stopped.

[belovedgandp]

My budget is right at $200.

I voted 200-300. I know I'm lower for 18 month old DS and higher for 4 1/2 year old DS. This is the first year I'm matching the number of gifts. I'm sure I'll be matching the dollar value soon.

There were a lot of bargains in there, so my actual outlay closer to $350 for both kids.

I feel like we're giving them a ton. I had some reward gifts set aside for older son to pull out as needed, but he's been enjoying what he had. I actually only purchased his two requested Santa gifts. Otherwise everything was already in the basement - things like Leapster games purchased last February.

They will receive very little from extended family. Our families are very large and do not give gifts very far out the family tree. The boys will get about $75 of gifts from my parents and maybe another $50 from my brother and his wife.

[Babywhite]

I voted for the $100 - $200 category, but I also try to buy on sale during the year and put them up for Christmas. So it would probably be over $200 if I didn't do this... :)

In addition, we bought DD several large things early on (so we could get our $ out of them), so there wasn't anything "big" this Christmas.
(Year 2 -- outdoor playhouse, Barbie Escalade, trampoline, Thomas trainset, Melissa and Doug castle; Year 3 -- M&D Easel, Barbie House, Ryan's Room Dollhouse, etc.)

During the rest of the year, I try to only buy her things during the other holidays -- birthday, Valentines, & Easter.

But I do have a reward box with small things (and some DVDS) that she can earn for various things...

Babywhite

[hillview]

I voted 100-200. For DS #2 it was less than $100. For DS #1 it was more than $200 but the BULK of that (over 100) was for a very nice set of USA/VT made wooden blocks which DS #2 will also play with.
/hillary

[Melaine]

I voted for the $100 category, but I may be up in the $100-$200 in reality. I buy so many things ahead that it is a little hard to keep track and even now I am not sure which items will wind up under the tree and which will be saved for future gifts. The monetary value they will be getting is WAY higher because of bargain shopping all year long though....and buying some used items at times too.
I struggle a little because they will be getting very few/small gifts from relatives. My in-laws live in China and we are just thankful that they can afford to fly over at least once a year. We do not expect for all 12 grandchildren to get gifts, so we usually draw names and do very small gifts. My dad has been out of work 3 out of the last 5 years and now is self-employed so their gifts will be small and inexpensive too. My grandmothers (both widows) will each spend $10 on the girls, and that's it. Not that we are rolling in the dough, but I do have my own money to spend on the girls (I get this money from selling and re-selling baby/kids toys and clothes, mostly on CL). So I somehow feel like I need to compensate....but in reality they have more than enough and they don't even care about most of the stuff they have now!

[Moneypenny]

I voted under $100, but we don't generally have a specific dollar amount in mind. We also follow the something to wear, read, want need thing, plus one Santa gift and one little thing for the stocking. DD apparently had cheap needs this year because all that came out to right around $100.

We also have a wooden advent calendar with little compartments for each day that I fill with little things (stickers, a piece of gum, chapstick, other tiny little things I find on clearance during the year). Those things probably come to about $5-$10 total.

[egoldber]

Typically I probably spend around $100 per child. This year Sarah is getting about that and Amy is getting significantly less than that.

[brittone2]

It really varies here. I don't buy much throughout the year overall, and I'll often gift stuff I consider educational or homeschool related for DS.

We got a lot of freebies this year...DS is getting a Playmobil castle that was free on Craigslist. I was planning to buy DD doll accessories (high chair, cradle, etc.) and DH was sure his mom had a bunch stashed away in her attic (she makes dolls and also loves auctions, etc.). She did, so those things were free. Like Katie, I'm fine with gifting my kids gently used stuff and they don't seem to care :shrug:

Many years we probably spend a little over $100 per child. This year it is under 100 because we just happened to get some things we were planning on for free.

[sidmand]

How about for the holidays?

We need to do both Christmas and Chanukah...some families may celebrate both or neither? Or something else?

I figured one biggish gift for DS for each holiday and then little ones for other days of Chanukah if I had them. And little ones for stocking stuffers. And of course I had lots of those :). I also bought stuff throughout the year and probably ended up spending around $200. He may not get all of that for the holidays though (we're saving some for potty training presents!). And it was probably worth way more 'cause I "spaved."

DD is getting mostly hand-me-down toys and only a few new items. I spent probably about $50. Although I figure both of them are going to get clothes/presents from other family members and I may need to dole these out over the year so they don't get overwhelmed at the holidays!!!

[LarsMal]

We're in the 100-200, but closer to 100 this year. Luckily their stuff is still fairly inexpensive, and I tried to get good deals. I like Katie's want/need/read/wear idea. My kids' gifts fall in line with that approach, but they have more than one for each category- oh well, good deals make it easier to buy more!

My parents and brothers will be here on Christmas morning, so my kids will have a lot to open. That made it easier for us to cut back on them this year!

[Puddy73]

We spend around $200 per kid for the older kids, including stocking stuffers, advent calendar gifts and the extra $50 that I've spent on Amazon deals after I swore I was done. The baby is just getting a few wooden teethers and some baby wash in her stocking.

[shishamo]

I try to keep it under $100, but find it harder and harder to stick to the budget every year. I also struggle with "what I want to give" and "what they ask for", esp. my 6 and 8 year olds. We do not watch television and they have have limited access to the computer, but it's amazing how much knowledge they gain from school!

In the end, I spent somewhere between $100-200, very close to $100 for my 4 year olds and close to $200 for my 6 and 8 year olds.

[maestramommy]

This year we really upped our spending. Arwyn's gift cost $20 and Dora's cost $56. But it's kind of an anomoly. Dora's gift was the M&D dollhouse that we normally wouldn't buy but it was too good a deal to pass up and the timing is right for her interest. Arwyn's was a princess dress and I totally shopped around for it. It's hard to find a true princess dress for someone her size that doesn't cost an arm and leg. I don't expect that we'll spend that much on them every year. They typically get only one gift. Now that we have stockings, we'll probably spend $5-10 on stuffers. Maybe closer to $5.

I should probably mention that their Christmas gift is not a need. So we don't buy clothes, socks, shoes, or anything they typically need and fold that into a collection of gifts. We supply their needs throughout the year.