chri$tma$ $pending
By casinocat
@casinocat (284)
United States
December 5, 2009 5:08pm CST
I read that in a recent survey, consumers plan to spend an average of $638 on Christmas gifts this year. That seems so high to me! Is it because others buy gifts for more people? Because they buy more than one gift for everyone on their list? Because they are really buying those big ticket items?I buy gifts for 10 people. I spent less than $200 total. I don't have children, so I'm sure I'd spend more if I did. Aside from my husband, for whom I bought 3 gifts totaling $50, I buy only one gift for each of my loved ones. I spend between $10 and $25 on each gift. I am very happy with every gift I'm giving - I thought carefully about each person and I think the gifts will all be well-received. I didn't just buy something cheap. I feel each gift is only a token of my love. And unless my family changes their habits this year, I can expect the same in return.
Am I the oddball here? Do people really spend that much?
2 people like this
5 responses
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
7 Dec 09
I spend just over that probably about 800 but I have three kids and they all have pretty big lists, they don't get everything they ask for but I try to get as much of it as I can. Then I have 12 nieces and nephews that I buy for and my sister and her husband, my parents, my husbands grandmother, and my kids step grandfather on my husband's side and my husband's aunt who always sends us a box of presents every year, and of course my husband and what ever he buys for me. We also do a game for all the adults on my husband's side of the family where you buy one gift worth at least $25.00. So it is very easy to spend $800.00 We do put money in a savings account every month to use at Christmas time though so we have the money and it does not hurt us.
1 person likes this
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
6 Dec 09
I don't spend that much!!!!!! That's alot of bucks and I have quite a few people to buy gifts for.....I do shop sales so my gifts aren't cheap....just well planned...I also buy alot after Christmas when there are real deals! I don't know anyone who spends that much.....even my kids who have the money! You are not an oddball!
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
7 Dec 09
My husband and I only spent about $200 this year, and $70 of that was in gift cards, so we only really spent $170, and that includes gifts, wrapping paper, stamps, personalized Christmas cards, and personalized gift tags. We designed the cards and tags ourselves , and got them done through Vistaprint's free samples.
I think that the bigger the family, the more that's spent. We have a few relatives here, but not htat many, so we didn't have to go too far overboard.
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
7 Dec 09
My husband and I only spent about $200 this year, and $70 of that was in gift cards, so we only really spent $170, and that includes gifts, wrapping paper, stamps, personalized Christmas cards, and personalized gift tags. We designed the cards and tags ourselves , and got them done through Vistaprint's free samples.
I think that the bigger the family, the more that's spent. We have a few relatives here, but not htat many, so we didn't have to go too far overboard.
