thread: Christmas Gifts for family - What do you spend?

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Jan 2006
    Qingdao, China
    1,196

    Christmas Gifts for family - What do you spend?

    Please tell me, what's the rough figure you budget for when buying Christmas gifts for family members? Mum, Dad, Nieces, Nephews, Grandparents, etc...

    We usually spend around $50 per person, or if it's a couple we buy a combined gift to the value of about $100.

    Also, what about your spouse? What do you spend on them? Or do you not buy for each other?

    Just trying to do some math & see how sick my bank account is going to feel!

    Love Jayne

  2. #2
    Registered User

    May 2005
    Canberra
    3,617

    DH and I set a budget for each other, depending on how much cash we have at the time. It might be $50 each or it might be $500 (usually less though).

    For extended family (ie, our siblings and parents and cousins and neices and nephews) we have a rule - we only buy pressies for those we see on christmas day (too many otherwise). We spend between $20-35 per person, depending on the person in question and how easy they are to buy for. We occaisionally spend more on my parents and buy them a combined pressie.

  3. #3
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    melb
    8,498

    It vary's depending on who and also what we are getting.

    Buy for My parents, My brothers and sister in law, DH parents, his dads partner and His sister and now her partner and baby.

  4. #4
    BellyBelly Member
    Add Party-of-five on Facebook

    Sep 2008
    bunbury WA
    2,114

    we have a neice and nephew budget of around $30
    we dont buy for any other adults just each other and we dont have a budget for that

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Jun 2009
    Brisbane
    352

    in past years, we have just gotten everyone what they wanted... 3 nephews, 1 neice, DH's 3 brothers & their wives, DH's mum, DS & each other.
    But this year (financial struggle) & after the ungreatfulness of last year, it will be $20 each max on 2 nephews & neice, what other nephew wants about $80 worth & the only 1 we will see on xmas day & only one that appreciates anything he gets. about $50 on 1 of DH's brothers & $50 for his wife (only ones we will see on xmas day, always greatful, never expect anything & go out of their way for us with accommodation ect). 1 or 2 gifts for DS of what he has been wanting about $500 all up and I'm not sure how much we spent on DD cause we got them ages ago while the specials were on maybe $200?
    As for DH & I, we have agreed not to get each other anything so we can spend that little bit extra on the kids & be able to afford to go down to the fam for xmas for a couple of weeks.

    As for my fam, They don't celebrate xmas but when we see them, we always take a small gift for the kids with pretty wrapping, bows, the works!

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Dec 2005
    5,951

    We spend about $30 on niece and nephews. We don't buy for adults though. On each other, we really don't have a limit for $$, it just depends on what we need. So for dh, he spilt bleach on his good pants last weekend, so I've bought him new ones with a shirt to go with it.

  7. #7
    Registered User

    Jul 2006
    In The Land Of Wonderful...
    1,751

    We usually spend about $100-200 on each set of parents... but in saying that, we buy things that are suitable rather than setting an exact amount.... for example, this year my Dad is getting a ticket to see Joe ****er in the vineyards ($120) whereas my Mum and stepfather are getting family photos we had done & a few bottles of cellar door wines when bought when we were away. (Approx $150 combined). Dad is happy with the photos on a disc

    We are a HUGE family with DH having 4 siblings with 2 kids each, and my extended family is really close... so like having about 9 siblings plus my brother!!
    We don't buy for the adults, just the kids... and the amount is roughly $30 each.

    Grandparents/great grandparents usually get pressies like framed photos of the kids, or a book etc, so usually only about $20-30 each as well.

    And.... its best not to speak about what we spend on the boys

    For ourselves, we usually just have a little pressie under the tree, but our wedding anniversary is the week after Christmas, and we always spend a few days in the vineyards so we both prefer to save our money for that instead

  8. #8

    Mar 2004
    Sparta
    12,662

    This is a tough one for me because I don't celebrate Christmas but my family do. They give us presents if they see us at Christmas and I would feel a bit of a scoundrel if I accepted their gifts but gave nothing. There is also no way in hell that I would stay away if they're all having a get together.
    This year I'll be spending Christmas with my 3 siblings and their families, my Dad and Step and maybe an Aunt and her DH and DS.
    Eeek!! That's a lot of presents.

    Sooo, this year. All the siblings and their +1's get a cook book that will cost from $25 to $50.
    Dad & Step will get something about the same value.
    A toy each for all the kids about $20 or so for the littlies and up to about $50 for the teens.

    Then a few stocking stuffers - things like spice mixes and so on.

    That's a lot of money on something I don't celebrate lol. At least I don't have to buy a gift for DH and no-one expects anything extravagant.

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Apr 2009
    in the garden
    3,767

    Depends on the year, and how our budget is. We usually buy for parents, nieces & nephews. Extended family, aunts & uncles etc don't generally buy for other adults.
    Usually it's $20-30 each person, although I seem to end up adding bits & pieces here & there.
    Buying for each other...sometimes. DH is hopeless because he never wants anything, he is so very hard to buy for. This week I have picked up my easel I have been waiting for weeks & weeks for (since my birthday!), so that is my christmas present