Christmas 2017 budget

How much do you spend per child on Christmas and how old is that child?

I planned $200/kid (1 HS, 1 JH, 2 elementary), but used airline miles to get their big gift (Switch and 3 games) free, so I'm dropping it to $150/kid this year ($100 from Santa and $50 in need gifts/boring stuff from Mom/Dad). Now, my mother-in-law sends $400 for me to spend on the kids (and $100 for my spouse and I - she sends a $500 check), so their 2nd big gift (a new tv for the new Switch system) will come from that and not me, so that helps me keep my budget down (my mother will also throw in a $30-$50 gift/kid, and I try to make sure it's a highlight gift, so each year, the grandparents get big kudos for their great taste, even if I play the large role in that taste:))...

Now, other than that shopping, the rest of my relatives send $10-$20 gifts/kid (about 6 send items), and I usually request books, discount video games, or experience tickets or gift cards (if they don't want to be bothered shopping, but want to send something) in that price range for them...
 
We tend to go overboard and are trying to stop that this year. Last year we spent about $400 on our DD who was 3. It was way too much. This year he wants to spend $200 but the two biggest things she wants will put us at the budget (the disney princess doll collection $80? and the doll house is about $80-90) I always grew up with big Christmas's and DH was the opposite.
 
We usually spend way too much on our two - somewhere in the $500-600 range. In our defense, we don't do big birthdays or Easters and they don't get something everytime we walk into a store. Also, they don't get a lot of presents from extended family so what they get from us is usually it.
 


We spend too much. I am trying to keep it way down this year and buy more experiences (museum memberships, zoo tickets, shows, little trips, ect..). We prioritize travel, and my kids have so much already. Its my fault though. I love buying gifts.
 
Way too much on our one and only DS who is 10 although some of it travel. Like an early Christmas trip to see the Wizarding World in lights and spending Christmas in Punta Cana. I'll put the gifts out before we leave on Christmas Eve. Not that it matters since he know longer believes in Santa. He'll get his stocking and a couple of small things on Christmas Day but the majority will be under the tree waiting until we get home.
 
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I don't guess I set a budget, I just buy my lonely only kiddo what I thinks she needs/might like and try to not get too much. Obviously that is limited to what is in my gift spending money in my checking account, but I don't try to fit a $$/person, I just buy what I think would make each person happy.
 


We typically spend between 200 and 250 any given year on each child. We don't do super expensive "big gifts" yet, as they are 11, 8, and 5, so that money really goes far. Their big gift is usually around the 75-100 range and then we get lots of smaller items. They normally have around 10 presents each to open. Some can be small like Barbies, action figures, Legos, cute outfits, winter accessories, books, etc. The one year we did a Wii U for them was a "family gift" and they share it. They all got Kindle Fires another year, but that was really it for electronics. We did get my oldest a cell phone when he started Middle School, so maybe an upgrade for him next year, but maybe not... lol

It does get harder to keep up with the whole Santa thing as they become more aware of the differences between what they get and what their friends get. Some folks go for broke, and that's ok for them, but I have to make up ever more creative excuses for why Santa isn't going to bring you the newest Iphone or an Ipad Air.

I grew up lucky to have one present under the tree most years. I wanted to make it magical for them, but not excessive. I know there will come a time when we have to cut back on number of gifts due to the desires of older kids/teens. For now, our little traditions still wow them. :D
 
I don't spend anything...Santa makes all the toys... :rolleyes1 :teeth:

OK, OK... I don't really know for sure, but it's probably in the range others mentioned. Kids are now 13, 10, 10. Before our twins were born, and even when they were babies, toys for kids under 5 are pretty cheap. So that money would buy a TON of stuff. I remember years where the tree was literally packed to the limit with gifts everywhere, it was crazy. One year, DS13 (who was 3 or 4 at the time) didn't even open them all on Xmas Day because there were just too many. Now, they get a few presents, because they're much more expensive...and then some small stocking stuffers.

DD10 still believes (though I think deep down she questions it)...she has an Elf on the Shelf and an Elf pet. We're going to have to tell her soon.
 
We only have one DD9. It usually depends on what we have going for that year around that time. Last year she got a moped that was about $200 and the year before that i can not remember but the previous year before that was a barbie dream house which was bout $150 i think. We only get one big gift and thats it. I do think i spend less that way. Instead of buying 5-8 gifts that i paid $30-50 for each. When you buy many small gifts you can forget how much you have actually spent in total. Santa usually gets those and we get the PJs. She loves PJs as gifts but i have recently switched it up. No fair Santa gets all the credit.

She doesn't really get toys through out the year either. So i don't feel bad spending it at Christmas time. Also her birthday is in January and we do not get her a gift we get her a party at a location she likes.
 
Up until this year I can say way, way to much- this year we are scaling down just doing some broadway tickets and one or 2 other smaller things. When she was little she got a ton- can say some years was 600 others 1500+. Last Christmas she got an MacBook pro, Hamilton broadway tickets and a bunch of other things she would need for college. We all agreed that this year would be just a couple gifts and that is it. Honestly I would LOVE to skip Christmas and just go away on a cruise and not buy gifts for all the neighbors, relatives, friends etc....
 
We have 4 girls ages 16,14,8 and 6. We always have a huge Christmas and I'm good with that. People always tell me it's excessive and that I shouldn't do it, but I love it and since no one else is paying the bills, they don't get a say so. I don't really set a budget, but we do make sure each girl has the same amount of gifts to open. This year we're taking them to MVMCP as a surprise vacation right before Christmas, so I do have to cut down on gifts because just the hotel and party tickets are 1,000! I'd say I'm usually around 500-700 for the older girls and 300-500 for the younger 2.
 
I think a big part of DH hesitation and wanting to cut down is because everyone on both sides of our families always say how spoiled we have her and that she's going to be ungrateful in the years to come. I want to cut back as well, mostly because she just gets more then she will ever use but I have been looking at the budget he wants and three things put us at it. I know Christmas isn't about how much you get but I enjoy seeing her face light up on Christmas morning.
 
We are empty nesters now. So as you can imagine my family has grown adding in spouse's, and grandkids... So we don't really set a budget so to speak, I find out what they need, really need. Then what the grandkids who are all under 5 want or what their favorite toy is right now, and go from there.

I have already started Christmas shopping, for them. I start early that way everything is spread out over several months and not all at once.
 
We generally spend about 250 per kid. However this year we bought annual passes to disney so we are already over budget (it was a request from both girls so they know its going to happen). Here is my plan for gifts under the tree. Makeup mirrors, Disney T-Shirts, I tunes gift card 25, Disney gift cards 25, Bath and body works 25, make up subscriptions and new underarmor hoodies for each girl. Going to find some fun stocking stuffers (like like up glow sticks etc for our trip in March) and Im done.
 
About 500.00 per kid. 16 and 18. This includes new shoes, underwear, socks, jeans and things they need. The boring basics are always more fun when you have to unwrap them, right? But there's always 2-3 wish list, non necessary things.
 
Okay - so apparently I am the high. I have two grown daughters - one is 27 and the other will be 22 by Christmas. I spend around $2000 on each of them (probably a bit more). It's easy to get to that. One of them i getting a new Pandora bracelet (the jewelry store - not the theme park). That is around $1200. A Dooney Disney tote - $250. A new desk chair - $100. So that's around $1500 and it includes none of the fun small stuff. Add that in and you are at $2000 or so.

My oldest has a new boyfriend. He's been around for a year - so I am hoping to get away with $500 for him. If he is still here next year - more like $1000.
 
What I find is that once you spend a certain amount, you can't cut back later, so your budget keeps going up because you get less for your $. My kids are adults now, so I buy for the grandkids and the nieces. I give each grandchild $ 50.00, and I spend about $ 10 to $ 15 for the nieces. This year I told my daughter not to buy me anything...spend it on the kids. And this year my sister and I said the same thing to each other. We don't need anything....we get together, that's the important thing.
 
This subject comes up every year on the boards :). We have three kids and I tend to spend more on the oldest (15) because what teens want usually costs more. I always make sure everyone gets the same amount of presents but no one is aware of how much I spend per kid. So I would say it depends on the year. Overall we spend $1500-2000 combined. This year is going to be on the high end because my youngest wants a new iPad.
 

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