I can't remember what I spent last year on the gift exchange.
Santa at our house has a budget. A certain amount is budgeted for both kids, and we just try to split it as evenly as we can between them. There's usually a few impulse buys along the way as well.
"Oh all the money that e'er I spent, I spent it in good company.
And all the harm that I ever did, Alas it was to none but me.
And since it falls, unto my lot, that I should rise and you should not
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call, 'Goodnight and Joy be with you all.'"
-JMH
Mrs. Claus has a habit of figuring out what Santa is buying her, so sometimes I end up with two gifts. Like the year that Mrs. Claus wanted a Palm Pilot, like, real real bad. Well, Santa bought it for her, but he put it in the trunk of the car and while everyone was doing Xmas shopping, Mrs. Claus opened the trunk to put in other gifts and there it was. Santa told Mrs. Claus that he took the Palm Pilot back, but on Christmas morning the "fake-out" present was a DVD player but Mrs. Claus also got the Palm Pilot.
The DVD player gets used regularly. The Palm Pilot has basically been getting dusty in a drawer for about 3 years. Santa finally reposessed it and uses it for himself.
This is my first year in the gift exchange, so I have nothing to go off of
Santa always has lofty aspirations of staying within some sort of sane budget in our house. That goes flying out the window after about two days of shopping and becomes a free for all
Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all..
balcony girls wrote:
" about " how much does one spend ? ? . . I understand it is entirely up to the individual, so just looking for ballpark figure. .
how much does Santa usually spend for his gifts in your family . . .? ?
is it by budget ? ? . .or impulse buying . .? ?
I am figuring a modest figure for the BN exchange $30-$50.... But Since phins1026 wants a trip to the Maldives.... I could go way over budget....
Personally.... we don't go overboard on the keets.... never have... as I have always been about doing for others less fortunate... I would say about $100 each.... As for Dave's brothers and sisters... we really don't "know" them as they are in OH.. and we really don't know their keets likes/dislikes... so have started giving family gifts.... about $50 per family.... my Mom is on a limited income... and now in the ACLF so I give her neccessities she cannot afford anymore.... stationary, stamps, underwear, makeup, clothes...stuff like that.... p'rolly $75. Dave's Mother we send fruit every year... Dave's Dad and companion we give them concert tickets for the Strawberry Festival... since they now winter down here.... All in all.... about $500 on the families I would think... And yes... we budget/plan for it.
As for each other... again we buy pretty much what we need and want throughout the year.... but we usually buy one big item on or around Christmas time for us (or the house!)...... and then little things to open....
i have been in exchanges that were fun/white elephant for $5. or less and i've been in others anywhere from $25.-50.
I have three older teens. Santa in my house shoots for spending $250. per kid plus another $150. or so in assorted household gifts, fun items, stocking stuffers, etc. At their age that usually means one thing they want and some little fun things or a sweater or robe, etc. I have a large quantity of neices/nephews who I have a $20. per limit on, then the parents. DH and I may abuy for each other, or we may get some household item or we may wait til our b'days the week after Christmas if money is tight.
Navy Seals are Cooler then Pirates You Can Dream Anyway, There's always next year!!!
Seriously, BN exchange- I think most I have gotten has been in the $10-15 range. Got stood up one year, but thems the breaks I think I have spent in the 15-20 range, but I amy be wrong
"Boat drinks, waitress we........nevermind"
He ain't wrong he's just different
but his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right
Cubbie Bear wrote:Seriously, BN exchange- I think most I have gotten has been in the $10-15 range. Got stood up one year, but thems the breaks I think I have spent in the 15-20 range, but I amy be wrong
ooops, sorry . . I meant
now that's just plain low-down . .! !
. . " and I finally disappear . . . . BUT NOT YET ! ! "
This is my first year in the gift exchange so i'm no help there...
Most years I go overboard with Christmas.. i'm young so no keets of my own but Mike (my SO) usually gets spoiled. This year we are in the process of building a new house so money is tight...
$100 on Mike
$25 for little bro
$25 for Ma
Everyone else is getting a christmas card and a candycane... with the exception of my BN Christmas friend.. but I already have an idea of where to go for that one
I go way over board in all aspects of Christmas...I much prefer giving.
We spent about $600 on each kid...now that they don't believe in Santa (the first year) it will be a little easier to limit cause they know the cost of things. In my family with siblings and in-laws...we pick a name and spent $150.00 on each person....and I have 7 young neices and nephews...spent about $30-$50 on each of them. I also have a few good family friends that I buy a "family" gift that is usually about $50.00 or so. And, I spend about $200. 00 on each of my parents...no parent inlaws left. Then...I have been known to spend about 2k on Jimmy...depends on the year and how creative I can be....like I said, I go way over board!!
(but I LOVE it!)
Although I haven't participated in this gift exchange, I'd say $10-15 sounds about right. Cubbie, I'm SO SORRY you got stood up!
I'm Santa at my house, and Santa is definitley on a budget until some rich uncle she doesn't know about dies and leaves her a fortune. Hubby gets "more" cuz, well, ya know.....
My love is staying an anchor tied to you with that silver chain.
