Help me settle a debate with my wife about Christmas presents...

[bobdole369]

$0 is appropriate. Spend the money on something you guys actually need. This end of year shop-a-thon pisses me off.

 

[DrPizza]

Wow, apparently I'm outside the norm; I didn't think I was. It depends on the year; we never go into debt for Christmas. Some years, we can afford a lot more than other years; e.g. when my wife returned to college to go from R.N. to R.N. B.S.N. (get the bachelor's degree too), we didn't have as much cash laying around. But just a week ago, I paid cash for a used car for my younger son (who is in college) - he lives at home and commutes in order to save a ton of money (room and board is a ripoff at his school.) But, with a bad computer in his car, and inspection expired, he needed a replacement vehicle. Regardless of that, for Christmas, the garage is being turned into an apartment for him (at least I hope to be done by Christmas.) Plus, he's getting a 40" HDTV for Christmas, and an iphone, plus clothing. I'm not sure what son #1 is getting for Christmas yet; but both of their girlfriends are getting Kindles.

2 years ago, each son got a set of riding gear (motocross.) The Leatt neck braces alone were almost $400 each. Toss in a set of boots for each, helmets, gloves, clothing, chest protectors, kidney protectors, and you're looking at $700 each. Plus, they got lots of other clothing and smaller gifts like video games.

In other recent years, we've purchased brand new kayaks for the boys, a $700 guitar, a $400 tube amp, lots of car related items (new set of tires), and all those damn xbox games at $50ish each.

Of course, when they were younger, we didn't spend that much on them; but at the same time, I insisted with my wife on going for quality, not quantity. As our income grew, and our kids got older, they became involved in more expensive hobbies. Thus, our spending on them grew as well.

 

[Elbryn]

i think we'll be spending about $20 a kid this year. then again they're both under the age of 3 and we've already got so many toys that we put em in boxes and rotate every couple of weeks in the playroom. do i get to say $2020? 2k for each 529 and 20 for some random toy we think they might like? i mean we could get the boy a sword of omens based on the thundercats cartoon he watches alot of but after 10 minutes of running around yelling "Hooooooooo!" he'll find something else to play with.

collectively, the wife and i will spend a few hundred bucks i think on other stuff we want.

 

[NAC]

I voted under $100. But it depends on for whom.

But actually, for my kids - aged 7 & 8, we spend more than that. Probably about $150 this year. For my wife it will be more than that - a few hundred - say $300. For members of her family - her sister, parents, etc - it will be under $99. and for my family we do a secret santa type thing - buy one gift for one person, usual limit is about $50.

And for kids - it depends on age and what they don't yet have. In the future, my kids will get a new bike, laptop, iPod, perhaps something else expensive. Those kinds of gifts will be say every other year, maybe for birthday, maybe for Christmas. So the limit will regularly be higher based on the situation. My 8 year old got a nice bike for her birthday because she just had a nice growth spurt. My younger one did not because she hasn't had the simliar growth spurt.

 

[Homerboy]

Under $100? You can barely get 3 toys for that.

If your kids is looking for something like a DS or gaming system your already at the ~$200 range alone.

All I know is it adds up quickly every year. That being said though, I love doing it. I don't get my kids much else through the course of the year (well except at birthdays). Seeing them tear through the Christmas morning loot is as much fun for me and my wife as it is for them.

$300-$500 for me... closer to $350 I'd say on the norm.

 

[rudder]

Outside of clothes and possibly furniture, WTF is a 4 and 1 year old going to do with $400 or even $500 worth of presents? Have you lost your mind?

C'mon all parents like to have useless big pieces of plastic toys strewn about the house and yard... which most will never get touched again past Christmas morning.

A 1 year old can open a wrapped up shoe box and have a smile on their face... so I agree excessive spending on little kids is crazy. Now that my kids are older .. their wants get more expensive... netbook, camera, RC airplane... so easy to get to $300-400.

 

[Aikouka]

I don't really have a limit and will buy people things to varying degrees. For example, this year I'm spending a lot more on my sister and older brother than probably everyone else in my immediate family. In prior years, I spent more on my mom than anyone else.

It just depends on what I feel like buying for them.

 

[sygyzy]

For you parents who have younger kids (like under 7) and spending $300+, are you finding excuses to spoil your kid / meet the budget you set for yourself? I can understand easily finding things to spend $500 on for a 18 year old (car stuff, games, TV, stuff for college, laptop, books, etc). But I really cannot think about what a 3 year old would really want or need that costs $300 or more. Or even $100. And don't say you bought your son a new crib for $1100. That's not really a gift to him.

 

[JS80]

For you parents who have younger kids (like under 7) and spending $300+, are you finding excuses to spoil your kid / meet the budget you set for yourself? I can understand easily finding things to spend $500 on for a 18 year old (car stuff, games, TV, stuff for college, laptop, books, etc). But I really cannot think about what a 3 year old would really want or need that costs $300 or more. Or even $100. And don't say you bought your son a new crib for $1100. That's not really a gift to him.

What could you get someone that age for $300 anyway? Last year I bought my 2 year old spider man stickers that cost no more than $5 and I'd never seen him happier.

 

[Drekce]

Im spending about $250 on my six year old and $150 on the three year old.

Lego set: 60
Mario Kart Wii: 50
Radio control car: 50
Hero factory: 40
Misc books and stuff: 50

 

[etrigan420]

What we spend has varied from year to year, but one thing we try to do is to spend roughly the same amount on each kid, with roughly the same amount of gifts per kid.

Kids can sense that shit. 😉

 

[Perknose]

Wow, apparently I'm outside the norm; I didn't think I was. It depends on the year; we never go into debt for Christmas. Some years, we can afford a lot more than other years; e.g. when my wife returned to college to go from R.N. to R.N. B.S.N. (get the bachelor's degree too), we didn't have as much cash laying around. But just a week ago, I paid cash for a used car for my younger son (who is in college) - he lives at home and commutes in order to save a ton of money (room and board is a ripoff at his school.) But, with a bad computer in his car, and inspection expired, he needed a replacement vehicle. Regardless of that, for Christmas, the garage is being turned into an apartment for him (at least I hope to be done by Christmas.) Plus, he's getting a 40" HDTV for Christmas, and an iphone, plus clothing. I'm not sure what son #1 is getting for Christmas yet; but both of their girlfriends are getting Kindles.

2 years ago, each son got a set of riding gear (motocross.) The Leatt neck braces alone were almost $400 each. Toss in a set of boots for each, helmets, gloves, clothing, chest protectors, kidney protectors, and you're looking at $700 each. Plus, they got lots of other clothing and smaller gifts like video games.

In other recent years, we've purchased brand new kayaks for the boys, a $700 guitar, a $400 tube amp, lots of car related items (new set of tires), and all those damn xbox games at $50ish each.

Of course, when they were younger, we didn't spend that much on them; but at the same time, I insisted with my wife on going for quality, not quantity. As our income grew, and our kids got older, they became involved in more expensive hobbies. Thus, our spending on them grew as well.

Adopt me! 😛

 

[rockyct]

Wow, my parents have money and I've never gotten to half what Dr. Pizza gives out. I still feel guilty if I get a $200 Christmas present. The one year I got a PS2 when it came out, it was a combo birthday/Christmas present (my birthday is Friday so it's close enough to Christmas). Of course, other than my "big present", I'd get stuff, but it would be a calendar, clothes, and that kind of stuff. I'm sure it added up to $100, but there was never any "fun" stuff in there.

 

[DrPizza]

I think one of the best gifts I ever got for either of my kids was a cordless screwdriver for my son when he was 2 (going on 3). I was supposed to go to the store to get him a fisher price battery operated drill, but surprisingly, the real thing was cheaper than the toy. A couple of sheets of plywood attached together, a few holes pre-drilled, and some large "can't choke on this" screws later, and he was having a ball. He played with that thing more than any other toy. By 4 years of age, he was using a power drill & jigsaw (as well as hand tools) to build bird houses.

 

[Chrono]

I think... $50 max is good enough.

 

[alkemyst]

would the holidays totally suck without dropping $700 on your kid?

I can't recall a single Christmas present my parents ever gave me, but our holidays were all pretty good.

That's really sad...even if only a candy bar, yet you remember nothing?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

My son who is 4 got a new TV for his room and is getting a guinnea pig which will be shared with the 1 year old. The one year old got some clothes, dolls and a dollhouse, unless you have kids you have no clue how expensive that shit is. Kids toys are expensive!

There is so much wrong with this. First, a four year old doesn't need a TV in his room. Dolls and doll houses do not cost that kind of money unless you're getting into the collectible/scale model kind of thing and neither a one or four year old cares.

FWIW, I have two daughters and never felt like I needed or wanted to spend that kind of money for presents for them. Guess what, they never thought they needed expensive kinds of gifts from me either.

I truly wonder what kind of personal situation you're trying to make up for or, relive, spending that kind of money on little children who have no idea what those gifts represent in the real world. I'm happy you can indulge yourself but, that's what is is not, a gift for your child.

 

[herm0016]

holy pizza.

i spent 450 so far this year on my fiance. Probably spend a little more to outfit a range bag to go with her gift.

she spent apox 400 on me last year and i did not spend as much. all depends on what our surprise gifts to each other are.

my parents will get a few hundred worth together i think, not sure yet.

cousins will get smaller things, 50 tops.

 

[Mr. Lennon]

This is the reason why I will not have kids until I have the money to not only provide for them, but also be able to afford all the cool toys/hobbies they want. Only spending $50 bucks per kid (unless they are younger than 3) sounds super depressing.

 

[Skillet49]

Dolls and doll houses do not cost that kind of money unless you're getting into the collectible/scale model kind of thing and neither a one or four year old cares.

I would agree that what most people spend on Christmas is ridiculous, but I am going to have to disagree with you on the dollhouse here for two reasons. 1) When I was maybe around 4, my parents got me a dollhouse that I actually saved and have used at my job (work with children). My mom told me as an adult that my parents bought it from a couple that handmade the dollhouse and all of the furniture that came with it. It has held up to all of the crazy stuff that 3-7 year olds do to it. 2) When I started working and was pricing out some dollhouse furniture (needed some additional furniture), the dollhouses that were available were at least $100, unless you get you really crappy one.

But as far as how much I spend on Christmas usually:
Husband and I for each other - $75-100 (gift to each other this year is snowboarding lessons so more expensive this year. We would have bought it anyway, but it just seems like we don't need to get each other anything if we're doing that)
We don't spend more than $100 on anyone else.
We don't have any kids yet but I think it really depends on what they need and their ages. As others have said, teenagers sometimes could use more expensive items like a laptop but I personally am not a believer in just getting kids whatever gadget is out there. My favorite gifts as a kid: kitchen set, easy bake oven (still love baking and cooking), and my dollhouse. Once I outgrew those, I just remember playing a lot of sports with my brothers.

I have found that people seem to appreciate handmade gifts more than buying them things. My nephews loved it the year I made them all matching pajama pants (they're brothers). I am working on knitting a couple of scarf/hat sets for my sister-in-laws that I got in our sibling exchange. And I'm making a matching blanket and pajama pants for one of my nephews (family decided to stop have everyone get each nephew something just because they don't need anything as it is).

I'd rather just spend time with family and a few friends around Christmas.

 

[jhu]

What the fuck is wrong with you people??? Christmas is the time to celebrate the birth of your Lord and Savior. It's to reflect on what you've been doing during the past year and see how you can be a better person. It's not about getting caught up in obtaining expensive objects that the rest of a materialistic society values.

 

[mugs]

$400 sounds like about what my parents spent on each of us (1990s), but not when we were really young. My parents aren't wealthy, but not poor either.

I spend about $75-100 on each of my brothers and $150-200 on each of my parents. My wife and I don't normally buy each other gifts, because all of our money is both of ours anyway... We've been talking about ending the gift giving, because honestly it's pretty silly... but I'd buy my parents gifts regardless.

 

[nageov3t]

That's really sad...even if only a candy bar, yet you remember nothing?

I remember gifts I've received as an adult, but from childhood? no... well, ok, I vaguely remember one pirate-themed board game, but outside of that, all my toys blend together and I couldn't tell you if they were from birthdays or Christmases or gifts from my grandparents.

I mean it when I tell my parents that they don't have to get me anything.

when my boyfriend and I both confessed to hating Christmas, I knew he was a keeper 😛 all the commercialism just leaves a sour taste in my mouth... I have much more vivid memories of my mom reading The Night Before Christmas to my sister and I while my dad stomped on the roof pretending to be a reindeer than any single toy. I remember all the Christmas Day breakfasts with all the extended family gathered around the table at my uncle's house like they were yesterday.

 

[Colt45]

I know there's been inflation since I was a kid, but $400 is insane.

 

[TalonStrike]

Millionaire? what do you do?