Have you finished? And (eek) how much?

[SouthWestmom]

Just updated the spread sheet and everything is now in italics - ordered or bought and safely tucked away ready for wrapping or wrapped.

Totalled it all and it came to £850 more or less for all the dc, family and godchildren incl postage. So I feel slightly sick and also pleasantly relieved at the same time.

Just being nosy really....

No nothing home-made, bargain deals, Black Friday, Ebay and charity shop finds. Not by choice particularly, as have a limited budget and do not intend getting into debt to compete with the ex for DD's gifts although never been one to go OTT to be honest, even when I had the readies.

Bit shocked at some of the spends on here, but each to their own of course!

I've already said to dh we need to lower expectations - Black Friday has actually worked out well despite my earlier cynicism. Tbh £850 incl FC and all the relatives:friends is a lot but feels better than previous years.

I would love to reduce it even more. I feel like there's a balance between gifts and experiences to be had!

I haven't even started. I'm usually good; just idealess this year.

£617.30. 5dc, 9 adults, one niece. That doesn't include what dh has bought me though. Not too bad I don't think

I suspect that I'm one of those you are shocked at foof. In my partial defence the main gift for the DC was £550 (shared gift) but it's really a whole family gift (full sized pool table/air hockey table/table tennis table) and we decided to go with a semi decent one rather than a "toy" one since we're hoping it will last them for the next ten years or so that they'll be living at home. As a result, DH and I aren't getting anything for each other at all.

At the end of the day people's spends will be different according to their income. The important thing is that nobody spends money they don't have and can't afford.

Around £420 for DP, DC1, DC2, 3 sets of parents, 5 more adults and 3 more children. Far too much of that is postage.

Presents all bought bar one which I will pick up today. Food and drink, closer to the date.
Final bill will be around £1300.
It's horrifying really.

Thank God for those buying big presents, you're keeping the economy running

So far, £115 on DH, 1/3 of DS's stocking, MIL, goddaughter, niece 1, niece 2, friend's child 1, friend's child 2, SIL, half my mother, and half nephew 1.

Still got DS main present, 2/3 of the stocking, half a nephew, nephew 2, half my mother, FIL to do. Actually that's not too much. Also DS's birthday which is in January, but I know what I'm getting, though it will be £500, which I'm going to go into debt for.

Played a blinder this year by tidying up the random pile of cards and envelopes into organised tupperware and realising I had enough nice cards not to have to buy any this year. Feels like I saved about £15 no wonder I was broke last year

annandale makes a very good point. Our economy needs those who can afford to spend to do so.

I've tried to buy lots from independent businesses this year too rather than just defaulting to the big shops.

I've spent about £150 on my DP and about £15 each on my sister, BIL and parents. And about £40 on my niece because kids are fun to buy for

It all adds up though doesn't it.... I went to the Post office on Saturday to send cards to NZ and buy some second class stamps... £29 it cost!!

I'm done, probably spent around £500 on 3DCs, DH, DM, Dsis, 2 teenage nephews, 3 younger nieces & nephews, 2 nans, 2 of my friends children & the cats. I'm actually quite proud, got some awesome bargains.

£1500 on just gifts I imagine.

That's for 3 DCs (19, 15 & 5), DH, PILs, 6 x adults on DH's side, 9 adults & 5 children on my side. Plus small gifts for teachers & my best friend's 7 DCs!

TBH we've cut it down this year .

Wow! I always feel very poor reading these threads at Christmas yet here I am again

We are having a family holiday in the early part of next year so slimming back on Christmas. We could not afford both. Spending around £100 on both of our 2dc and going to our local theatre to see a show. Our Christmas food budget will be the same as our usual shopping budget.

Wow.
I wouldn't consider myself poor at all, comfortable enough, nice car, biggish house and yet there is no way I could afford to be spending a grand on presents for people.

Do you save all year around?

Oh my, thank you so much, I feel normal finally. For many years DH brother and family set a budget of £20 per person for everyone to spend on each other for Xmas (kids and adults) and although DH says this rather tight - wait ladies I can hear you about to reply to my unappreciation - his brother is an immensley successful business man earning a very comfortable 3 figure salary.

I spend easily (on my side of the family only) £50-£150 depending on who it is, parents much more, children even more. pah! I am normal !!!

So far I've spent about £150 but I will probably spend at least another £300 as I still need to buy for DH and my parents. My parents are divorced and remarried so I have four parents to buy for which adds up!

Probably about £1300 on DS, DH, DM, DF, Dsis, DBs x2, 2 family secret Santa £20 budget, 4 thank you presents ( 1 cost about £80), 2 kids presents.
Then did 5 link to hope boxes and 2 gifts for mission Christmas.

blue I don't think it really matters how much or how little someone earns. I think it's more about how much that person values gift buying at christmas.

We earn a decent amount but I resent buying presents for the sake of it. Although we do buy token gifts for friends and family throughout the year, which mean more.

My dh family are really in to gift buying, they spend alot on everyone. Therefore I feel that we have to reciprocate. They go way over the top on money and amounts of gifts and it really irks me as they're buying just for the sake of it.

My side aren't really in to the present thing, I'll get my mum something small like a food hamper, she'll get the kids something, but my siblings & I don't reciprocate for eachother or our nephews. I prefer this as the pressure's off.

I buy my dc 3 gifts.

I think how much someone earns (or you think they earn) is a bit of a red herring really. They might not have the spare cash even if they are high earners.

I know I wish we didn't spend so much on adults in the family. Yes its only six adults but its six adults at £50 each which adds up. I accept that they buy presents for us but I'd really rather knock it on the head and focus on the children in the family only.

want2b thats so incredibly sweet of your and your DH!

Blue - thats extravagant compared to some members of mine and DH family, it has never been near 20 pounds. Not myself or DH but for the dc, who are the only dc in the family TBH even a £5 in a card would be a nice gesture.

Op we have gone slightly over budget which was 650 - that includes two expensive days out - disney on ice etc. However DH also got 100 amazon voucher bonus, and that got eaten up straight away. As long as I can keep xmas food shopping down, we will just scrape through.

Almost finished. Spent 100 so far and another 50 to finish. Small family (all adults) and only exchange gifts with one set of friends.

I've never worked out how much I've spent before ( too scared) but thought I'd give it a go. So a rough calculation is £750 and I'm quite pleased with that. That's our 2 DC, DM, DH and 7 nieces and nephews.
Also includes £200 spending money for DM when she comes to visit and a fair whack on postage now we live abroad.
Reckon food and alcohol will cost about the same again though with the prices out here.

Finished

Spent £250 on gifts (don't have DC myself and I buy gifts for 6 adults and 1 child).

DH will spend roughly the same on his family, although he's not finished shopping yet.

We're not hosting Xmas Day but we are hosting on another day so need to buy food and drink for that. However we save up credit card points over the year, Tesco Club Card vouchers etc and have about £50 in vouchers which should cover most of the food. We already have alcohol in the house.