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Christmas

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Original poster

How much do you spend on your wife /husband /partner at Christmas ?

128 replies

aingerlinger · 21/12/2021 10:16

I never know what's too much or too little.
This year it's around £150 but I have a friend who spends a lot more.
What do you spend on them?

OP posts:
LemonSwan · 21/12/2021 22:04

Last year it was c. 1k as he needed a new laptop and I got him some bits and bobs from primark.

This year its c. £100 - A dressing gown, a couple of books, and some rather expensive clinique face cream he has decided he wants.

TheHoptimist · 21/12/2021 22:06

We have joint money
Less than £10. Anything he wants he can buy

TheHoptimist · 21/12/2021 22:12

@SmileyClare

It's all relative to your income, and also I suppose how long you've been together? I mean, if you met him a couple of months ago then it'd be mad to blow a few hundred quid on him.

I don't think it spoils the surprise to have a normal adult conversation and both agree a budget?

That's what I do with dh. Although this year we're not buying each other a present due to a very low budget have spent it on the dc instead.

40 years Very high income Dont buy gifts

So I dont think it is relative to time together and income?

BarbaraofSeville · 21/12/2021 22:19

So when your kids are grown will you just not celebrate at all

You can celebrate Christmas without spending a lot or anything at all on gifts. There's a lot more to Christmas than buying things. Time off work, time with friends, relatives, food and drink, games, tree and lights, TV, walks etc etc.

PrincessPaws · 21/12/2021 22:23

I think it depends on how much you earn doesn't it? Someone on £200k a year will spend far more than someone on £20k. But ultimately value doesn't count, to me it's the thought that goes into it

TheHoptimist · 21/12/2021 22:25

@PrincessPaws

I think it depends on how much you earn doesn't it? Someone on £200k a year will spend far more than someone on £20k. But ultimately value doesn't count, to me it's the thought that goes into it
I think the opposite If you can buy whatever you want then generally you dont want anything
lisaandalan · 21/12/2021 22:33

Don't have an actual budget just get him a few bits he wants or needs but obviously would not go mad. If the things on his list come to more than £350 he would not get them all. X

AnotherEmma · 21/12/2021 22:35

Interesting thread.

DH and I are in the fortunate position of being able to afford to buy things as and when we need or want them. We don't always have time though. So at Christmas I tend to buy DH a couple of presents that I know he'll like. I don't worry too much about the cost, but as a general rule we discuss bigger purchases anyway so I wouldn't go completely mad unless I was completely sure he'd like it. He did buy me a new iPhone one birthday because I needed a new one, that was the most expensive gift I think.

As a general rule I prefer quality over quantity, especially as we seem to be on a constant mission to declutter. This year I have got DH two things and I think they came to about £80 in total. Plus i helped DC1 choose a present for him which was £15.

Last Christmas I spent more but got things like a good quality jumper, underwear, PJs etc as he needed new clothes and hadn't found the time to get himself any. All quite boring stuff though!

When you've been together for years you do run out of things to buy each other. Covid hasn't helped as we would often get each other experiences of some sort but that hasn't been possible (or has been risky at least).

Bortles · 21/12/2021 22:36

60 this year , last year 100.

Abouttimemum · 21/12/2021 22:40

About £150 each we spend. I like giving gifts and I like receiving them so it works for us. Neither of us really buy anything for ourselves through the year so it’s nice to get a few good quality surprise items on Xmas day.

DueyCheatemAndHow · 21/12/2021 22:41

We are very fortunate that we can buy what we think within reason. Think it's about 500 this year

TeeBee · 21/12/2021 23:02

This year circa £400 but it depends what he wants.

Glittergoblin · 22/12/2021 18:03

About £60 this year.

SmallElephant · 22/12/2021 18:30

This year we agreed between us to buy something that we want for the house - it cost just over £1k. So that's our present to each other this year (plus a token surprise gift).

Other years it's a lot less than that (say £100-200). It's just an excuse for buying this particular item.

vomvomandmoreeffingvom · 22/12/2021 18:39

£50 to 100 usually

DingDongMerrilyOnline · 22/12/2021 22:04

It’s varies, this year I’ve spent about £350 in total. I don’t really have a budget, not because I’m rich or anything but just because I put a lot of thought into what to get him and just buy whatever I think. No idea what he spends on me, I’m not that bothered. But next year we’re hopefully going away in December to an expensive destination so we’ve already said next year we’ll just do £30-£50!

mam0918 · 23/12/2021 11:42

not because I’m rich or anything but just because I put a lot of thought into what to get him and just buy whatever I think

do you think us lower-income people who have to save and budget 'don't put thought in'?

I put a tonne of thought in but there's a tonne of things I can't afford regardless of how much I caringly research and think about them. I wish I was rich enough to buy whatever I see and think 'I like that so I'll get it' lol.

RoRoYoYo · 23/12/2021 11:48

Nothing. We just buy for the children. It's not down to finances we just choose not to. DH will always buy whatever he wants throughout the year. We don't exchange gifts with siblings or parents either just focus on the many cousins, nieces, nephews etc.

This Christmas will be unusual though as I do actually have a present to open as a person I work with unexpectedly gave me a gift!

AnotherEmma · 23/12/2021 12:31

@mam0918

not because I’m rich or anything but just because I put a lot of thought into what to get him and just buy whatever I think

do you think us lower-income people who have to save and budget 'don't put thought in'?

I put a tonne of thought in but there's a tonne of things I can't afford regardless of how much I caringly research and think about them. I wish I was rich enough to buy whatever I see and think 'I like that so I'll get it' lol.

Yes I thought similar when I read that, thoughtlessly worded post!

PP might not be rich but you're definitely not poor if you don't have to worry about the cost of gifts.

I find it can be harder to find good gifts on a budget rather than just throwing money at the problem!

But I think the PP's point (clumsily made) was that the thought is more important than the amount spent, which I'd agree with.

mummyof2boys30 · 23/12/2021 13:33

Usually stuff we need anyway. So this year mountain boots that cost £200. He would of probably bought these himself anyway. He also has some extras he doesnt know about. His absolute favourite will be a large frame i made myself with his favourite mountain photos in and cost a tenner. I can't wait to give him it

foreverandalways · 23/12/2021 13:40

This year for my husband it's approx £500....lady year about the same....we have no children at home and can afford it...I wouldn't put us into debt for anything under any circumstances...

CuteOrangeElephant · 23/12/2021 14:01

40 pounds usually. I bought DH a board game he really wanted and he bought me the Le Creuset Hedwig pie bird and a book.

SparkyTheCat · 23/12/2021 15:51

About £30 each on bits to unwrap, plus we jointly choose a box set we'll enjoy watching together.

HollyChristmas · 23/12/2021 15:56

For those that say in the £££ hundreds , what are you buying ?
Tbh last year and this year we have spent £0 on each other . Not because of being unable to buy , but because neither of us want anything . Throughout the year , if we want something , we buy it .

CrimbleCrumble1 · 23/12/2021 16:00

HollyChristmas some Tom Ford aftershave, a handmade map from Etsy which he asked for, a book and a bottle of posh wine.

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