What’s a sensible budget for adult relatives?

[polkadotdinosaur]

I’m struggling to know what to spend. Only buying for both parents and siblings/their partners - not going as far as cousins and aunties etc.

I know it will vary but I don’t know if £20 is right, or £50? More? A box of chocolates / lindt reindeer and one item of clothing is towards the £30 mark but this feels so meaningless. Finding it difficult for ideas this year.

We never spend more than about £20 on adults- usually books. Don't see the point of adults spending a lot of money on one another.

I do £30-50 on parents. I'll spend less or more if I find the perfect gift.

For siblings and their partners I wouldn't want to spend more than £25 per couple but it completely depends on budgets.

It is obviously going to vary hugely according to circumstance: income, number of gifts bought, and just general family norms around gift buying.

I/we only buy gifts for my two sisters and their husbands. My ILs are from a culture where they don't buy gifts at Christmas and my parents are dead. I spend about £50 each on my sisters and a bit less on their husbands. For us that is (to be honest) a fairly trivial amount of money in the general scheme of things but I can find something nice for that and don't feel any need to buy more. It's made a little awkward by the fact that one sister tends to spend more and the other tends to spend less but I don't feel I should spend too differently on them!

I only very rarely buy more than one item. I wouldn't bother with the random addition of a box of chocs!

We but for our grown up children and our parents but don't buy for any other adults at all. The whole family agreed to stop that years ago which was a relief for us all. No more having to stress about what to buy and how much.
We do buy a tin of biscuits for each of our neighbours but that's about a £5 each.

It will vary. I'd say about £50pp/£100 per couple but we have a small family, only buy for parents/siblings + partners same as you and have no kids in the family, plus all earn reasonably well. I assume if/when children come along the budget will shift to buying for them instead

I used to spend up to £50pp until this year which will be a maximum spend is £20. Cost of living is catching up with us.

Im always fascinated by people who post long list of gifts for parents and adult siblings, I buy one gift per person from my family unit (so not one from me and another from dc) usually around £40 - £45.

I buy for parents and nieces/nephews only now and not siblings as they all have dc.

I think it's plenty to spend (I'm not saying it's the right amount for everyone but it's what I'm comfortable with) and I don't think most adults want lots of "stuff" especially "stuff" they didn't choose.

Cancel it this year (and every year if I get my way), wouldn't buy for adult siblings or partners, gifts between parents and children of course regardless of age

I spend 30-50 for mum and 20-30 for anyone else.

We used to do £20 per person for parents and siblings but have halved this to £10 per person bit everyone is actually getting shared presents with their husbands/wives so £20 per couple and boots 3 for 3 has been very helpful!

Odd question

depends on individual circumstances re what is a sensible budget

£20 per person, or if a joint gift, £30 for a couple (win!). We don't historically spend much on Xmas though, we spend more for birthdays.

I spend around £100 on my mum, a bit less on MIL and her husband. We don’t buy for DH’s siblings.

0 they are adults…

So they're not allowed nice gifts and treats? That's a bit miserable.

We don't, we do a secret Santa for adults who are at the table on Christmas Day. We all have enough and buy what we want / need through the year. Much easier this way.

How can anyone think this is a sensible question?

For some people a limit of £20k per person will seem mean. Others will struggle to find £2. for their closest relative.

Very hard to see how other people’s spending can guide you. Because they’re not you.

I agree. Very odd indeed

It depends what they normally spend on you?

A sensible amount is an amount you can comfortably afford.

No it doesn’t

it depends on your individual financial circumstances AND what you want to buy for them based on the former and how close you are to them.

What family buys for me is irrelevant to my purchase

For you, yes perhaps

We also do a secret Santa. Limit of £30. 6 adults participating. Works well as none of us want or need extra but it's nice to gift.

Also means one of the childless couple gets a gift as we otherwise only buy for children.

OP, give us an idea of your absolutely maximum budget, ages and a couple of likes and dislikes. Between us we can find some good stuff.