For 2 of our siblings, we got them a Harry and David tower - just a small one during the black Friday events. Cost - $19.99 each
For 7 families, we bought them GreenMarket Purveying Co. Reed Diffusers on Black Friday as well. These are wonderful! A little pricey, but they last about 6 months and it smells wonderful - not perfumey like so many candles and waxes. My favorite is the lemon and cucumber, but we got them a holiday scent. We got them at $16.00 during the sale.
Oh, we also got the kids under 15 gifts, but I made them from my stash, so I am not counting the cost as it was absorbed last year. It is stadium blankets personalized with their names.
For our mother's, I wanted to get them something special - the dad's were honored last year. I LOVE Plum Paper and having been using their planner for 4 years now. They have a new notebook, that is perfect bound and about 5 x 7, so perfect to slip into a purse. I had them personalized and could choose the design. I am putting a Frixion pen with it (they are erasable). Something really nice and personal for $10 each!
DS #1 - Since he is 21 now, he gets what he needs needs more than what he wants because needs are so high. My husband likes to set them up with gift cards - gas, oil changes, food, groceries - about $200 worth. I would like to take him shopping for some jeans and shorts for work - he has lost a lot of weight recently and all his pants are falling off of him. I will spend about $75 more.
DS#2 - He is almost 20! He has lots of needs and very little wants as well. He gets the gift cards - same as above - around $200. But we also are getting him a couple of wants - a graphite pencil, a book and a DVD - Magical Creature and Where to Find Them. Total for wants - $40.
DD - She is 14. She wants so many things, but only asked for one thing. Itunes card. So, that is what she is getting - an itunes card and a Hot Topic gift card - both $100 each. She buys bottoms at Kohl's, but I let her get fun tops from Hot Topic. We are also getting her a really good heating pad. $45 for the extra.
DS#3 - He is 13. Although I am not thrilled he is a gamer, he programs games as well as plays them, so that helps. He is good about it though - never complains when we ask him to get off. So, we got him a Nintendo Switch with 1 game - that was around $350. He is also getting a usb microphone and usb SD card converter. $35 for the extras.
Yes, DS#3 costs more. The others get more throughout the year than this one does, just because his wants and needs are so low. He never asks for anything. My daughter gets all year. She will be thrilled with her Christmas and no one has to know the disparage between the prices.
We have not bought stocking stuffers, but it usually consists of their favorite candy, a flash drive and socks.
Total $1,427. We budgeted $1,200 and I supplied rest. Next year, we are cutting back the Christmas budget to $800. I will have more time to make gifts and we are cutting back on the kids. This Christmas is the biggest they have ever had. Like I said on an earlier post - I think some of it is our guilt for this being such a hard year on our family - losing 2 close family members, living in an RV. It was a lot.
Oh the stocking stuffers, we already have the socks and usb - they were absorbed in the grocery budget (I know, but there was a great sale!). We will get the candy from the grocery budget as well.
I cannot wait to see their faces Christmas morning. We still have the magic of Christmas is our home!
I never worry about spending the same amount of money-different wants and needs cost different amounts. I've never been told anyone is disappointed, and hopefully that was because we kept the spirit as gift-not obligation. We've had different splurges in different years-it all works out. We are spending well under $200 a kids this year-gits for the girls are really low-less than $60, but will give some cash as well. Son a little higher, mostly because I don't pick up odds and ends for him often. He'll get some cash as well. The rest of what we might normally have spent is being applied to airplane tickets for next summer.
ReplyDeleteI think I was talking through some of my guilt! LOL. Good to know someone else spends differently on each of their children. If we were to go by the year, then my daughter would ALWAYS come out on top. She has Daddy wrapped around her finger.
DeleteI think it'll be a lovely Christmas by the sounds of it! A little spoiling doesn't hurt occasionally. Plus, you've budgeted for it all, so I don't think you should feel at all guilty. As you say, you're cutting back next year, but it's been a bit of a rough year. Enjoy being together! Best wishes for a lovely holiday xx
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