So What Did You Spend On The Holidays?

[gayl]

Not counting food or end-year-checks to kids:

• gift cards: $240
• straight out cash: $260
• 3 gifts: $120
• 2 candles that I found when purging (never opened)

Yes, boring but a lot easier than when I tried to get 9 gifts

 

[easysurfer]

Spent very little. A couple of gift cards and bought a Christmas tree for family member.

 

[RobbieB]

So far food & drink - 2 grand
Presents - 3 grand

Still have a ways to go, it's not past New Years yet -

 

[joeea]

I spent almost nothing. My wife made up for that and spent plenty.

I hate shopping. Fortunately my wife enjoys it so much that I can avoid most of it. She doesn't tell me how much she spent, and I don't ask.

 

[RetiredGypsy]

~$500 for presents and food, half of which is for gifts I'm giving myself.

 

[HillCountry]

Nothing. Unless 4 X iPhone X last Saturday?

 

[Car-Guy]

A little over 10k, almost all to the needy/underprivileged in my area which is our biggest charitable donation each year. The DW and I aren't giving gifts to each other this year. I think we have it all, or at least all we want/need.

 

[Senator]

Nothing yet, it's way too early.

 

[Midpack]

About $100 on gifts and cards. We don’t need anything and the grandkids are all adults now, so no one really needs anything anymore. And we indulge ourselves on our anniversary in about a week.

 

[Walt34]

I only spent $90 on the ham for Christmas dinner, DW spent ~$350 on gifts for the grandnieces and grandnephews. It's about the only time of year she spends much and I don't mind.

 

[dvalley]

Gifts included:
xbox
gift cards
wine
books
beanie toys
candy
cookies
My guess is around $500

 

[Another Reader]

Two boxes of stuffing mix. $3.98.

We don't do any gifting. No cards. Food expenditures don't change much. Cooked stuffing with a roast chicken and will do the same with the other box. Avoiding the malls, Costco, and even grocery stores except for fresh produce and milk until January 2nd.

Bah, humbug!

ETA: I don't include charity, as that is a year-round thing.

 

[NYEXPAT]

In the 20k range which includes Disney World for the kids and a NYC trip for my Wife. Because we have multiple residences, I need to pay gratuities to 11 Doorman and maintenance guys/gals this year, which I did not include as well as gifts for the various Nannies,housekeepers,etc.

 

[Moemg]

I spent $4000 on gifts,Food and charitable donations .

 

[atmsmshr]

A little over 10k, almost all to the needy/underprivileged in my area which is our biggest charitable donation each year. The DW and I aren't giving gifts to each other this year. I think we have it all, or at least all we want/need.

Thank you for being generous Car-Guy.

 

[Red Badger]

~$1K... small gifts, mostly for friends.

Just now heading out with DW to local craft brewery for a couple pints and endless popcorn. Guess that's another $12 to add (like RobbieB said, still gotta get through new years).

 

[frayne]

About $1500 on the kids and grandkids this year.

 

[Mo Money]

$1500 all-in, from tree to booze to baking supplies to presents. I always budget for $1200-$1600.

 

[Cobra9777]

I haven't added it up, but DW and I usually spend about $1.5-2.0K on gifts and probably another $500 on food and drink. We have lots of family in the area... both kids, their spouses, one grandchild, spouse's family, in-laws, and a handful of really close friends. Even pets get gifts. Holidays are a pretty big deal around here.

 

[Calico]

$80 total on gifts

We stopped all gifting between adults in the family several years ago. We all have everything we need. Even with the kids we don't go overboard. Gifts to my cousins' kids:

$40 cash to the 10-year-old
$40 cash to the 17-year-old

It's what they want, and it frees me from having to figure out which Pokemon cards/video games/other electronic doodads (etc, etc) are desired.

Two days ago I spent $370 for new front brakes. I guess that is my Christmas gift to myself!

 

[W2R]

The only Christmas present I bought was a (rather large) gift card for my DD.

That's about it.

 

[bizlady]

$700 or nothing depending on how you look at it...we save all our cash back points and use them each year for Christmas

 

[aja8888]

About $2500 between DW and I (mostly her). I just contributed a flock of Amazon gift cards.

 

[CardsFan]

I spent almost nothing. My wife made up for that and spent plenty.

I hate shopping. Fortunately my wife enjoys it so much that I can avoid most of it. She doesn't tell me how much she spent, and I don't ask.

That about sums it up for me, as well. Although, I won't say DW "enjoys" shopping, but she tolerates it much better than me. I have no idea what she spent, but since I know her frugal habits, I don't need to know the amount.

 

[45th Birthday]

About $6,500, which includes wife, two kids, one kid SO, staff gratuities. Not including food, what my wife spends on me, and charity. It has crept up in recent years.