So What Did You Spend On The Holidays?

[Helen]

$40 for our 9ft Christmas tree (a benefit of living in Oregon.)

$500 in checks and gift cards to my nephew, niece, their spouses and two great nieces.

$300 in gifts to my spouse

We are providing appetizers, dinner, wine and beer for 14 friends. I don't know the cost. I'm looking forward to it!

 

[hausfrau]

Christmas tree/decorations: 200
Teacher gifts: 125
Family gifts: 650
Party stuff: 50

 

[aja8888]

$40 for our 9ft Christmas tree (a benefit of living in Oregon.)

Just curious, but what is the benefit? The $40 or the 9' tree?

(there doesn't seem to be anything special with either).

 

[Scuba]

Just curious, but what is the benefit? The $40 or the 9' tree?



(there doesn't seem to be anything special with either).

We paid $105 for a 7 ft tree in So CA. $40 is dirt cheap for a 9 ft tree.

 

[Scuba]

I haven’t added up our holiday spending yet because I don’t know what DH spent on me, and I haven’t had time. Guessing all in Christmas will be in the $2-$3K range. We are having our annual New Year’s Eve party so that will add more. Lots of Champagne and something elegant but easy to eat.

I’m not counting charity either. Our charitable contributions far exceeded budget this year, partly because I was feeling blessed and generous and partly because of all the natural disasters.

Blow that dough!

 

[NW-Bound]

Nothing here yet. Tomorrow, we will go out to buy some food items to prepare our contribution to the family Christmas potluck that is hosted by my brother this year.

Later, I will get some prime cuts of beef at Costco to make a New Year steak dinner for ourselves and the children and the son-in-law.

The above was about it. Already have plenty of booze, so do not even have to get more Cognac.

 

[aja8888]

We paid $105 for a 7 ft tree in So CA. $40 is dirt cheap for a 9 ft tree.

Well that's expected in So Cal. But $40 does sound reasonable.

 

[Another Reader]

Nothing here yet. Tomorrow, we will go out to buy some food items to prepare our contribution to the family Christmas potluck that is hosted by my brother this year.

Later, I will get some prime cuts of beef at Costco to make a New Year steak dinner for ourselves and the children and the son-in-law.

The above was about it. Already have plenty of booze, so do not even have to get more Cognac.

Hmmmm....that would be an improvement on roast chicken and stuffing. Maybe I will upgrade!

 

[SJ1_]

we bought presents for our 4 grand children spent about $250 total

 

[Sue J]

Nothing yet, it's way too early.

Ha, ha! I like your style.

We don’t buy for anyone except for DHs mom, she’s the only one who still sends us gifts, usually gift cards. We spent maybe $50 for her and we gave our son and DIL a few things from Santa for their 1st Christmas together, about $35.

We haven’t done gifts for each other in many years. But this year we got a dog, opens up all kinds of new expenses which we are happy to have. She’s a real delight!

 

[Ronstar]

2 iPhones - $2k
wood & supplies for cutting board gifts - $100
Gotta get some beer - probably around $60
Also bought myself some woodturning chisels - $200

So I'm at around $2360
I have no clue what DW spent, but she is probably at around $2k.

 

[Throwdownmyaceinthehole]

I'm at about 1k for gifts. Then a couple hundred for food and booze And a washer and dryer for DD to be bought after Christmas Also bought Ukuleles for a classroom around 500 bucks. Did not buy any new clothes for parties or host any parties. Christmas dinner will be simple Italian based with lots of Chianti and Tiramisu

 

[Helen]

Well that's expected in So Cal. But $40 does sound reasonable.

We paid $25 last year but went to a different farm this year.

 

[aja8888]

We paid $25 last year but went to a different farm this year.

They are pretty cheap around here, too, as most of east Texas is pine forest.

 

[athena53]

About $500 on gifts, half of which was 9 cartons of cigarettes I sent to my BIL. Poor guy doesn't have a lot of $$$, he's 82 and has few pleasures left in life so I don't feel quite as guilty.

Another $500 or so for the trip I'm on to see family- two hotel nights en route plus another two nights when my family members' houses are going to be a bit overrun with people and I'd rather sleep in a bed than a sleeping bag.

 

[skipro33]

About $500 for gifts and shipping of baked goods my wife makes for family and friends. Maybe another $150 or so for food; we are hosting 14 at our house for Christmas this year. Another $100 or so on fix-ups for the house; air mattresses for grandkids and such.

 

[ERD50]

It never occurred to me to add it up. I have (almost) no idea.

DW has some rough round figures for gifts for the kids (mostly to keep it somewhat equal, I dunno, maybe around a couple hundred bucks?), and smaller gifts for nieces, nephews, and her siblings (I've been trying to get her to talk them all into less gift giving, thought my DD was going to broach the subject at Thanksgiving but she wimped out).

We get each other stuff we think they would want. I apply the "value principle" to just about every purchase, so it really wouldn't matter if the gift was a $60,000 remodel to the house, or $60 set of dishes. If either makes her happy, and we both see it as a value and we can afford it, we get it.

We host the holiday parties for extended family, so that adds up, but I don't add it up. If we didn't want to do it, we wouldn't. That's how I budget. Works for me.

Happy Holidays!

-ERD50

 

[irishgal]

Gratuities for cleaning people, hair stylist, etc totaled - $500.
For friends I baked tons of cookies and pies.
No spouse no family so zero there.

 

[jollystomper]

Final tally for gifts, custom cards, mailings, additional wrapping paper/boxes/lights, extra gratuities, "Secret Santas" for a few families in need, etc. will come to around $3000. We have usually tried to keep things below $2000, but this year loosened the LBYM reins a bit.

DW and I do not exchange gifts with our siblings (we all agreed on this many years ago), but we do get for our nieces, nephews and their families, in addition to our kids.

 

[ABQ2015]

About $1200 total. Presents for 10 great nephews and nieces. $150 for food. Gas money for travel to my brother's house. $200 for cards, postage, and decorations. I had not put up decorations for several years and found that I needed some new lights and outdoor extension cords. That's about how much I spend each year.

 

[DEC-1982]

Gratuities for cleaning people, lawn mowing guy - $300.

 

[Major Tom]

Not much. Maybe about a hundred (or a little less) in gifts for the SO. We both purchased a few things that we are going to gift ourselves on the day but, to be honest, they are things we would have bought for ourselves anyway. It just gives us a few more gifts to open!

As for food, we are going to have Chinese in SF's Chinatown with family members, so whatever that costs. Nothing like hearing Jingle Bells being played on a Chinese two-stringed fiddle!

I gave $100 to the local kitty rescue.

 

[pacergal]

Budget about $1500-$2000 for everything.

 

[Choices]

About $3,800 for families and charitable giving.