Christmas Gifts - Charlotte,NC

we don't have extended family who sends gifts to out children. so whatever they get, come form mom and dad (santa).
last year, we went overboard (for personal reasons).
this year, i asked them to write a list. the lists ended up being WAYYYY long and WAYYYY expensive. so i explained to them that santa may choose 2-3 big items but it's his choice and we don't get everything because he has to take care of other kids in the world.
i was prepared for a battle, interesting enough my kids said: whatever santa decides we're ok.
wow, so proud.
i will get them 2-3 things from their list, and then will get a few more things which they have not asked for but they need. like i wanted them to have a wooden sled. i ordered one. i got them this new trike thing, only because amazon had it on sale for like 50 per cent off regular price. they had asked for barbie jeep, but age-wise they're too old for it to be able to use it for years. so, instead i got them this new trike.
they will each get felicity (the AG who is going to retire). and that is it. it would have been so much easier if we had willing extended family to take off one item from the list. but we don't so we compensate for lack of that.

I also spend according to budget. One year all I could afford was 1 thing from the dollar tree! Fortunately, things are better financially, but I don't like to get them more STUFF. They have so much already! So the oldest (20yo) gets $$, and the younger ones are getting gymnastics lessons or piano lessons, clothes that they need, and the constantly-used-up art supplies. When my oldest was about 11, I stopped buying him THINGS and started getting him tickets to sporting events or concerts, which he LOVED! So I'd say this year will end up being about $300 each. Yikes. That number scares me!

Once all the presents are under the trees and then opened the next morning it seems like I spend SO much on Christmas but it is just because I start my shopping so early that I can afford what I get for my kids. I also watch for what is on sale. If I know my kid want a particular gift I will watch for the gift to go on sale and I will buy it then.
With my 3 boys we have one birthday the end of November and another Dec 18. I do not go over board with birthday presents, they only get one from me so I kind of make up for it with Christmas presents.
I do not spend a certain dollar amount but I usually get them the same number of presents. Not everything I get is toys. There will be some clothes and a few family gifts like games or movies.
Im sure I go a little overboard with Christmas gifts but its fun for me to shop for what my boys want and watch them open their gifts.

I think as they get older I spend more because they know what they want. It is usually something electronic. I dont have a set amount but they do understand if it is a major purchase that is the only gift they will receive from me. For example, last Christmas my daughter really wanted a laptop. She understood if I did purchase it that would be the only thing under the tree from me.

Im very honest with my children as well. I am not going to borrow money or go broke behind gifts. If I am on a limited budget they understand. I have them make a list and I select a few items not all. I buy same amount of items for each, unless one of them wants a major purchase. Also, I have them give away things they no longer use that are in good condition not just during Christmas but at least twice a year.

We use a spread sheet and don't go over 500 a kid. (we have 4 kids) I know this is a huge amount. We do not buy our children much during the year. Christmas is when they get most of their needs and a few fun items :) Your budget should be whatever you feel comfortable with. It is your christmas and no one else should judge :)

We don't have a set amount to spend on our 2 kids, but yes, as they've gotten older the actual number of gifts has decreased as the gifts have become more expensive. And for the most part, they understand this, although I must say that kids are kids and if they are used to receiving a large volume of gifts, that's what they come to expect, regardless of the cost of things. We generally try (within reason) to get them everything on their lists - they never really ask for much, and we are not big gift-givers during the rest of the year, so Christmas is pretty much it. We are very fortunate to be able to do this, I know. From the time they were little, we also have always made sure to have the children remember families less fortunate by donating things like winter coats or toys to our Church. It has become an important part of our gift-giving tradition and something they look forward to doing every year. Peace.

It just goes by whatever that year's budget is.

I have 2 boys ages 11 and 8 and yes their list get more expensive as they get older...oh man do they get more expensive! I have already made them write their letters to Santa of what they wanted! I always tell them I will look at the list and then mail it off to Santa. And yes my 11yr old still believes. So this year everything on my 11yr olds list was maybe 6 item and everything on it was very expensive now on my 8yr olds list was about 11 items and only 1 expensive thing! So I will buy 1 expensive thing they want and then other things! I don't have a dollar amount, but I do make sure they have the same amount of gifts, because they count them lol...its just the age...it was so much easier when they were younger lol Good Luck

my kids are 7 and 3 almost 4 this year I budgeted for $200 each well now that my son is getting into the more expensive things we might need to talk about the amount my daughters birthday is 3 days after Christmas so I have to plan ahead!

my dd turned one in july and her first xmas we did not get her anything also for her bday the same we gave her a big party and she was hooked up. Now this xmas we have already given her her 1st of many gifts it was a Kitchen by step2 and its huge. so now its just getting her smaller things for her to open and I know gma and gpa have already spent a ton on her.

We do not have a set amount but it seems to fall somewhere between $250-$300 per child depending on what is on their list. I do tend to buy everything they want but my husband asks me repeatedly not to b/c they have more stuff/toys and they do not clean them up. I actually agree with him but have a hard time telling them 'no'. They are now 5 and 7 and as they get older I think you can buy less things but maybe not spend less. Their toys get more expensive but they have less parts and pieces which is good. last year we bought our son the Nintendo DS which was $100 then the games are about $30 and we bought him two. Because we spent so much on that, he only got a few other things. One thing I like to do is make it even for each child. Maybe not in dollar amount but in items. Since he got the pricey gift, his sister got more items...so I tried to give him more items with books, cd's, clothes, etc I don't want one child to have more things to open and then one is done and the other has 5 more to open. I will be the first to admit that our kids have too much and I can already tell they are not appreciating each thing as they should. We will cut back this year. Hope this helps!

I dont have a set amount and my kids dont really make lists I let them look at the toys r us big toy book and show me things they like (they are 2 and 5) and I just kinda shop and if I see a good deal on something I think they will like I buy it. I know my 5YO wants an MP3 player so that will be her big gift this year. It also doesnt have to be new in the box cause I take everything out the night before and assemble it or just have it ready under the tree anyways so I hit up craigslist and consignment shops for some toys and pawn shops for DS and Wii games and ear rings for my daughter. I recently got a fisher price basket ball hoop for $10 looks brand new.

My kids are 6 & 4. We don't do "Santa," and they don't go to public school or Head Start or anything like that, and mostly play with their cousins; we don't have a TV so they don't get all the exposure to the ads -- so, for all of those reasons (plus I tend to religiously avoid the toy section at Walmart!), I don't have a big problem with "I want... I want... I want," and they have never made a Christmas wish list (although they may in the future). Plus, I get them stuff generally at yard sales. You can't beat the price, but sometimes the selection is wanting, so it can be hit-and-miss. (Sometimes I fill in with new items from stores, or get new or used stuff from eBay/craigslist/cheapcycle/freecycle, if I haven't been able to find enough of the right stuff at yard sales.) Some of the people on this list may be a tad horrified that I would *gasp* buy and give used stuff to my children for gifts, but I can't really tell the difference between a new Lego and a used Lego, except for the price. :-)

Even if my husband made a lot of money, I'd probably still want to go frugal and get stuff at yard sales, just because I like frugality and love the idea of spending a quarter or a dollar and getting a sack full of Legos (or other toy) that would have cost $20 had I purchased it new at a store; but our income is less than the national average, and I need to pinch pennies, so this really helps to stretch our income.

So, how much do I spend? Probably around $50 or less for both my children; and the number of gifts is based on how much of what good stuff I've been able to find at the right time and the right price. Christmas-before-last I spent no more than $50, and got my boys each a bike, plus got a train table, lots and lots of books, several movies, and a variety of other toys. They had a blast, loved everything they got, and didn't know that they were "supposed" to get everything brand new and that their parents were "supposed" to spend hundreds of dollars. [That year, my oldest sister spent about $300-500 on gifts for each of her children, ages 8 & 10; and my other sister spent about $100 on each of her children, ages 3, 7 & 9.]

I am in a different situation this year. I raised an only child and got accordingto income. but there was no limit as long as income allowed. now I have a 2 yr old and a 21 yr old stepson in the picture. tHe older boys understand the babies are cheaper to buy for and will get a little more but our income is tight this year and i have no idea how to make it fair for all. wether the same amount is spent even though the baby will get more cause I can get his at the dollar store or just buy and equal amount for all kids or what that would be. I want to get the baby a trike but it would cost more than I can afford and I couldnt spend that much on all 3 kids. so I am at a loss how to do this this year. WE are thinking at this point one big present $20 and one small $10 and dollar store items. batteries and such. I have no idea how I am going to do it this year.

Depending on our finances, I spend between forty and seventy dollars per child. When they were younger they didn't write lists. I just searched the stores, especially the clearance aisles, for items on sale that I knew they would enjoy. That way I was able to buy each one more. Now that they're in their teens and 20s I do have them give me a wish list, but it's negotiable (and some of my kids just want cash). My youngest wanted an iPod this year. Together we searched through internet ads and found a less expensive mp3 player that had the features he wanted.

It depends on our finances that year. I also am a buy throughout the year person, so I have gifts for my son that have been sitting in a closet since we went to Disney World in May! It's nice because I won't have a huge bill come January, but he still gets a really great Christmas!

I have three kids and I am about to give birth to my fourth one any day now and this year I will try to give the three oldest ones 3 gifts each for Christmas and then 5 days later my third child will have a birthday, so needless to say I have to come up with plenty of fun gifts this time of year.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great Christmas.

God Bless = )

I try to get each of my kids three things each from us. I also try to get them three things each from Santa as well. My nine year old is wanting more expensive things, so she may only end up with two things from us. As far as how much, it depends on finances that year.

I do not have a set amount. I have one son 8 years old and one on the way. We usually get my son one big gift, and a lot of other cheaper things. I am lucky as I have a friend who works for a toy company and can get games and things at cost. My husband also runs a toy store, so I can get deals that way. I also am a Black Friday shopper and end up with great deals like, basketball for $5, PJ's for $3, movies for $2. We do a few toys, clothes, and lots of family gifts from Santa like games. I would say I spend around $200-$300 on him. We do not have a large extended family so pretty much what we get for him is it.

we spend anywhere from 400- 800 dollars it depends on how big their "big gifts" are.