What's your Christmas Budget? - Page 2

[DebraBaker]

I have eight children so my Christmas shopping list is rather large.

I have my eight children.

Two sons' in law.

Mom

Dad (they are divoriced so seperate gifts)

My single brother.

MIL

FIL and SMIL (yup, divoriced, too)

Granddaughter (squared because Christmas is also her birthday.)

Two nieces (little gifts)

Two Christmas parties in which we give small (but multiplied by seven it becomes large) gift exchange.

Chrildren like to give their teachers gifts as well (do the math)

So.....I try to keep the Christmas budget at about $1,500 but it can be as bad as $2,000.

This year I already got skiing and snowboarding equipment for most of them (got some good deals) and we spend the granddad money (both granddads tend to give us checks for Christmas) to go on skiing trips throughout the winter.

It's a bit crazy but I actually love Christmas and none of the kids is ever really spoiled with a lot of loot we just have a lot of people to love and give gifts.

Debra Baker

[MelMel]

wow, I love that 'gag' gift idea, SonjaG, how fun and cheap!

my extended family does a secret santa name draw gift exchange with a $25 dollar limit, and everyone puts 3 suggestions (ie: demands) with their name of what to get. everyone is SOOOO boring, and always put gift cert's or instant lotto tickets on their sheets...ugh, so dh and I always put vague 'fun' things on our papers...like last year, I put 'something round and red', and my cousin got me a red bracelet...my dh always puts wierd stuff like pickled eggs or pornography (my gramma got that one, she read it and asked what 'pornography' was in front of everyone, she even pronounced it wrong, it was like a bad movie) : he is a trouble maker.

but usually we just get funny looks and a gift certificate..too bad we cant participate this year.