Average US Xmas Spending This Year Will Be $830 on Gifts

[Singuy]

Considering that 62% of Americans have less than $1,000 in their savings..I would say most will be borrowing this money. A lot will use their tax return to pay for this...and on the news they are saying 15% of Americans will spend at least 6 months paying this off.

I don't understand how most Americans start the year behind just to buy junk you no longer care about after a month.

[HundredK]

We aren't buying anyone gifts except for business clients, but those are tax deductible and help us get more business. No one else is getting anything, including relatives and close friends.

[tripods68]

We're budgeting about 2500 - 3000 this year.

$1500 of that will be spend mainly for our family. We need a lot since moving into our new home.

[disneysteve]

We will be happily below average, as usual.

[kork13]

We dont "plan" to spend a certain amount, but we do typically limit it to $50-$100/person. I normally only buy for my 2 brothers, and the three of us normally go in together on something for our father. My wife's family only buys something for one other family member (and their family if applicable), so for between 1-5 people. I'd expect to spend no more than $300-$500 on gifts for others.
Within our little family (just us plus a 1 y/o), we'll normally get each other a couple items, and for our son we've chosen to follow/limit ourselves to this gift philosophy: "Something you want, something you need, something to wear, and something to read."
We also get each of us a new set of pajamas every year and fill stockings for each other with little treats, small games/puzzles, and so on. So within our family, call it another $500 or so.

I would say that we're fairly reasonable in limiting our gift spending, especially given that this is mostly the only time of year we give gifts... So I can believe that $830 figure pretty easily.

As stated, though, most families sadly don't have that money readily available and will probably spend money they either don't have or can't afford to spend on gifts. Gratefully, we do have savings set aside for gifts/vacations as needed, though we'll likely be able to mostly cash flow our gift spending over the next 2 months without touching the savings.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

No budget. But i just buy what I think makes people smile. Can be cheap and expensive.

[snafu]

I'm bothered by people who go into debt spending money they don't have, to buy people they don't care about, gifts the recipients are uncomfortable accepting.
We've lost so many family members the last two years, our giving has significantly contracted. Family tradition asks us to make something to give as granny believed 'any fool can buy something, if you make it, you've added time and love.'

DH and I are in the de-clutter mode, so gifts will likely be travel linked. I've no idea what sons plan but will support as appropriate. Last year it was special hiking boots to facilitate a Machu Picchu hike.

[disneysteve]

The only person we really buy for is our daughter. Plus I give each of the women in my office a cash gift. So $200 at work and whatever we spend for our daughter. Definitely not $630 which would be needed to hit that prediction.

[Singuy]

I started this topic so we can have a conversation of the following:

1. Are Xmas gifts an entitlement for your family or children?
2. Is it culturally unacceptable for a family to skip xmas gifts?
3. Is this an opportunity to educate your children the value of money and debt vs pampering your child for being so good all year?

My wife's co-worker who is in debt is prepared to spoil her kids this xmas..and every xmas because they "deserve it".."life is not all about money". She said she'll use her tax return to pay back the xmas spending.

So is "life is not always about money" a good reason to put yourself in debt but in return, get that laughter and joy from your children? Are laughter and joy from your children an entitlement?

After my wife and I watched the news about this..we looked at each other scratching our head wondering "how is this a news topic?". It's beyond comprehensible for us Asians. We work on a totally opposite system..as in we spend 1 dollar only if we have at least 10 in our pockets.

[Jluke]

We are looking at $1400.

If I can convince my siblings again to skip gifts that would be $200 less.

I think parents of young children should at least get something for their kids for Christmas. A small toy, clothing/necessities they would have bought anyways. You don't have to break the bank if your situation isn't that great. Just try to have something for them on Christmas morning.

[disneysteve]

I started this topic so we can have a conversation of the following:

1. Are Xmas gifts an entitlement for your family or children?
2. Is it culturally unacceptable for a family to skip xmas gifts?
3. Is this an opportunity to educate your children the value of money and debt vs pampering your child for being so good all year?

My wife's co-worker who is in debt is prepared to spoil her kids this xmas..and every xmas because they "deserve it".."life is not all about money". She said she'll use her tax return to pay back the xmas spending.

So is "life is not always about money" a good reason to put yourself in debt but in return, get that laughter and joy from your children? Are laughter and joy from your children an entitlement?

After my wife and I watched the news about this..we looked at each other scratching our head wondering "how is this a news topic?". It's beyond comprehensible for us Asians. We work on a totally opposite system..as in we spend 1 dollar only if we have at least 10 in our pockets.

I can certainly see how folks from different cultures look at typical American spending habits and think we're all nuts. Heck, I'm American and think the typical spending habits are nuts.

I don't understand going into debt to buy gifts. I don't understand spending money you don't have because you "have to" give gifts to everyone you've ever known. A woman I used to work with had 40-50 people on her Christmas gift list. It was crazy. Parents, grandparents, siblings, their spouses, their children, best friends, their spouses and children, coworkers and their children, etc.

I believe that the gifts you give need to fit your budget. For some, that might mean no gifts at all. For others, it might mean a couple of items purchased secondhand. Maybe it means baking cookies for everyone or doing some craft project. Gifts don't have to be expensive, store-bought items.

[StormRichards]

We will be happily below average, as usual.

Same here. Our Christmas spending has been in the $250 to $300 range each year for many years. The only years we exceeded that total is when my siblings and I chipped in cash to cover the hotel stay for our parents' vacation.

[sv2007]

I don't understand how most Americans start the year behind just to buy junk you no longer care about after a month.

Not all gifts are "junk". Most of our gifts are cash or grocery store gift cards (yes, boring, but we think they are more useful than other types of gift cards).. The one exception is son's pediatrician (who's been getting the same chocolates for 6 years).

[disneysteve]

Not all gifts are "junk". Most of our gifts are cash or grocery store gift cards

Definitely. One of the most popular gifts today is gift cards. Give people money and let them buy what they want. Some people feel it shows a lack of thought but I think it is thoughtful in the sense that you aren't giving things people don't want, don't like, don't fit, or whatever. And nobody feels obligated to keep or wear or display what you gave them. This way they get exactly what they want and like.

[Jennsnoopy]

We were that family who got into debt when buying for the kids. It started when we were told of our kids diagnoses and it really snowballed out of control. We felt so terrible for what they had to go through medically and we were afraid something would happen to them so out of guilt, fear and pity we bought. We thought it would take the pain away. It didn't. It took us a long time to dig out from that but we finally did. We needed to get our finances straight so we could move. Do they still get presents, sure, but the last 2 years have been scaled way back. And you know what? The kids are fine! Turns out even though they do like the stuff, what they like more is time with us! They like making annual gingerbreads, buying a gift for a needy child with some of the money they've saved, snowball fights and decorating the house. That's what keeps the holidays going for us all December. For hubby and me, we plan a special date night right before Christmas as getting time away from the kids is necessary to keep us going as a couple.
I think many of us can get wrapped up in too much consumerism in an attempt to buy "love". It's empowering Finding out that even young kids just want to spend time together and that is their true holiday wish.

So yes, we did in the past, pamper the kids but not now. A harder lesson for me they for them truth be told.
Hardest part now is extended family (aunts, grandmas etc) still want and expect gifts from us and that is a very sensitive area.