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How much do you spend on Christmas?
No one is obligated to answer if they dont' want to, but I'm just curious about how much people actually spend on Christmas.
I know it can't be added up quite yet, but I know that I've spent more on this Christmas than I ever have before.
I'm thinking:
Tree: ~ $40 (We haven't gotten ours yet, but I expect it will cost at least this)
Presents: ~$750 (and this only includes 9 people, all adults)
Food:~ $500 easily (ingredients for cookies and chex mix, food for parties, alcohol, ect)
Travel: ~$100 (we just drive back and forth to kalamazoo, so this is probably on the low end for most peopl)
Decorations: ~$200 (This is the first year in our house, we had to buy xmas lights for the outside, plus some decorations for the inside, but nothing crazy!)
And I'm sure I'm missing some things!
So that adds up to almost $1600!!! That seems crazy!!! I know this holiday isn't suppoed to be about spending money, but it seems like there is really no way around it! I cannot even imagine how much more I would spend if I had kids.
This really makes me think...
Re: How much do you spend on Christmas?
Too much
Wow, I'm a debbie downer today. Sorry ladies lol!
You're not a debbie downer at all! This was exactly my point!
Serendipity3, South Beach, Miami, FL 2012
I thought it'd be easy to answer since I just thought you meant presents but when you add in all the other stuff, that's a whole new ball game!
Trees/Wreaths: $110
HOLY SHEEZ! I never added it up before, dh just sets the limit and I spend it!
Gifts: about $1000, not counting my kids and me and dh
Decorations: This year we spent about $70 due to lights and added decor for the new house.
Travel: whatever gas, tolls and food is for the trip back to NY.
I'm a bit depressed now. Thanks
Getting back to it- my diet and exercise blog
Losing it...Without Losing it
Good question. It changes every year and I try not to add it up most times. I will go by last years numbers since we aren't done this year.
Travel - Last year we spent about $200 in gas driving around (had to go up north one day, airport to pick someone up, etc). Not sure what this year will bring.
Decorations - $20ish. Tree is fake, but I usually buy at least an ornament or two.
Food - Probably $300ish total
Gifts - $900-1000ish. This year should be closer to $700.
$345 on gifts.
...But we have yet to spend money on:
Tree (DH is chopping it down this weekend)
Travel (to visit friends/family in MI and OH)
Decorations (We may buy some AFTER Christmas... depending on if I really like anything)
Food (ingredients for fudge, and making food for parties)
Donations
So in total, I'm hoping it won't be more than $650. It's a lot, IMO, but I don't mind. I really enjoy shopping for others, actually. And wrapping gifts too!
It's one of those things I try not to think about (until someone posts a thread like this and I start adding everything up, haha)
I think it ends up being well over $2,000 because of the travel associated with the holiday for us. This year that part set us back about $1,000.
Wow Maggie, you make me feel like a real cheap skate. Here's my best guess on what we spend:
Tree: $0 this year - we have an artificial 3 ft. tree that I got at a 90% off after-Christmas sale for $3. No joke.
Decorations: $0 this year. We already have a bunch (most of which were purchased as above-mentioned 90% off sale). If anything, I want to trim down our collection.
Food: ~$50-75? We aren't hosting any parties or even making dinner for ourselves. I may bake some cookies and I need to bring dishes to a couple parties, but I usually make a point to bring something inexpensive. I feel no need to impress.
Travel: $70. We drive to Midland, Grosse Pointe and Plymouth, but I doubt that would even use 2 tanks of gas. We're lucky to have a fuel efficient car.
Presents: ~$800. Total guess at this point as I haven't started shopping. And that's if we spend the full allotted budget on every person, which I will do my best not to.
Sh*t, that's still nearly a grand. I had never added it all up before!!!
Yeah, you're spending almost as much as we are...
I have a (small) holiday party every year (and to save money we had people bring a dish and drink to pass), and I bake a TON of cookies and Chex Mix every year... Maybe $500 was an over estimate, but by the time Christmas comes, I could see myself spending this, easily... 
Serendipity3, South Beach, Miami, FL 2012
To be fair, I'm often really bad at estimating what I spend on things. While I'm shopping, I always feel like I'm doing so well, getting things on sale, etc. Then I walk out of the store and check my receipt, and I'm like, "that all cost HOW MUCH???"
But now you've motivated me to keep track of my Christmas spending this year to see what it actually costs. I'm headed over to mint.com to set up a new category as we speak.
Tree-$0, we usually have an artificial tree, but it had seen it's last Christmas last year, & this year I didn't want to get one just w/lack of space & an 18 month old who would tear it down. Maybe next year.
Decorations-$4.99 on a sign I bought last night to put outside our condo (I like to get those after Christmas when they're cheap)
Food-hmm, not sure, probably $50. I don't need to really make cookies since I'd end up eating them all. I do have a gathering to make a dessert or appetizer. We're doing Christmas in Pittsburgh, so my SIL will have all the food.
Presents: so far I've added it up to around $400. I have a small family. I haven't added the cost for whatever I bought for the kids, since I buy stuff throughout the year for them & then give as gifts.
Travel-We're driving to Pittsburgh, so around $40 for tolls & then whatever gas is.
Tree/Decorations: $25 - just buying a new ornament for James this year. We have a fake tree (H says no real tree this year
). We have a lot of decorations already.
Presents: $500 or less. We cut back on who/how much we are giving this year.
Food: $50-$100. We are having get togethers with our parents/siblings but everyone pitches in so it's not a lot for one person. I declined the cookie exchange I usually participate in too. I am a grinch this year lol.
Travel: $50? We only have to travel to see my Mom. Everyone else is local.
All together, less than $1k which seems so little compared to other people. Between buying a house last year and having a baby this year our savings account is looking sad so we are really trying to be more frugal in general and get it back to a happier number. And I will say, cutting down the gift part has made the holiday season way less stressful for me.
I honestly have no idea. And I would really rather not think about it
I always spend more on gifts then I intend to, but I love buying people things that they want/enjoy, regardless of the cost.
As far as other expenses, we have a fake tree. At the end of the Christmas season I tend to buy more holiday decoratios for the following year when it is all one clearence.
We dont have a party or make dinner. Usually all I have to make are pies...so I get off pretty cheap there.
Well I thought it was not muich but let's add this up:
tree/decorations: this year nothing, or close to nothing. we have an artificial tree and i don't plan to buy any decor unless it's 90% off at target or something after xmas
food: we are not hosting this year, although i may be having a pre-xmas dinner for about 12 people, and i will serve lasagna (easy to make ahead with DD#1 and 2) which is not expensive. And DH's family doesn't drink, so maybe $50 for that meal. I will also offer to buy groceries when we stay with my parents, but we will be there for two weeks and I know they won't let us buy our fair share, so we will actually come out ahead on groceries for the month!
gifts: I quickly tallied what I have for the girls and it is about $150, let's say $200 because I am sure there will be impulse buys between now and xmas. DH and I are not exchanging gifts but we will probably go have a date day while staying at my parents' and spend $50-75ish? the adults are not exchanging, but I am going to be giving pictures of the girls in plain frames from ikea (pictures $30, frames $20).
travel: ugh, this is why we are not spending much in other categories. travel to CA is REDONKULOUS!!!!!!!!! We almost didn't buy tickets, but decided to bite the bullet so my extended family can meet DD#2. They are helping with part of one plane ticket, but still going to cost us about $1100 for tickets and airport parking for two weeks.
Tree: Zero we have the fake one, had it for three years now I think?
Presents: $1000 for the family 22 of them
Food: Not sure probably $100 just bringing a dish to pass at the gatherings
Travel: $50 for one tank of gas
Decorations: I didn?t go crazy this year I feel like I wiped Bonners out the past two? maybe $30 on a few ornaments and knick knacks.
Totaling around about $1180