How much has this Christmas cost you so far?
By Pigglies
@Pigglies (9329)
United States
November 29, 2006 12:22am CST
I'm usually quite the budget shopper, but this Christmas already seems to be getting quite expensive, although not yet as much so as the last one!
Mom's present, a diamond heart pendent with a small jewelry box = $60
Dad's present, a set of wrenches = $40
Girlfriend's first present, a set of gold over silver chains = $40
Girlfriend's second present, what she really really really has been wanting a long time even though I probably really couldn't afford to get a second thing for her, a real gold bracelet, a thin one = $50
The smiles on their faces when they get these presents = Priceless
I still need to buy a Christmas present for the office party, for my brother, for some friends, and I'm sure I've forgotten someone somewhere in there!
I hope to escape Christmas without spending over $300 this year. I'm not sure that's going to be possible. Last year I went well over $500 I think.
2 people like this
4 responses
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
29 Nov 06
I never spend that much for Christmas. I always make my gifts. It takes time. Pice of art with retail value $50-500 each. My real cost? $30 supply plus 40 hours of work. They love my gifts. Always unique and always supprising.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
29 Nov 06
That's cool. I used to make a lot of gifts, but not so much anymore. I don't really have much spare time at all lately. I don't have spare money either, but it's still easier to buy gifts.
I am making my mom some pearl earrings for her birthday present though. $5 for the posts in silver and $5 for the pair of cultured freshwater pearls (5.5mm). Not bad!
1 person likes this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
5 Dec 06
Would you believe I have not spent one dime on Christmas presents yet? It's true! Fortunately I have have three friends to exchange gifts with so it makes it much easier. Being on a pension and losing one third of it now with the dollar so low my budget is limited. When I was working I used to buy gifts like crazy because I love to give. At the local café we have like a Christmas gift pool. Each of us buys a gift of less that 5€uros and a number is assigned to the gift. Just before Christmas the numbers are put into a hat and each in turn picks a number and gets that gift. It's a lot of fun.
@Pigglies (9329)
• United States
5 Dec 06
That is cool! I would believe it anyway that you haven't spent anything yet. I used to always do all my Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve.
Until one year, when I had this horrible nightmare situation happen. I left to go shopping at about 7pm. And previously, on Christmas Eve stores were open until midnight. Not that year! Everyone got presents from the 7-Eleven store, because nothing else was open! It was horrible.
1 person likes this
@gifana (4833)
• Portugal
14 Dec 06
I still haven't spent a cent nor do I intend to. This year has been terrible financially in that I am losing one third of my pension in the exchange rate from $ to €. I have only two close who exchange presents and we have made a pact that this Christmas we'll take ourselves out to a nice dinner and split the bill...
@beckyomg1 (6756)
• United States
6 Dec 06
it has cost nothing so far because i have not even started shopping
@wildguy2 (1349)
• Canada
5 Dec 06
Well we said we were not going to go crazy again this year but guess what...I spent over $400.00 on my wife...together we spent about $1000.00 on the kids and family, we still got a few more things to get...it seems to be so hard not to spend money this time of year...but really it is the only time we get to really give the family we love something special...
