Christmas Presents - which/who/how much?

Victoria Sponge · 27/11/10 - 16:32

I would like to know which Christmas presents you will be buying, for who, and how much you will be spending on the item.

I always intend to get sorted a few weeks before Christmas, so as not to rush, but then the time goes by very quickly, and before I know it, it's Christmas Eve and I still haven't bought everyone's presents, and when I go to the shops, they have run out of everything I decided to get.

So, by telling me what you are buying, I will get a few ideas. I have to buy for around 15 people, all ages.

So far, all I can think of is to buy lottery tickets or scratchcards for everyone.

I think my budget will be around £200 in total for all of the presents (not including gift wrap and ribbons).

bmillam · 27/11/10 - 18:09

now you are asking.
well the first thing to remember its the thought that counts,
kids sweets they love them, see if you can get their favorite.
men. Aftershave, or something they collect.something you know they like
women hell knows !!! sweets, flowers. something you know they like

[Deleted User] · 27/11/10 - 18:12

Victoria Sponge wrote: »

I would like to know which Christmas presents you will be buying, for who, and how much you will be spending on the item.

I always intend to get sorted a few weeks before Christmas, so as not to rush, but then the time goes by very quickly, and before I know it, it's Christmas Eve and I still haven't bought everyone's presents, and when I go to the shops, they have run out of everything I decided to get.

So, by telling me what you are buying, I will get a few ideas. I have to buy for around 15 people, all ages.

So far, all I can think of is to buy lottery tickets or scratchcards for everyone.

I think my budget will be around £200 in total for all of the presents (not including gift wrap and ribbons).

What a good idea, I often get ideas from other people. And I love talking about Christmas presents lol.

I started really early this year so have spent quite a lot

. Although I bought a lot of stuff in the end of summer sales so saved a bit of money there. The main people I'm buying for are my mum, stepdad, brother and boyfriend. My friends and I dont usually bother and just get together for a night out instead.

Mum:
Take That tickets for next year along with their new album (£120 for both tickets, eek! More than I'd usually spend but she loves Take That so its a bit of a once in a lifetime thing)
Purple handbag from Oasis (£15, half price in sale)
Purple scarf from Xmas markets (£5)
Corrie DVD (£5)
Big collage photo frame type thing with loads of photos in of our family holiday earlier this year (about £20)
Silver earrings - market (£15)
Stocking with various bath stuff, incense, earrings, socks and chocs etc (probs spent about £20 - 25 altogether on this)

Stepdad:
Bottle of coffee liqueur stuff - Tesco (£ 6)
Shirt from Republic (£5, 70% off in sale!)
Jumper from Republic (£5, 70% off in sale again!)
Little model guitar - ebay (£6)
Jars of old fashioned sweets from Debenhams (£8)
Stocking wth various things i.e. socks, chocolate toolkit, chocolate guitar, chocolate cars, card games, other random things (probs spent about £20 - 25 altogether on this)

Brother:
Tennis print canvas of his fave tennis player, Nadal - Ebay 9£30)
Jelly bean machine and jelly beans - BHS (£8)
T-shirt from Republic - (£5, again in sale)
Trivial pursuit sports travel game (£3 in sale)

Boyfriend: (total geek!)
Star wars Jedi dressing gown lol - Ebay (£40)
Cool beer glasses made from recycled beer bottles - shop in town but can be got on Ebay (£13)
Indoor skydiving experience - buyagift.co.uk (2 for 1 at the mo!) £50
Table-top air hockey table - BHS (£15)
Doctor who operation game (£7, half price in HMV sale)
2 shirts (bout £30)
Book on Tim Burton (£2, sale)
Various dvds
Monkey teddy warmer thing that you put in the microwave - BHS (£6)
Stocking with various cheap geeky watches, socks, boxers, keyrings, games and chocs etc (probs about £40 - 50)

Am trying to stop buying now as have spent all that I can afford! Just noticed that you have a £200 budget for 15 people so not sure how helpful this will be as I've spent quite a lot but oh well!

alfiewozere · 27/11/10 - 18:48

A £200 budget is okay - I have to buy for my OH, our four children, my sister, hubby and niece, brother ,wife and niece, my mum, mother-in-law and sister-in-law's two kids.
I am strapped for cash at the moment but everyone will get something - I have done photo calenders, personalised with family birthdays and captions for my mum and m-i-l from an online photo service for £1.99 each.
I'm not writing a list because my lovely sister is on DS and I want her pressie to be a surprise!:)
But Primark, Poundland, charity shops and car boot sales have all provided some jolly nice pressies without spending a fortune.

[Deleted User] · 27/11/10 - 20:19

People went nuts at work when I said I spent £800 on my mum and her OH last year - so what different people spend will differ massively. I won't spend that much this year, simply because last year I bought them a laptop and webcam as their main present because that's what they really wanted.

I bought some fantastic gifts in Poundland today of all places - I went into Primark to get my little sis some stripey boot socks and they didn't have any, shop assistant in there told me (quietly) that Poundland sold great boot socks that all the girls there buy since Primark stopped doing them.

They are ace, bought her five pairs plus two packs of Papermate pens for school - only little things but all really nice.

Shadow27 · 27/11/10 - 20:21

We are doing a Secret Santa with a maximum spend of £30 per person and we've written a list of what we'd like. We are also going to collect for charity too and it's worked out really well as I have a huge family and in the past it's been about £200.

I am still buying presents for my other half (a weekend away in a converted prison - this is a proper holiday place, not a S&M thing honest!); Parents - a voucher for a dinner in a Pullman carriage on a railway where they are off to their hols in March; Brother and his g/f (early 30's) are getting a selection of Wii games and I'm after a pair of boots. Mostly importantly I get to spend time with my mates, my family and that's the best bit for me.

[Deleted User] · 27/11/10 - 20:23

Dad and Stepmum not to sure yet

Brothers sisters: just give money too.

Girlfriend:
Xbox 360 console (shes had it as an early present)
Games
DVDs
Clothes
Jewellery

grumpyscot · 27/11/10 - 20:50

Son - £100
Daughter-in-law - £100
Grand-daughter - £100
Dad - £50
Spouse - £50 (by mutual agreement!)

And no one else.

[Deleted User] · 27/11/10 - 21:06

It's nice that so many people can afford to spend so much. I am sure there are lots out there who would like to spend as much but simply can't.

The thought is the main thing.

jarryhack · 27/11/10 - 21:59

I'm spending £400 each on my 2 kids, £40 each on my nephew and neice and £50 on my Mam, by mutual agreement we have stopped all the family presents (brothers, sister-in-laws, aunties etc) as it got totally out of hand and everyone getting stressed over money. Me and my hubby concentrate on the kids and get ourselves something after New Year.

d0lphin · 27/11/10 - 22:06

It would be hepful if the OP could give us some idea of the age/gender of the people they need ideas for.

Some of the more unusual presents (stocking fillers) I have bought for my sons are:
I-pillow
Scratch map of the world (he likes travelling and you scratch off the countries you've been to, and it reveals info about that country)
Celebrity chocolate witchety grubs (some are chocolate, some are real grubs:eek:)
Cow alarm clock (long story but he likes cows:o)

I have bought my mum DOI tickets & sister a laptop case.

Sharon87 · 27/11/10 - 22:06

Well I am spending £15-£20 each on my parents/siblings. Can't afford to spend £100 for one person's presents! If we want to get parents something more expensive me and my siblings buy it together. I spent more than this when I was in college! lol. I had a job and it was all disposable income, so could afford it.

I only usually buy one present each, sometimes I get a joke present for them or buy them smaller less expensive things

MarzBar85 · 27/11/10 - 22:15

I tend not to budget, but try to think of what they wouldn't get themselves. That said I try not to go over the top as spending can get out of control.

I've got Mum and Dad theatre tickets for their favourite show.
Bro and Girlfriend a segway riding experience for 2, will get them a small token gift each to unwrap on Xmas day.
My friends I spend between £10 and £20 on them. We've agreed this budget between us, to avoid the uncomfortable 'Has she spent more than me scenarios!'

I get a bigger thrill out of seeing all my friends and their families at Christmas. We've all grown up/moved away to opposite ends of the country. So it's nice that for a week or two we can catch up, eat, drink and be merry without worrying about work the next day!

CANDYANGEL · 27/11/10 - 22:48

I only buy presents for my parents and brother. This is what I've got so far

Brother

£15 towards a PS3 game he bought (had it early)
£5 Itunes Voucher that I printed off
Will get some Christmas chocolate for him

Mom
Handbag-£5
Baileys Fudge-£4.60 (was supposed to be £6 but in sale)
Cliff Richard Bold As Brass DVD-£12.99
Top from Primark-£2.99
Bottle of Baileys-£9 (in sale) also got her bottles for her birthday in Feb and mothers day in March.

Dad-

Giant Mug-£6
Idol Hands Finger Guitar-£12.99

I will probabley get my parents another gift each & I've also gotten some tickets to an Ice show in January for me and my mom which were £67, so you could say those were a Christmas present.
I'd really like to buy my parents a laptop or buy myself a new one

so that they could have the one I use, but I'm not sure If I can spare the cash at the moment.

[Deleted User] · 27/11/10 - 23:09

We believe in equality in our family. Everyone gets nothing.

Seriously, you don't need presents to show love and have a good time.

MARTYM8 · 28/11/10 - 00:03

bubbsy wrote: »

We believe in equality in our family. Everyone gets nothing.

Seriously, you don't need presents to show love and have a good time.

Exactly - cut the stress, the endless hours shopping and freezing to death in the shopping centre car park. Spend your Saturday's instead with your family - familes are for life not just for Christmas.:D

Cake_Nibbler · 28/11/10 - 00:12

Only a poor student here but am thinking

£40 each for mother, father, sister
£20 for gran
£10 for each of the cousins

and friends will probably get £10 present each I guess.

silentNate · 28/11/10 - 00:13

A couple of Toblerones and a new washing machine... the recession is hitting us hard

Victoria Sponge · 28/11/10 - 02:01

d0lphin wrote: »

It would be hepful if the OP could give us some idea of the age/gender of the people they need ideas for.

2 women - 60's
1 man - 60's
2 women - late 30's
2 women - early 30's
1 woman - 40
2 women - early 20's
5 women - late 20's
3 girls - 6, 8 and 9
an 18 month old girl
1 man - mid 30's
a five year old female cat

Ok...around 20 people so far, might need to up the budget to £250 depending on what I buy!

subversive · 28/11/10 - 02:06

I am broke.

2shy2007 · 28/11/10 - 08:10

Victoria Sponge wrote: »

2 women - 60's
1 man - 60's
2 women - late 30's
2 women - early 30's
1 woman - 40
2 women - early 20's
5 women - late 20's
3 girls - 6, 8 and 9
an 18 month old girl
1 man - mid 30's
a five year old female cat

Ok...around 20 people so far, might need to up the budget to £250 depending on what I buy!

It may be time to trim your list, we did this a few years ago, and onyl buy for immediate family, just my parents,and the bulk goes on our 5 ( between us) children. The cat needs nothing , it does not know or care about our traditional festival

Perhaps gather your family and have a bit of a chin wag, see if you can get them to agree, it was the best thing we did, takes so much pressure of the often frantic search for a gift that will please, on a small budget.

[Deleted User] · 28/11/10 - 09:48

I have not started yet either. But it will go summat like this;

OH - £50- £80 no idea yet
Grandma - taking her to a plush resturant for lunch
Grandad - fishing/shooting stuff
Mum - £60 no idea yet
Dad - golf/driving stuff
Stepmum - Gucci perfume
Sisters - clothes from topshop/urbane outfitters/ect
Brother - nothing (lol a hug or summat)
Brother in law - golf stuff

Then we have to get OH's sisters, mum, dad and neices/nephews stuff but he can pay!

I am going to my dads and mums (half and half) so there will be a lot of people at each. I will buy and bring extra bottles of champers and chocolates to those I didn't make and effort for!

[Deleted User] · 28/11/10 - 09:49

Cake_Nibbler wrote: »

Only a poor student here but am thinking

£40 each for mother, father, sister
£20 for gran
£10 for each of the cousins

and friends will probably get £10 present each I guess.

A poor student? :eek:

When I was a student I simply couldn't afford anything like that much for presents.

[Deleted User] · 28/11/10 - 10:11

I am spending about £30 each on my parents and my brother, £40 agreed with bf, and £10 each on my friends.

Considering I am skint I am very happy to set spending limits with bf, we buy each other stuff throughout the year and both hate xmas so not fussed about spending a fortune.

[Deleted User] · 28/11/10 - 11:16

Well the list of people to buy for looks something like this:

Mum
Dad
Two brothers
Gran
Aunty
Cousin
Great Aunty

And my eight closest friends will all get something aswell.

As for costs I have NO idea, I have an overall budget of about £300 but I'm not really planning a price per person thing, if I think someone will like a certain present they'll get it, preferable not over £25 each though.

Victoria Sponge · 28/11/10 - 14:02

2shy2007 wrote: »

It may be time to trim your list, we did this a few years ago, and onyl buy for immediate family, just my parents,and the bulk goes on our 5 ( between us) children. The cat needs nothing , it does not know or care about our traditional festival

Perhaps gather your family and have a bit of a chin wag, see if you can get them to agree, it was the best thing we did, takes so much pressure of the often frantic search for a gift that will please, on a small budget.

The thing is, most of the people on the list are my ex boyfriend's family, and I have spent the last three Christmases with them (this year will be my fourth) and every year they have all always gotten me a small gift, sometimes I didn't get something for everyone who gave me something, but this year I want to make sure I get a little something for everyone. They have been so nice to me from day one, and even though I have split up with their son/brother/uncle, they still want me to be very much part of the family.

So, the little presents I want to get them are to say a big thank you, as well as 'Merry Christmas'.

As as for my cat...Well my little Tara deserves to be spoiled! Well, actually she doesn't, as she gets treated like the Queen, but still!

Hey there!

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