How will you spend your money for holiday gifts? Are you cutting back?

I know it's insanely early to be thinking about holiday spending, but with the economy going the way it is - curious how everyone feels about buying gifts. What's your mindset? Will you buy one great gift instead of a bunch of small ones? Cut your overall gift budget? Spend more?

How will you spend your money for holiday gifts? Are you cutting back?
It is better to spread ;your Christmas spending out over the year. Now is a good time to start. My family %26amp; I are going to try making most of our gifts this year. It is less expensive %26amp; more personal. Make a Christmas list of who you are going to buy for. Then accumulate your gifts %26amp; put them away until Christmas. That's the plan.
Reply:It is never too early to think Christmas gifts . I have already made several items to give as Christmas Gifts. My husband and I have 18 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild so have to start early. I shop all year. And I shop sales. If I can get sweaters for 60 or even 80% off I may pick up one for each of our son-in-laws or daughters. Why pay 40.00 when you can pay $5.00. This way I can have a little extra gift under the tree. I never pay full price for toys for the grandkids.





In the last few years we have cut back a lot particulary this past Christmas. We had found out my husband had cancer and we knew he would be off of work for several months so money was tight for us. There were many more homemade gifts than normal. I made quilts for the families using my stockpile of material. WE had a simple meal and made due without any last minute buying at all.





I do not believe it is a matter of how much you spend or how many gifts you buy. It is more fullfilling to just have family with you over the Christmas Holidays.
Reply:I like to give one big gift rather than several smaller ones. The larger gift tends to be more memorable. We all have too many things in our homes as it is and adding more trinkets doesn't help.





I haven't given much thought to my gift giving this year, I imagine that I will spend about the same this year as last.
Reply:At this time .. the one thing that everyone I know wants for a Holiday "gift" is a PRINT of one of my Photos (of their choosing) FRAMED and MATTED and ready for display.





(I am an Empty-Nesting Single Retiree -- and went BACK to College for fun -- then FOUND an Interesting, Creative, and yes, FUN TALENT for Photography/The Arts -- and my photos has been doing well in various displays/events).





SO .. instead of something that doesn't have meaning -- I've gone out and photographed specific 'things' for each individual -- and they will get to choose the matting material colors and the frame style. I'll then frame the photos and send them out for the holidays.





(Last year -- it was the Aerial Photos that I took (I actually paid to have a pilot fly me around so that I could take photos of the Farms where they live). These photos were SO THRILLING of a SURPRISE -- that this year, they want more of DIFFERENT scenes. In fact, my sibling (whose farm I photographed), well ... his ex took the only previous Aerial Photo -- poor quality, small, and was UPSET (Because he paid a LOT for that photo in the first place). Well ... needless to say, for 1/3 the cost of the tiny photo -- I took a local flight -- got STUNNING Aerial Photos of ALL the Farms (including their friends' farms) ... and EVERYONE was HAPPY!)
Reply:my partner and i are atheists and do not celebrate any type of religious holiday. in fact, we only celebrate birthdays and anniversaries. however, b/c our families celebrate, we generally purchase a donation in their name- like heifer international or something along those lines. i feel that holiday are way too commercialized and unecassary to celebrate unless the holiday being celebrated is legitimate in one's own faith.
Reply:Danny has the perfect idea, making gifts is the way to go...yes we will cut back a lot we have 6 kids between us and this year will be hard. Probably 1 gift for each, or just made ones the cool thing is I have been teaching my kids since they were little that homemade is better.
Reply:I usually go away for christmas but I do but small gifts for relatives before I go.
Reply:well I don't know yet but I know I am buying gifts.
Reply:ill probably get a ps3.. but like not alot else..