Dollar Stretcher has a new poll up for the coming week. The question is "Are you adjusting your Christmas spending this year?" It kind of goes along with the Christmas budget thread, I think.

Anyway, go and vote, then let us know. I'm spending about the same this year, maybe a little more but not much, but I haven't voted yet. Don't let that stop you, though!

Edited to add the link! http://www.stretcher.com/stories/09/09nov02p.cfm

voted for unchanged.  as I have said before..we have lots of birthdays around xmas.   we don't go overboard but unless there are some totally awesome deals..budget doesn't go down.  We have a limit of 50 dollars with dh family sil and parents and we pick names.

Pat:

go and vote, then let us know

Reducing by 10-25% this year.  I am making a number of hte gifts this year to reduce the costs.

I'd love to be able to say we're going to cut spending by half, but realistically I'm going to aim for 10 to 25 per cent. This is the first year our now grown-up kids won't be getting any expensive electronic or techie stuff, so that will be a big help, but we've got a lot of younger ones in the extended family that we always buy something for. I can keep those expenses down a bit, though, I think, as long as I start looking for good deals now. Clearance racks at Target, bargain section at Barnes and Noble, thrift shops, and the outlet stores in Williamsburg, are going to be favourite haunts in the coming weeks!

more on the nieces and one nefew and parents only my sisters they get one cash gift card at the best I can do just parents and the kids only this year i remeber my brother and 2 sisters going nuts with the contest who can blow the most money I use to do cookie trays with goodies on it and just give to the parents and kids but no brother and two sisters the greed of it I learned long time ago money isn't everything pay the bills and survive the next day feeling better but at least you put the poll on my choice is mom and day and the nieces and one nefew.

I voted 50% cutback.  We're mostly likely going to set a $40 limit each (last year it was $100).  I'm making most of my family's gifts, plus our parents are getting a framed 8 x 10 of one of our wedding pictures (we took our own pictures so can just upload on Walgreens.com and have them picked up, then frame from a dollar store and done). Friends are getting the usual cookie tins, I already have the tins and trays and I've been stocking up on the baking supplies as they've gone on sale.

I voted for a 10 - 25% reduction, though it might turn out to be a slightly bigger reduction.

I kept my budget pretty much the same as 2008.  One of the "upsides" of the current economic crisis is that local retailers have been offering generous discounts throughout the year.   I've bought just over half the Christmas gifts we've planned for this year and every one of those gifts came in under budget, sometimes by as much as half!   I have been able to buy gifts of the same or higher caliber/ quality as I did last year, but at greatly reduced prices.  I'm hoping that I will be continue to be as successful at finding similar deals and steals for most of the outstanding gifts.

 I chose the last option, increasing our budget this year.  We have decided to go to Disney World for Christmas, something we have never done.  We don't go on vacation usually, and have never gone anywhere like this.  My kids don't need any more toys to throw on the floor, so we thought this would be fun.

we doing a home made Christmas  at least one gift must be home made ..

We are reducing. I checked 0 to10% but hope it is more like 20+%. My 3 closest friends and I are not exchanging gifts (even though it is usually something homemade or small like a candle or picture frame). We are going to lunch together.

DH and I have not decided on each other. We may forego gifts since we bought a new bed in July. I may buy new flannel sheets and wrap them up for DH, LOL. The boys get one toy from Santa each and one gift each (or 2 small each) from us and then between aunt and uncle and grandparents, they get 3-4 more gifts so plenty there. In laws and my dad get a framed photo of the boys and an ornament or craft made by the boys and we don't exchange gifts with the BIL/SILs b/c we buy gifts for the kiddos instead. I have 2 nieces and 2 nephews. I have my dad's other gift, a DVD set on the Presidents from the History Channel I bought on Amazon for $15. DH aunt gets a framed photo of the boys or family as well. We don't have a big family so not a lot of presents.

Just looking at this, I may be able to cut more than 10%.