He Said
Recent polls suggest Christmas spending for Canadians is going up from last year. An Ipsos Reid survey found that on average, Canadians will spend about $640 (last year it was $624) on Christmas gifts this year. In Saskatchewan, the average is expected to be closer to $680. Pats on the back aren't required but welcomed at this time for that Prairie generosity.
The He and She of this feature are not so well endowed monetarily speaking, so our numbers may not quite measure up to the lofty standard set by the rest of Canadians.
I will be gracing my family Christmas with my presence, not just my presents, and that's kind of the greatest gift of all, isn't it? That gift alone will be more than my holiday budget. It might even be double my budget.
Canadians are also likely to spend a total of $1,100 when accounting for other costs like travel, turkeys and endless bottles of liqueur, and anything else people spend their money on around this time of year. Knowing that will give me a little more wiggle room when it comes to buying gifts, and I've yet been asked to fork over a couple of bucks for my share of the turkey.
The largest slice of the holiday pie will usually go to your significant other, whatever your situation may be, but that isn't necessary. I suppose if you have children that may no longer be the case.
Families do everything differently, but for me, we draw names. We draw names amongst me and my siblings, and we draw names for the larger group of aunts and uncles and grandparents. Those gifts usually come in at a reasonable expense, especially with the larger group that typically comes with the caveat of a $20 maximum. Most people in my family would feel bad if much money was spent on them so that makes for great Christmas shopping.
The kids will pool some money for some nice gifts for my parents, but among the five of us, another $20 to $40 each usually suffices.
Then you can turn to a mix of friends, co-workers, if your workplace does a gift exchange, and any acquaintances you feel obligated to give a bottle of Irish cream to.
Adding it all up, I will probably be coming in between $300 and $400, though my math is terrible. That's well under even Quebec, which should average $461 on gifts this year. I guess I just know how to budget shop.
She Said
I think this really depends on what your cash flow is like. For example, my Christmas gift budget as a student is comparably less than that of most people working full-time jobs, so obviously I can't give amounts that apply to everyone.
I wish I could say that good friends and family ranked higher on the money totem pole than significant others, but that isn't the case. Boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, all tend to receive the most expensive and elaborate presents during the holidays. I think it comes out of the fear of being outdone, at least in a lot of cases. Consider: your girlfriend hints that she went all out and bought you something fantastic for Christmas. You don't want to get her something less impressive, so you splurge on a gift you figure will be as good, or better than hers. It's weird that gift buying can become a competition, but it's true.
I think family are a huge priority, whether you're in a situation that allows you to buy gifts, or if you're making coupons for free hugs on Thursdays. I can't imagine there is anything more important than family. I don't think we take enough time in our busy daily lives to let our family know much we care for them.
For example, my sister Kendelle texted me at 1:28 a.m. last weekend to ask me a question about her paper. Were I a good sister, I would have woken up and replied with helpful wisdom. Instead I chose to sleep, and she handed in a paper that may have been subpar. On Christmas I can give her a nice token of my affection for her. It might not be that better grade she initially wanted, but it's something.
Friends come next. It's not because they're unimportant; they definitely are. But friends tend to be more understanding that you may not have the time/money to find them the perfect gifts. It's also worth pointing out that while you maybe don't take the time to appreciate your family throughout the year, you appreciate your friends. You drive their drunk butts around on weekends. You give them a place to crash when they get locked out of their apartments. You pay their volleyball registration fee when they bail on your team.
So to recap: boyfriend, sister and friend, in that order. Enjoy your shopping!
