Has the economy effected your holidays this year?

[judeshoney]

I'm spending less. This year we are not giving the kids the one "big gift" we usually get and opted instead to get them pre-owned DS Lites from Gamestop for $59 each. I also got the Zhu Zhu pets for retail at TRU instead of getting gouged.

Unfortunately, where we usually adopt a family at church and give gifts + food, this year we could only afford to take one card. I specifically chose a woman who said she wanted toiletries so filling a basket for her for free will be easy. I bought the rest of her gifts on Black Friday so her total is about $40 for a coat, sweater, jeans, pajamas, towels, and the gift basket of toiletries. If I get around to it tonight, I'll head to Target for the free Kodak disposable camera and include that as well.

I'm glad I was able to do something but still wish it could have been more.

[jen276here]

My Christmas isn't being affected by the economy, but because I quit my job to be a SAHM a little over 2 years ago. Money is a little tight this time of year because DH (road construction) doesn't work the same hours with the short holiday weeks and when the ground freezes (like this week) so pays are smaller, but with me not working it definitely calls for tightening the belt a bit.

We are spending about the same amount, but because I just found couponing a year ago and just got good at non-food, non-H&B couponing, I'm getting more gifts for the kids for the same $$. So I do still feel good about our Christmas, but still worry a little just in general about finances.