It’s a few days before Christmas and you and your best friend are gift exchanging. You unwrap the gift as soon as she’s out of your sight, and then you realize that she bought you the expensive dress you have been gawking at for more than a month now.
It would be an ecstatic moment if you hadn’t bought her present from the sales rack. Now you feel embarrassed, or stingy, or both.
One of the hardest parts about Christmas is buying other people’s gifts. Since there is a surprise factor involved, you do not know if you spent too much or too little on their gift until it’s too late.
The sad thing is that it happens every time you open a gift.
Best friend? Too much.
Significant other? Way too little.
Co-worker? Darn, forgot they were such big spenders.
Of course, Christmas is not all about how much everyone spends. It does help take the anxiety out of shopping when there is an idea on how much to spend. It also narrows down your options as you walk through the crowded aisles.
After many Christmases you may notice that people remember what you got them last year. If you spent too much, they spend more the next Christmas. If you did not spend enough, they tend to spend less. This helps you meet somewhere in the middle.
Also try to remember if the person you are shopping for has been labeled a big spender. If they have, it’s always safe to spend a tad more.
If you do not have a lot of money to spend, try to buy gifts from places that are not well known.
For example, if I buy someone a top from PacSun, they will know how much it costs. It’s similar to buying a gift card. There is not much room for interpretation when it comes to how much you spent.
Try to find gifts from places that you can’t look at and automatically know that it costs $10.
Online shopping is also a good way to go. Prices vary and there are a lot of things available there that you can’t find on the island.
Amazon.com is a good place to shop online. Majority of the items are also new.
Another idea is to keep your ears open for rumors on what your friend or co-worker may have gotten you, because people cannot keep secrets.
The average time for a woman to keep a secret is 47 hours; one person will tell another person. If it is something huge, everyone will know, and may start to throw hints at you. That person will also try to keep you from buying that item for yourself.
If you are shopping for a best friend there is a large range of how much that could be spent. About $40 to $50 is a pretty safe amount. Even if they do spend more, they can’t get upset because you did spend quite a lot on them.
If you are shopping for a co-worker, think about how close you are to that co-worker. Do you hang out outside of work? If so, consider them as a friend when you are shopping.
Be careful though. You do not want to bring a huge present to work and watch all the others stare with envy.
That could turn out bad. If you are shopping for many co-workers, try to buy stocking stuffers. Stocking stuffers are cheap and the number of items makes them feel like you spent more than you did.
Wrap them up in a little bag and tie it with a bow. Each one should not cost more than $5, unless you have a large amount of co-workers.
Shopping for significant others can get tricky. Some couples break their bank with jewelry and electronics, while others treat it like you are shopping for a best friend.
Consider how long that you have been with this person. If you two have only been together a month, maybe it’s best not to buy a ruby ring.
I would say to start at $30, then for each month you have been dating add $5. If it has been a year, I suggest spending about $90.
Christmas should not be about worrying. It should be about enjoying the serenity of a day off, good food and great people. Take the nerves out of shopping and relax.
You see how easy it is? Now you know how much to spend per person.