In good times, it was about $20-$40 per person, and usually more for my kids. My husband and I never bought a gift for each other, so we focused on everyone else: mothers, my father, my four siblings, his two siblings, their spouses and their kids. Now, we're all just focusing on the kids.It's all about them anyway, isn't it?
With seven kids between all of us, it still adds up!
I try to keep it to $20 per person. It depends on how big your family is. When I was younger, I used to spend more on family members.
But now with all the nieces and nephews, it adds up quickly. $20, give or take, works for me.
Kripkrip420 has a good answer in showing someone you care, thinking about the recipient to find or make a suitable gift. In my family, we have done homemade gifts for years. I have been known to start working on my gift projects as early as April to have everything ready by Christmas.
We try not to make our focus money or material things as we celebrate Christmas. We shop yard sales and thrift shops throughout the year. You can find some nice things, sometimes new, this way.
We also watch sale papers throughout the year for good deals on something we know will be enjoyed by another family member. We also take advantage of clearance sales for Christmas gifts. After Christmas clearance is great for the following Christmas or even when the seasons change.
We use to spend a lot... but nowadays we use the Brazilian scheme "Amigo Oculto" (hard translation - hidden friend...). We gather the family a few months before xmas, we decide a treshold for the gift, and put the names of everyone inside a bag. Then each person takes a name and that will be his "amigo oculto".
Then we have to buy our friend a gift and at xmas, for him to win the gift, he need to guess who give it to him. It's a funny way to spend xmas and save a lot of money :).
I guess that would depend on your financial situation. Last year, I had a job but was only working a few hours a week and had just finished high school. I didn't have a lot of money but I definitely had a lot of free time.
I put that time to good use and tried to figure out an individual gift suited to each of my family members (be it free or purchased). I guess, to answer your question from my perspective, the amount spent on each person is not nearly as important as how you show them you care. kripkrip420.hubpages.com/hub/Water-The-Futu.
Generally I tend to spend more on the kids in the family, up to $25 each, and the adults either get little trinkets or something home made. We tend to focus mostly on the kids.
Friends - Up to £40. Uncles, Aunties, Nephews, etc - About the same, possibly a bit more. Close Family - Up to £100.
I try to spend around $25 a peron or $50 a couple. I have a large family so it's hard sometimes but my cousin and I got on a yearly flea market trip once a year so if I get a really great item for cheap as long as it's something they will love I don't worry about the price.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.