How much to spend for Christmas on Adult Children

My parents would spend $150-200 on us. At some point in our late 20s (I’m now in my early 30s), we decided to stop doing Christmas gifts all together. It is so much nicer to not worry about that (just worry about birthdays 😂).

My kids are 24 and 17. I spend over $200 (probably closer to $300 by the time I add in all the little bits and pieces to their stockings).

My dad spends $200 on me and my brother, and $100 on his son and daughter in law. I think. Or maybe he spends the same on all of us? I can't remember!

My dd is 18 but still at home attending college. When she moves out on her own, then we will look at gifts a different way.

We still get her things she asks for. She makes a list and we give 4 to 5 items. One is a big gift and something she really wants.

She asked for a Fossil watch as her big gift. That was about $160. The other 4 items range between $20 and $50.

We do the same for ds who is 15.

I usually keep it to about $75 per adult child.  

This.

I spend whatever feels right. We stopped doing gifts with extended family, my parents have now both passed, and I love buying gifts, so I tend to spoil them. Some years it will be $200-300 and another year it could be $1000 if I buy them new tires, a phone, or we go on a weekend trip somewhere. They have birthdays near Christmas so sometimes a large gift like tires is combined. They also don’t really want a lot so I have to be creative. This year I feel I’ve bought too much because i have a lot of presents, but I’ve probably only spent $200/ea.

I'll be the first to admit that my dd's are spoiled when it comes to Christmas     

Christmas is a really big deal to us and so gifting is a significant part ...

My dd's are 18 and 22 and live with ex so they actually get double the amount of gifts now!    

I buy each of them one major gift that is valued somewhere between $100 and $200 ... then I get them a bunch of clothing - this adds up!   

Stockings are big here too ... the mascara we all wear is over $30 ... I always add it ... razors go in too ... they are like buying gold!  

To summarize, I spend more than many people would on adult children but I can afford it so I do!    

I usually spend $300+ on each of them. They are 20, 24 & 26. Requests this year were a gaming chair, a bar cart for her new apartment, and the oldest wanted Geralt’s silver sword (Witcher series, she’s a big cosplay girl). All of these were around the $200-ish mark.

I’ll still buy a few other smaller things for each of them. We don’t spend a lot on them for other occasions through the year, so this is our “spoil the kids” time.

I have 2 sons in their 30's- both are married. My budget is 150 for each of my sons and each daughter in law, or 300 for a combined couple gift.

This year I plan to give each child one $50 gift, stuff their stocking, and then a card with $150 in it.

The money, the time shopping, the idea of buying things that might not be appreciated, the impact on the environment from buying all kinds of stuff....all these things are factoring into my decision this year.

So much depends upon your financial circumstances.
Spend according to your financial status and what your heart says.
It is not a competition.

We don't buy for extended family and just have the four of us and the two significant others. I spend about $200-$250 on each person and Santa spends another $150-$200.

I have 2 DDs, 20 and 22, one lives with me, just finished university and is working, the other is away at university.

I love giving gifts and keep my eye out for things all year so I may over do it a bit. Stockings are a big enjoyment for us so probably $75 -$100 each there. Filled with personal care items, gadgets, etc.

They both give me a list that I will choose a larger gift from, usually in the $100-$200 range, and a couple smaller items and then additional fun/useful things I think they would like. Probably $400 each.

Since they are both close to moving out a lot of the gifts are kitchen tools and gadgets they can take with them. This year…I have a small air fryer but DD20 is getting the Ninja dual zone air fryer.

Once they have significant others/children and I retire and go on a fixed income lol, things will likely change.