This weekend I finished all the necessary shopping for friends and relatives. I think this has been the most expensive holiday season for me. A quick look, though this might not be accurate, shows that in 2004 I spent $286.03 on Christmas and Hanukkah gifts between October 1 and the rest of the year. That amount includes a gift exchange with my friends.
This year, I’ve spent $415.23 so far on gifts. That does not include a gift exchange with friends like we have done in the past. However, It does include holiday gifts for family and a few individuals, two birthday gifts, one holiday gift for a random coworker, and a few special items for the girlfriend.
There is one more item I may still purchase before the holiday season is over, so my holiday shopping is not entirely finished.
Only one gift this year was a gift certificate, but I think it was justified. My brother, who lives in California, plays guitar in several bands on the west coast. Rather than trying to determine what musical item he might need, I figured a gift certificate to his favorite guitar gear store will give him some flexibility. I don’t believe the gift certificate expires, so it’s as good as cash and I know he’ll use it well.
Updated February 7, 2012 and originally published December 18, 2005. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @flexo on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.
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Luke Landes founded Consumerism Commentary in 2003 and has been building online communities since 1990. Luke, also known as Flexo, has contributed to PC World Magazine, US News, Forbes, and other publications. 
