How much do you spend on gifts?

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

I had an interesting discussion today with friends regarding the appropriate amount to spend on wedding/shower/baby gifts. The answers were all over the place. So - in your area- what would you say is a typical amount to spend on these gifts for a friend. (Iin other words, not a close family member or best friend.)
TIA, I appreciate the input.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

$25.

Midwest does not practice "cover your plate" like out east. That's something I learned from Tug years ago that I had never heard of. There is zero chance that a gift I give will have any relation to how much someone is spending on the shindig.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I just went to a baby shower for a fairly close friend over the weekend. Another friend and I went in on two presents from the mother-to-be's gift registry at BuyBuyBaby, and we spent about $70 together. We also went off the registry and I added a nice baby blanket that I already had in my gift stash (new in its wrapper, of course), and my friend got the mother-to-be a nightgown.

So I dunno--in my head that adds up to about $35 each, because that's what we spent on the "approved" presents, but obviously that felt skimpy to both of us.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

My answers would be all over the board as well.

It would depend on whether it was a wedding, shower or baby gift.

It would depend on how well I knew the person.

It would depend on how much I felt I could spend at the time.

It might depend on what I found gift wise. I've been known to spend more than I planned if I find something really great.

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Going in to the discussion my thoughts were baby gift and/or shower gift -$35-50, wedding gift $100-$125 . One friend said that apparently in her area of New Jersey $250-300 was fairly standard for a wedding gift (given in cheque form).
The discussion arose due to a young couple who had nothing less than $50 on their bridal registry. Unfortunately, that was for one coffee mug! Everyone felt that it would feel tacky to give a mug.

[Icc5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Icc5]

Buy for the person

We usually buy for the person, not the price. Sometimes we spend alot other times not. So much depends on the person that we are getting it for and how it fits in. We do take much thought in our gift buying.
Bart

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

2 close friends' daughters got married this summer - we bought gifts off the registry - one was china and totaled about $300, the other one was a fancy mixer from Williams Sonoma that cost $350 with shipping/wrapping, etc.

My sons' college room mate who I have known for about 6 years - my son is a groomsman - is getting married outside of Boston and I am not going to the wedding - I sent a $40 decanter off the registry.

A good friends son and DIL had a baby - they live in Germany and I have to send the gift - I spent $25+shipping for babt sheets and blanket off the registry.

[Joe L Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Joe L]

For not close friends or family:

Wedding, depends on the location of the reception..

Local catering hall, cheap food, cheap drinks, no cocktail hour: $75 per person max

Major Big Time Location, great food, top shelf drinks, cocktail hour: at least
$150 per person

Shower and Baby Gifts for not close friends and family: $50

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Somewhat OT...I love looking at wedding registries and seeing what people have chosen for themselves, and I'm happy to get something off the registry for that, since you don't actually see the wedding presents get unwrapped.

BUT I found the baby registry to be much less fun. I love shopping for baby gifts, and the registry totally takes the fun out of the shower, because there's no surprise of something really unusual and adorable. It's just all the stuff you saw on the registry, now being unwrapped. It's practical, but not as fun.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Joe, you can tell by your reply that you live in the NYC metro area.

For a non-close friend:
$30 - $40 on a shower gift
$25 on a gift for when you go visit the baby
$200 to $250 a couple for the wedding reception.
Christening - $200 bond ($100 cash outlay)

My daughter got married last year and received from $100 to $300/couple from theirs and our friends. She did not care whether the plate was covered or not - she was just happy to have them there. She did remark upon some people's generosity and expressed surprise at some of the larger gifts from non-family members.

On Long Island, wedding receptions (Saturday night in the summer) can run $200/plate. While it used to be custom to cover your meal, it is now often a financial hardship to do so. I would never want anyone to skip an affair of mine because they felt they didn't have enough money to give a decent gift.
I feel that if people choose to have a $200 per person meal, that is their choice and if they invited me, they wanted me to share in their joy regardless of what I gave them.