Parent Talk: The St. Michael Albertville Christmas Budget

The tree is up. The stockings are hung and slowly but surely the bottom of the tree is becoming surrounded by wrapped gifts. For friends, family, adopt-a-family and of course, our kids.

We shop early, which is both good and bad. Good to get it done, bad because in the middle of December when your 5-year-old tells you the only thing he really wants is the "Red Lego Ninjago" and you know it's not wrapped and under your tree, you're faced with a dilemna.

Just buy one more gift? Or not?

And what does one more gift for him mean? One more gift for the other three.

So what's your strategy? When is enough enough?

I heard one mom say she buys one thing her kids need, one thing to play with, one thing to read and one thing from Santa.

Another mom said one gift from mom and dad and one gift from Santa.

Still another said whatever is on that list is under the tree.

How do you budget for Christmas? Do you set an amount of gifts or a dollar amount? Tell us.