I spent less. Less people to buy for and less money to spend.
About the same – $0, if you don’t count cards (maybe $50 on the cards we mailed). I love Christmas, love spending time with my family, love the decorations. But my family has just pretty much stopped giving gifts, which I think is cool. And, my wife and I usually don’t give each other gifts. There are no small children in the family, though, so that makes it easier. If we had some little Bayards running around, I’m certain we’d buy them gifts.
Much, much, much less. My budget for my wife was usually in the $150-200 range and I usually went over it by $50 or so. Last year her mom, my mom, and I pooled our resources and got her a laptop, and I spent another $200-300 on accessories for it.
This year, my ex-to-be and I agreed not to exchange gifts at all.
So, no question about it, I spent a hell of a lot less this year than usual.
More than last year but much less than the years before that.
I think less, but not hugely so. I made a lot of gifts from fabric I already had. I like to have a smaller Christmas. Also my husband is currently running a startup, so while we aren’t actually hurting financially, I’m feeling a bit precarious.
Technically, much more, but it was because we took a trip with some of the family and THAT was the gift. New York for 11 days = a bit pricey! But I was happy to do it, because it cut waaaaaaaaaaaay down on the swag my kids absolutely don’t need (they have new, never-opened toys from birthdays last October and March…).
We had the relatives on pretty short gift leashes, and it mostly worked.
I spent less because I gave “personal” gift certificates for dinners out, trips to the movies, and free hotel stays. I’d rather treat my friends and relatives to a fun time together than a store-bought item or a gift card.
Much MUCH more than ever. Last year this time, we’d just gotten over a bad period (the word divorce was taken out, held up to the light and determined to be a bad direction to go in), six months ago, my wife had a nervous breakdown (we had to hold our breath for a couple of months, financially) and mom had surgery to remove a lump in her breast.
After our xmas expenses this year, we have an amount of money that would have greatly alarmed me a year ago. Since it’s triple the money we had during the medical leave, and our demons finally seem to be excised, it’s been the best Chirsmas ever. The wife had a little guilt about neglecting her duties as a mom and spoiled the boys this year (a little), and I ended up with a couple of significant gadgets.
It’s been great, and it’s a season I’ll remember when times again get tight (as they occasionally seem to do.)
This year we spent practically nothing. We’re broke, I’m on Maternity leave, and we’re about to have a kid. The presents that we gave were almost all homemade. It actually took a whole lot of stress off Christmas. Kind of nice.
Anyway, way less than usual.
A bit more than last year, but we were still working with a pretty limited budget for everyone. I have a tendency to get carried away with purchasing gifts, and for the last couple of Christmases I broke the habit by forcing myself not to make Christmas gifts a top financial priority. We were broke anyways. This year, we could have spent more, but I chose instead to spend the excess on some long overdue medical procedures and to put the rest into savings. I really don’t regret the decision. I think we did just fine… and stayed on budget. I’m proud.
We spent less on Christmas this year. We have never been “over the top” in terms of gifts, anyway. Our celebration is usually quiet and relaxed. A couple of books, a CD, pajamas, or such. This year I did knit some gifts, which did not necessarily save money, but gave me something to do with my (precious little) spare time.
Hubster is in school full time and living in a second residence, so money has been a bit tight these past three years. I am in school part-time also, so the costs of text books alone is a bit overwhelming.
Even when we are both done with school, we will likely not change our spending habits. It is just not a big deal to go over the top with gifts just because it is Christmas. However, if my husband ever decides he wants to surprise me with a new spectacular car or fabulous diamonds, he need not wait until Dec. 25th to do so! 
Maybe a little less, as I couldn’t think of what to buy Mom and she wouldn’t give me any good hints. But overall about the same.
More. Definitely more.
But last Christmas I was single and not getting along with my family, so I bought a couple of things for friends and that was it.
This year I have a BF and my family and I patched things up (after a seven year fallout) and I had some extra shifts at work, so I splurged.
I don’t regret it at all.
For the first time in a long time, it felt like Christmas.
More. This year we’re in a better financial situation than we’ve been in for many years, maybe ever, so who can resist spoiling the kids a little bit?
More. Not a whole lot more, but more. It’s not intentional, it’s just a case that I forgot about the stuff I purchased before December when purchasing stuff in December. I could hold off on a couple of presents for my nieces–turn the others into birthday presents, and I may, but the grownups will get all their presents now.
(My family will exchange presents this weekend).
More. Bought the parents their first computer. Was thrifty with all other gifts though…
More on the boss of me, but much less to nothing on everyone else. Of course I flushed about $4K on a holiday party a few weeks ago, so it all balances out.
More, because I started shopping early and didn’t feel the wallop of shopping for everyone in a short time frame. It also gave me time to pick up “just one more thing!” for more than one person. It was worth it to avoid the stress.
About the same, I think. This is the second Christmas I’ve celebrated with my boyfriend and we decided to be more generous this year with one another, so of course I spent more than the years of singledom.
I started shopping clearances online months early, though, getting all the nieces and nephews taken care of way more inexpensively than usual so it all comes out even.
More. My pay and bonuses have gone up substantially this year. Nothing extravagent, but I bought slightly nicer presents for those who I buy for.
I also spent more on myself as I’ve been replacing quite a few clothes which were worn out.