Cutting Back for Kids’ Sake

 What with the economy tanking and all, Christmas shopping is a different ballgame this year than maybe it has been in the past. After all, we’ve all done the “one for me, one for you” thing when shopping, or found something when we’re out shopping for others that is just too good a deal to pass up. (The words “too good a deal to pass up” are exactly why I limit shopping trips as much as possible).

This New York Times story profiles a few moms who are cutting their spending on themselves in order to buy more for their children. I think this isn’t exactly news – I mean, how many mums think “forget my kids, mama needs some pretty shoes”? Not any of the ones I know.

That holds for the mum profiled, although it would be a lot easier to work up some sympathy if the mom in question’s big cutback wasn’t “the designer jeans she covets,” like, cry me a river, lady.

Even a few years ago when my husband was told he’d be losing his job right before Christmas and I almost simultaneously found out my main client was dropping the feature I did for them, we managed to give our then one-year-old gifts at Christmastime although it was a mighty thin year under the tree for us.

Are you cutting back on gifts for yourself, or your partner or other adults, in favor of gifts for your kids? Are you cutting back overall this year?