Christmas Funds

[ItalianFX]

While growing up my parents always allocated $350 to Christmas for my sister and I, each. I'm 24 now, so you could imagine about 15 years or so where I really cared what I got. My mom just asked me again today if I've thought about what I wanted and I broke out into the inflation talk and how $350 today isn't the same as $350 several years ago. She tried telling me how I have a hard enough time spending $350, how would I spend more? Well, with higher prices, you buy one thing worth waiting for christmas for and it's over. So it's harder to find things that are 25-50$$ to actually feel like you're getting your money's worth. Now my mom is saying to write down everything I want and she will do what she can. So I say, "you act like money is hard to come by." My dad has a pretty good job. He has a 2007 Nissan, we just built an addition onto our house, and my parents just bought a 46" LCD flatscreen and HDTV.

I know Christmas isn't all about the gifts, but it's a tradition of my family. Plus, it's that time of the year when I can actually have my parents buy me what I want without me having to spend my own money.

How much do your parents allocate for you?

And what are some things worth having this year? I'm looking into a Nintendo Wii, but I'm not sure. I already have a regular XBOX that is coming close to [censored] the bed.