My husband’s family decided to pull names out of a hat for Christmas Eve gift giving this year so that each person just buys one gift. They asked if my husband and I want to participate (you can opt out) and of course we said yes.

A few days later his dad called and said the gift limit is $150 and asked my husband if that’s ok. My husband said, “yes.” Maybe I sound cheap, but $150 seems high to me. My husband was in sticker shock too. That means $300 for the two of us. Worse, my husband’s parents barely live check to check. I was really annoyed that my husband didn’t say it sounded a little high. My bet is most people in the family think it is high and are saying nothing.

Is it high in your opinion?

I pushed my husband to call his mom and ask her what she thought. She said her husband received a $400 Christmas bonus and they were feeling some financial relief, and now most of it will be wiped out by this.

I told my husband to offer that we will give them the money, but he didn’t want to do that (keep in mind I’m annoyed we have to spend that much in the first place, but I really don’t want my parents-in-law to spend it). I told him to offer that they get our names and we don’t expect anything expensive.

I think if a gift limit is $150 people will expect to spend at least $100. My husband feels it doesn’t have to be that much. What do you think?