Q: Do you think you’ll spend more, less, or about the same amount on Christmas shopping this year as compared to last year?

“I think it’s going to be the same. I really don’t do much shopping around Christmas. That’s not a good time of year to buy anything.”
Arash Boz
“Less, because my kids, my mom has spoiled them rotten.”
Micheal Blackmon
“Less. The real reason is I’m just trying to be smarter about money now.”
Bryan Driver
“I tend to be more creative. I think quality counts more than quantity. So I think I’ll spend about the same and try to make as many gifts as I can.”
Esther Graff-Radford
“I’m going to try to maintain and spend about the same as last year. It’s hard. The kids get older and you spend a little bit more.”
Julie Spearin
“I’m feeling very generous. I’m going to spend more this year. And I’m going to spend more in Brookhaven!”
Theresa Simonetto
Alicia: “More, because we have another baby.”
Tripp: “Probably more.”
Alicia: “And we have an older child who will remember Christmas this year.”
Alicia and Tripp Smallwood
“I would say more. We have a new grandchild.”
Glen Fuse
“I’m going for the same. Buy what feels right.”
Laurie Baird
“I’m going to spend more. We’ve got more people to buy for and I’m tired of scrimping. I want to spoil people.”
Jennifer Price
“Probably about the same. I shop all year and put things away, so it’s not a big sale all at once.”
Marcia Katz
“I think we’ll spend less. We’re thinking, especially with our daughter, we want to focus on other things this year – being with family and having more special time together, rather than presents.”
Jeff Collins
“I hope I spend less. I’m really trying to go the ‘less is more’ route.”
Susan Spratt
“About the same. I don’t have any reason to spend more. No new people to give to.”
Norman Askins
“I’ll probably stay about
the same.”
Tom Debrey
“Probably less. I make less money every year. Teachers haven’t had a raise in six years.”
Daniel Gribble

Joe Earle is a former Editor-at-Large for Rough Draft. He has more than 30-years of experience at newspapers, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and was Managing Editor of Reporter Newspapers.