Christmas Budget & Gift Tracker: Gift List by Person, Holiday Budget & Countdown (Excel + Google Sheets)

The Christmas Budget & Gift Tracker is a spreadsheet template for Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets that keeps your holiday spending in one place. List everyone you're buying for with a budget per person, track each gift from idea to wrapped, log the tree, food, travel, cards and other holiday costs, and see budget vs spent for everything, with a countdown to Christmas and a to-do list that dates itself.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• Christmas-Budget-Gift-Tracker_BLANK.xlsx: ready for your numbers
• Christmas-Budget-Gift-Tracker_EXAMPLE.xlsx: a sample family with 12 people, 21 gifts and holiday expenses so you can see how it works
• Download guide (PDF) with step-by-step Excel and Google Sheets setup

8 TABS

Start Here (built-in quick-start notes) · Setup · People · Gift List · Holiday Expenses · Budget Summary · Countdown · Dashboard

Room for 50 people, 300 gifts and 200 holiday expenses. Dropdown menus, locked formula cells (no password) and frozen headers.

KEY FEATURES

• People: budget per person, gifts planned and bought, spent, remaining and Shopping / All bought / Done / Over budget status
• Gift List: person, gift, store or link, planned vs actual price and status (Idea, Ordered, Arrived, Wrapped, Given)
• Holiday Expenses: decorations, tree, food, meals, cards and postage, wrapping, travel, parties, giving and more
• Budget Summary: gifts plus every category, budget vs spent, % used, and how much of your total budget is still unallocated
• Countdown: days, full weeks and Saturdays left until Christmas
• Holiday to-do list: set how many days before Christmas each task is due and it shows Overdue, Due this week or Done
• Dashboard: days to Christmas, budget, spent, remaining, gifts bought, people done and 4 charts

HOW IT WORKS

1. Buy and download instantly: your download page opens right after checkout, and the link is also emailed to you.
2. On a computer, open the BLANK file in Microsoft Excel, or upload it to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets (the PDF guide shows both).
3. Start on the Start Here tab and type your numbers into the blue cells. The grey formula cells, summaries and dashboard charts update automatically.
4. Open the EXAMPLE file any time to see how a filled-in version looks.

COMPATIBILITY

• ✔ Microsoft Excel (Windows and Mac desktop, Microsoft 365)
• ✔ Google Sheets (free): upload the .xlsx to Google Drive, then Open with Google Sheets.
• ✘ Not designed for Apple Numbers or phone screens. A computer is recommended.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: Does it work in Excel and Google Sheets?

A: Yes. It works in Microsoft Excel (Windows or Mac desktop, or Microsoft 365) and in Google Sheets, which is free with a Google account. It isn't designed for Apple Numbers.

Q: Should I use Google Sheets or Excel?

A: Either works: the formulas, dropdowns and charts work in both. Choose Excel if you want to keep the file on your computer. Choose Google Sheets if you want a free, browser-based option you can open anywhere. For Google Sheets, upload the .xlsx file to Google Drive, right-click it and choose Open with > Google Sheets, then File > Save as Google Sheets.

Q: Can I use it on my phone or tablet?

A: It's designed for a computer screen, not a phone. Phones often can't open .xlsx downloads, so download and set it up on a computer. Once it's saved as a Google Sheet, you can open it in the Google Sheets mobile app to check your numbers, but a computer is best for setup and data entry.

Q: How do I download it?

A: Right after checkout your download page opens, and the download link is also emailed to you. Download all the files on a computer, then follow the PDF guide to open the BLANK file in Excel or Google Sheets.

Q: Can I customize it?

A: Yes. Enter your total holiday budget, gift groups (family, friends, teachers) and spending categories with their budgets on the Setup tab. Formula cells are locked without a password so they can't be overwritten by accident. To change formulas or the layout, unprotect the tab: Review > Unprotect Sheet in Excel, or Data > Protect sheets and ranges in Google Sheets.

Q: Can I get a refund?

A: Yes, within 14 days of purchase, in two cases: a file has a problem I can't fix, or you bought the same product twice by mistake. Email todorgan@gmail.com with your order details.

GOOD TO KNOW

• This is a digital product. Nothing will be shipped.
• It counts down to the next Christmas automatically, so the blank file works this year and next.
• Shipping cutoffs vary by carrier: check your carrier's holiday dates and edit the to-do list.
• A budgeting tool, not financial advice.
• For personal use. Please don't share or resell the files.
• Questions or a problem with a file? Email todorgan@gmail.com.

AI disclosure: this template was designed with the help of AI tools. The formulas, layout and example data were reviewed and tested before release.