Nope, we didn’t think so. That’s a lot of money.

Yet that’s the per-capita estimate of what Americans will spend for holiday goodies.

Per capita! That means that if you’re a family of two, you’re looking at a cool two thou in debt. Alas, no one forecasts how long those credit-card bills will be around to haunt folks.

Consumers say they will spend an average $967.13 this year, according to the annual survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. That’s up 3.4 percent from the $935.58 consumers said they would spend when surveyed at the same time last year. —Read the full article.

So how to have a warm, welcoming, even extravagant holiday season without drowning your family in debt?

Well, that’s easy. Go the previously-loved, even previously-gifted gift, decor, and entertainment route. Follow these links and see how BIG your celebration can be, while keeping those January bills SMALL.

• Making a bit of spare cash ahead of time.

• Scouting out some new retail resources.

• Gift ideas.

• And of course, YOU deserve the best gift of all.