RACINE - Donald Thillemann, 48, of Racine, has four nieces and nephews. He doesn't know how he's going to buy their Christmas gifts this year.

"It's hard enough as it is," he said.

After Thillemann lost his temporary job at SC Johnson's Waxdale manufacturing facility, he was left with only his part-time job of eight years washing dishes at Salute Italian Restaurant, 314 Main St., to support him.

"I just can't afford to buy gifts for all of them," he said. "It's hard. I feel bad about that."

He said he'll spend the holidays with his younger brother and his family like he usually does.

Like Thillemann, other Racine residents are planning on spending time with family and looking for ways to cut back this holiday season, according to an informal Journal Times poll Sunday of people Downtown.

James Carlini, 55, of East Dundee, Ill., and his wife were visiting their condominium in Racine on Sunday afternoon. He said they'll spend their holidays the way they've been spending it the past several years - Thanksgiving with his family in Illinois and Christmas with hers in Indiana.

As far as holiday gifts, the couple said they usually shop for bargains anyway. They said that many stores have sales going on now because people are "getting smarter" about looking for deals in this economy.

"Now, especially, there are more discounts going on for Christmas than there was in the past," James said.

Angela Malone, 26, of Racine, said she won't be spending her holidays any differently this year because of the economy. She said they were lucky that no one in her family lost their jobs.

But, Malone added, her family has always been pretty conscious of their budget and were never extravagant holiday spenders to begin with.

They usually make something for each other, she said.

"I knit, so I'll probably knit something for the gifts," Malone said.

Ben and Sara Burrows of Chicago, who were visiting Racine on Sunday afternoon, said they're tweaking their holiday spending here and there.

"We're certainly cutting back on the gift budget," said Sara, 62.

The gift budget for their three grown children and other family might be cut by a third, or even half, she said.

"We probably won't spend on decorations as much," Ben said.

He said they usually buy some new decoration every holiday season, but that this year they'll probably use what they have.

"In the past it was always fun to go out and shop for Christmas," Sara said. "It's not so much fun anymore because you're thinking about where those dollars are coming from."