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2. Everyone donates to charity instead of buying things for each other.
Sounds like a winner. If you guys are worn out buying things for each other, you would do well to consider all the families who barely have enough to make ends meet. I really would encourage your family to stop with the senseless gift giving and instead either buy gifts for children who don't have hardly anything or just donate to your local charity.
You've named the ideas that most folks resort to. The only gift giving that you should control is your own.....so pick one and sit the precedent for the others.
And, most kids by middle school age would rather buy their own things, or shop online for the fun of looking and buying.....I started doing online gift certificates when my grand kids got old enough. This option will certainly save you time and shipping....and can be accomplished via email, or even text in some cases.
My family draws names at Thanksgiving for Christmas. We break it up so the kids (18 and under) draw for each other, then the "young adults", then 40 and up.
Everybody buys for grandma/grandpa and they still buy for everybody...so it's really only easier on the rest of us and not so much them.
But I also agree with giving an experience instead of an object. I think that's a really great idea
I believe picking a name during T'giving for X-mas is the way to go, besides being a lot of fun in trying to guess who got who in regards to the younger set.
It also sets an example the Holidays is about being together, the presents are just a tiny part of the fun.
I have 2 sons and 4 grandkids. My wife has 3 adult children, 8 grand youngsters, and Great grandchild #7 and #8 on the way, with 7 due at Christmas. We have a Christmas club, that is the greatest thing ever, that is taken out of her monthly retirement check automatically. But still that's a lot to buy for. So, for the adult kids and adult grandkids, we make chocolate and peanut butter fudge and put a gift card for a nice restaurant on top in a Christmas tin. Most of the funds go to the kids. We find out what they want and do our best to get that, plus one more toy and a couple outfits.
No. A gift certificate was issued on paper. A gift card is a piece of plastic, looks like a credit card. I haven't seen gift certificates in twenty years.
I have a very strict "no presents for adults" rule. The only exceptions are my own kid, and our parents (the parents get occasional small gifts, but we usually just take them out to dinner). So we only buy presents for the nieces and nephews and a few close cousins - Christmas presents through college, birthday presents through high school.
It was an adjustment for my husband's family when we got married, but I have no problem being the bad guy. I've held firm, and they eventually adjusted! It has kept our lives simple, easy and low key.
I remember when I was young in the early 50s and no adults got gifts back then , it was only for children and wish it still was .. as Ive started buying gifts from two months ago so that Im not hit too hard nearer the time... I buy gifts for the individual never buy in bulk and say ..that will do... its always chosen for that person and what I hope they will like... but I keep adding... why do I do this. its crazy....
Years ago the extended family drew names at Thanksgiving. Then as the older ones passed on and the younger ones grew up and the divorced ones quit coming, even the gatherings stopped. The Great Recession killed Christmas gift giving in our household and after it passed we noticed that we actually enjoyed Christmas more with no gift giving. The focus became just enjoying the lights and music and movies and eating together. Nowadays if I get an invitation to the one remaining household that does massive gift exchanges, I politely decline. I have come to enjoy quiet on Christmas morning and if I am lucky, a little snow.
I just remembered a thing I did with my three young niece and nephews several years ago. I thought I’d introduce them to charitable giving gradually, in a way that was fun for them. So for Christmas, I took them to the pet store, and we each picked out a few things for cats and dogs. Then we brought them to the humane society, and donated them there. I had told the people in advance that we would be coming, and they made a fuss over the kids, and told him how happy the pets would be. Of course, the problem with this, is that then they all wanted to bring a few cats and dogs home with them.
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