Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Location: Somewhere gray and damp, close to the West Coast
20,955 posts, read 5,545,820 times
Reputation: 8559
I made one very nice handmade gift for someone very special, and if I get ambitious, I'll probably make gifts of bokashi for those in my neighborhood who garden.
As I get older, I am more about creating memories rather than buying gits.
The time spent together and creating memories and upholding traditions seems more valuable to me
I agree with this wholeheartedly!!
My parents & grandparents have passed so no obligation there. When my kids hit their early 20's and only wanted "the best" e.g.. Coach purse, etc. Instead of bowing to rampant materialism, I started giving a sizeable contribution to the charity of their choice.
The contribution is large because I want them to understand the concept of really giving, even if it hurts. And their charity must be highly rated.
This has gone on for 10 years now and they are becoming involved in their respective charities and trying to get each other to "jump ship" to their charity. It has resulted in some pretty funny moments of persuasion.
I have three people to buy gifts for: my mom, sister and my daughter. All three are very thankful for their gifts. Mom will be getting a $500 gift card for Bloomingdales which is her favorite store. I'll have to work overtime to pull that one off, but she deserves it.
My sister will get $150 to do whatever she wants with, and my daughter- well, there is an endless list of items. So I'll pick and choose her favorites until my money runs out.
I don't mind giving gifts, in my family it is a big deal. I just have so much on my plate coming up that it is a real drain. I'm a divorced single mom, full time college student currently with a part time job. I wish I could just stay away from traveling to see everyone but that isn't an option during the holidays. I feel like I spend all this money and while I get around 20,30 gifts from my mother alone, I wish I could just opt out and spend the money on important things and a little bit on what I really want.
Maybe one day I'll have the guts to say "Next year guys!"
I am being a bit selfish....some people have SO many gifts to buy, I'm glad I'm not in their shoes. So I should be thankful. I actually got asked what I wanted this year so maybe I'll get one of those items.
None and Zero. I don't understand the need to buy things for adults that they don't need and probably don't want. Trading gift cards is also pointless. If everyone kept their own money, they could spend it however they liked or save it! Getting rid of the gift giving took a lot of the stress out of the holidays. Every year there is someone who is a bit strapped for cash because of medical bills, or a layoff, or they just bought a house, etc. I would hate to see someone go into debt buying gifts. ugh
We don't want to make waves and it is expected and is easier than the anger we would have to endure by the few relatives we like. If we did not show up with gifts for everyone, the air would be sucked out of the room and people would gossip, give us the silent treatment and I would never hear the end of it for months afterwards.
That's the modus operandi for your family anyway, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, so why not do what you want?
I read somewhere that the average person buys for 11 people and spends about $900 for Christmas Gifts.
So many people I have bought gifts for in the past never said thanks and I suspect the gift ended in the basement.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
