Your kids giving you X-mas presents

[somebodynew]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Sure. Only handmade gifts or gift certificates really come from the heart and spread love. There is nothing wrong with spending money for gifts

You don't have to agree with me. But *I* think that handing someone money and saying I expect you to go buy me more stuff has nothing to do with giving. It has to do with some weird misfit concept of giving that has grown up out of our society's ever increasing fixation on buying things.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by somebodynew

You don't have to agree with me. But *I* think that handing someone money and saying I expect you to go buy me more stuff has nothing to do with giving. It has to do with some weird misfit concept of giving that has grown up out of our society's ever increasing fixation on buying things.

Funny thing is that I don't disagree with you - handmade gifts can absolutely be made from a place of love. So can buying something that you know someone would love.

[Granny Sue]

I have a different take on it.

Yes I do expect them to give me a gift......because I know they enjoy doing it and are proud of themselves for being able to do something for me.

I remember as a young girl being about to give my parents a gift for the 1st time. I was so very excited! My father took me and my siblings out to get something for mom and mom would take us to get something for Dad.

My husband and I did the same with our son. And I just took my granddaughters out to get something for their parents. They were so happy that they got to give Mommy and Daddy a gift. What did they get them? A portrait of them from the mall.

It's not the money...the the pleasure on the child's face.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by Granny Sue

I have a different take on it.

Yes I do expect them to give me a gift......because I know they enjoy doing it and are proud of themselves for being able to do something for me.

I remember as a young girl being about to give my parents a gift for the 1st time. I was so very excited! My father took me and my siblings out to get something for mom and mom would take us to get something for Dad.

My husband and I did the same with our son. And I just took my granddaughters out to get something for their parents. They were so happy that they got to give Mommy and Daddy a gift. What did they get them? A portrait of them from the mall.

It's not the money...the the pleasure on the child's face.

I'd add "It's not the money...it's the pleasure on the parent's face" for the child to see they've brought happiness and joy to their mom/dad.

[DewDropInn]

Originally Posted by Granny Sue

I remember as a young girl being about to give my parents a gift for the 1st time. I was so very excited! My father took me and my siblings out to get something for mom and mom would take us to get something for Dad.

We did that too. We got to go to the "nice" department store which was an all day trip. My siblings and I still talk about what a big deal it was just to go to the store in another town and wander around looking for the perfect gift. We each had a few bucks to spend and it took hours to find the one special thing out of so much to choose from.

Now that I look back on it the store clerks were models of patience because they pulled out everything in their displays for us to ogle and talk about and figure out if we had enough cash for whatever it was. Happy, happy memories.

I should add those gifts were in addition to the home made paper clip holder made out of ice cream sticks and pipe cleaners.

[Southern Phoenician]

Since our son was young enough to understand gift giving, we've had him pick out a gift for his Grandparents and parents and we paid for it. Now that he's 10, he's really into gift-giving for his family and is choosing to purchase his Mom and Dad's gifts using his own money but we'll give him money/budget to purchase for his Grandparents. I think it's important for kids to "give back" and learn that at an early age. With that said, we are NOT exchanging gifts with our own adult parents and siblings this year because we bought plane tickets for travel for Thanksgiving and Christmas instead of buying gifts. We made that agreement in advance and we are all at ages where we have what we need/want.