Want a really cheap christmas

moggins

Thanks Pooky, to be honest we'd be grateful not to get presents from her as it's always something pretty awful, I wish it was as useful as clothes pegs and chewing gun Think that's what I'll do and use the £20 I would spend on their presents to get something else that my kids will appreciate instead

angelatgraceland

We always make up a food hamper for the "oldies". We cant change this routine now, as its probably expected. Im happy with this though as it enables us to spend whatever we like, pick up plenty of good bargains in bogofs during the runup to Christmas and just feels a lot less "commercial". After all, we all need food. Always add a treat for any pets too-that is very much appreciated. I always put in the essentials which they have probably run out of-matches-candles-salt-bicarb-realy odd random stuff. Its these "odd" items I get the thanks for though as Im always asked "how did you know Id run out of.......".MIL lives out in the sticks so we shall continue with this especialy for her. Sometimes we add an item of clothing,a box of chocks or a bunch of flowers but they never know what they will get exactly. MIL often used to worry that she couldnt afford to invite anyone around as she had nothing to offer them, so I usually add a couple of boxes of mince pies and a bottle of sherry as well. I like to know that if I give gifts that they are needed/appreciated and not useless.

Edinburghlass_2

elmer wrote:

I dont want a cheap xmas, I want the best xmas possible on my budget

We had an awful xmas last year as I was guilted out by my husbands family and gave in and had my inlaws ( my xmas pressie was wooden pegs and chewing gum!) it was awful nothing was good enough, and they expected to be waited on .
so this year we are hibernating, and celebrating just being us, so I have bought presents for other family members on a strict budget of £15.00 per person (less for certain people) and the rest of my budget will be spent in a glorious blaze of celebrating usness I sharn't go over the top financially but with the help of this web site we are going to have a wonderful family christmas, no guilt and no stress.

Elmer

I'm with you Elmer, best festive season I can afford on my budget with no guilt about how much I spend on friends and family

Being a good MSE'r I will, of course, have spent my hard earned money wisely and with the help of the shopping boards will find the best bargains.

moggins

I love this thread though, it's really made my whole family think more about what we get out of christmas and why. We're making sure that this year much more thought goes into everything we do and buy and that family time far outweighs presents.

jazzyjustlaw

In relation to those people who are unsure who to purchase presents for I would say only buy presents if you want to give them. If you dont want to and do so that seems to defeat the essence of present giving.

My sister (who has 5 children bless her) wanted to say that she was only buying for children only but as mine is 16 and there are no others she would be buying for her own. Now a lot of our family spend £150 plus on my sister, her husband and her children so she must have realised this as she does buy for all and I would still buy for them if they couldnt afford the rest of us but plenty wouldnt.

Happy Christmas all - sorry but I felt in the spirit of things for a moment lol

halloweenqueen_2

I'm so pleased I went shopping in Boots sale last year as it has saved me quite a bit!

hex2

I was brought up that the best present is something that you would like to own but just wouldnt buy for yourself, and I do try and stick to that now. One of the good things about being a full time mum (rather than an obsessive overpaid caeer mad psycopath ) for the last two years was actually having the time to find the right, significant, appropriate presents rather than having a mad blitz on Amazon the week before. The budget restrictions forced me to be more resourceful and I actually enjoyed doing it.
Harder this year trying to shop with two toddlers - just how do you distract them from the contents of your trolley?

HappySad

I have a budget of £200 or less pounds to spend on presents. I am also working on making Christmas as stress free event as possible. So I buy books on Amazon for the children in my family. Adults get no presents and instead we meet up to have Christmas meals together in December at good restaurants. My son (2years) gets a present and his current present will be lots of "Bob the Builder" stuff all secondhand.

My partner & family don't exchange presents and prefer it that way. We usually exchange present with each other during the year with no specific occasion to mark the date.. "saw this and thought of you" is the usual excuse.

I personnally don't want any presents from anyone for Christmas. I prefer to meet up and go out for a meal and to exchange Christmas cards.

Oh just remembered.. I do buy presents for my partner's mother and father as we always spend Christmas with them. I also buy presents for my friend's & family's pets.

Sujamjen

Poppycat wrote:

I always find a great present is a nice presented photograph of our kids to close relatives.

As I am into photography, I get a nice picture printed off the pc printer using quality photo paper and get a frame from Wilkos, sometimes with a border background inserted into the frame. Total costs not including your time, about £3-£4.

We would much rather spend what money we have on our kids and us.

When you say 'close relatives' do you mean Grandparents? Because I'm afraid I have to say I hate it when I receive photos of nephews/neices, great nephews/neices, cousins, great cousins etc etc. I'm one of those people who only want pictures of my own children on display!
Re presents, my children get one main presie from Father Xmas and lots of little gifts (nothing expensive and can be frivolous or practical). I also do a Boxing day gift. I also buy presies all year round and I make some stuff too and I do 'promise vouchers' for my older children. We have a very big extended family so I no longer buy for the over 21yrs (Xmas or birthday).

ps Totally agree with Elmer and Edinburghlass re Xmas!! :T

HappySad

Along the lines of photos from Poppycat. I too send photos of my family to friends and relative. We do this in a home made Christmas card. We photograph my partner, child and me. Then we add things to the picture to make it Chrstmasy. Then we print it off and tick the photograph quality picture infront of a low cost but good quality Christmas card. We then send this off to everyone with a message inside.