Is it time to ban Christmas presents? Blog and poll discussion

glasslady

After spending years buying for everyone, even if it meant we didnt buy for each other, my husband and I now only buy for immidiate family. It was hard cutting the cord and not buying for the masses, but with pently of warning its been managed! and life is so much easier! We still only spend £20 on each other but we make it count. :T
This year we are trying to do more of the IOUs, as in walking the dogs, a bit of gardening, painting fences, whatever we can do and whatever someone wants! Even babysitting on new years eve!!!

Graz-D

"Limit present giving to immediate family – not friends or colleagues."

While I would vote for this it's a little unfair, as I would still exchange a small gift with my two best friends.

red_devil

suedeapple wrote: »

For the past 7 years my other half and I have given up buying each other presents, prior to this we set a limit of £5.00 and had immense fun trying to be as inventive as possible and providing the most amount of entertainment as possible, but after we possibly reached rock bottom with the cheapo gifts we decided what was the point and agreed not to do it any more. life was so much nicer, then we thought why do we buy everyone else a gift also, so we cut out everyone except for kids, its them who xmas is about after all, on one side of the framily and then finally after one exchange that resulted in screaming phone calls at the early hours of the morning saying how I had taken the wrong bag of gifts and what we had already looked at wasnt for us, even though it was written everywhere for us, I decided enough was enough. I did a letter to those concerned, pointed out the stuff we never use, and had no use for and how we were trying to declutter the house, suggested charities to give things to if people really wanted to give gifts and said our gift to them was the time and the money they would have spent on us.
then we stood back and waited for the flack
and it came
in heaps
but we stood firm and resolute and now we are never skint in the new year, or even any point in the year, we are not paying off huge xmas credit cards, or catalogue accounts, life is indeed good.

My advice is put it in writing then the recipient has it to remember not to bother with you again
Kids get a small gift only what we can afford, one family got a sale bargain karaoki set one xmas, it cost a fiver came complete with microphone and they are still using it now, some 4 years later its part of their xmas routine.
Just emphasise throughout

It doesnt mean you dont love them,
It doesnt mean you done enjoy xmas,
nothing wrong with a nice card after all

and the gift of time and credit is truly priceless.

i totally dont agree. Xmas is for all not just kids. Kids get loads. The adults appreciate a gift.

lolababy

Christmas is for children. I love seeing my childrens faces light up on xmas day. I buy for close relations only ie mum dad,brothers, niece and nephews. If Iv not had any contact with family members in the last year I dont buy.
Despite my partners protests I buy the xmas dinner only. I wait for the xmas cakes ect to go down in price after xmas. The kids are not interested in most food as they have selection boxes to gorge on. Mind you I do stipulate dinner first but the excitement of new toys and sweets is a force to be reckoned with.

red_devil

lolababy wrote: »

Christmas is for children.

Its for everyone.

isofa

The most random poll ever! Everyone is different and people will decide on their own circumstances, I've never been interested in receiving gifts (except when I was young!) but enjoying buying interesting and hopefully enjoyed gifts for family and close friends.

For children it's even more exciting, and why shouldn't it be – if people can afford it, then they should enjoy it, if they can't then they are many other things to do which don't involve money.

sakara

Not being a christian, i wonder why i even celebrate anything xmas related...its sort of become emotional blackmail that you are seen the scrooge of the family if you dont give presents.I celebrate Yule, where there is an element of gift giving, but its more personal and not a show off of your wealth.

Not being able to work means i cant afford to buy many presents for people and i see so many people worrying about affording presents for people they hardly ever see! my partner's brother's family give £1000 to each of their kids, they have 6!!! Then those kids look digusted when their gran gives them a £10 note with their card. DISGUSTING.

I do give presents to close family and sometimes close friends when i can afford to. Usually though i make many of my gifts, like jewellery or clothing.
I DO not give paper cards anymore....all my cards are now E cards of which i try to make original ones that are personal to me.

nee-naw

At Christmas, I get so much crap it's unreal!! I wonder if these people actually KNOW me. It is a waste of money, time and effort. I certainly would endorse not buying Christmas presents (except for the children of course!!)

clairefun

I buy too much for my hubby and my son (although saying that, never spend more than £50 tops on my son - he's only 5!). I buy for my mum, my sister, and her two children. I spend about £20-£25 maximum on them - although I also do a stocking for my mum and sister made up mostly of smellies and candles and so on - nice little treaty bits. THEN we buy or make one gift each for : Mother-in-law, father-in-law, step-mother-in-law, mother-in-laws boyfriend, step sister and brother, two grandmothers, sister and her partner, and an aunt and uncle. This year, most of their gifts are either hand knitted gloves (at a cost of about £3.50-£4 for the yarn) or home-brewed beer (no idea of the cost, that's hubby's domain). It's not so much, considering we know all year that it's happening, and I try to buy wrapping paper etc in sales (or use brown paper & tissue paper for the hand-knits). My son and I take great delight in cutting up last years cards to make gift tags or use to stick to this years cards, and he stamps designs onto brown paper for any spare wrapping. We cut out snowflakes for the house and sometimes make little ones to and to gifts, and apart from the secret ones we can't show him, we use gift giving as an exciting activity and a real part of Christmas. He's a terror for telling people what we've got them, though! I don't so much feel obligated to buy gifts as enjoy it.

RuthnJasper

I remember seeing Johnny Vegas on Room 101 a while ago. He was putting in "novelty boxer shorts/ties/etc." When questioned, he said it was because he once received some novelty pants for Christmas from his mum. He then said that he wasn't ungrateful but, at that time, his mum worked hard as a cleaner to support her family and it really irked him that she "spent her time scrubbing steps so she could buy me these." He'd rather have had her save her hard earned money.

My parents are missionaries (!), and we had very little to live on when I was young. But we knew we were loved and we always got a little something. My best friend at school always got sackloads of expensive presents, but was never happy. Golddustmedia is right. Quality time and genuine affection is far better than expensive gifts which, let's face it, are mostly tat under the glittery coating.