At the risk of sounding miserly

givememoney

As a family, (not a very big one), we all meet up at Christmas and gifts are exchanged.

We ask each other what we would like and buy accordingly. However, this isn't without it's problems as some of the men when asked what they would like, declare `nothing`, not at all helpful.

Anyway from next Christmas, too late now, 5 of the group of 9 excluding our grandson and new one to be, have decided this ridiculous farce needs to stop.

We go ladden down with gifts, this year to our daughters and it takes best part of a couple of hours to open them all. Must admit we are all in a fairly lucky position that if we really wanted something we would go out and buy it, so trying to think of things for others to buy you can be a problem.

Added to this it all seems a bit obscene, all this over indulgence. Buying for the sake of it. After all, getting together at Christmas, having a nice dinner and watching the little ones open their gifts is really pleasure enough for us.

Anyway the plan is, next year like a Secret Santa we all get one gift to open bought by one of the group. Result, less expensive, less worry trying to think i.e. what your want and what to get others.

The shops won't like it if everyone did it, but if your family like ours thinks it is getting out of hand, why not try it.

stir_crazy

I did this one year with my brothers, only we decided that instead of spending £15-20 per person, we would spend £50 on a gift that our secret person really wanted but hadn't quite had the spare cash to get. It actually worked out quite well, but since then, they have all gone on to have children so I now buy them token gifts (sweets, etc) and buy a bigger gift for the children. My brothers then buy me and my DH a token gift in return. Christmas is about the children after all.

Sambucus_Nigra

givememoney wrote: »

As a family, (not a very big one), we all meet up at Christmas and gifts are exchanged.

We ask each other what we would like and buy accordingly. However, this isn't without it's problems as some of the men when asked what they would like, declare `nothing`, not at all helpful.

Anyway from next Christmas, too late now, 5 of the group of 9 excluding our grandson and new one to be, have decided this ridiculous farce needs to stop.

We go ladden down with gifts, this year to our daughters and it takes best part of a couple of hours to open them all. Must admit we are all in a fairly lucky position that if we really wanted something we would go out and buy it, so trying to think of things for others to buy you can be a problem.

Added to this it all seems a bit obscene, all this over indulgence. Buying for the sake of it. After all, getting together at Christmas, having a nice dinner and watching the little ones open their gifts is really pleasure enough for us.

Anyway the plan is, next year like a Secret Santa we all get one gift to open bought by one of the group. Result, less expensive, less worry trying to think i.e. what your want and what to get others.

The shops won't like it if everyone did it, but if your family like ours thinks it is getting out of hand, why not try it.

We stopped buying gifts for all the adults in the family years ago. Why not try it?

jusnoneed

We stopped buying birthday and christmas presents for all except immediate family once they get to 18. Saves all the hassle of trying to find something for people who really don't need/want most of the stuff that gets given! Myself and other half don't buy for each other, if we want something anytime we buy it ourselves.

givememoney

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

We stopped buying gifts for all the adults in the family years ago. Why not try it?

Oh yes we cut out brothers, sisters and even their offspring once they got to 18.

This is our direct family though along with our son-in-law's father and brother.

I think we will go with having one gift to open as it shows our little grandson it's not only about him.