How do you do Christmas presents in your family?

notanewuser

We don't buy anybody anything, nor they for us. Works a treat.

Mrs_Ryan

OH and I get a joint present from his Dad and stepmum. Ditto from his stepbro and his wife. However we get separate presents from my Mum and Dad. I buy separate presents for Mum and Dad, sis and BIL and their two boys, and bro and SIL. OH (or rather me ) buys separate presents for his dad and stepmum, and for his two nephews but his stepbrother and his wife get a joint present. It's a blinking nightmare that causes no end of stress but we've done it like that since we moved in so we're just used to it now..

74jax

arbroath_lass wrote: »

Something they could use together, like cinema tickets or a meal or takeaway voucher, might go down well. Or people on the hamper thread do a "night in" hamper - that always sounds fab (wine/soft drink, dvd, popcorn, chocolate etc).

Where is the hamper thread pls?

pukkamum

Gillybean wrote: »

In our large extended family it goes like this. Single adults get a pressie. Attached adults get a joint pressie. Attached adults with kids don't get a pressie but their kids do instead.

Siblings buy for each other (same rules apply as above re attached and single), siblings club together to buy something really nice for their parents and parents will always buy for kids, however old they are.

Defo found this saves a massive amount of buying of tat because you feel obliged to.

Thats exactly how we do it, saves so much time and money.

no1catman

notanewuser wrote: »

We don't buy anybody anything, nor they for us. Works a treat.

Likewise (well almost), estranged from my siblings, so not getting anything for them nor their grown up offspring - none of them have given me their new address after leaving their 'family' home!
It always seemed a one-way process. as for much of that time I was an unattached guy. But then when I get a Partner, she gets ignored!
Who knows I might get a card, but I'm not expecting one - sad perhaps.
So now I'll concentrate on a couple of far away cousins, and Aunt, and my Partners family.

marisco_2

Christmas was a present minefield for a while, until I saw sense and put my foot down. There is my dad and step mum plus large extended families on both sides, with my own sibling, plus 2 step brothers and a step sister and all their partners and kids. They all like to be what they term as generous at Xmas. Whilst I see it as being totally ott and unnecessary.

I tried to keep up with them all for the first couple of years but got sick of it and decided enough was enough. Now I buy individual presents only for my dad, step mum, real sister and her husband and all the kids in the family. I see joint presents as being more suitable for weddings or anniversaries to be honest. Everyone else I just send a nice card too. To me Xmas is about spending time with those I love and enjoying their company. I strongly dislike all of the excessive commercialism.

Bella73

A few years ago we agreed with all our family that we would just do cards. Only buy a gift for DH Dad and each other. Totally takes the stress out of Christmas and saves us a fortune. Plus we can buy gifts for each depending on our financial situation that year without having to outdo anyone.

We are all old enough to buy what we want within our budgets should we want it so why have the stress.

I have colleagues at work who are almost pulling their hair out come Christmas and I just don't see the point. We still celebrate with the tree and all but it's so much more fun without worrying about having overspent or trying to get a suitable gift for X.

I was so glad to see the back of all those flipping "gift" shower gel sets. I never use them as I like the shower gel I buy thanks and don't need someone to spend £10 on something I don't even use.

Bella73

A few years ago we agreed with all our family that we would just do cards. Only buy a gift for DH Dad and each other. Totally takes the stress out of Christmas and saves us a fortune. Plus we can buy gifts for each depending on our financial situation that year without having to outdo anyone.

We are all old enough to buy what we want within our budgets should we want it so why have the stress.

I have colleagues at work who are almost pulling their hair out come Christmas and I just don't see the point. We still celebrate with the tree and all but it's so much more fun without worrying about having overspent or trying to get a suitable gift for X.

I was so glad to see the back of all those flipping "gift" shower gel sets. I never use them as I like the shower gel I buy thanks and don't need someone to spend £10 on something I don't even use.

Person_one

marisco wrote: »

Christmas was a present minefield for a while, until I saw sense and put my foot down. There is my dad and step mum plus large extended families on both sides, with my own sibling, plus 2 step brothers and a step sister and all their partners and kids. They all like to be what they term as generous at Xmas. Whilst I see it as being totally ott and unnecessary.

I tried to keep up with them all for the first couple of years but got sick of it and decided enough was enough. Now I buy individual presents only for my dad, step mum, real sister and her husband and all the kids in the family. I see joint presents as being more suitable for weddings or anniversaries to be honest. Everyone else I just send a nice card too. To me Xmas is about spending time with those I love and enjoying their company. I strongly dislike all of the excessive commercialism.

Buy what you can afford and what you feel comfortable with of course, but there's nothing wrong with their generosity! Please try to view it a bit more positively, some of us do get genuine pleasure from giving gifts to the people we love.

MrSmartprice

Bella73 wrote: »

A few years ago we agreed with all our family that we would just do cards. Only buy a gift for DH Dad and each other. Totally takes the stress out of Christmas and saves us a fortune. Plus we can buy gifts for each depending on our financial situation that year without having to outdo anyone.

We are all old enough to buy what we want within our budgets should we want it so why have the stress.

I have colleagues at work who are almost pulling their hair out come Christmas and I just don't see the point. We still celebrate with the tree and all but it's so much more fun without worrying about having overspent or trying to get a suitable gift for X.

I was so glad to see the back of all those flipping "gift" shower gel sets. I never use them as I like the shower gel I buy thanks and don't need someone to spend £10 on something I don't even use.

Absolutely! :T

You gain on three counts as I see it. You don't have the stress of wondering what to buy people. You save a shedload of money. And you don't have a load of useless tat to dispose of in the new year.

Other tips for a stress-free Christmas: We have pruned our card list down to people we actually see, and they are written and addressed inside an hour with the help of our own printed labels. And we go to a curry house for Christmas Day lunch so we don't have to worry about food shopping any more than usual.