Real-life MMD: Should I make homemade presents that won't be appreciated?

wildthing01

I think if they're not going to appreciate handmade gifts, then buy them a small charity donation (perhaps to a charity relevant to their interests?) with whatever you would have spent on the vouchers. I wouldn't just buy them vouchers and give everyone else handmade gifts - that seems unfair to me and rather against the whole spirit of Christmas.

kirkwisebeard

If they don't appreciate your time and effort, they won't appreciate money or vouchers... give them nothing... I made a rule to do just that years ago, and it just means I spend less time having to deal with unappreciative people...

cuba2008

As soon as we all had children, we stopped giving to each other. We decided to concentrate on the children. Then, as more children came along we called a halt after they reached a certain age. It just gets ridiculous otherwise. I've now passed this piece of wisdom onto my 80 year old mother, as she has numerous great grand children and she really needs to put a limit on who she gives to and how much she spends. As for the OP's brothers not appreciating homemade gifts perhaps it's actually her husband who has a problem? Either way, something homemade shows the giver has put in time and effort and surely that's way more important than taking the easy way out and spending more you don't have on vouchers. Besides, as others have pointed out, if a shop goes bust the vouchers won't be worth anything will they?

ANNIEHAHA

We all stopped buying for adults when the children came along, we only buy (send money!) until their 18 too, and don't buy for nieces/nephews children either or it goes on forever
My friends families either put a budget on presents, so it becomes a competition as to who gets the best presents for the cheapest price (which they enjoy)
Or they do a secret Santa so everyone buys one present and all receive one.
Unfortunately u and hubby have to decide what it going to do, I think all should be treated the same

Augustus_the_Strong

If you really can't afford to buy people presents, don't do it! The whole thing has become ridiculous anyway. I'd much rather have a nice home-made thing, preferably that we can eat or otherwise use up, as we have a house full of stuff already & no space.

florere

Brothers have a problem? or is it the husband not wanting to admit to his brothers that he is short of money. Homemade is lovely, all that time and trouble someone has taken to make something nice for you, If it is the brothers, then buy them one of those big tubes of smarties each, it's what we buy for our grown up children.