Frosty the Snowman - it's the 2025 Christmas thread!

jaybee

Spendless said:

jaybee said:

PennysIntoPounds said:

@jaybee 18 is the ideal age as they're not so young they feel they're missing out but not so old they feel something that's always been there is being 'taken away'. A tenner in a birthday card if you can spare it, to 'raise a glass on me' is much more cherished than an obligatory thing lost in the chaos of Christmas 

Thank you. That's what I was thinking but then thought maybe 21 when they finish uni. Students are always hard up! 

Yes they are but also not all become Uni students and also some are still Uni students after 21.

Amongst the next generation in our family all who have done degrees not one finished at 21 (due to foundation/gap/teaching training/masters/not getting on preferred course)

Very true. The young people I give to are a mixture of all that you mention. Maybe I need to think again. Perhaps it should be when they (hopefully) get a job.

Coxy11

It's a toughie @jaybee (ask me how I know). I took £50 cash out yesterday to gift to nephew who will be 18 next week. We are seeing the ILs today and the wider family will be there so will give it today.

We've had a wine/drink offer through from La!thwaites as we get a quarterly box of 12 bottles of wine. It's 12 bottles, one of which is prosecco, one champagne, one dessert wine and one S!psmith gin, then a mix of red and white wine, plus a 4 bottle box of a red that we like, and two wine tumblers. There's an early bird offer to pay £30 now and the remaining £155 in mid-November. Given our quarterly box of 6 red/6 white is £125 it feels like a good deal. Will discuss with DH whether to go for it, but expect he'll say yes!

PennysIntoPounds

jaybee said:

Spendless said:

jaybee said:

PennysIntoPounds said:

@jaybee 18 is the ideal age as they're not so young they feel they're missing out but not so old they feel something that's always been there is being 'taken away'. A tenner in a birthday card if you can spare it, to 'raise a glass on me' is much more cherished than an obligatory thing lost in the chaos of Christmas 

Thank you. That's what I was thinking but then thought maybe 21 when they finish uni. Students are always hard up! 

Yes they are but also not all become Uni students and also some are still Uni students after 21.

Amongst the next generation in our family all who have done degrees not one finished at 21 (due to foundation/gap/teaching training/masters/not getting on preferred course)

Very true. The young people I give to are a mixture of all that you mention. Maybe I need to think again. Perhaps it should be when they (hopefully) get a job.

Ha you might be setting yourself up for a hiding there 😁 I would say just call it now for 18 then everyone knows that's a fair 'no longer kids' cut off age. If you want to bung them some money as a congratulations/towards something gift in future you can do so at your own discretion and convenience 

jaybee

PennysIntoPounds said:

Ha you might be setting yourself up for a hiding there 😁 I would say just call it now for 18 then everyone knows that's a fair 'no longer kids' cut off age. If you want to bung them some money as a congratulations/towards something gift in future you can do so at your own discretion and convenience 

Very true - especially as one seems to turning into a perpetual student! 

My next question is . . . . do you tell them that you are stopping???

PennysIntoPounds

Coxy11 said:

It's a toughie @jaybee (ask me how I know). I took £50 cash out yesterday to gift to nephew who will be 18 next week. We are seeing the ILs today and the wider family will be there so will give it today.

We've had a wine/drink offer through from La!thwaites as we get a quarterly box of 12 bottles of wine. It's 12 bottles, one of which is prosecco, one champagne, one dessert wine and one S!psmith gin, then a mix of red and white wine, plus a 4 bottle box of a red that we like, and two wine tumblers. There's an early bird offer to pay £30 now and the remaining £155 in mid-November. Given our quarterly box of 6 red/6 white is £125 it feels like a good deal. Will discuss with DH whether to go for it, but expect he'll say yes!

That does sound a decent deal but will you or anyone on the gift list actually use or appreciate dessert wine/gin/tumblers? If you have time and energy you might be better off just getting a winter wines box for you and DH and using some of those as gifts or buying individual cheaper but still nice bottles for gifts at shops 

Spendless

jaybee said:

PennysIntoPounds said:

Ha you might be setting yourself up for a hiding there 😁 I would say just call it now for 18 then everyone knows that's a fair 'no longer kids' cut off age. If you want to bung them some money as a congratulations/towards something gift in future you can do so at your own discretion and convenience 

Very true - especially as one seems to turning into a perpetual student! 

My next question is . . . . do you tell them that you are stopping???

The convo was had with the parents.

I was going to make same suggestion as  pennysinto pounds buy up until 18 and then give at 21 as a special bday (if you wish) and anything else just a 'here's a little something cos you're off to Uni/getting a place of your own' etc. 

PennysIntoPounds

jaybee said:

PennysIntoPounds said:

Ha you might be setting yourself up for a hiding there 😁 I would say just call it now for 18 then everyone knows that's a fair 'no longer kids' cut off age. If you want to bung them some money as a congratulations/towards something gift in future you can do so at your own discretion and convenience 

Very true - especially as one seems to turning into a perpetual student! 

My next question is . . . . do you tell them that you are stopping???

I guess it depends on the specific dynamics and how close your relationships are with the receivers and their parents, only you can really tell what feels right.
If it's going to worry you that they'll be disappointed or worried that they've caused offence in some way, then a light and breezy whatsapp/email/text to everyone like 'hello all, just so you know, I'm/we're doing the 'stopping gifts at 18' thing, still love you all and looking forward to/hopefully seeing you around Christmas' or somesuch is a good way of only having to do it once and doesn't single anyone out

jaybee

PennysIntoPounds said:

jaybee said:

PennysIntoPounds said:

Ha you might be setting yourself up for a hiding there 😁 I would say just call it now for 18 then everyone knows that's a fair 'no longer kids' cut off age. If you want to bung them some money as a congratulations/towards something gift in future you can do so at your own discretion and convenience 

Very true - especially as one seems to turning into a perpetual student! 

My next question is . . . . do you tell them that you are stopping???

I guess it depends on the specific dynamics and how close your relationships are with the receivers and their parents, only you can really tell what feels right.
If it's going to worry you that they'll be disappointed or worried that they've caused offence in some way, then a light and breezy whatsapp/email/text to everyone like 'hello all, just so you know, I'm/we're doing the 'stopping gifts at 18' thing, still love you all and looking forward to/hopefully seeing you around Christmas' or somesuch is a good way of only having to do it once and doesn't single anyone out

Thank you. That sounds exactly right! By doing that will let everyone know exactly what's happening - and make me feel happier too! 

Spendless

Coxy11 said:

It's a toughie @jaybee (ask me how I know). I took £50 cash out yesterday to gift to nephew who will be 18 next week. We are seeing the ILs today and the wider family will be there so will give it today.

We've had a wine/drink offer through from La!thwaites as we get a quarterly box of 12 bottles of wine. It's 12 bottles, one of which is prosecco, one champagne, one dessert wine and one S!psmith gin, then a mix of red and white wine, plus a 4 bottle box of a red that we like, and two wine tumblers. There's an early bird offer to pay £30 now and the remaining £155 in mid-November. Given our quarterly box of 6 red/6 white is £125 it feels like a good deal. Will discuss with DH whether to go for it, but expect he'll say yes!

If Mr S liked and drank wine and/or I had a large gift list of people who I could offload some of this on to, I'd go for it.

Have you priced up how much the extra bottles would  cost indivdually  to see how much of a saving this is?

I think it would certainly make things simpler for you organisation and logistics wise if you could say that's x presents sorted and the rest is for us.

Yesterday we had a survery thru the post for both me and Mr S to fill in relating to exercise/sports. If we filled in and provided our email then in a weeks time we should both get a £5 gift voucher to choose froma  range of retailers (currently unknown who they are). I'm hoping either M&S or love2shop are in it because I have a few little bits to buy to add to larger gifts I intend buying and it'll be helpful if I don't have to use real money -lol.

Nan's 100th bday was at the weekend. She had 27 guests come to see her, mostly family (she's one of 11 children originally only her and 1 sis left now). We bought the party  food from Morrisons with this offer.  

https://groceries.morrisons.com/offers/party-food-bundle-for-100-serves-30/promo-ui-13f22815062c4e1fb254c2ed580d183a?srsltid=AfmBOoovUap0nmatIQz30dXWazRrLj59HKeHJ7eHP8e9XeaaKqgj9WBv

Definately worth it if you need to cater for a few and haven't a large budget or the amenities to do much. 

Nelliegrace

I discussed ending birthday money after age 18 with my sister recently, so she can let her grandchildren know in advance. It was only £5, + card and postage, enough for a few second hand books.