DFW's surviving Christmas support thread!

I have four sisters, about 8 nieces and nephews, some great nieces and nephews and 7 grandchildren, and three children of my own and three of OH's. I sent a round robin a few years ago suggesting to my sisters that once the young people passed 21, we stopped sending presents, just cards and good wishes. Obviously we give something to our own children, but not to everybody else's.... Mostly they agreed, though I have caught them cheating occasionally.

One of my daughters and I have given each other half a strimmer, and sorted Christmas between us that way. The other, I gave her something she really wanted when she wanted it, and we've agreed it's a Christmas present.... I don't give anything computerish to my grandsons as I haven't a clue what they want or how to get it or whether they've got it already, so I give them a small practical present (re-usable handwarmers a success one year, shake torches another, and so on, thank goodness they are still under 12) plus some money, about £10, to spend as they wish.

One way and another, we are all combining to shorten the present list and play down the children's expectations. I do exchange presents with a few friends as well as sisters, and more and more we are moving towards things you can eat, drink or burn (candles!), not things that clutter up the house and are not needed.

If someone gives me a specially nice candle or a bottle of delicious olive oil, I am happy, and I hope they are too.

The children I see most of seem to understand that the Christmas hype in catalogues and adverts is nothing to do with them, and they don't seem to nag and fret, and they do seem innocently happy with what they get. Maybe I'm living in a fool's paradise, but I hope not.

In-laws, as we gradually gather them, do try too hard at first, but they gradually pick up that we don't expect big presents, and that exchanged hospitality is as welcome as anything.

tealady wrote: »

Stress? tell me about it. I LOATHE shops when they are crowded, hate the overpriced tat which masquerades as "gift ideas". In fact I wish people would just send me a card and have done with it. Then I can go out in January in the sales and spend the money I didn't spend on buying things for people they may not like want or need.

i am totally with you on this one!!!

it never ever feels like christmas anymore-- just greedy kids rubbing their hands in glee at what they are getting and will probably get it before christmas cos the little darlings cant wait!! STRESS TELL ME ABOUT IT:mad:

P.S. BRING BACK TRADITION NOW!!!!!

What a great idea for a thread!

I survive Christmas by doing the following:

· I buy presents gradually through the year (certainly from summer onwards) so I don’t have to buy everything in December. I do Avon so I get a lot of my presents from them – I earn commission on everything which makes them even cheaper.
· I set a strict budget for each present – this year is £30 for OH and I to spend on each other, £5 a head for everyone else.
· DS (aged 13) gets one main present and lots of little ones, which I gradually accumulate.
· My stepsister did not buy me or DS a present last year (they are skint too!) so that cuts 3 people off the present buying list – SS, her DH and her DD.
· I spend as little as possible! Some presents cost less than £1 but you would never know it!
· I home-make a lot of stuff including cake, pudding and mince pies.
· I re-use lots. I know people who buy new Christmas decorations every year – I don’t! When I was little, we had the same Advent Calendar every year!
· I hand-deliver wherever possible, or get someone else to take presents to people, to save on postage.
· I post everything else 2nd class.
· Presents that have to be posted are deliberately chosen so they are small and light to save on the postage.
· I have drastically reduced my Christmas card (and present!) list.
· I do not use credit cards for any of my Christmas purchases, or if I do, it immediately gets reimbursed from my emergency savings account.

This is my 2nd DFW Christmas and if last year is anything to go by, it’s a lot more fun! I don’t have the guilt and the worry of having spent more than I should have and I have to be a lot more creative. I actually feel really proud of myself when I have managed to get a good present for someone for not much money!

The things I find stressful about Christmas can be summed up in 2 words – (a) crowds (b) housework!

Actually, thinking about it, I should add two more things to the stress list (1) finding presents for those awkward members of the family (you know, the ones who are really difficult to buy for) and (2) Christmas parties – they can be so expensive when you consider drinks and everything else!

Hi, I would just like to say on the subject of expensive card buying for special friends and family, what we have done this year.

I found a carrier bag full of last years old cards in the attic and looking through them I thought there were some lovely pictures or 'stick on' things that could be cut out or removed easily and used again. So I sat with the kids one afternoon in the holidays and we made lots of special cards of our own. I found a box of 50 white cards with envelopes, that were buy one get one free, so that made 100 plain cards and envelopes for £7.50. Using the pictures and extra glitter that we found at home, we made our own special cards that have cost us 7.5p each for the card and envelope, the another 3p perhaps for glue? Special cards ready now for 10p each.

Then we also had the idea of keeping some of the pictures from the front of cards and making swing tags for presys. By making a small hoe in one corner with a pair of pointy tweezers and using some lovely shiny thread that is often wrapped around other cards, we made the loop for fastening the tag onto the presy with. They came out great and are nicer than the ones we bought last year.