How Do You Do Gifts?

[@churchofpos2279]

I don't celebrate Christmas and no longer buy presents. What I do is donate to local charities instead. I have asked the few relatives not to get me anything either and to donate to a local charity instead. I have what I need/want.

[@Apairoffluffysocks]

I’ve already had mince pies. Noms 😋.

[@jeannie2853]

Coming from a large family [which just keeps on growing!!] it became way too expensive to buy Christmas gifts for everyone so now we only buy for the children and do a secret Santa among the adults with a maximum spend. Works well for us.

[@rachelmontgomery3889]

As the primary purchaser in our household I’ve decided this year my husband and I will give our children really nice items from secondhand shops and keep under $25/kid, plus a stocking of consumable treats and necessities. I’ll try to cash in shopping points for gift cards for my parents and grandmother, as they live far away. Lots of other situations this year have drained our reserves so we need to enjoy Christmas on a light budget. I plan to be finished shopping in the next couple weeks.

[@prepperfortheages878]

I love secondhand shops, there are some really good finds in there!

[@lindajacquot5391]

I like lots of little, fun and/or practical presents to give at Christmas. This year, though, it will be money and a small gift. One son will be working in LA over Christmas, and the other is getting married next fall. My husband gets pistachios and chocolate - it's tradition. Then there are all the little gifts I get for our "adopted" family. Cookies will also be made and distributed as well. 🎄

[@Greenmanure62]

I only buy for my son and his girl friend these days. Christmas is celebrated late November in my house as my son is a sound engineer and works panto over Christmas...oh yes he does! We are not big on presents. We buy small tokens of affection. It's the getting together that's most important. 😊

[@Jchathe]

Agree 💯 percent!

[@rusticgardenretreat4892]

I wholeheartedly agree. I don't give the grandkids the $50 cash, if they don't come see me. I don't tell them that, but that is how I feel.

[@judithmorganjudyteen]

Sounds great ❤

[@peterleprevost2154]

Blessed to not be in need we ask not to get gifts. We give family based on needs, but the bulk of our giving is to local charities. 👵🏻

[@fianorian]

I can remember, as a teen/young adult, making fun of people who got 'practical' presents. Now I'm older, I've done a full 180. Having done a full house declutter a couple of years ago, I don't want well meaning family giving me nick-nacks. After all, I've just spent a lot of time and effort getting rid of a lot of those. I let it be known that I like room scents, food, and liquid soaps. These are all things I can enjoy, before they then leave my home. Having touted to all and sundry (yes, I am boring on that subject) the benefits of a less cluttered home, I would also feel guilty about giving 'clutter' to others as gifts, unless it's something they particularly say that they would like. So I am that boring great aunt every family has. The Ringtons lady visits me twice a month and I give everyone a small hamper of tea/coffee/biscuits etc. for Christmas. I look for long expiration dates and start collecting items in about August. So all this to say, yes, Christmas creep is a thing.

[@Jchathe]

Harder times meant that a few years ago we decided to have a limit on spends. We each make a list of 5 or 6 items all 30 pounds or under (we decide on the budget each year) and then put the lists in a hat. We each pick out one list and then only buy one item for that person. We wrap them really nicely then have a sort of ritual sharing on Christmas morning. We limit our presents to close family only and explained to the rest what we were doing and why. Naturally the small children get stockings and extra prezzies but essentially it has worked well for us up to now. Birthdays are when we give something a bit more special. 🎁👍😊

[@kazlee9213]

I send money to my grand daughters and that's it as it soon gets out of hand

[@mayagar6796]

Your comment about your hair brought back a memory of when I was to be flower girl at my cousins wedding. I spent an sleepless night with my hair in very painful curlers and yes you probably guessed the next morning my hair was still perfectly straight.

[@marymiles9922]

I can't believe how fast this year has gone! Christmas creep 😆 that's for sure! Times are hard for all of us. Not much family and over an hour away. The weather is usually horrible that time of year. My two grandsons are 18 and 16 soon to be 17. I usually give Amazon gift cards. Last year I sent them a food gift and had to ask if they got it and did they enjoy it. I'm not doing either this year. I'm disabled and can't travel. They've made no effort to come see me, call or text. My sister and I do nice things for each other all year, as it should be. I do miss the getting together, holiday meals and such. Memories of better times.❤

[@AClem-n7w]

Sorry. Seems to be more and more common nowadays. Will you spend Christmas with your sister?

[@marymiles9922]

@@AClem-n7w Thank you. The distance to drive there kills my back and hips plus I can't navigate her two flights of stairs.

[@KellyS_77]

I have to plan far ahead if I'm going to send my mother something for Christmas, as the sending things through the post can take 3 or 4 weeks to get to her country. Grandad (in-law) gets something homemade, usually jam to put in his porridge. The in-laws usually get a nice but very practical gift. Last year we got them a lovely copper soup pot. The only person that gets presents (plural) is our kid as he's only 11 and likes opening gifts. We also have one person in our family that has a birthday on January 1st, so we have to plan for that as well.

[@corinnedews7277]

I save in a separate account for 10 months, then I can spend in November and December. I also use the Asda Christmas savings card which they top up to certain levels depending on what you save. We have two grown up daughters so we ask for suggestions and choose what we will buy for them. They ask us for lists and do the same. We don't have many other people to buy for, but it's all budgeted for. Not just last minute... after all, Christmas Day is 25th December every year!

[@LeAnneTraybsza]

Cash is king with kids and grandkids

[@prepperfortheages878]

That's the truth! 🙂

[@lynnpurfield9430]

For my daughter and granddaughter, my partners 2 grown up.kids, his sister and his mum we decided over 2 decades ago on hand made gifts . My daughter joins in with yhis. We have had fun making christmas cakes, bottling and pickling, jam making, chutney making, lavendar gifts, hand warners and wooden scrolled jewelly, clay key rings and so much more. This year I am not up to it and have bought books for my partners famiky akready. I took up water colour painting and so made everyone a unique card. The rest will be bought but not expensive this year. My partner takes his pension on 18th December and it is part paid and then a month before tge full payment....well timed.

[@Dee-kw3db]

This year I am doing blessings boxes with food.

[@AClem-n7w]

Oh that sounds interesting. I've never heard of it before. Is it like a food hamper?

[@nikki27ish]

I save a set amount each month from January to November, my partner and I have a 4 gift limit with each other. Something you want, something you need, something to wear and something to read, we also set a budget each year. Any family etc we ask do they need / want something, might be supermarket vouchers, help with paying a bill, full tank of petrol. Kids always want cash, computer games etc.

[@snowy5742]

Mince pies have been out for weeks. I start food shopping for Xmas in July. I start with the canned, jars and long life packet items. By Sept chocolate and biscuits and crackers. November tree up 1st Nov then buy nuts, crisps, dried fruit. Presents I buy year round. I love Christmas and have many planners. I get lots on offer and shop all supermarkets and places like B&M for deals.

[@mia56]

I get mine off eBay in advance so don’t have to worry about delivery I try to get inexpensive gifts sometimes I have the gifts delivered straight to the house . I also do park hampers just for ourselves gifts cards all year Rouen I pay a set amount come September the gift cards and food shopping cards are paid for in full . I recommend park hampers to anyone it helps out

[@rusticgardenretreat4892]

I don't anymore, not really. The grandkids are teenagers driving, so just give the $50 cash for apps, gas and fun with friends. I buy my daughter stuff randomly throughout the year, so it isn't exactly gift giving, just I love you and thought of you...which she also does for me. Since I retired, I don't have to buy for school peeps anymore. I may get Donna something for Christmas, or not. We just met this year. I hadn't really thought about it. I used to use my Chase points for gift cards to give peeps, but after losing out on electronic receiving of a gift card, and Chase not replacing, I felt it time to give cash or buy the card in the store.

[@Chellascommoncents]

Our adult kids we do stockings only. Our teenager gets four gifts. One you want, one you need, one you wear and one you read. We have a gifts budget for the year, divide by 12 and deposit into a separate account. We also make gifts. This year I am canning quarts of wassail for him.

[@Dee-kw3db]

That’s great idea

[@rusticgardenretreat4892]

Ya know, we did the same when my kids were little, but I never put it so cleverly.

[@heatherwatson9564]

I buy for my grandchildren but not the adults We celebrate on the day with a great shared meal and get together My daughter gets me a ticket to go with her to a show,the ballet or something I could never afford normally In Australia it's hot at Christmas so we generally fire up the Webber for the meat and all bring salads I'm a huge fan of home-made gifts and my daughter and son in law would also get one each of those As do my friends

[@Hermit1903]

Well with 5 adult children (and partners), 12 grandchildren (and some partners) and 7 "step" grandchildren, we have quite a big shopping list! I have a standing order which puts money aside every month which covers Christmas and birthdays, I start buying for Christmas in August/ September, although I will pick up things at any time of the year if I see them, all is wrapped in October, parcelled off mid November (because they all live 600 miles away) and then just kick back and enjoy. I post all the cards on 1st December. I decorate last weekend of November. Up until 2 years ago I used to make Christmas cake, pudding and jam as well to tuck into their parcels, but have now stopped that and bought them Delia's Christmas book which has all the recipes in and told them I am handing over the reins on that! I adore Christmas, its my favourite time of the year. One tradition I started when my Dad died in 2018 was to have fresh flowers delivered to my 3 daughters on the 21st December each year (my parents wedding anniversary). Dad always did that for Mum, my sister and I every year and I loved that. Now they do too.

[@tonette6592]

We stopped exchanging presents among the adults, as much fun as I had all my life, because others really could not afford it. Now, we would be hard pressed, even though I used to bargain hunt all year.

[@preppernut]

I give practical gifts whenever I see a need, throughout the year. So I don't feel obligated to do anything for adults at Christmas. I wrap boxes of good chocolates if someone happens to visit during the season with a gift, just to avoid embarrassment. But I make a box of home baked cookies for the great-grandchildren (they love getting stuff in the mail), enclose some cash for the parents to buy them something, and that is that. For me, Christmas is not about gifts.

[@doubled3962]

I’m making homemade fudge , in decorative containers 🎁🎁

[@dragonlady8176]

Only the grandkids get Christmas gifts & now that they're older I give them gift cards

[@lucydawson1344]

I went to the Lake District on holiday last week and had mince pies then 😂 I have twins who’ll be 12 next month but it’s their dad’s turn to have them Christmas this year meaning I won’t be buying them much for that but they will have a few small things . I have a girl and boy and my daughter and I will be going to London for a weekend mid January (two shows and a night in a hotel- it’s a few days after my birthday too!) so I’ve had to set aside some money for that I’d normally spend on Christmas too. Her twin brother will be going in with me later in the year for a day trip, maybe 2, maybe even overnight also depending on how we are for money then). I’m not really feeling it this year though as the twins will be at their dad’s Christmas itself and I always get very down at new year. I work between Christmas and new year too and this year will be working Christmas Eve too so it’s not a huge thing now especially now the twins are older. I am due some back pay from work hopefully next month though and may treat myself to a kindle for Christmas! My husband has already bought me a small leather phone bag thing (I chose it in a shop!) and I’ll just buy him a few token gifts. It’s really difficult as I am conscious of the London trip in January too! I tend to wrap knickers and socks up for my kids now and I had a nice pair of winter boots for Christmas off my husband last year. My ex mother in law always used to get bras and pants for Christmas. Not sure if she still does.

[@debbieframpton3857]

I buy my daughter gift cards she prefers to shop after the holidays my mom is in a nursing home so she will get a few treats she doesn't have a need for anything. I've only missed visiting two days since she went into a home a year ago September. My family quit doing Christmas exchange years ago. The only gifts I buy are my great nieces and nephews for their birthday they used to like the Toys R Us gift cards so they could pick out what they wanted now it's Amazon gift cards

[@FrugalQueeninFrance]

We budget every month and set aside a nominal amount of money. People get a token gift. Everyone is an adult in our family. We budget 50 euros per person per gift including delivery as I send everything. There's 12 gifts to buy each year. 600 a year, save 50 a month. We have a gift sinking fund. We don't buy each other anything as we save for what we need. I know you don't like a budget for everything but a gift budget really helps.

[@lizauger9828]

Oh blimey it's expensive, I start now and make Xmas pudding order turkey. I only buy fir my son and hubby, I make my own mince pies for freezer and sausage rolls. I don't drink myself. Yes we live it but I do have to work on Xmas day.

[@ChrisS733]

We’ve all decided we’re not doing Christmas this year due to the cost of living being so tough. My birthday is on Christmas Eve, we will go out for a meal and the rest of Christmas is cancelled. It’s only one day. No more scrimping and scraping for Christmas.

[@Yorkshiregirl24]

I set a budget for everyone like apart from daughter everyone else gets £10 worth of a item.

[@May-su8xv]

We play bingo. Till everyone has won one game then we have prize baskets .with the help of the grandkids my husband and sometime our daughter-in-laws we collect inexpensive fun gifts all year I put in a little money some candy and we have prize baskets it’s fun and interactive

[@gillianjamieson1961]

Here in Australia the mince pies have been out for a couple of weeks!

[@mandymaxwell3249]

❤

[@virginiadavis1713]

I’m giving gift cards for grocery stores and gas card. Time are hard for a lot of ppl. It’s better than some useless bits and bobs.

[@marylynch2510]

❤❤❤

[@s.kurzeck3020]

We usually help with the Christmas family services since our kids have outgrown them. That takes some time and turned out to be unexpectedly rewarding! I precook as much as I can in November (no roast, big pot of venison stew, cheap cuts, no stress). We like to give events or else organic sleep wear, bed linen or undergarments (T shirts/long johns). It's luxury to know you have no toxins on your skin, the cuts are timeless and my husband uses bonus points and special offers! Our decorations have sentimental value (means I don't buy cute new ones every year - we craft them ourselves and forage) Next week I will stock baking supplies (reduced) for cookies. 😮We buy a tree!😅 Oh, and some Marzipan! And I make sure everybody gets a book for Twelvethtide! ⛪🎄🎲🍲🍷🛋️🫕🕯️🫖🌌

[@beaulieuc8910]

I have all the stuff I need for my house but I need things to control the garden like a chainsaw to chop some of the larger trees. i want an easy to maintain garden and having too much bramble and stuff will be too much. I hope to get some fruit bushes.other wise I dont want anything else. my relatives never say what they want so it is a hassle to find something they would need or like. i did get my brother a train discount card which would be used all year, driving can be dangerous with all the car fatalities drive less live more

[@prepperfortheages878]

👍👍

[@donnabarnes4930]

i have 3 kids 17,14&9 the 14 year old wants a expensive skateboard... its a custom build there was only one of them and so i have that here already... my 17 year old is needing a new phone so i will be getting that pretty soon and my 9 year old wants several smaller things that are for the same thing.... those will be their main gifts then i will just buy them some practical things and then look for special things they will like... im hoping to have finished the kids gifts or close to finished by the end of november. then i dont buy for the entire family i bother with those that have bothered with me through the year

[@pheart2381]

I don't think A 2 day Christian festival should have a build up lasting one quarter of every year. It's utterly ridiculous,all these magazines advising people on stress,and printing Your Christmas Timetable. If you think about it the absurdity of all these people running around in a panic really hits you.

[@Christine-j7b]

I gave up celebrating C/mas , it is a pagan holiday and has nothing to do with Jesus so I ignore it and it is a relief.

[@lisaf7909]

I do cash stuffing. So after payday in December I work out how many people I have to buy for, how much I can afford to spend and calculate how much money I'm going to put into an envelope in my cash tin. Come the following October I start buying gifts for family knowing the money is there and has been budgeted for. I also do the same for Xmas food and drink It's a good idea to remember Martin Lewis's take on xmas .kzbin.info/www/bejne/gXq7d4akg8qSrbMsi=7fF0UDEbs_nuLTs1