Holiday Savings Tip

[big_red_s]

This has worked in my family for about 15 years now:

If you're over 18 you don't get a present!

Saves tons of money and attic space to boot (because we all know that the $20 limit you have per head doesn't buy anything really useful).

We still give presents on birthdays and I still buy a present to my beloved wife, may she live a long life, otherwise I probably be six fee under but all the rest siblings/uncles/aunts/cousins etc. get nothing (and we got nothing in return).

We do get together and celebrate the holidays as a family and to be honest, the consensus is that the holidays are much nicer and less pressurized with this rule firmly intact.

[dislal]

I wish we could do this as a family, I tried this about 6 years ago with my brothers family and his wife threw a fit. We now don't buy presents for each other, but i also didn't get to see my brother or his kids for about 3 years then when my Dad was dying we finally started talking again. That is why I won't even mention it to my DH's side of the family.

you are right sometimes with all the gift giving it is hard to really enjoy the real meaning of Christmas.

[Donna M]

I stop buying gifts for neices and nephews when they graduate from high school.

[tinkermom23]

We quit buying gifts for nieces & nephews when they get their drivers' licence. By that age they hate anything we could reasonably afford anyway.
We usually get them something like floor mats or visor CD holder, or jumper cables when they get their first car. Then, they are on their own.

[MichelleinMaine]

I suggested this, some in my family won't give up the idea of NO PRESENTS. (Even though, like you said, often times it was a present for the sake of a present, not anything meaningful....)

We have a dear friend who passed away at 101 who would just wrap up anything in your house. You never had a clue what you would get. In her honor, we're having a "Gil swap" amongst the adults. (In the style of a dirty santa, yankee swap, Chinese auction... various names.) You have to bring something from your house- either something useful that you just don't need or something just so down right hysterical, it's good for a laugh. No buying anything. Everyone brings one item, so you don't have to worry if your great aunt is going to show up with a new beau or if all three of your borthers aren't showing up and having to get them their gift... The fun is in the game, swapping, seeing who gets the best, most hideous gifts. Satisified those who don't feel right showing up empty handed and those who don't like going home empty handed. And free!

[Leader of the Club]

Originally Posted by MichelleinMaine

We have a dear friend who passed away at 101 who would just wrap up anything in your house. You never had a clue what you would get. In her honor, we're having a "Gil swap" amongst the adults.!

Ahhh, I love this! I got a toilet plunger once like this. It was awesome!

[cjnix29]

We do the same thing. We also don't buy for nieces and nephews when they hit 18. I'm sure they don't like it, but they will get over it.

[charming23]

My Dad's family always did this since there were so many cousins in his family. But now just my cousin and I exchange. The adults have not exchanged presents for years and we keep it that way.

My Mom also tried sugesting this method to the adults in her family and my Aunt threw a fit so big that no one mentions it anymore.

I for one think it is a great idea. Nobody needs that much stuff and most of it gets pushed aside not long after anyways.

[cydswipe]

A few years ago my siblings and parents started a "free" exchange. It is kind of funny and dumb at the same time!!

Throughout the year, everyone stashes away the "free" stuff they get.... koozies from the bank, pencils, "buy one get one free", and free things from work... wrap it up and let the laughing begin..

It's more about the conversation, explanation of where the gift came from, and all the laughter!

[traveljunkie2]

My family has been doing this for years. It takes so much pressure off of everyone! DH has tried for years to talk his side of the family into it, but it hasn't gone over well. They are very materialistic, but the gifts they give are truly junk. They think that the size of the pile of presents they bring to the gathering is more important than what is actually given. Someone inevitably COUNTS the stacks and it is like a status thing to be the one who brought the most. It disgusts me to see them spend any amount of money on this stuff. Thankfully we now live out of state and don't visit over Christmas so we no longer have to deal with getting rid of any of the junk! We have come to an agreement with all of our siblings (9 between us) that we will love each other without having to go broke every year.

In my sister's DH's family, all the adults pull a name and exchange $50 gift cards. Why can't people just agree to buy their OWN gift card and be done with it? Or skip it altogether? It just seems silly to me.

For those looking for different "traditions" to start, how about Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, the Salvation Army's Angel Tree program, or the Santa to a Senior program. My kids love participating in these programs, and it helps all of us remember that we are truly blessed to have everything that we do.

[MichelleinMaine]

Originally Posted by Leader of the Club

Ahhh, I love this! I got a toilet plunger once like this. It was awesome!

I got a beautiful vintage Pyrex (?) mixing bowl one time, another, my sister in law got a 1/2 eaten box of chocolates. You just never knew what you'd get. She was a thrifty, practical, regift-er from the start. Always given with alot of love! A fair part of her memorial service was sharing the gifts we'd all gotten from her over the years!

[Cheerdisney]

I tried this with my side of the family and it was shot down! I have nieces and newphews that are in their early 20's. Its not worth having a huge family fue over this...

[robb01]

We recently started drawing names at Thanksgiving, that way we only buy one family member a present, it works pretty well

[Worfiedoodles]

We do this with the dh's cousins' kids -- we do still buy for my nieces. I only have 3, so it's not a big deal to continue their Christmas presents. Plus, the oldest one is 19 and in college, so she still celebrates with her family. I don't want to have her be the only one at their celebration (they live in FL, we're in MA), that doesn't have a gift from us to open. I think once she gets married, all bets will be off. Once you're truly on your own, you are. Her last big gift from us will be her wedding present. Some of the other family members have already cut her off. She understands, but my SIL told me it's still a little hurtful that her sisters are still opening gifts and she doesn't have anything. Honestly, she's a poor college kid and is actually grateful for even a small gift. Toiletries really make her day!

Maria

[dreamin_disney]

on my side of the family we finally started pulling names. Of course the ones that threw a fit are the ones that never buy for anyone else because of money problems but always benefit from eveyone else. Then you find out they spent lots of money on their own family and friends and other dumb spending. This would be my sister ---wait she's been like this all her life 365 day a year

This year I have no idea what we will do since the same sister above has managed to piss eveyone one of us siblings off plus one of her sons.
We usually pick names at my 3rd sister b-day dinner but not eveyone can show up. I usually have x-mas eve here but this year i dont know if it will happen. We will vote on it