Anyone not buying Christmas gifts this year?

[C.Ann]

First off, for all of you who think that Christmas is about gifts, you have missed the reason behind the season..

That's making a terribly huge leap with that statement.. Actually, it's rather insulting when people assume they know how other people handle Christmas..

It does not have to be "one or the other" - "all or nothing".. People are quite capable of not "missing the reason" and giving gifts as well..

Having said that, to the OP: Scaling waaaaay back, but there will never be a Christmas without gifts to unwrap on Christmas morning..

Enjoy your trip!

 

[klacey1]

My brothers and sister and our spouses have drawn a name for years. As the kids turn 19 their name goes into the hat too. That means the little kids have lots of presents, the adults have at least one package to open. Everyone gets something. This is for the Christmas gathering at my mother's house.

At my husband's family they really go overboard with gifts. Lots of packages! We do buy something for everyone that we expect to be there - mostly just his aunt and two cousins and their wives. He has half sisters and brothers and we usually go to a buffet dinner at his brother's house, but no gifts there. Just a bottle of wine for the hosts.

At home, my daughter will get her stocking and a few gifts until the day I die! It was lots of little packages when she was younger. Now the gifts are more expensive so not so many packages. But she gets a new perfume, some clothes, an iTunes card, and some kind of surprise. Can't imagine telling her the Disney trip is her present.

So I guess the answer is that I am not cutting back this year. I'll cut back in other areas before I cut back on Christmas. I really enjoy the season and I love shopping for family and friends.

I could not agree with this post more! I love the drawing names thing for adults!

 

[mom-2greatkids]

We're cutting back this year too--but with the number of gifts, not the $$$ spent. On Christmas monring there will be 2 gifts under the tree, one for DD and one for DS (DH and I have never exchanged gifts). Incidentally, both kids already know what they are getting.

Over the last couple of years as a family we've decided we don't really like/need "stuff". My kids stopped playing with toys years ago (except for the plastic NFL helmets DS likes We've decided to spend our money traveling instead. In fact, we're going to Great Britin in spring.

I'd love to get rid of all the extended family gifts, but unfortunately we haven't been able to figure that one out yet (and probably never will--DH's family are HUGE gift givers).

 

[mhsjax]

Where are "all" the people that "think Christmas is about gifts"? Most people on this thread said they are cutting back...

That said, you are giving gifts, in the form of money because that's what your kid chose. Does that mean you think "Christmas is about gifts"? Of course not. It's possible to give gifts and still appreciate/celebrate the real meaning of Christmas.

Exactly, also all the implying that just because you got a lot of christmas gift growing up that somehow you are spoiled and don't know the meaning. WRONG. My parents were very much financially stable when I was growing up. My mom (who was an absolute Christian, everyone thought she was a saint) loved nothing more than getting gifts for everyone, well all told her that she bought too much, contrary to belief and experiences that I am hearing about. None of us were spoiled at all. Growing up it wasn't unusual for me to get 6 or 7 gifts from my parents and I still got Santa gifts even after I was a teenager.

Flash forward to today, I have 3 kids. Last year they got very little and the year before even less, and not one complaint.

We have done WDW around Christmas time, but they still got a little something, however, now if I asked them about going to WDW, they roll their eyes and say Please no. My kids don't want to travel for Christmas, they want to stay home and have fun with their new stuff and I don't blame then one bit.

Anyway, to assume that just because you grew up getting a lot you are spoiled or just because someone wants to give their kids a lot, doesn't mean they are spoiled or that you don't know the real meaning of Christmas.

 

[snowywhite89]

OP your July trip was your 2010 trip and your March trip will be your 2011 trip, so you are not really taking two trips in a year.
QUOTE]


Although it is not a calendar year, 12 months in a row still constitutes a year. So yes the OP is doing two trips in a year.

OP do what you want and what makes you and your family emotionally and financially happy. The world is getting way too materialistic nowadays anyways. Buying tons of stuff for everyone. How many people really know more than 3 things they received last year for the holidays? Just adds to the piles of junk.

Have fun enjoy your vacation and the quality time you get to create and really acknowledge without the unecessary burden of the gifts getting in the way this year.

So if I take a trip every summer, July the first year and June the second year, is that one trip a year or two?

The OP does not need to vacation again to WDW in 2011 and then it would just be the normal 2011 trip.

 

[discorsner]

Interesting thread as we have been thinking about cutting back....some. I agree that probably my cutting back will still be more than needed but we have been big christmas givers for years.

One of the hard things is that my SIL and BIL do not want to exchange for our kids anymore. I guess they either don't want to spend the money (although they seem to spend on everything else) or they are just not into it.

I am honoring their wishes although I wish to buy my nieces and nephews something very badly as we always have. However, I know that SIL and BIL would be embarrassed to not have anything for my kids if I surprisingly had something for theirs so I will not do that to them.

What's worse is that we have 2 kids that they would buy for and they have 5! So we spend more anyway, by a lot. They still don't seem to want to buy for my two. Don't want to judge as they may have expenses I haven't heard about and we will be glad to just spend time with them anyway but it is sad for me to not buy for the nieces and nephews. I usually enjoy picking out one thing for each that I know they will like.

They have moved out of state (although they will be home for the holidays) and they don't send my kids bday gifts anymore. I send their kids one every year anyway. My kids don't seem to mind and I wouldn't want them to think that their Auntie wasn't thinking of them on their special day.

It doesn't have to be expensive. I would rather do crafts or dollar store items before not doing anything but I guess my SIL doesn't see the point.

 

[jessp1021]

We have a 3 and 2 rule with our kids.. they get 3 things from us :1 need, 1 want, and 1 surprise..with family (my hubby's family is huge and gets gifts for everyone but it is not necessarily things you can use if that makes sense?) we have been fortunate to be able to use coupons which have made gifts between .50-2.00!! We have also been Christmas shopping for a few months now..I just don't want my children to loose sight of what Christmas really is about and with 2 sets of grandparents they are almost overwhelmed with what they get and then end up not playing with much of it!! We also have choosen to look on craigslist and a swap website for gifts.. we scored an i-pod nano for $75!!! We will do stockings but we always put things they need in them..they aren't really prone to tons of candy lol thank goodness!