Anyone not buying Christmas gifts this year?

[bcinohio]

We are going to WDW the last week of March with my DS's marching band. They are marching at the MK. We just did a trip back in July. We never do two trips in one year. Just can't afford it. So with the trip coming up we have decided to just give each child $50 (they are both saving for expensive electronic items) and not buy anything else. We are still going to put up the tree, etc. (I love Christmas) and will have a special family dinner on Christmas Eve along with Church and then have the whole extended family over on Christmas Day. We could go out and charge items but do not want to do this. Plus we think it is good that the kids starting learning to save for things instead of mom and dad buying them.

I was just wondering if there are others out there who are scaling way back this year.

 

[dbug209]

We arent doing gifts for any one but our 8 month old, she will be 9 months at christmas. Because we are going to disney in March the week after her 1st bday. All the family knows this and I hope they remeber when we show up for dinner with no gifts. Even DH and I said christmas is focusing on DD this year!

 

[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.

We cut our list back but we are still giving gifts. Some were cut out because they were getting too demanding of what they wanted and others because we don't want them fretting over getting us a gift in return with the very limited funds they have. We are doing more charity donations with the extra money.

 

[klacey1]

Personally can't imagine that, sorry. I definitely think it's important to teach your kids about saving for what they want, but I don't think Christmas is the time for it. Growing up, Christmas was getting gifts from Mom and Dad and being appreciate of what they did for me and my brother, no matter how tight things may be one year.
Also, don't you feel like your other DS might be slighted? The reason he's not getting anything for Christmas is partially because of his brother's marching trip. I don't think you can substitute ONE child's SCHOOL trip as Christmas present-- just for me personally. It's just not something I would do. (**Just re-read-- are both of them in the same marching band? I still don't think that qualifies as an Xmas present, but at least they'd be equal)
I would definitely let them know ahead of time, as well.

 

[annsteere]

We are cutting back to just immediate family.

Added a wonderful son-in-love and will be adding a daughter-in-law so they are new in my immediate family. But, not doing sisters, BILs, neices, cousin etc. this year.

May very well go back to everybody next year. Last year we did immediate family and drew names in the extended family, year before NO presents at all, year before everybody bought for everybody.

We will ALL gather on 12/5,6 for Thanksmas.

We are at a stage in life where we are making it up as we go.

 

[Poohbear5]

My kids are in college and would be disappointed to get up and not have something under the tree and their stockings stuffed with treats!
We are cutting back but each will still have something to unwrap on Christmas morning.

 

[ancestry]

We are scaling back and are only buying present (i.e. present that are under the tree) for the two youngest kids. The youngest two got pretty expensive trips to Disney the past two years so their presents will be minimal. The older two are getting a trip to Disney in January with me and the one in high school got a very expensive class ring that counts as his Christmas present even though he is already wearing it.

 

[Mom21]

We are scaling back and are only buying present (i.e. present that are under the tree) for the two youngest kids. The youngest two got pretty expensive trips to Disney the past two years so their presents will be minimal. The older two are getting a trip to Disney in January with me and the one in high school got a very expensive class ring that counts as his Christmas present even though he is already wearing it.

Not trying to single you out, but trying to understand. Do you at least get a few token gifts for them to unwrap while siblings are opening theirs? I understand the older 2 may be out of the house (I don't know), but what about your high schooler?

 

[LAH LAH]

We are going to Disney December 10-16th. My kids (11 and 13) fully understand that THIS is their Christmas gift.

They will get stockings, but nothing else from dear old mom. On the other hand, they will get PLENTY from both sets of Grandparents.

 

[twooley2]

our kids have just about every gadget they could want within logic, in our opinion. We are giving them 250.00 each and 2 presents each and besides that, last christmas they decided to exchange the clothes we bought as gifts that did not quite fit, after the holidays and came back with triple what we bought before christmas and teens are hard to fit if they arent with you. They are fine and jubilated with the idea. Cash is king to teens

 

[twooley2]

Not trying to single you out, but trying to understand. Do you at least get a few token gifts for them to unwrap while siblings are opening theirs? I understand the older 2 may be out of the house (I don't know), but what about your high schooler?

The best way to explain it for those that always have had is that may be not everyone has it to give and give. Having kids does not constitute being rich. I think kids are lucky today. I remember going with no christmas or tree we were so broke growing up so a trip to Disney would have been well accepted and great too. Additionally some kids get all year. I have heard about coach purses, 150.00 jewelry, TV's, WIIs at 399.00 Laptops, 300.00 miss me jeans. (really) The world has gone ,mad and built up a big expectation for kids beyond belief and beyond what some parents can do.

 

[gator75]

We are also in the group that isn't buying this year. My son is the only one receiving , We have done alot of traveling this year and we are doing alot next year. we are going to disney again in feb , hersy pa and on a cruise. We don't feel the need to buy for christmas because throughout the year we just buy what we want anyway. we will also be in the middle of a kitchen remodle over the holidays so we aren't really doing anything for chistmas no tree no nothing, and to be honest its honkydory with us.

 

[Mom21]

The best way to explain it for those that always have had is that may be not everyone has it to give and give. Having kids does not constitute being rich. I think kids are lucky today. I remember going with no christmas or tree we were so broke growing up so a trip to Disney would have been well accepted and great too. Additionally some kids get all year. I have heard about coach purses, 150.00 jewelry, TV's, WIIs at 399.00 Laptops, 300.00 miss me jeans. (really) The world has gone ,mad and built up a big expectation for kids beyond belief and beyond what some parents can do.

Oh believe me this I understand, but it sounds to me like some of her children are opening gifts while the others sit around opening nothing. I would rather get none of them anything than do that. If one of my children had already received his/her major gift I would at least have some minor stuff to unwrap like a magazine they like to read or some undies or something. I just couldn't bear to see 3 children (I don't care how old they are if they are my children) sitting there while siblings got to open gifts. I guess I could understand better if the olders wouldn't be around when the youngers opened. That's why I ask for clarification.

As far as at our home, it is me and dd and she will well aware this year will be very slim but I will get her some of these socks she likes, a DVD I picked up cheaply thanks to this board, some little things she always needs like personal care items, a little candy, etc.

 

[MissAndrea]

We are scaling back a bit. On Christmas morning we usually exchange with my mom, step dad, brother, SIL, and gma. We decided to draw a name this year rather than all of us buying for each other. There were just too many gift cards exchanging hands which wasn't near as fun. So we set a $75ish limit, drew names, and said no gc's allowed. Except for DD9, she will still get presents from everyone.

 

[MDTerrapin]

We have decided to cut way back this year. DH lost about 30,000 this year and we just cannot do an elaborate Christmas and keep the lights on. DH is an only child and his parents give us huge Christmas gifts such as wide screen TV's, laptops, etc.. We asked them to not buy us anything. I am relieved that Christmas will be a simple affair this year. I plan to bake cookies, decorate the house, and relax.

 

[WheelCEO]

(no kids) my family and I never exchange gifts, we feel we might as well just buy ourselves something

 

[ShelliRenee]

First off, for all of you who think that Christmas is about gifts, you have missed the reason behind the season. That being said, I gave my DS, 12, the choice of having presents or money to spend on our trip. He said he wanted the money because he is wanting a high priced item in the parks. This is teaching how to save his money and not expecting me to be an ATM machine.

If you really want to have that opening Christmas present experience, why not find pictures of the Christmas nativity and unwrap the story together and talk about the ultimate gift that God gave us.

Another idea is to take special items from your child's past (or your past), write the story associated with it and then wrap it. Christmas morning then becomes a story sharing time. Your kids can even do this for your gift. And the kids will really get into telling the story.

 

[PatsMom]

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.

 

[mousefanmichelle]

We are cutting back but honestly I never thought I went over board to begin with. I have 3 kids and we used to spend just about $200 per child - that got my older boys usually 1 video game each, some books, cd's a dvd and a few small things. That same $200 for my daughter went much further.

This year we are cutting it in half - $100 each and no presents to aunts/uncles/neices/nephews - just our 3 kids and my dad and my dh's parents. This year I am really going to make the holiday season about family, God, faith and just being thankful we have all that we have. I will probably bake quite a lot and give that out and usually Christmas dinner is at my house and even that will be simpler this year and not as hectic (fingers crossed). I really, really want everyone to just enjoy this special holiday season.

Happy Holidays!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

I didnt buy anything this year either. I started hunting the freebie sites in october and managed to score lots of free gifts rightt now im using my disney movie reward points plus another coupon to get 3 photo books for free.