dreamin_disney
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2008
we all gather together Christmas Eve and exchange giftsThen how come you still give them presents? Sounds stressful...and unwanted.
we all gather together Christmas Eve and exchange giftsThen how come you still give them presents? Sounds stressful...and unwanted.
we all gather together Christmas Eve and exchange gifts
we all gather together Christmas Eve and exchange gifts
No, I wish! We started that with my side of the family. Dh and I end up mostly buying indivual gifts and giftcards or adults. Kids get gifts. Its more costly for us. We end up with a couple's gift. I just really wish we could pull names but MIL has the say. I have two brother N laws that don't buy and one has the 3 kids we don't see and the other has a fiancé. Sometimes SIL doesn't buy either so I wish we could just pull names or those that participate. I love Christmas but never been big on it being about gifts. Growing up with a single Mom and 5 of us kids she wasn't able to go all out but we always had a little something under the tree. For us it was about family and lots of food. I guess I'm just bothered that the 3 teens just don't appreciate and I have to figure out gifts.Can you draw names instead? Or, suggest white elephant?
How about a gift bag of favorite snacks,candy etc.
my teenage nephews love theirs and I give them a gift card or two and or cash.
No, I wish! We started that with my side of the family. Dh and I end up mostly buying indivual gifts and giftcards or adults. Kids get gifts. Its more costly for us. We end up with a couple's gift. I just really wish we could pull names but MIL has the say. I have two brother N laws that don't buy and one has the 3 kids we don't see and the other has a fiancé. Sometimes SIL doesn't buy either so I wish we could just pull names or those that participate. I love Christmas but never been big on it being about gifts. Growing up with a single Mom and 5 of us kids she wasn't able to go all out but we always had a little something under the tree. For us it was about family and lots of food. I guess I'm just bothered that the 3 teens just don't appreciate and I have to figure out gifts.
about 5 years a go money was a little tight so we got discount tickets to the movies for BIL and his three kids. Plus I made goodie bags with movie size candy boxes like the movies. Plus I added a few other treats for them to take. My DD was very upset because she told me she heard one tell the brother oh its a poopie gift. After that I started noticing their reaction to other gifts they would get being unappreciative. I started noticing their attitudes at parties. Example we went to their parent anniversary party and they didn't even come out and say Hi to anyone. they stayed inside in their room with friends. When we go to parties at their house they don't come and say hi they stay in their room. Only party they come out is when its a party for them they will be present say hi and disappear until its time to open gifts which we all give money.
BTW- I just feel crappy about being negative about this~sorry
No, I wish! We started that with my side of the family. Dh and I end up mostly buying indivual gifts and giftcards or adults. Kids get gifts. Its more costly for us. We end up with a couple's gift. I just really wish we could pull names but MIL has the say. I have two brother N laws that don't buy and one has the 3 kids we don't see and the other has a fiancé. Sometimes SIL doesn't buy either so I wish we could just pull names or those that participate. I love Christmas but never been big on it being about gifts. Growing up with a single Mom and 5 of us kids she wasn't able to go all out but we always had a little something under the tree. For us it was about family and lots of food. I guess I'm just bothered that the 3 teens just don't appreciate and I have to figure out gifts.
No, I wish! We started that with my side of the family. Dh and I end up mostly buying indivual gifts and giftcards or adults. Kids get gifts. Its more costly for us. We end up with a couple's gift. I just really wish we could pull names but MIL has the say. I have two brother N laws that don't buy and one has the 3 kids we don't see and the other has a fiancé. Sometimes SIL doesn't buy either so I wish we could just pull names or those that participate. I love Christmas but never been big on it being about gifts. Growing up with a single Mom and 5 of us kids she wasn't able to go all out but we always had a little something under the tree. For us it was about family and lots of food. I guess I'm just bothered that the 3 teens just don't appreciate and I have to figure out gifts.
about 5 years a go money was a little tight so we got discount tickets to the movies for BIL and his three kids. Plus I made goodie bags with movie size candy boxes like the movies. Plus I added a few other treats for them to take. My DD was very upset because she told me she heard one tell the brother oh its a poopie gift. After that I started noticing their reaction to other gifts they would get being unappreciative. I started noticing their attitudes at parties. Example we went to their parent anniversary party and they didn't even come out and say Hi to anyone. they stayed inside in their room with friends. When we go to parties at their house they don't come and say hi they stay in their room. Only party they come out is when its a party for them they will be present say hi and disappear until its time to open gifts which we all give money.
BTW- I just feel crappy about being negative about this~sorry
You could always just come out and ask her if she wants it. I know we still like to "surprise" our older kids on Christmas, but there's a certain price point where surprising probably isn't the best approach. I think you are there
No, I wish! We started that with my side of the family. Dh and I end up mostly buying indivual gifts and giftcards or adults. Kids get gifts. Its more costly for us. We end up with a couple's gift. I just really wish we could pull names but MIL has the say. I have two brother N laws that don't buy and one has the 3 kids we don't see and the other has a fiancé. Sometimes SIL doesn't buy either so I wish we could just pull names or those that participate. I love Christmas but never been big on it being about gifts. Growing up with a single Mom and 5 of us kids she wasn't able to go all out but we always had a little something under the tree. For us it was about family and lots of food. I guess I'm just bothered that the 3 teens just don't appreciate and I have to figure out gifts.
about 5 years a go money was a little tight so we got discount tickets to the movies for BIL and his three kids. Plus I made goodie bags with movie size candy boxes like the movies. Plus I added a few other treats for them to take. My DD was very upset because she told me she heard one tell the brother oh its a poopie gift. After that I started noticing their reaction to other gifts they would get being unappreciative. I started noticing their attitudes at parties. Example we went to their parent anniversary party and they didn't even come out and say Hi to anyone. they stayed inside in their room with friends. When we go to parties at their house they don't come and say hi they stay in their room. Only party they come out is when its a party for them they will be present say hi and disappear until its time to open gifts which we all give money.
BTW- I just feel crappy about being negative about this~sorry
Long story short - we no longer celebrate anything with those people. And are better off for it.
No, I wish! We started that with my side of the family. Dh and I end up mostly buying indivual gifts and giftcards or adults. Kids get gifts. Its more costly for us. We end up with a couple's gift. I just really wish we could pull names but MIL has the say. I have two brother N laws that don't buy and one has the 3 kids we don't see and the other has a fiancé. Sometimes SIL doesn't buy either so I wish we could just pull names or those that participate. I love Christmas but never been big on it being about gifts. Growing up with a single Mom and 5 of us kids she wasn't able to go all out but we always had a little something under the tree. For us it was about family and lots of food. I guess I'm just bothered that the 3 teens just don't appreciate and I have to figure out gifts.
about 5 years a go money was a little tight so we got discount tickets to the movies for BIL and his three kids. Plus I made goodie bags with movie size candy boxes like the movies. Plus I added a few other treats for them to take. My DD was very upset because she told me she heard one tell the brother oh its a poopie gift. After that I started noticing their reaction to other gifts they would get being unappreciative. I started noticing their attitudes at parties. Example we went to their parent anniversary party and they didn't even come out and say Hi to anyone. they stayed inside in their room with friends. When we go to parties at their house they don't come and say hi they stay in their room. Only party they come out is when its a party for them they will be present say hi and disappear until its time to open gifts which we all give money.
BTW- I just feel crappy about being negative about this~sorry
College student idea:
My 17 yr old DD asked for a Snack Crate subscription for her May birthday. I was a little leary but purchased a three month subscription. It was great. She got a different snack box each month over the summer. Each box is full of snacks from a different country around the world. We are in the US and her boxes were Japan, Canada, and I think S Korea. She loved trying the different snacks. She agreed that she doesn't think she would need this as an ongoing thing but three months was perfect. She would like to try it again when she goes away to college.
https://www.snackcrate.com/
As for what she will get this Christmas. We are doing at big Disney trip in January. (Well for us it's big. First time in a deluxe and with a dining plan) So I am getting her an "Up" magic band for our trip. (She loves Up and there is so little ever made with it)
Bath Bombs from Lush
PS4 games
ITunes
I love the Bento Box idea someone else listed.
P!nk tickets
Last year I got her a Hufflepuff decal for her car window. It was cheap and absolutely one of her favorite presents. That and her SuperNatural pillow case. I love getting her small things that are thoughtful and something she didn't know existed or didn't think to ask for. So much more fun than the big ticket items.
I have never ordered the snack boxes cause we can buy the same or similar snacks local. I was just thinking of ordering it for my nieces. If I sign up today, the first box comes in less than 2 weeks. So I subscribed to my home so we can check out the first two boxes before deciding to sign up my nieces who are 9 and 6. They like to get things in the mail and I know they like movie and popcorn night in their home.
I was debating between Snack Crate and MunchPak. I thought Snack Crate website was a bit more user friendly so I went with them. I may cancel the subscription after the first couple boxes... we shall see. Our primary grocery store is the military commissary that has a decent selection of foreign snacks and a few local places that sells foreign snacks, so if my kids like a particular item, I will just see if we can get it local. We use to live in Korea and like Korean snacks so I opted for that to be our first box.
Editing to say, I just ordered MunchPak too. Going to compare the two and canx one.
Let me know on the MunchPak, I haven't heard of them. There were items that she didn't like but for the most part she did and it was a great element of discovery. Canada was one of our boxes and I wondered how different it could be from USA but it was a nice assortment. We did discover our favorite potato chip from that box. "All Dressed" flavor is supposed to be the number one chip in Canada?!! Well we loved that little bag of chips. Low and behold we have found one Walmart that carries them. We buy two bags everytime we go there.
I think the boxes are great for a care package.