Giftless Christmas

[RNMOM]

I noticed the post earlier about what's on your Christmas list and wanted to share this idea.

My sons are now 19 and nearly 21 and have everything they need pretty much. We had a very expensive year helping them with school and some other issues and when it came time to think about the holidays I had the idea of going giftless. All of us. I even discussed it with other family members. It was really good for us. We didn't have to worry about finding the right gifts, shopping, all that. No wrapping of presents.

Instead we spent more time together than we have for years. We spent time decorating together and enjoyed it! When it came time to bake for the holidays my boys joined in and we ended up spending Christmas day playing board games and watching movies togethers. It felt like Christmas is supposed to feel for the first time in years.

I knew I didn't need another CD, DVD, pair of earrings and the only thing I wanted I really didn't need. I know my boys are able to buy themselves everything they really want and DH is like me, can take or leave gifts. I know this wouldn't work well for those with young children but if I had it to do over again, my kids would get 2-4 gifts each and that is all. None of this filling the room with presents stuff. It gets so overwhelming and takes a lot of the pleasure out of the family time, IMHO. We since have had giftless birthdays too and it seems to be working well.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Well we have reduced the we give as parents a long time ago. We have everything and my 9yodd only wants 1 gift. 15yodd does not share her enthusiasm.

This year we are not planning on going back home for Christmas, so it will be just us and we might do a couple of gifts and that is all.

It is not giftless but my days of hunting down gifts are over.

Now we do Black Friday, but that is only for electronics and the deals.

 

[luvflorida]

Two of our kids are young adults, ages 25 and 22. One is married and the other still lives at home with us. Our youngest daughter is almost 16. Last year for the first time we cut WAY back on gift giving. Everyone has everything they need. Nobody is lacking for anything. This is true for our relatives, also. Most of them have grown kids who will be starting on their own families in the near future.

So, last Christmas we decided to put the money from our Christmas Club savings toward a vacation. Six of us flew to Hawaii and had the best time ever! There is nothing better than spending time with family members and doing things together.

I'll always remember sitting on the sands of Waikiki Beach early on Christmas Eve, and listening to a tropical rendition of Silent Night. There was a church service going on with people barefoot sitting on straw mats on the sand while surfers were out in the ocean catching the waves. The sun was slowly setting over the water and it was just beautiful.

I know it might not be the way everyone wants to spend Christmas but it sure fit us!!

 

[AllyandJack]

I've done no gifts for the last 2 years. I just don't feel very holiday-ish and I'm in no mood to go to a mall or shop online or take part in any holiday activities. I told everyone.....don't get me anything because I'm not getting you anything. I DID get my little 3 year old nephew something because....well, he's a kid and he loves all of the stuff Auntie Carla gives him.

Some people got me things. I said thank you and was appreciative, but I didn't put up a tree, I didn't send a card, and I was up front with everyone about it.

I also had a giftless b-day - unless you count the flowers DH got me.

Amazingly, life moved on without gifts at X-Mas and my 30th b-day.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

We did giftless for the adults (2 sisters and BILs). We did get my parents a gift. And the kids got all the attention focused on them. I have to say that it did make the season alot easier to deal with. And we actually focused more on the little ones. Definitely more enjoyable!!

Of course my Dsis(s) made my 40th giftless. Not quite sure why since they didn't get giftless birthdays this year. I guess it was my payback for being the one to recommend a giftless christmass.

 

[UnderTheMistletoe]

I was the OP you mentioned earlier.

We went with the giftless route this past year becuase we had the expense of the wedding four days later. While some family members did purchase and exchage gifts, they were much smaller (ornaments mostly) and are the things that will be long remembered. Minus some of the turmoil surrounding a house holding 6 more people than it should and last minute wedding preparations, things went smoothly. I agree that sharing in the family traditions are far more important than the exchange of gifts.

For DH, it's a little rougher because he's been gone for nearly every Christmas for the past 6 years except last year. For him, being half way around the world on a military deployment a few too many holidays has left him almost...anxious?... about the holidays at home. It's like he's trying to replace the not so pleasant memories with far happier memories.

 

[Chipperdini]

 

[golfgal]

Dh and I have been suggesting to his family for quite a while now that we don't exchange gifts, we draw names so everyone only gets one but no one is in need of anything and are all financially well off enough to buy what they want. My MIL wanted to do Christmas at a hotel last year and we tried to get them to go to a resort instead of where we ended up, the Americinn, in lieu of gifts (the kids would still exchange gifts with each other). Hopefully this year she will see it our way (and now everyone else is pretty much on the same page-either a resort or someone's house). I know my MIL doesn't want to "do" Christmas at her house anymore, which is just fine with everyone.

As for our immediate family, we don't buy the kids much through out the year so they do get several gifts at Christmas, but not all of them are expensive. We probably spend $200/kid at most.