How Not to Spend To Much at Christmas

[kayrosek]

I really love this and was telling my MIL that I would love to do something like that and she responded "You kind of do, not exactly but close"
She's right we do five gifts for christmas + pj's on Christmas Eve
They get one large want gift a piece. At least one of thier gifts is a book but they also all usually get a game or activity gift and there is always something special that daddy and I just want to get them which fits into the extra something from my heart category someone mentioned.

 

[Eeyore98]

I have always gotten "needs" at Christmas and never had a problem with it. Of course some wants were always in there too. My mom has given everyone a 6-pack of white crew socks every year for as long as I can remember. Her stocking stuffers have always included chapstick, toothbrush, mini-toothpaste, and floss. When we were kids, the stockings also always included the batteries needed to run any toys we were getting, plus a fresh set of markers for school, because the ones from September were usually dried out by then.

Honestly, when I was growing up, I didn't really think it was anything weird - it was just Christmas. Now, as an adult, I'd honestly rather have the practical stuff than another doodad I will never use, an article of clothing that isn't my style, or yet another scented candle.

When I get gifts for my niece and nephews, I always get them a book in addition to a toy or two. It started out as a "just because" thing, but when I heard my MIL and SIL making fun of my oldest nephew for liking to read instead of hunting or playing sports, I knew he would need at least somebody in the family encouraging him!

 

[OnlyDisney]

This is great seeing all the neat ideas for gifts.

 

[happygirl]

A friend of mine has always told her children that Baby Jesus was brought 3 gifts, so that's all that her children get (plus stocking stuff.) I've always thougth that was a nice way to keep things from getting out of control financially (although you could go crazy with how much each of the 3 things cost!) as well keeping the kids from thinking alot of "stuff" is what Christmas is about.

This is how many of our friends do Christmas, and it ties into the true meaning of Christmas

 

[Chelley00]

pj's on Christmas Eve.

We do pjs on Christmas Eve too. And toothbrushes in stockings. The year I forgot they let me know about it daily until the next Christmas

 

[luvmy3]

Ok, maybe my kids are weird but they LIKE to get PJs & slippers for Christmas. DD was just looking at a catalog yesterday and picked out 3 pairs she liked & wanted for Christmas. It could be because that is the traditional Eve gift they get to open. Then everyone has nice new pjs to wear when opening gifts the next morning. Same w/toothbrushes or toothpaste that's "different" or fun somehow. It goes in the stocking w/lip gloss, candy bars, and goofy small toys like silly putty.

If your kids are weird then mine are too PJs are a Christmas Eve tradition for us, and so is a toothbrush in the stocking. In the past I've also given robes and slippers under the tree too.

I give a mix of needs and wants. This year dd needs new hoodies so I will get her those because she needs them but one will be a Hoodie Buddy (earbuds on the strings) and the other will be a So So Happy hoodie. I wouldn't normally go out and get those kinds, I would just grab a couple cheap ones from Aero when she needed them.
I don't see anything weird about giving needs as gifts no matter if you are on a tight budget, or none at all.

ETA Dh and I also give needs to eachother and others. This year he wants an office chair because he needs it and he won't go buy it for himself. I need a new dutch oven so that is what I'm asking for.