What do you spend on/give your nieces and nephews for Christmas ? vent and question.

[indimom]

We have different solutions on each side of the family based on what the majority wanted.

On DH's side, we stopped giving Christmas and Birthday gifts to nieces and nephews very early, when most of the kids were still in gradeschool. There were a lot of cousins spread over several states an it was just complicated and most preferred to avoid it. I'm fine with that, but we do try to make it up by giving a nice graduation gift.

On my side of the family, we exchange names. So, each of my kids will draw a name for one of their cousins. In addition, we have stockings for all the kids in high school and under and each family unit puts an inexpensive gift ($5 or less) in each child's stocking. This gets challenging as the kids get older, but gift cards are popular with teens so we usually come up with something they'll enjoy. When the kids graduate from high school, they get bumped into the adult gift exchange which is a bit more relaxed (you can opt out if you don't want to participate one year, join back in the next, or whatever works for you, no pressure).

I would have loved to buy Christmas gifts for all my nieces and nephews, but we have 26 and that would have broken the budget year after year.

 

[isabellea]

We only have one nephew (10 months old) and we spent 125$ this year (couldn't stop myself since I don't have a boy. My daughters each got between 20-50$ from each of their aunt and uncles. I don't care if I spend more than my brother-in-law. It's the intention that counts, not the $$$ and we understand he cannot afford to spend as much as we do.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

I have a multitude of nieces and nephews. I only give to one of them anymore. He is 24 and in med school. I gave him $200 this year and have already received the most beautiful thank you note, along with homemade cookies his girlfriend and he baked. I was thrilled by both! Doesn't take much to show thanks. I think I will give to his darling girlfriend next year.

The others never even muttered "thank you" for the $50 I handed them every year for years on end. Decided last year I was done. I hope they ask me about it.