last year half of my family decide not to exchange gifts ..it was so nice to not have the stress of buying gifts that actually mean nothing..instead we spent time together and had a great day..why wont the other side of my family do this too..
2006-10-01 11:39:59 · 34 answers · asked by kathy_madwoman_bates 4 in Family & Relationships ➔ Family
I hate xmas these days cos it is so damn expensive, and whenever you give something to someone they dont want it, won;t use it, or would rather have had something else.
No pressies, just lots of booze, fun and frolics (not intra-family frolics tho)
2006-10-01 11:42:00 · answer #1 · answered by silversilver3 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Yes I agree with you. Most people have the things they need and want. So, why bother with the stress factor. I go thru it every year just like millions of others do. Its nothing to enjoy to be quite frank. The stress of finding something for someone who has everything.. LOL.. what a waste!!. One year, on my husbands side of the family went to the social services to find a family that didnt have anything or someone who had lost everything due to a fire or flood (that had children) They were kind enough to find out the sizes of the childrens clothing they needed, we all put into the basket the amount of money that we would have spent on gifts for each other and had a wonderful time at Walmart buying for those that actually needed something. The warmth felt in our hearts for doing something worth while was the best gift I have ever got.
2006-10-01 11:56:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think token gifts are nice but not necessary and the oxfam gifts to Africa etc system is excellent. My real bug bear about Christmas is the amount of lights and decorations some people put up. There are two big houses in my road who have a competition with each other every year. Apart from the fact that the houses look bloody awful they are so covered, I always think what they could have done with all that money. It sickens me - the same as the supermarket on Christmas Eve - its abhorrent.
I sound awful dont i?!! I love christmas and have 4 children so we do have a good time - I just hate the excesses some people go to.
2006-10-01 11:46:02 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Christmas with our family (35 on my side and 30 on his side) is very expensive, last year for my side of the family we had each person buy one gift (if you r a girl you buy for a girl, if u r a boy, u buy for a boy) You then put everyones name in a hat, and starting with the oldest (or the youngest) they get up and draw one name, the person who's name is drawn gets up goes and picks a gift (girl for girl, boy for boy) they then open the gift so everyone sees it, then they draw the next name, and so on. I liked this idea so much I told my hubby's family of it, and we are doing that with both families this year, however we do this with the adults only, because young children just don't understand why they would get just one gift. And it greatly reduses the financial strain at Christmas (we also put a $20 limit on the gift you are purchasing)
2006-10-03 08:28:20 · answer #4 · answered by HappyGoLucky 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes! Gifts are so expensive, and some people have high expectations of what they should get as a gift. Gifts don't have to be expensive, only what you can afford, although that might not be enough for some people.
I used to give the best gifts in the family, but I stopped doing that as there are now so many, that it would cost a small fortune to buy even the cheapest gifts.
2006-10-01 11:57:53 · answer #5 · answered by colin.christie 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
hhhhmmm, I watched an american documentary, about chritmas - and tight blokes who REFUSED to buy their wife kids christmas gifts - and what it boiled down to was financial pressure, and their innabilty to financially support the festive period, it wasnt just that - it was their mean spiritedness that went along with it too, alot of the kids/wives said they would do without the gifts - if the dad/husband didnt have such a scrooge mean attitude towards christmas itself.
Personally I dont exchange gifts with one of my friends - I use dto until she suggested it was 'too expensive', so we dont.
On the other hand I do with other epole , to me Christmas is VERY important - its an Importyant Christian festival, I rejoice that we can celebrate the birth of Jesus, and enjoy this by exchaning of gifts.feasting/praying, and also supporting the shoe box appeal, to give gifts to children in other countries who wouldnt otherwise recevie anythign at christmas due to extreme poverty/war/famine etc. Personally if yioure bot a christian - I dont unerstand why people do celebrate Christmas - its very hypocritical, we only have christmas becasue of the birth of Jesus and the calendar that we have today is done form the birth of Jesus. Jehovah witnesses dont celebrate christmas either, but they do have a gift day on a day other than christmas day
2006-10-08 09:27:27 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with you totally!!! As a society, we are creatures of habit. But I think the more mature we grow, the more we realize that the gifts are just superficial ways to fill the voids in our lives. When we are finally strong and smart enough to do as one half of your family has, we will be able to find a deeper level of appreciation for the holiday...
And those voids.. and our hearts.. will become filled with the true meaning of Christmas.
Be blessed and I hope the other side of your family will catch on with the example that you will be setting in that new tradition.
Peace
2006-10-01 11:45:35 · answer #7 · answered by Serendipity 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Baa Humbug. The other half probably had a great time and went home with a few gifts. What is stressful about buying gifts?
2006-10-06 09:33:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like getting gifts and the gift of a day out together might be it.
2006-10-01 13:03:57 · answer #9 · answered by hjpollock 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I suspect that they feel the need to carry on with a tradition, or that they might disappoint someone, I think your family are brave and forward thinking,
There is a lot to be said to those who needlessly consume, it seems to me that you have discovered the secret of happiness with out the accumulation of possessions. maybe if the other side of your family realises this with you, then all will receive the greatest gift in return - each other. :¬)
2006-10-01 11:53:18 · answer #10 · answered by jimmyjams 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No!!! we should stop receiving gifts and start giving gifts to the less fortunate people in the world because thats what christmas is all about
2006-10-01 11:43:11 · answer #11 · answered by chris g 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋