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We give to all our nieces and nephews, and now one of the nephews who we have always given to has 3 kids of his own...it's beginning to spiral out of control.

2007-12-05 03:02:29 · 185 answers · asked by Anonymous in Entertainment & Music Polls & Surveys

185 answers

ONLY close family and friends and people who buy you a gift every year. Not extended relatives. This year Im just buying my mom something. Forget everyone else. Do your nieces and nephews buy you all gifts??? If not why bother? Save your money!

2007-12-05 03:05:28 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 63 13

Do as your heart moves you to do, not your head. This is the season of the heart. I know many hate the commercialism, but I don't take all that personally, and so I enjoy the lights and glitter and gift wrapping paper and bows. A happy time to share a little something that warms the heart and keeps you close to mind all year. A way of cementing the links in relationships. Usually when the pressure builds at the holidays, I'm the one who has moved out of my comfort zone into being a 'people pleaser' and that usually ends up with me giving a dose of resentment with every gift which then negates the joy of the gift to the reciever. So, I always give within my means, even if that is not what the other wanted. I give a homemade card, or a very nice glittery card that cost a couple of dollars and has an ornament attached that I personalize with indelible gold or silver marking pens. Something like that. Remember it is THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS. And I add, the effort to show you think of someone in a material way of some sort that counts double as well, not if it's what they wanted. It's nice when it can be that way, but if not, something true from you can be appreciated just as much if not more than a store bought thing that might not even be around next year.

2014-10-29 10:54:01 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0 0

so I enjoy the lights and glitter and gift wrapping paper and bows. A happy time to share a little something that warms the heart and keeps you close to mind all year. A way of cementing the links in relationships. Usually when the pressure builds at the holidays, I'm the one who has moved out of my comfort zone into being a 'people pleaser' and that usually ends up with me giving a dose of resentment with every gift which then negates the joy of the gift to the reciever. So, I always give within my means, even if that is not what the other wanted. I give a homemade card, or a very nice glittery card that cost a couple of dollars and has an ornament attached that I personalize with indelible gold or silver marking pens. Something like that. Remember it is THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS. And I add, the effort to show you think of someone in a material way of some sort that counts double as well, not if it's what they wanted. It's nice when it can be that way, but if not, something true from you can be appreciated just as much if not more than a store bought thing that might not even be around next year.

2014-10-29 11:43:48 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Do as your heart moves you to do, not your head. This is the season of the heart. I know many hate the commercialism, but I don't take all that personally, and so I enjoy the lights and glitter and gift wrapping paper and bows. A happy time to share a little something that warms the heart and keeps you close to mind all year. A way of cementing the links in relationships. Usually when the pressure builds at the holidays, I'm the one who has moved out of my comfort zone into being a 'people pleaser' and that usually ends up with me giving a dose of resentment with every gift which then negates the joy of the gift to the reciever. So, I always give within my means, even if that is not what the other wanted. I give a homemade card, or a very nice glittery card that cost a couple of dollars and has an ornament attached that I personalize with indelible gold or silver marking pens. Something like that. Remember it is THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS. And I add, the effort to show you think of someone in a material way of some sort that counts double as well, not if it's what they wanted. It's nice when it can be that way, but if not, something true from you can be appreciated just as much if not more than a store bought thing that might not even be around next year.
Ideas:
Give gifts that keep on giving if you are local to one another, like a coupon saying - good for one homecooked meal for 5, or here's tickets to the movies and I will sit with the kids. Or here's three coupons for sleepovers at my place or a day out with the kids while you guys stay at home.
If you are not local you could just give a gift card to WalMart or Blockbuster or something and let them figure it out.
OR
You could bring food over for Christmas like tins for each kid with their favorite homebaked goodies inside.
OR
You can just talk it over with you nephew and find out what he and his family think are best for them....
Good luck and happy holidays, I sure do understand the pocketbook/gift situation
I think you hit a great Q here and there are a great variety of wonderful answers already. :)
[Edit: Actually after reading so many of the wonderful answers here it dawns on me YES GIFTS ARE WHAT IT's ALL ABOUT. I used to think different until just a sec ago. Here's how I view it now. The birth of Jesus was God's GIFT to the world, the MAGI or 3 WISE MEN BROUGHT GIFTS and EXPENSIVE ones at that. So, if I don't take it personally the commercialization won't get me. But yes, this is the gifting season, and it's taken well over a half a century for me to get it and it's because of you all that I finally get it. THANKS :) ]

2007-12-06 08:11:40 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Time to trim - and not the tree!lol
My husbands family is a big one and they all had children who are having children!! The large extended family has a drawing at their Christmas get together. Everyone brings a $5.00 gift, labeled guy or girl. They make it fun, you draw a number and that is when you pick your "guy" or "girl" gift. At that point in time you can take a gift from the pile or one someone else has. The trading begins and the laughter. Each parent brings a gift for their child, something small they can play with that day at the dinner.
My children are grown and married and we all draw names, set a price range and don't worry about it. I buy for my grandchildren, but there are only 4. Usually 2 or 3 gifts and try to keep the amount the same.
You need to talk to your family or do a family e-mail and get a feeling for what is an acceptable way to go. You may be surprised as they might be happy about the change too! Let them know now so they are not shopping AND spending til they drop! lol
This can help make Christmas what it is supposed to be and not a crazy rat race. Merry Christmas

2007-12-06 04:40:02 · answer #5 · answered by litl m 4 · 0 0

n $150 for everything. Usually under $100. We start with ideas & plan the cheapest way. By Oct is best. We have pulled it off only in Dec. but we were exhausted. We don't want to cut people off & we want to show everyone at least once a yr. we think & pray for them. We do appreciate everyone & want to see the joy. There are places like Oriental Trading Company online or Michaels Arts & Crafts, Dollar stores, Ikea where you can buy some really nice pieces to put together. Whether it's a new ornament or a decorative piece just something to show we care. They know we aren't rich. They have the things we make them displayed sometimes year round in their homes, so we know we did well. Bookmarks & ornaments are easy & every year you can find something new. We have made candles, soap & more. We learn to do something new too. We also spend family time together doing it. We buy somethin

2014-09-29 08:30:55 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

You should either set up some sort of drawing or establish a rule as to when the nieces and nephews are no longer children. You could use graduation from high school/college or the birth of a first child.

I had a co-worker in the same situation. She was having to buy a gift for a niece who had finished grad school, had a great job and owned a lakeshore condo in Chicago. The niece was making at least twice what my co-worker was making. Since each "child" would put together a list of what they would like, the niece of course wanted expensive perfume, jewelry, etc. She didn't buy any gifts herself, of course. My co-worker decided that since this was for the "children", she would buy a child's gift: a nice doll.

2007-12-06 01:58:41 · answer #7 · answered by Robert S 4 · 0 0

I would have cutt off with the nieces and nephews when they became adults. If that doesn't work, then do the nephew a gift that would be suitable for the whole family instead of individual gifts. Do a gift card, fruit basket, etc.
What I do is give to my sisters, but they end up with something for the family so it applies to everyone. Individually, the Nieces and Nephews get Christmas cards.

2007-12-06 00:45:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

I totally understand where you are coming from. Even with keeping it to parents grandparents and siblings and neices/nephews we have like thirty people to buy for. On my mother in laws side we started doing a secret santa for the Adult siblings and then we just buy for the neices/nephew and grandparents. It really helps a lot to not have so many to buy for. I agree that the dollar store is a great place to get lots of presents cheap. Another idea is to bake something like cookies or banana bread, some sort of treat( I always do cookie trays) and give them out as family gifts. This means everyone in that family gets bundled up in one gift and it actually means more because you put all this time and effort into it. We usually do one per family and then get individual gifts for the immediate family. It really does cut down on how much you spend. There are lots of good mixes that you just add water and maybe a couple eggs to that make the baking that much quicker. Good Luck and God Bless!

2007-12-05 14:14:16 · answer #9 · answered by KatyCat 3 · 0 0

Try simple family gifts. My family has expanded greatly. My adult nieces and nephews are married and have their own kids and we just do something small, like a card. Keep things realistic for your budget and for what xmas is all about. It's about getting together, not gift giving. You can give gifts all year through becuz you desire too. No need to go overboard all at once. If they don't understand then I believe you could possibly sit them down when the holidays are over and tell them, hey, this is getting way overboard! My kids and My adult extended family receive gifts only. My nephews and nieces have their parents and so on and so forth. Just get together and have a joyous time. Or perhaps gift cards for a small amount so they can put it towards something they choose for wherever you purchase your giftcard from. Remember, set an example now, because then you have all the birthdays you need to figure out!!! Good Luck!

2007-12-06 06:16:34 · answer #10 · answered by ~BluemoonAngel~ 3 · 0 0

OVER 100 GIFTS each yr, Homemade, never spend more than $150 for everything. Usually under $100. We start with ideas & plan the cheapest way. By Oct is best. We have pulled it off only in Dec. but we were exhausted. We don't want to cut people off & we want to show everyone at least once a yr. we think & pray for them. We do appreciate everyone & want to see the joy. There are places like Oriental Trading Company online or Michaels Arts & Crafts, Dollar stores, Ikea where you can buy some really nice pieces to put together. Whether it's a new ornament or a decorative piece just something to show we care. They know we aren't rich. They have the things we make them displayed sometimes year round in their homes, so we know we did well. Bookmarks & ornaments are easy & every year you can find something new. We have made candles, soap & more. We learn to do something new too. We also spend family time together doing it. We buy something larger for Grandparents, Parents, Immediate children & God Kids because it is managable to do so.

2007-12-05 17:08:41 · answer #11 · answered by Nice one 5 · 0 1

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