CHRISTMAS SHOPPING FOR WHAT IS ASKED FOR! - Page 5

Yardlie · ‎03-10-2010

We always give each other wish lists in our family. The only thing is that people don't always check with others to see if anyone else already purchased the item. One year I received three 5" x 7" picture frames (all exactly alike)!

I put a lot of thought into what I give. I have a sister who just throws anything into a bag and fills out the tag...just sees women's sweaters on sale and buys one for everyone on her list. She doesn't consider whether the person would wear that style or like the color. Often the wrong size too, but shopping is done in one trip! I finally suggested we not exchange gifts anymore since we both have so many people to buy for. She does everything very quick and obviously doesn't enjoy Christmas shopping.

A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. ~~ Steve Maraboli

wagirl · ‎03-09-2010

My family doesn't do gift giving anymore for Xmas. My "kids" are adults who can get for themselves whatever they want, whenever they want. And my hubs and I certainly don't need anything at all. No grand kids to spoil and we stopped with the gifts for the extended families years ago, by mutual agreement. And I don't miss it at all!!!! We do a meal on Xmas Day after we go to a movie in the morning and we visit. Thats it. No hoopla or craziness.

Yardlie · ‎03-10-2010

@wagirl wrote:
My family doesn't do gift giving anymore for Xmas. My "kids" are adults who can get for themselves whatever they want, whenever they want. And my hubs and I certainly don't need anything at all. No grand kids to spoil and we stopped with the gifts for the extended families years ago, by mutual agreement. And I don't miss it at all!!!! We do a meal on Xmas Day after we go to a movie in the morning and we visit. Thats it. No hoopla or craziness.

Do you still decorate? I would miss the tree.

I know other people who do similar things. One family just donates the money they would have spent at Christmas and no hoopla at home. One family takes the whole family out to the IMAX in their area after church. Both those families have young children. It's a nice thing to teach your children, but one of the children who is now a teenager told me that when he is a father, his children are going to have traditional Christmases.

I know another family who exchange only craft items that they make. They exchange names in advance. Another man I know told me that he gives his kids $200 each for Christmas, and then they can go out and buy what they want in the after Christmas sales. He wants to teach his kids the value of an item.

A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal. ~~ Steve Maraboli

freakygirl · ‎07-03-2014

vermint, yeah see! you were so right to ask them what they wanted because they obviously needed diapers more than something for themselves. I'm sure they were grateful big time. 😊

Shorty2U · ‎03-09-2010

We actually do this for the past 10 years, and we feel its a great idea.

My 2 children, son in law, and 3 grandchildren write lists for us and DH and I write lists for them.

Everyone is still surprised because no one knows what they are getting from the list. (and also for example; my daughter and son use the grandkids list to get the childrens gifts too and so on, so another words no one knows what they are getting or from whom if you understand what i mean). The lists are universal another words.

AND of course we ALL also buy each other things NOT on the list too!

Since my grandkids are older (18,16, 12) the past few years we also give them and my children (and son in law) 100 Dollar gift cards to buy what they want in addition to their gifts to open.

We have never taken anything back to return in our lives of gifts whether the gifts were on the list or not and everyone is always happy with their gifts!

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make~ The Beatles

bri20 · ‎03-10-2016

@Winter Holiday wrote:
@bri20 "If I have to tell somebody what I like, I can just go by it myself" What if a person is willing to spend $200 and up for a particular item for you. Are you saying you can freely buy a $200 item any single time you please?

"They are perfectly free to return or exchange it" How would you feel if they decided to throw it out or donate it?

Unhappiness is avoidable if you get a person something they say they want.

I don't tell people what I want - maybe my husband only.

If I give somene a gift, they can do what they want with it. I would hope they would return it or exchange it rather than throw it out.

If someone told me they wanted something, I would do my best to give them what they wanted. I feel weird telling people specific things that I want. That's just me.

Nobody said anything about being unhappy. I don't know what you mean by that. I love giving gifts. I love receiving gifts. It's all good.

Cakers3 · ‎06-17-2015

This is just my own view but there seems to be a lot of emphasis on what people want.

The gift giving at Christmas, imo, should be an expression of appreciation for the person.

Many, many people want for bare necessities all year.

I think a little creativity wouldn't hurt. Diapers, as mentioned, for young families is a thoughtful way to give something needed.

It's ok if people want to do lists but it kind of takes away from shopping for the enjoyment. If you receive candles or picture frames and don't "want' those then I think some are forgetting that the thought matters.

And yes, some buy anything on sale -but remember there is so much pressure on some to buy something -anything -and maybe it's time to stop putting $$ values on gifts.

"" Compassion is a verb."-Thich Nhat Hanh

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

@Sooner wrote:
Amazon is a great idea! My husband would LOVE a 6 months supply of paper towels so he wouldn't have to go to Sam's and get them! LOL!!!

I think you could do some pretty creative things like a few times of maid service, big supply of some item, etc. that people hate to have to go get. You could give them time that way! A book they want and 2 housekeeping gift certificates so they would have TIME to read their book.

One of the best gifts I ever got was a gift card to a car wash!

I'm LOLing over the car wash because that's what I'm doing for my husband this year. A new car wash just opened by us that allows you to pay a monthly fee and you can get your car washed as many times as you want that month. He has been talking about it since the place opened but hasn't done anything about it.

Last year I got him those Weather Tech floor mats that are laser cut specifically for the make of car you have. He had mentioned them but again, wouldn't buy them. He was so thrilled x-mas morning. You would have thought I gave me a million dollars!

RainyDayGal · ‎03-09-2010

I ask for things I want/need but I don't want to spend MY money to get them. For instance a $300 Coach bag. So I think it's fabulous when someone buys me something I've asked for!

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

wagirl wrote:
My family doesn't do gift giving anymore for Xmas. My "kids" are adults who can get for themselves whatever they want, whenever they want. And my hubs and I certainly don't need anything at all. No grand kids to spoil and we stopped with the gifts for the extended families years ago, by mutual agreement. And I don't miss it at all!!!! We do a meal on Xmas Day after we go to a movie in the morning and we visit. Thats it. No hoopla or craziness.

We stopped it several years ago, also. There comes a point where it just seemed, for us anyway, ridiculous. It's just the two of us. My husband has a christmas account thing, where money comes out of his check every week. He pulls it out, gives me half, and he takes the other half. We each do whatever we want with our own respective halves.

He does have a daughter and he sends her money, which is what she appreciates a great deal. She is just a few years out of college and making her way in life. I've never met her, but she seems like a really good kid.

I'm really glad to not have to worry about the gift thing anymore. After a while, we both had what we needed/wanted and you get to a point where, if you want something, you just buy it.

I respect other opinions, of course. But that is what works for us.