This Christmas

Trailrun23 · ‎05-31-2022

Am already thinking about Christmas 2022. Do you think you will be spending less/cutting back on the # of gifts you buy or how many people you give wil be giving to? With none of our kids or grandkids being here for Thanksgiving or Christmas, I will prob not be spending as much or buying as many gifts. Most of our friends are all retired and need nothing really, but the prices I am seeing right now on just about everything is eye-popping. Am I the only one planning on spending less for Christmas gifts?

Mary Bailey · ‎03-09-2010

I don't know if I'll be spending less. I do think I'll give more gift cards with a little something fun to unwrap. Gotta to unwrap something.....

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

Christmas is easy for us - our kids like to get cash towards something they want. I already ordered and sent to parents our great niece & nephew gifts (the niece is a Christmas baby).

I'm pretty organized when comes to GD she gives me list now and I shop for her things. Normally, can be found on "A" so her things will be sent by November.

Today the ladies were discussing buying for holiday meals (non perishable items) for baking & cooking as prices of food are steadily increasing. I won't have to be concerned with this as it's just the 2 of us & I won't bake cookies this year.

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

Yes. We will be simpler this year.

DH's sisters are single, divorced, and widowed. His widowed brother-in-law is now an empty nester.

His 6 nephews and one niece have families now. Most are doing quite well.

We used to gave the his sisters and two brothers-in-law something for their homes, books, etc.

When the children were young we gave toys. For years after the boys and the one niece (who is the oldest by quite a few years) were in high school we started giving them gift cards. I tried to get them from places they liked. We don't get many thanks, and we don't even know if they are happy with them. When they had children we gave gift cards to them and toys for their children.

After DH's youngest sister was widowed 3 years ago. I decided to give his sisters more personal gifts, like bath items, scarfs, sweaters, notepaper, etc.

I will probably still give small gift cards to each family. I wish someone would suggest we just stop. But I'm the in law, and I learned long ago not to get involved in things like this.

We have to send everything too, since we haven't gone up for Thanksgiving in three years. I spend more on postage than I do on the gifts! We sent his niece and family gift cards and toys for her children years ago. DD had saved her babysitting money to give her older female cousin she saw once a year a special gift. I think DD was 14 or 15 at the time. The box was returned to us. They had moved and no one, including her mom, let us know.

I already bought gifts for his sisters. I'll pick up some little thing for his brother-in-law and send small gift cards for the whole family for the niece and nephews.

My family is gone, and everyone else we exchange gifts with is here.

tarytoo · ‎05-25-2019

In years past for Christmas, we have spent a small fortune buying for everybody in our family. my brother and family total almost 20. With the cost of postage and shipping going through the roof. We said enough is enough. This year we are cutting way back. We are seniors with a limited income. Gift cards with token amounts will be the name of the game. It's the thought that counts. And in the past we have been more than generous. Time spent together is more precious to us now . As for myself, I've begun to repurpose clothing by shopping at local thrifts. It's fun and affordable. Plus I've found Isaac, Belle, Woman Within, Graver, Basso, etc. brands. Hard times need special attention.

Neetgal2 · ‎02-12-2016

I hope it will be less! I have tried for a few years to cut back, especially with my retired friends. We all need nothing and have too much. Lately we are just giving gift cards to each other! I have suggested for years let's just meet for lunch but they always come with gifts.

I looked at my airfare to visit family at Christmas last night and it would be 4 times as much last year. I did want to take oldest grandchild to a holiday ballet. I am not up to the long drive myself, so I have some thinking here. I just saw them a few weeks ago and spent a week long vacation in WDW in June, doing everything!

No you are not the only one who feels this way.

ScrapHappy · ‎03-28-2010

This Christmas we will be on a cruise. Not spending a lot of money for gifts for daughter and husband, our gift is the cruise. I've gotten some small things for them to open before we leave. Each years for family and friends, we spend less and less. I agree with the prices we're now seeing, eye popping to say the least, so I expect not to buy as much.

Nataliesgramma · ‎03-28-2015

My daughter's family all moved to Florida last year, so Holidays will be different now. They are coming up for a weekend visit the 10th of December and we will go down on Jan 3rd for a week to celebrate Christmas. No one needs or wants the stress of flying the week of Christmas. I would rather enjoy the holidays instead of stressing out and paying an arm and a leg. We got a direct flight under $100 the first week of Jan.

I am going to give money wth something small for each to open....

The only thing that will stay the same is I am am putting up all my trees and Christmas Village...decorating to the hilt as usual.... early... so they can enjoy it when they come.

Meowingkitty · ‎06-19-2010

It's just my husband, me and the cats. We stopped buying Christmas gifts several years ago. We only give a gift cart to our hairdresser. We just bought new iPhones. We're done.

LindaSal · ‎05-15-2014

I'm staying about the same money wise as we cut back many years ago. Our kids are adults, we have no grandchildren, just grand pets. We always give them a substantial gift card with some smaller practical gifts they can use such as Beekman products, puzzles, throw blankets.........this year I added a Corkcicle item for each of them. Corkcicle has some great things in collaboration with Star Wars, Disney and Marvel comics! They make great gifts.

Also I shop all year long when they offer promotions and sale discounts. As a matter of fact, I'm already done, have been since last month Merry Christmas!!