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Alternatives to Xmas Gift Giving?
Alternatives to Xmas Gift Giving?
With the economic squeeze and jobs so shaky, starting to talk to family etc. about downsizing or taking a mutual break from the annual gift giving frenzy. My brother and I agree and are pitching the idea and so far finding some saying with relief "I was thinking the same thing".
But with others it's a fine line between seeming Scrooge-like and stepping on the toes of Xmas-aholics who live for this season. We are trying to make it less about "stuff" and more about "lets get our kids together because they really don't get to spend time with their cousins".
Anybody else thinking the same things?
If so, besides the proverbial "gift of time" (what are some ideas there?), what are some other ideas you can share i.e. downsizing gifts, gift giving games, etc?
Thanks.
But with others it's a fine line between seeming Scrooge-like and stepping on the toes of Xmas-aholics who live for this season. We are trying to make it less about "stuff" and more about "lets get our kids together because they really don't get to spend time with their cousins".
Anybody else thinking the same things?
If so, besides the proverbial "gift of time" (what are some ideas there?), what are some other ideas you can share i.e. downsizing gifts, gift giving games, etc?
Thanks.
When we come to place where the sea and the sky collide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide
we have a pretty small gift circle these days but we have made some changes. with my family we did a Secret Santa thing and set a dollar limit. Did this last year as well.
As for Charlie's sister we rarely get to see them even though they are just an hour away. So we've decided no more gifts we will just commit to a dinner date every year (within the 1st quarter) and treat ourselves to a place we might not normally go and spend the time together. We will alternate between central or north Jersey.
Charlie and I are only doing stocking stuffers and then going away for a few days.
We have one 15 year old. She's not signing up for the "no gifts" plan yet!
As for Charlie's sister we rarely get to see them even though they are just an hour away. So we've decided no more gifts we will just commit to a dinner date every year (within the 1st quarter) and treat ourselves to a place we might not normally go and spend the time together. We will alternate between central or north Jersey.
Charlie and I are only doing stocking stuffers and then going away for a few days.
We have one 15 year old. She's not signing up for the "no gifts" plan yet!
hmmm with family we only get gifts for the kids not each other--and then we sometimes pool some resources and make a donation to a charity--something like Kiva and the like.
in the past i have given gift cards to tis better (this is an organization that allows the recipient to designate the charity they want to fund) or heifer international (but that doesn't really answer your question....)
my kids have given me certificates for a massage, raking leaves, breakfast in bed and the like. and make things to give to grandparents, etc.
we also give cookies, bread, other baked goods ---but you have probably already thought of all that--so I guess my response is a bit useless!
in the past i have given gift cards to tis better (this is an organization that allows the recipient to designate the charity they want to fund) or heifer international (but that doesn't really answer your question....)
my kids have given me certificates for a massage, raking leaves, breakfast in bed and the like. and make things to give to grandparents, etc.
we also give cookies, bread, other baked goods ---but you have probably already thought of all that--so I guess my response is a bit useless!
< leaving on the 22nd of march...but too lame to figure out the ticker thing again!>
my group of girlfriends used to have a $10 gift club. It was challenging but fun to see what everyone came up with each year. We rotated hosting the annual party. Several times I asked people to bring canned goods to the party and I brought them to wherever I knew was collecting for families in need.
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California Girl
This year is a good time for us to start cutting back too. I've been cutting back a little each year recently anyway, but this year I'm eliminating gifts to friends, who I know will understand. I'll be giving an excellent coffee table book on Egypt to my sister & her husband, and will send inexpensive Wine Country Gift Baskets to my two grown nieces. I make jewelry, so my best friend & her daughter will get jewelry and the husbands will get a bottle of booze.
Rick and I aren't exchanging. Instead, we are spending that money on 3 days in San Diego in an oversize suite that I found for a great price on Hotels.com. While in San Diego, we'll tour the Midway Museum (aircraft carrier) and maybe go to the Zoo. Last night I picked up a cheap-o tiny pre-lit Christmas tree to put up in our hotel room. This Christmas will be much more memorable than whatever gift I got last year that I can't even remember at all!
Rick and I aren't exchanging. Instead, we are spending that money on 3 days in San Diego in an oversize suite that I found for a great price on Hotels.com. While in San Diego, we'll tour the Midway Museum (aircraft carrier) and maybe go to the Zoo. Last night I picked up a cheap-o tiny pre-lit Christmas tree to put up in our hotel room. This Christmas will be much more memorable than whatever gift I got last year that I can't even remember at all!
We have a super small group in my family. Every year for quite a while now, we always say "no presents this year, let's just have a nice dinner". Nobody ever sticks to it.
This year I am going to insist that we stick to the no presents thing. We are all going to bring a dish to dinner (to reduce some of the cost for my Mom), and we are going to resurrect our old tradition of getting and playing a new board game. This will be on Christmas Eve.
We used to do the new board game thing every year, until my Grandma became ill. She always hosted Christmas Eve. I hope everyone sticks to it (I sure am)!
This year I am going to insist that we stick to the no presents thing. We are all going to bring a dish to dinner (to reduce some of the cost for my Mom), and we are going to resurrect our old tradition of getting and playing a new board game. This will be on Christmas Eve.
We used to do the new board game thing every year, until my Grandma became ill. She always hosted Christmas Eve. I hope everyone sticks to it (I sure am)!
"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea." -Isak Dinesen
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designbyroe
- Posts: 1348
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 1:27 pm
- Location: Chilaxin on White Bay at least in my mind
Once my nephews were born, we just give gifts to them.
I bake and this yr think I am going to do pumpkin loafs and cut them to 2 slices and give that to my clients.
I have alot of clients.
Last yr since I was still helping at Origins I gave my clients little trial sizes of Origins products.
I have people that give me gifts but I always tell them give a donation or something to the food bank.
Help someone else, do not worry about me.
Having you as a client is a gift.
I bake and this yr think I am going to do pumpkin loafs and cut them to 2 slices and give that to my clients.
I have alot of clients.
Last yr since I was still helping at Origins I gave my clients little trial sizes of Origins products.
I have people that give me gifts but I always tell them give a donation or something to the food bank.
Help someone else, do not worry about me.
Having you as a client is a gift.
There's no $ sign on a peace of mind, this I've come to know
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Xislandgirl
- Posts: 4163
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 4:03 pm
- Location: Slightly left of center
I have a coworker with a big family that does the $10 Alphabet game. All the adults have to bring a gift that begins with a letter of the Alphabet (not sure who picks it) and it has to be worth between $9.50 and $10.50( no gift cards)
You even have to wrap the receipt with it. They do the Yankee (or Chinese or whatever you call it) exchange and she said that everyone has a blast coming up with creative gifts that fall into that price category..
At work we do a Crap swap. You have to wrap something that is in your house that you do not want and we do the Yankee swap thing. It is hysterical to see the crap that people want to get rid of and how people want to swap this crap for that crap.
You even have to wrap the receipt with it. They do the Yankee (or Chinese or whatever you call it) exchange and she said that everyone has a blast coming up with creative gifts that fall into that price category..
At work we do a Crap swap. You have to wrap something that is in your house that you do not want and we do the Yankee swap thing. It is hysterical to see the crap that people want to get rid of and how people want to swap this crap for that crap.
The size of my family is getting out of control!
My brothers, brother-in-law and their wives keep breeding like bunnies. In the last 4 years I have accumulated 7 nieces & nephews with an 8th on the way. No wonder my mother doesn't pressure me to have babies
.
My list has a total of 27 names!!! The adults on my side would understand if we just did cards or a nice ornament but the adults on hubby's side measure love by the amount of money spent on gifts
. Ugh.
My brothers, brother-in-law and their wives keep breeding like bunnies. In the last 4 years I have accumulated 7 nieces & nephews with an 8th on the way. No wonder my mother doesn't pressure me to have babies
.My list has a total of 27 names!!! The adults on my side would understand if we just did cards or a nice ornament but the adults on hubby's side measure love by the amount of money spent on gifts
. Ugh.-
sailorgirl
- Posts: 1644
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:03 pm
Not to hijack the thread but I was in San Diego in August and The Midway is definitley worth doing. Plan a good part of the day for it, the self guided tour is very comprehensive and interesting. We loved the Zoo as well, we went one day when it was open later, got there about 2:00PM and had the best time, just like a couple of kids. The tickets we bought included the bus tour which was a great way to get familar with the layout of the park. Then we walked the whole Zoo again.California Girl wrote:This year is a good time for us to start cutting back too. I've been cutting back a little each year recently anyway, but this year I'm eliminating gifts to friends, who I know will understand. I'll be giving an excellent coffee table book on Egypt to my sister & her husband, and will send inexpensive Wine Country Gift Baskets to my two grown nieces. I make jewelry, so my best friend & her daughter will get jewelry and the husbands will get a bottle of booze.
Rick and I aren't exchanging. Instead, we are spending that money on 3 days in San Diego in an oversize suite that I found for a great price on Hotels.com. While in San Diego, we'll tour the Midway Museum (aircraft carrier) and maybe go to the Zoo. Last night I picked up a cheap-o tiny pre-lit Christmas tree to put up in our hotel room. This Christmas will be much more memorable than whatever gift I got last year that I can't even remember at all!
LOL! Boy can I relate to that mb! I hate to burst your bubble even further but I'm not sure that it will get better anytime soon either. The girl woman is 20 now and still hasn't signed up for that appealing plan eithermbw1024 wrote:We have one 15 year old. She's not signing up for the "no gifts" plan yet!
.Boys are so much easier. I asked the youngin to make me a list and it went something like this...
XBOX 360
XBOX 360
XBOX 360
We do secret santa in my immediate office at work. Everyone draws from a hat with a name and three $15 items listed. It works great!
In our family we typically get gifts for the kids. There are times when I get my siblings a gift, but it's nothing big - last year I made a movie night for each couple. Box or big bowl with a package of popcorn, a box of candy and a dvd. I told them this year they had to re-gift that movie to someone else. I think I might do the same thing and just keep the movies moving around families. For my daughter and grandkids, I'm thinking about a family membership to the zoo or waterpark, so even if they're broke (all the time) they can still go out for the day without spending alot. Especially the zoo, since you can go to the rainforest all year. But, same thing, toning down.
Deb
