[Bonny]

Originally Posted by tomwed

We all stand in a big circle and take out a fifty dollar bill and pass it to the left. It used to be a twenty when we couldn't afford as much.

That would really be a fun thing to do at a Christmas Party. I might do that this year.

[Beth P]

I give to charities in the receiving persons honor. I love buying livestock from Heifer International in someones honor. If I find something that I just really think is perfect for someone and it's something they need or wouldn't buy for themselves then I will purchase a gift. I no longer feel "obligated" to give gifts and don't expect to receive any.

[Schaumburger]

My family is also fairly small, and our gift giving is quite moderate. For my dad, I usually get him a restaurant gift card or a renewal to his local daily newspaper subscription for 6 months and a nice bottle of wine. A couple of years ago I pre-paid his cable TV bill for 3 months. For my sisters and their husbands, I buy them restaurant gift cards or a gift card to a home improvement store. For my two oldest nieces who are in their early twenties, they want cash. For my youngest niece who turns 13 in a few months, I consult with my sister as to what to get her. Last year my gift to her was shoes and kneepads for volleyball.

My church always has a toy collection for needy kids, and I like to buy toys for that knowing that these may be the only toys these kids receive.

For me, Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, not to camp out in front of a store for days hoping to snare a deal on a TV or to trample other shoppers at the store entrace at 3:00 a.m. I don't believe Baby Jesus said "Now celebrate the incarnation by maxing out your credit cards." Just my two cents.

[tomwed]

Many Jewish communities in the United States observe the first day of Hanukkah, which marks the start of Hanukkah, also known as Chanukah or Festival of Lights. Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish observance that remembers the Jewish people's struggle for religious freedom. Hanukkah gifts wrapped and ready to be given. wikipedia

We are not Jewish but when the kids were little I always wanted to do the gift giving over 8 days too. I alway hated when the kids opened a present, took a quick look and then opened another. I can't blame them, I was the same way but still.

[CFrance]

Our small family consists of two boys, a niece and a nephew & their parents. The four adults stopped exchanging gifts when the kids were born. If all 8 of us are together, it's usually gag gifts and Christmas Crackers, a British tradition, around the table, and everyone pitching in to make the meal. The kids get Christmas/birthday checks from their aunt & uncle. For our own kids, we've established funds into which we put $ that we keep for them till they decide on something big that they want or need. One son and wife let it build till they could install hardwood floors. the Australian son and dil have an American bank account we put $ into. I think it helped pay off school loans.

It feels better to do something abstract since we don't really know what they want anymore now that they're off on their own.

The most fun is a trip or helping them when we all go to one spot every couple years for a Christmas family reunion.

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by tomwed

We all stand in a big circle around the Christmas tree like in Charlie Brown. Then we each take out a fifty dollar bill and pass it to the left. It used to be a twenty when we couldn't afford as much.

So what happens after you all pass it to the left,
or am I correct in that nothing happens?

What am I not getting???

[BarryRX]

Originally Posted by tomwed

We all stand in a big circle around the Christmas tree like in Charlie Brown. Then we each take out a fifty dollar bill and pass it to the left. It used to be a twenty when we couldn't afford as much.

Best idea ever!

[Bonny]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

So what happens after you all pass it to the left,
or am I correct in that nothing happens?

What am I not getting???

Years ago, we had a group of friends. We were all young and didn't have any money so for birthdays we would send the birthday person $20.00 in a card. We laughed one time wondering if it was the same $20.00 we kept passing around.
It's like if I give you $20.00, next month for my birthday you give me $20.00, it's kind of a wash.

[graciegirl]

It isn't wrong or out of control if it isn't outside your means or done out of drudging duty. You get out of anything, just what you put in. If your life has changed and there are no small children then you try to find some new magic to make that special day a good thing. Giving gifts is meant to be an act of love, not an act of duty, or responsibility or difficulty.

Most of us have all we need and probably are able to get the things we want and do it...ruining gifting for those who love us. It is very difficult to find a gift for a person over sixty. We were very blessed to have our two grandchildren living close by and knew them very well and knew about UGG boots, and Forever 21 and the other clothes that were too expensive and dumb looking that they really wanted and made them look so in. Once a year to surprise someone is nice, and although I always thought we had everything, Our two college age grandchildren worked on a wonderful scrapbook of pictures of the family over years and added stories and fun remarks. When our oldest became employed in the real world we were gifted with a picture frame that digitally did the same.

Sweetie and I don't exchange gifts, except that cussed man always comes up with a surprise or two and I can't let him get ahead of me. I would give him the world if I could.
.
There is nothing wrong with exchanging gifts if it makes you happy and you can think of just the right thing. How much or little is not important. When we were young we had a Christmas savings account and we were far away from family and would wrap needed things like underwear for the kids and other small items to have a lot of presents under the tree.

If I could be anyone, I would be Santa, or the Magi.

I hope each and every one of you find the 25th of December to be a day full of happy thoughts, and that you get a warm hug from someone who loves you. AND maybe a special surprise or two.

And the same for my Jewish friends too.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Having thought about this a little, (Very little actually), I'm thinking that it's not like it once was. Each of my parents had seven siblings and every Christmas we would get a gift from every one of our aunts and uncles plus our grandparents. My parents would buy a gift for every one of their nieces and nephews. I remember their being presents under the tree, behind the tree, and in front of the tree to the point that we had a little path to walk thought the living room. In fact it got to the point where my parents would allow us to open the gifts from our relatives on Christmas Eve so that there would be enough room for the presents from Santa the next morning.

I don't think that families are that big any more nor do we give to all of the nieces and nephews like that today.

[Cedwards38]

I confess. I'm as guilty as the next guy of overspending on Christmas gifts. But just imagine if we all took the money we might spend and used it to make the world a better place. For example, giving to a charity or charities of our choice or just doing random acts of kindness. Just a thought.

[Madelaine Amee]

We don't hold back at Christmas, but it is not necessarily in "gifts" as such. We spend the holiday with our family up North. One daughter-in-law has a huge family and a big home. They invite her family, us and our other son and his family - a lot of mouths to feed, so we always purchase the Turkey/Ham/Roast Beast - whatever she wants. We give money to the grandkids, then we take them shopping for one gift each, and we always seem to find cookies and chocolates and other fattening things that we absolutely need for Christmas! And, the whole family goes out to dinner on us during the time we are there, we vote on where to eat and it is usually a good Chinese restaurant.

I look at it this way - if we lived close by we would be buying and spending on them continually, this way it is a one time big deal and we love it, and they remember it from year to year.

Our boys are all we have, they are going to get it sooner or later, so have it while we can enjoy it with you!

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Bonny

Years ago, we had a group of friends. We were all young and didn't have any money so for birthdays we would send the birthday person $20.00 in a card. We laughed one time wondering if it was the same $20.00 we kept passing around.
It's like if I give you $20.00, next month for my birthday you give me $20.00, it's kind of a wash.

Our tennis team did that with a giftwrapped bottle of Boone's Farm Apple Wine for years, till it exploded in the trunk of my car and I accused our son of... well, let's just say apologies were in order.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Madelaine Amee

We don't hold back at Christmas, but it is not necessarily in "gifts" as such. We spend the holiday with our family up North. One daughter-in-law has a huge family and a big home. They invite her family, us and our other son and his family - a lot of mouths to feed, so we always purchase the Turkey/Ham/Roast Beast - whatever she wants. We give money to the grandkids, then we take them shopping for one gift each, and we always seem to find cookies and chocolates and other fattening things that we absolutely need for Christmas! And, the whole family goes out to dinner on us during the time we are there, we vote on where to eat and it is usually a good Chinese restaurant.

I look at it this way - if we lived close by we would be buying and spending on them continually, this way it is a one time big deal and we love it, and they remember it from year to year.

Our boys are all we have, they are going to get it sooner or later, so have it while we can enjoy it with you!

Roast Beast--I love it!

[Halibut]

A neighbor of ours has five grandchildren that he's rather distant from and only occasionally sees. His two sons are each very successful multimillionaires. Yet he still puts himself through the wringer to send the grandkids holiday and birthday gifts that he has no idea if they like or want and certainly that they don't need. He also expects his sons to send him holiday gifts, and is pretty judgy about the quality and price. Tradition, I guess!