Anyone else not buying a ton of crap for Christmas this year?

[YellowRubberDuckie]

We're doing pictures for the parents. We're taking my husband's brother and his girlfriend out to eat, and we're doing separate checks and switching them. Everyone else is getting a card. Everyone has forgotten what Christmas is, and honestly, I'd rather spend time with my family than get crap that is just going to sit in bags all year. Anyone else not going to participate in the crap orgy this year?
Duckie

[williesgirl]

1. As an extended family, we help a different needy family every year. Gifts, dinner ingredients, trim

turkey, all groceries for Xmas dinner, everything. We had trouble getting either a church or organization to give us someone to help the first year. We don't need their name, just ages of kids, sizes, wish list etc. We also give a gift certificate with any money left over from shopping to a local grocery store for the parents. Then we deliver Xmas Eve around Noon to org with everything wrapped etc. We put little tags on w/age, sex etc and give them real name tags so they can add the names once we leave. That protects the privacy of the family, but allows us to to meet specific needs of the family at the same time.

This is in lieu of each of us buying for each other, other than kids under 18. It stopped the annual madness which none of us could really afford, but did anyway. With 3 sibs, nieces, nephews, grandkids etc, there are enough to us to make a difference to one family anyway.

We love it. It makes us feel much better when we all get together for Xmas dinner. Plus, we enjoy not spending hours with everyone opening presents - give us more time to really talk to each other, play games etc.

I highly recommend other try this.

[NightWatcher]

33. my extended family has been doing this for a couple of years

holy crap it feels better than almost anything that you can do. It's addictive and we are going to do it again this year.

I really recommend this idea as well, but here's a selfish slant. Do this and make yourself feel good by helping others. If you do it once, you will do it again.

[Initech]

2. I try to spend as little time in the malls as possible.

Malls are horrible places. Even more so in Christmas time.

[femmocrat]

3. The holiday spirit hasn't moved me yet.

Don't know if it will.... I just don't feel like it this year. I would like to just give everyone money or gift cards, but I guess they expect presents to open. Stuff no one even needs. It's depressing in a way.

[Capn Sunshine]

4. Last Christmas was the worst- the whole country has forgotten

it's not an orgy of consumerism

The spirit of the season is supposed to be love for your fellow man

Not so much anymore.



Everything just disintegrated on Jan 30 2001 , didn't it?

[Telly Savalas]

5. Probably not here.

I plan to write Senator McCaskill and ask for a $5,000 earmark in next Iraq funding bill. (I figure that giving me a little chedda does more to advance our interests in the Middle East than giving it to Blackwater or Haliburton does.)

In the likely event that this falls through, we'll simply not have the cash to go bonkers for Christmas.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Kids will get video games, books, and clothes. The rest of us don't need too much

[Gormy Cuss]

7. I'm fortunate to have never been part of the crap orgy syndrome.

We do still exchange gifts with our siblings and the next generation when they're still kids, but it's all about modest yet thoughtful gifts. One of my sibs collects decorative food tins, so a gift of a food item packed in a beautiful old fashioned tin is perfect. Another likes anything with penguins on it, so the challenge is to find something other than a knick knack with penguins in the design. It works better for us than not doing anything, which is a strategy that works in some families. We have so little time for each other during the year that we all like the opportunity to think about a gift for each other. If we were REALLY coordinated we'd do it for our birthdays, but...

I buy presents when I see something, regardless of the month, so by this time of year I usually have a good size stockpile. It's the way that I cut the holiday stress. Living far away from all but the SO and a few friends means that if I'm not organized it's a nightmare.

[lizerdbits]

8. I bake my presents

I haven't found anyone yet who doesn't want some home made fudge (real fudge not that melted chocolate and powdered sugar crap) and cookies. I hate shopping, other than baking ingredients I only plan on buying some toys for tots or other charitable group and a toy or 2 for my nephews, and those I will probably get at a craft show later this month. I'd rather bake for hours than be in stores.

[murielm99]

15. I bake many of my presents, too.

It is much easier than buying a lot of stuff people don't want.

My parents send us a box of oranges from Florida every year. I like that present.

I told my adult children that we should start buying things for each other than can be used up during the course of the year. We all have too much crap.

I still like to get Cd's for Christmas. If my kids can afford them, I will ask for them. But I am trying to think of some other ideas. I am going to ask my oldest daughter to give me some canvas bags that I can take with me to the grocery store when I shop. I don't need to accumulate all those plastic bags. I like scented soaps and that sort of thing, too. They gave me all kinds of herbal teas for my birthday. I still have quite a bit of that, so I don't need it for Christmas.

What else can we exchange that is useful, inexpensive, and won't sit around the house forever? Any suggestions would be great.

[MorningGlow]

9. We've done a grab bag for several years now

Adults pull one name, get one present for that person. It's heaven. DH and I will probably troll each other's Amazon wish lists for a few things. We blow the budget getting toys for the 4-year-old, but that is as it should be. (He's funny--lately has been perusing toy catalogs that come in the mail, and showing us various things he wants. When we tell him some of them are an awful lot of money, he says, "Don't worry. It won't cost anything. Santa will bring those.")

[madrchsod]

10. got three boxes full of stuff!

garage sales,charity shops,and store discounts through out the year. nothing over 5 dollars....

[Redstone]

11. Good for you. You are indeed doing the right thing.

Redstone

[mvd]

12. I have a different philosophy for each person

Some people have real needs or wants. Like I always desire CDs for Christmas. If someone doesn't want something particularly, I will give them a gift card or something made or thought up by me. I will try to get a wanted item, providing it doesn't break the bank. Stress should never be part of Christmas.

Hope everyone has a great holiday season! :grouphug:

[Whisp]

13. I am glad to say my crap orgy days are over.

If I buy a turkey and cook it, that's nuff. and any extras in $ when I have, go to Xmas Cheer or something like it.

oh, I do remember the crazy conspicuous consumption days. I shudder at the awful Romanesque waft of it. so stupid.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

14. I'm knitting stuff for folks this Christmas.

And I'll make cookies for everyone. Sure, I'll get toys for my younger kid, and some clothes for Mr GoG and my older boy. But I'm afraid fuel and food prices are going to hit the roof this winter. Not a pretty picture.

[Connonym]

16. no crap orgy here

I've been trying to encourage my family to scale it down for years. I personally think giving gifts to adults is ridiculous. The one thing we do is try to make sure that everyone has a particular holiday food that they enjoy even if nobody else like it -- I went to three stores one year to make sure we had a mince pie for my dad. I didn't know it at the time but it was his last Xmas. Think how awful it would feel to decide to skip it "this year" and not get to have another year. Yeah that's lame and sentimental but so am I.

[SeattleGirl]

17. I probably won't have much choice, as I'm still working my way back

to my previous income level.

In my family, the adults all pick a name, and that's who you buy for. We've done that for years, and it works out well, because there are so many of us.

As far as my husband, daughter, and son-in-law, I won't be spending a ton of money on them, but I need to get an idea of what they would like, so I can spend my money wisely.

Me, I've asked for one thing: an iPod. That's pretty much all I want.

[NMDemDist2]

18. we had NO presents last year. NONE

this year I'm making up for it. I want piles and piles of boxes under the tree

even if I have to wrap each sock in it's own box :evilgrin:

I have a few things on my list, mostly rounding out my kitchen gear but there are gonna be a TON of boxes so help me!

but we're also 'adopting' a family this year and will be taking goodies and gifts to some folks around town who have had a hard year. I'm grateful we're in the position to be able to help someone else this year.

now I just need to find wrapping paper I can put on the compost pile.....

[beyurslf]

19. I'm a foster parent. I always get them several things. I also always get my nieces something.

I get my siblings family passes to the zoo or something for them.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

27. I agree with getting stuff for kids...

Especially kids who have never had a super Christmas. Christmas is for kids, really, when you think about it. I remember not being able to sleep on Christmas eve because of all the excitement. Every kid deserves that.
Duckie

[mike_c]

20. what is this Christmas that you speak of...?

:rofl:

[China_cat]

21. We don't do gifts. Period.

Besides christmas, we both have birthdays right in there (dh's is christmas eve). For the past 10 years or so what we do is find something we want for the house, or a gadget we both want and treat ourselves to that...usually about now so that we don't have to try to shop during the worst of the holiday insanity.

We also don't send cards.

[LibertyLover]

22. I'm trying not to

but my extended family makes it difficult - every year at least 5 or 6 of them gift not just my husband and I, but our daughter as well. So, every year I have to go out and buy stuff for them. And to make it worse, I have to have it done by Thanksgiving because that's when we see them all and they have our gifts ready. Sometimes in the past I've gone to the outlets and gotten everyone the same thing, like a holiday serving platter, but they tend not to like that, so I try to find something for each one. The kids are easy - a bookstore gift card. I'm seriously thinking this year that I'll do gift cards for the adults too - maybe to Pottery Barn or a restaurant. But this year my husband and I are cutting back on gifts for each other - he wants a locomotive and a book on Baltimore during the second world war. I don't know what I want (well, ok, I do, but we sure as hell can't afford it) but will give him some ideas, probably involving a book or two that I want. We will get some stuff for our daughter but not much. She doesn't play with most of the toys she has now. We'll get her some more of the high-end German plastic animals (the okapi family to go with her giraffe herd and one or two horses) because those are things she plays with. And maybe a cheap digital camera so she can start taking photos.

[TommyO]

23. We've decided to do a toned down Christmas this year

focusing on the kids more than anything else, and even they're not getting loads of crap this year.

[Deep13]

24. Just a few ounces of crap for us.

I don't really celebrate it anymore.

[azmouse]

25. I only send some small gifts to my mon and MIL. That's it.

I don't even mail out Xmas cards any more.
I enjoy the holidays so much more now that I don't have to spend so much time fighting the crowds in the stores to buy crap that everyone forgets about in one week.

I decorate a tree, bake cookies and just relax and have fun.

[sakabatou]

26. I'm not

My family's Jewish.

[YellowRubberDuckie]

29. Chanukah Rocks!

I love the story behind the Menorah and the 8 days of celebration. It's very meaningful. Christmas has lost it's meaning.
Duckie

[ThatsMyBarack]

28. I like to knit and/or crochet my gifts....

....with yarn left over from previous projects! ;)

[cordelia]

30. Nope

We decided years ago to abandon the gift exchange among adults.

I still give the nephews a little spending money. One year one of the little dears told me it wasn't enough. His parents made him donate that gift to charity.

He's a good kid, but GREEEEEDY. We call him Mr. Drysdale.

[AnneD]

31. We are going to have a socks and under ware Christmas.....

Hubby and I will get new socks, under ware, and I get some bras:woohoo:

I will get my teen daughter something (she says just some money in her college fund). This year the adoption for my 7yo niece is official so we will spoil her (as we have been). She is excited and so are we. I will send some nice cards to everyone else in the family. If I find some nice comforters-I'll pick them up, but that is all. We don't want anything at all. We will be giving money to our Church and the needy. Everyone has our warm wishes.

[Chovexani]

32. Why do you hate America?

:P

Christmas is going to be hard for my family this year. We had a very tragic death occur back in March (my aunt was killed in a car accident), so things are going to be subdued. We're just doing gift cards, nothing extravagant.

[Skittles]

34. never do

I refuse to participate is such garbage....I buy toys for needy children and that is IT

[carly denise pt deux]

35. I am sending money

too expensive to send gifts thru the mail, so it's easier to send cash, that way everyone can go get what they want.
Carly

[bumblebee1]

36. This year,

my sister and brother-in-law will be getting a gift card for either a restaurant or gas station. They enjoy going out to eat. My nieces and nephew will be getting gift cards for the grocery store where they shop. The grand nieces and nephews will be getting gift cards to K-Mart and maybe Pizza Hut. The two nieces will have instructions to get the kids whatever they need. I will also add chocolate candy from an upscale chocolate shop. Some fancy Christmas cookies may also be included. The under 5 crowd (there are 4 of them) will be getting one outfit and one pair of pajamas. I've done this for the past couple of years.

[EstimatedProphet]

37. Give out coal

It's functional.

[annonymous]

38. I'm doing more baking this year

I'm currently unemployed so Christmas will be scaled down. I will give baked goods to the adults and only give one video game and other toy to my son, and one outfit and one toy to my daughter. I may gather up all the stray photographs and make mini photo albums to give to my in-laws for Christmas too.

[Rabrrrrrr]

39. I shall allow my family to live for another year. That's gift enough.

:P

[Mad_Dem_X]

40. Me, for once.

This year has sucked so badly for my family, I'll be surprised if I am able to get into the Christmas spirit at all this year. I used to love shopping for gifts, now I just want to get it over with as quickly as possible.

[GalleryGod]

41. Sorry! We all ready hit the Cherry Hill Christmas Tree Shoppe!

Beau coups Bucks !

[Midlodemocrat]

42. Already started buying.

Laptop for TM
New PS3 for BoyMidlo
New phone for BabyMidlo, American Girl Doll for Her as well.

Tons of little things for the nieces/nephews.

I LOVE giving gifts. Love it, love it, love it.

[quip]

43. Yeah, I got some really good shit

about 2000 pounds worth.