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S/O Christmas gift exchange for the adults
Who do you give gifts to in your family? I don't mind buying gifts, but I never know what to give people and I feel like I just get people "stuff" just to have something to give them. I also just get "stuff" that I don't really need or want. I know it's the thought that counts, but I hate to have people spend money on things that I could really do without. A lot of our family members don't have a lot of money this year so I'd like to figure out a way to lessen the burden on everyone and not make people feel obligated to go out and buy gifts.
So, do you draw names, buy gifts for everyone, only buy gifts for the kids, etc?
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Re: S/O Christmas gift exchange for the adults
We have been doing no gifts for adults. But I really don't like that. I like to see presents under the tree, ya know? And I will admit it, I like opening gifts on x-mas too.
We did a white elephant the year we went to Mexico as a family. Everyone had a $20 limit. It was fantastic. People got luggage, sun skin care stuff, tequila, taco bell gift certificates, sun hats and giant beach towel, and travel coolers. BUT I can see where that wouldn't work if you aren't going anywhere.
We have also done gift exchanges. Those are my favorite. Drawing names out of hats on T-giving and setting cash limits. Then each person only has to buy one gift.
This is how our family rolls... everyone buys gifts for the little kids up until you graduate high school, Then you are an adult. All adults get their name in a hat. We draw names on Thanksgiving. That way each adult has a gift to open. We also keep it a secret til christmas. OUr limit is $25. HOwever it always ends up being around $30 or so.
However DH's family is dif. The kids work the same way. But the adults do a boy/girl exchange. Again the limit is $25. I buy a girl gift and the hubby (well me, but he claims he bought it) buys a boy gift. Then at Christmas the girls get up w/ their girl gift, stand in a circle and a song is played/sung (i know, they are odd) as the presents are passed around. once the song is stopped you get the gift that is in your hand at that time.
We've scaled it WAAAAY back. My family used to go absolutely nuts at Christmas. Things are a lot different now than they were a few years back, so it seems like every year we scale it back more and more.
The last couple of years, we've just done a Secret Santa with a $100 gift limit. This year we're bringing it down to $50. I think at this point we should just do gifts for the kids, it's not like us adults really need anything. KWIM?
We use Elfster too. I think you can even put a Wish list on there and ask your Secret Santa questions. Pretty cool.
I'm thinking about doing a smaller version of this, this year where our immediate family does something cancer related for my dad.
we usually do one big per adult, and a Christmas ornament.
DH's family is really weird. Sil & Bil take a family portrait every year, and frame it, and that's your gift from them. It's always some cheesy picture they get done at Kiddie kandids in a tacky frame. They refuse to do a gift exchange because everyone "loves their family picture so much". mil $ Sfil got mr a gift card to the dollar store- I'm dead serious. We got gifts for everyone else last year- all the aunts, uncles, cousins. We also gave everyone an ornament.They didn't get us anything. Which is fine, I don't give gifts to get them.
I think year I will just do a picture of E, and an ornament.
K+S 9.18.9 | DD #1 age 2 | PG # 5 EDD 9.17.12
Moms family just gives gifts to the kids. This year BJ and I decided we're only buying gifts for parents and siblings.
~Kimberly & Eric~ April 21, 2008 ~Tensing Pen ~ Negril, Jamaica ~ My Blog: One Sunset at a Time
In DH's family the adults do a White Elephant and we all buy for the kids. His parents buy gifts for everyone.
On my mom's side my generation (me, my siblings, and my cousins) draw names. We all buy for our parents and the younger generation (which is new, just two babies so far). Our parents still buy for all of their children and grandchildren, but not for nieces/nephews. We all go in together on a gift for my grandparents.
On my dad's side we all draw names. No one buys gifts for anyone other than the person they drew. $30 limit.
I love that we've started drawing names. It makes it so much easier/cheaper. Even with that, we still have about 20 people to buy gifts for.
This is exactly how my DH's family works only their really isn't a limit and gifts tend to run around $50.
On my side of the family we buy gifts for my parents, brother, SIL and the kids. There are a lot more people on my DH's family side including grandparents and cousins so this just works the best for us.
On my side of the family, we draw names (since I have over 40 cousins and the majority of them and their families spend the holidays with us) and we give our own gifts to Godchildren. We give gifts to my dad, and to my niece and nephews.
On Brett's side, everyone just buys for everyone. It's a much smaller family, so, his mom, Grandmother, brother, he and I make lists and everyone just buys from that. For his Dad and step mom, we just buy random gifts.
Katy and Brett ~ Runaway Bay, Jamaica ~ October 4, 2008
Ugh. This post hits home for me. For my family, we just buy stuff for my mom and brother, and go to my mom's house and have our own time with them. Then at my grandma's (with the rest of the family) we just each take a gift card and play Dirty Santa. Win-win for everyone.
DH's family, not so much. We do Christmas with his parents and sister, and then at both sets of grandparents (with the rest of the family) we do presents for e.v.e.r.y.o.n.e. I hate it. Not only does it cost way more than I think you should spend on grown adults, but there's no fun. It's stressful, and literally is just "buying people who have plenty of stuff, more stuff" in my opinion. Josh and I don't even really get to enjoy Christmas.