The price of Christmas

[green 6]

We usually spend around $2,000 on Christmas each year, but that includes sponsoring a child for Christmas, and buying Christmas for a nephew who's father is disabled and who's mom works very hard but can not afford gifts.

Exchanging gifts with our extended families has been stopped in favor of doing different variations of a white elephant gift exchange. Everyone loves them. Each person buys one gift costing no more than $35, wraps it and puts it under the tree at the annual family gathering. We all draw numbers to see who goes 1st, 2nd, and so on. The first person has to choose a gift and open it, then the next person can either choose from the pile of gifts or steal a gift that has already been opened. When your gift is stolen, you can steal from someone else or pick from the pile. It's a real hoot.

Last year we did a variation. Everyone was to bring either a regular gift, or something that no one would possibly want, it could be used, new, handmade, whatever. We lowered the gift cost to $25 and had everyone put $10 in a pot. The person with the worst gift at the end of the game won the pot. It was hilarious because if someone stole the gift you really wanted, then you could try to steal a crappy gift from someone in an attempt to win the pot. I am proud to say that my gift was voted as the absolute worst gift, it was a Colon Cleansing Kit. Some of the other funny ones were an 8 place service of paper plate, cups and napkins, a used toilet brush, a beautiful gift bag, which contained a card which said the gift bag WAS the gift.

There were plenty of nice gift too. We had such a great time laughing and trying win crappy gifts.

Hahaha! This sounds like lotsa fun especially for families who have everything.:clap2:

[green 6]

We were going to sneak off to Mexico during this period after spending Christmas Eve with my husband's parents and Christmas Day with a friend of ours. I don't like this time of year, never have. Christmas has always given me the creeps.

Anyhow, it now seems that my husband's two young nieces will be coming over here from France for the holiday. They adore him and he adores them. (They also like me which is cool.) This means that we won't be skipping out of town since Christmas is, afterall, all about the young. I might even enjoy it this year, sez Grinchy Green.

[sherriberry 0]

Yes I am a Grandmother of 2 beautiful girls, my oldest daughter is 25 and then I have one that is 19 and then well here's a good one, hold on tight, I have one that is 5, she was our SURPRISE! we love her to death, she was an aunt at 1. I am in the kindergarden line again..........

Cheers

Sherriberry

[argon 3]

wow, that's crazy, but congrats! How old are your grandkids?!

[Dreamer 0]

Piercedqt78,

Sorry you were offended at my post. If I was insensitive to you or anyone else, please forgive me.

The only reasearch I need to do honey is done! I will cease to post in this forum! Have a wonderful Christmas!!

[MarySue33 0]

The only gifts I will be buying will be for my kids and even then we keep things very small scale. My parents have everything they need and they ask us not to buy them anything. I have not bought for anyone else for years. The rest of my family and friends know that I would rather give something to someone who has less than we do and I always ask that they just donate something to the charity of their choice instead of giving us gifts.

I also opt out of the $10 gift exchanges at work, etc. and choose to contribute that money to a charity, instead. I really have an issue with an office full of 45 people throwing away nearly $500 on buying useless crap for each other when we all already have far more than most people on this planet. I don't know about you, but I really don't need another bath soap, scented candle or stationery set. If I am forced to participate in these types of things, I just re-gift the useless $10 item that I got the year before. If anyone ever comments that they recognize their gift coming back, I will just tell them that I prefer to spend my money on things for people who need them. Maybe they will figure it out...someday.

I have been truly blessed this year and will be able to donate to a number of charities and volunteer projects - even more than usual. The most unique thing we will be doing will be to contribute dairy goats to families in third world countries to give them a leg up and to help them to feed their families. I am excited about that, especially since I used to raise dairy goats, myself.

[sherriberry 0]

My granddaughters are 4.5 and 3.5 they are sweet little girls, I miss them alot, but that is the price we pay when our hubby's are in the military.

[CLOE 0]

Yes I am a Grandmother of 2 beautiful girls, my oldest daughter is 25 and then I have one that is 19 and then well here's a good one, hold on tight, I have one that is 5, she was our SURPRISE! we love her to death, she was an aunt at 1. I am in the kindergarden line again..........

Cheers

Sherriberry

Oh my Gosh! How neat.

But really when you think about it, not many kids arent surprises.

[Devana 0]

My sweetie and I decided long ago to not give big items at Christmas. Every year I give him something to listen to, something to eat, something to read and something to wear. So this would, for example be a shirt or new jeans, a jazz or oldies CD, some nuts or decadent fudge and a rip snorting good book.

For peripheral family, nieces and nephews and such I set a goal at $10 each which on occasion can sneak up to $15. I'm pretty good at finding cool and imaginative stuff.

We spend a little more on our son, but still stick to the no big item rule. If he wants or needs something expensive, we do that for his birthday. We had no TV when he was younger, and I kept all Christmas advertising away from him, including the Sears Wish Book. He spent his whole childhood simply not aware of all the junk that's out there aimed at kids. The Welcome Wagon lady came to see us when we moved here, and my son was 6 at the time. One of the things in her goodie basket was the Sears Christmas catalogue and before I could intercept, she gave it directly to him! I could have wrung her neck. Of course he was fascinated. It kind of "got lost" after a couple of days.

On another note, a friend and I have a small business selling bags and scarves. Most of our business comes from a few markets during theChristmas shopping season and we manage to make all the money for our Christmas spending (at least) and have fun at the same time.

[argon 3]

Devana, I read what you and your sweetie do for Xmas, and I told my sweetie! He thought it was awesome, and I do too.

You have saved me! That's the best idea ever, I wish I'd known about it a couple months ago. Might alter it a little, like adding 'something to watch", cause he always needs DVD's. And I don't think I'll have the 'something to eat' category, for myself!

I will start next year!!! Thank you. :hug:

[angel bear 2]

Devana,

Yes, I agree with argon, what a great idea. I discussed it with the other half and he thought it was a great way to use Christmas money.

Thanks. Have a great Christmas.