Happy WFMW!! Since this is the first Wednesday of the month, it is backwards day, therefore, I write about something that preplexes me, and you write the solution to my problem.What I don't know how to do is KEEP HOLIDAY GIFT BUYING AT A MINIMUM. I am part of a family that goes absolutely insane at Christmas. And truthfully, every year we say we're not doing much, but we still do. I end up with an entire SUV full of boxes and stuff. Every. Single. Year.
I just can't afford it! I mean, spending 2 grand on Christmas is not unheard of in my family. I just feel like such a cheapskate when my kids get 4 boxes from someone, and I give them an ornament for the entire family. I just don't know how to deal with the "my gift is much much less involved than yours" guilt.
Any suggestions for keeping holiday spending at bay, and for making those overzealous relatives actually adhere to the principle that the kids (and we) JUST DON'T REALLY NEED ANYTHING? I understand that Christmas should be for kids, but at age 2, do they really care if its a pair of pants or a $50 toy? No, not really. They just like tearing shit open and making a mess. A few toys, fine. A hundred toys? Ok, what I want for Christmas is $200,000.00 to buy a bigger house to keep it all in.
Ho ho ho.
Be sure to check out my other WFMW posts:
The best hair tie ever...
Keeping your linens organized in one easy step...
Turning lunch bags into diaper bags (are those raisins you're having?)...
Visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer for other great tips and ideas!!!
6 comments:
Try shopping at ETSY. Its an online craft market place. I have gotten gorgeous jewlery for $12 and paintings for $10. The thought looks big and the cost is concealed because every thing is made from artist. Also, since your kids get so much from everyone else, do what my friend Faith does and wrap up diapers and wipes for them to unwrap at home and let the grandparents spoil them.
Would your family consider drawing names? Husband's extended family does this for all of the adults and grandkids. Right now we are the only ones with kids of our own, so everyone buys for them, although we have tried to convey our desire to keep that in check. For our own family, we buy each kid 3 gifts and I try to keep the total under 50 bucks per kid (with 4 kids that is already 200 bones). I think all you can do is say something about it--that you appreciate everyone's generosity, but you feel like the money spent is becoming a burden. Good luck!
I second Etsy - that's where I got MG's Halloween costume. There is some super cute stuff on there, really reasonably priced, and you're helping the "little guys" or gals who made them.
One thing we've done, by mutual advanced agreement, in our family is to donate to charity in lieu of gift giving. This works well with some family members, but not with others. (To be honest, it works well with my family, but not his!!)
You might be able to get your family to donate instead for you and for Brian, but I don't think they're going to be able to quit buying for the kids. It's just too much fun to see their eyes light up. So, minimize what you do for the kids, and let the family spoil them.
I've been wanting to ask people to contribute to MG & C's 529 accounts instead of buying gifts, but I haven't found a way to do that without sounding like an asshole, yet.
I'm going to keep checking your comments - this is something we struggle with every year, too.
Love,
Amy
give experience gifts. "family game night basket" includes a board game, some popcorn/cookies, & hot cocoa. Zoo, museum, science center or ballgame passes along with a disposable camera & a small photo album.
if you know how to do something give a teaching gift. yarn, knitting needles & 3 two hour sessons with aunt Nancy. or a set of wrenches & 5 lessons from uncle Fred on how to maintain your car. or a pie plate a handwritten recipe & an invitation to come learn how to make grandma's famous (whatever) pie.
if you start giving these sorts of gifts you should start recieving them. especially if you are thoughtful about what the other person needs/wants. once the rest of the family sees the delight in experience gifts they'll want to give them too.
focus on what the reciever will use & enjoy & don't think about what "everyone else" will buy them.
what are some of your favorite gifts? do you love them because of the price or because of the sentiment & thought that went into them?
Mrs N
My husband's family is like that. We've rotated names until this year since one sister-in-law pulled out. Now I'm gagging at the cost of even one gift per family. (It's a large family.) I haven't hit on a solution, but I'm thinking we might just stay on the rotation whether the others do or not and send a card or something with a plea for no gifts. That part of Christmas I *hate*!
Another idea would be to see if everyone in the family would like to pool their money for a donation to a charity. Personally, I'd like to do this in my in-laws family.
It's a bit late now, but how about making some gifts? I mean something nice that the person would really like. You can save lots of bucks and still give some cool stuff. I agree with the etsy votes, if you can't make anything yourself.
The other things I would say is to let everyone know your limits ahead of time, then stick to your guns. If you've all talked about it, and no one chooses to stick to the "rules" then they can't be surprised that they got you something more than you got them.
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