Holiday gifting guidelines (who buys for who)?

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Discuss Christmas gift buying strategies besides the usual drawing of names at Thanksgiving. What else is out there to ease the burden of gift buying quantities when large families are involved. Strategies or systems that help define each member's gift buying mission for the season. This is desperately needed in my family but they always shy away from the stalwart of this sort of thing-- drawing names, so I'm looking for innovative ideas to present at Thanksgiving here soon. Not knowing who all is getting us stuff or making us stuff vs. who we should get stuff or make stuff for always seems to add unnecessary stress to the season. A clearly defined gift buying mission spec would make it soooooo much more enjoyable, relieving the awkward uncertainty.
 
My family, we did the drawing names things for a few years, and then switched to only getting gifts for kids (or grandkids in my parents case). Ironically that met resistance from those people with kids (guilty that their kids were getting gifts and no one else was) but it has worked okay. Occasionally one of my parents kids break the rules and get them a gift, but it has not caused a backslide yet.

Significant others side, everyone exchanges gifts, no matter how much someone might try to facilitate changing that.
 
Too bad a person just can't buy a gift (if they so choose) for a person (family member or not) because they WANT to.

Obligated gift buying. Another poignant holiday in America.
 
I only care about getting something for the nephew now-a-days. Us adults should be set. I buy what I want when I need something; am somewhat picky about researching what I really want and then find the best price on it. I do appreciate the thought, but also hate receiving something that I wouldn't use/want. I much rather tell my family that we spend money on doing things together than buying things. Memories and experiences are actually more lasting.

They did get me a skydiving gift certificate last year, which was cool and appreciative as an experience vs thing. I wasn't sure if they had just taken out an insurance policy, though
wink.gif


Gift cards are lame - just give cash. Why spend money and then limit someone with what/where they can use it?
 
For a number of years I tried to be "clever" and "creative" in giving Miss Linda gifts, whether on birthdays, Valentine's Day, or for Christmas. Then one day she has a minor meltdown and proclaims she wants "standard, traditional" gifts. I toyed with the idea of getting her a blender or coffee maker, which would have really raised the roof. (I been married, son. I knows better than to gift a woman on an important occasion with any household appliance.)
 
Originally Posted By: andrewg
Too bad a person just can't buy a gift (if they so choose) for a person (family member or not) because they WANT to.

Obligated gift buying. Another poignant holiday in America.


Yep. If you are my 'friend' why do I need to buy something ?

Although I wouldn't mind getting a $100 Chick-Fil-A gift certificate .
 
My wife showed me in a catalog what I am giving her for Christmas this year. I already purchased a new watch for myself so we are both set for the holidays. Way too much hoopla about gift giving. Bah Humbug.
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Now that we're all older, we just buy for the kids. It means the most to the kids anyway.


My family stopped giving gifts decades ago. It's really much easier that way. We are all adults and if we want stuff, we just buy it. Gifts are for children and pets.
 
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
This year is my ultimatum: any gifts addressed to me will be burned unopened.


Nooooo! You got that strategy All Wrong.

Send them to me instead . . .
 
On my wife's side, the yearly Christmas party has migrated from giving $5 gifts (usually in the form of a gift card) to a white elephant exchange. We've had to create some rules around it, but it is usually an absolute riot. Basically, everyone brings a wrapped gift and sticks it in the pile. The gift is usually quite tacky and always funny. Going around the room, everyone selects and opens in front of everyone else. Hilarity ensues.

So much better sharing laughs than a thoughtless gift.
 
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