Asking Family To Not Exchange Gifts

[ElfBot]

Asking Family To Not Exchange Gifts. We have a very big family. Gift giving gets very expensive with Christmas and all the birthdays, etc. We are trying to buy a house and our income in a lot less then others in the family. Is there a polite way to bring up the "lets not exchange gifts" conversation? I'm a little embarrassed by this, but we really can't afford to buy gifts for aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

Read more... (http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf60288188.tip.html)

[sheepsnot]

Excellent question and some good responses. Our family has gone to the "pick a name from the hat" method and that works fine. The kids are exempt and generally are spoiled. My parents had nine kids and they also chose to have kids, so it could get pretty expensive if we felt obligated to give each other something. We are just happy to see each other as we are spread out over the countryside from Maine to Alabama.

[mrshfromjersey]

I still enjoy buying something for all my nieces and nephews but it gets expensive...very expensive. We decided two years ago to get children over the age of 10 a gift card. The smaller children get a toy. I usually bake cookies and bread and place them on a nicely decorated serving tray or dish. I make some candy and buy some candy to help fill the tray. I then wrap it in clear Christmas wrap and put a bow, the recipe for one of the baked items on the tray and a small ornament. I give one of these to each of the married couples. So far - no complaints.

[dvdguy]

buy a tub of cookies, put them on plates & hand them out with bows on top. Or buy the ready to cook ones

[SC]

My brother really wants to implement this idea. He started pushing it last year, but I am having a real hard time with it. I mean come on! How can SANTA not give everyone a gift!? It's not about the actual gift!

[dvdguy]

Its not about the cost. You can give lint as long as its given from the heart

[mrshfromjersey]

I used to work with a woman who would collect toys for tots every year. She always said "It's not the gifts, it's the giving!"

[sheepsnot]

Its not about the cost. You can give lint as long as its given from the heart OK, but to whom would you give it? I don't want it. I like nearly any gift, though admittedly a couple through the years have stumped me, but I don't think I'd have a problem trading lint for a nice gift card somewhere.

[mrshfromjersey]

Last year he gave me a pile of belly button lint he had been saving up. :o

He knew I was into knitting and he thought I might want to make a sweater with it.

[sheepsnot]

What's the cool little logo you make for barfing?
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d145/dandsf480/39_Modicons_SmileyFaceSICK.gif

[dvdguy]

blork