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I am setting a limit of ten pounds/secondhand/ha ndmade christmas presents

(33 Posts)
etheltbags1 Thu 24-Nov-16 09:36:06

I am totally fed up with Christmas already. I just don't know what to get anyone, SIL only likes 'designer' gifts, DGD wants every toy on tv and my mother raid the pound shop for a presents.

DD has just no cash to spare for presents and SIL says hes not buying for his parents this year, so I felt that I should say that I don't want anything either. Its just not fair that I get a present and not her. His mother just like expensive gifts maybe costing thirty quid or so, while Ive rarely had anything that expensive.
Ive told everyone to stop buying for me unless it costs under a tenner or is from a charity shop or perhaps a homemade cake or sweets. That way my conscience is clear.
Everyone is asking everyone what they want and no one will say what they want so I'm putting a stop to it. am I being unreasonable and can we all please just go back to one present each apart from kids.

My mother was greatly offended when I stopped her from buying rubbish, she tends to fill a bag with cheap coffee, biscuits, dusters, anything she can get from the pound shop but the fact is that she ends up spending more than if she bought just one decent present. Her excuse is that these things will save me from buying in the future. I'm just so fed up, perhaps I should be like a friend of mine who just buys everyone socks and adds a tenner to the parcel if they are family. I'm stressed out with the whole thing

MammaN Fri 25-Nov-16 18:25:20

Elder DGS has become a 'man' at the age of 12. He wants socks, underpants and money!

etheltbags1 Mon 28-Nov-16 22:06:28

You've all given me great ideas. Thank you. I realise I have an ungreatful greedy family. Like many others though.

galexinda Sat 10-Dec-16 20:04:50

Our birthdays are in November/December so for Christmas my husband and I have a budget of up to £20 each for presents. It's great fun going round shops and yet every gift is chosen with thought and care. My husband loves classical music and I found him a Luciano Pavarotti limited edition CD in the charity shop for £1.00 and that will be his main present!

Nelliemoser Sat 10-Dec-16 23:56:57

EthelT I think you are being very sensible.

As KatyK says "it gets ridiculous.
We only buy presents for our children and GCs. My DD and SIL are finding things a bit tight with two lots of day nursery charges at present and I do help her a bit more with odd things but everyone else in the family can within reason buy what they need. None of us are particularly extravagant anyway.

suzied Sun 11-Dec-16 04:39:32

We got fed up with buying for everyone -4 adult children / partners/ siblings etc it was getting ridiculous, one year we had about 200+ presents under our tree as everyone was buying for everyone else. We now do secret Santa for the grown ups we use this website
www.drawnames.co.uk/
You put everyone's email on it, you can post a wish list and set a budget limit. You can put exclusions on it - so people don't get their OH or whatever. So just one decent present to buy and fun stuff for the children. It's sooo much better.

f77ms Sun 11-Dec-16 07:03:25

Our family has opted out of the madness that is Christmas present buying ethel I donate the money I would have spent on cards to Shelter and just buy for the GC . Nothing big but lots of small interesting things collected over the months , even some bought in charity shops . For birthdays I now say to whoevers birthday it is that they buy something online and I will pay for it ( up to a maximum amount) It was all a frenzied nightmare of buying in the past , I used to spend money I could not afford and also used to get some really naff things bought for me !! Just tell them you are opting out and bringing some sanity back into Christmas .

newnanny Tue 27-Dec-16 16:03:10

I want to buy my DD and Sil a nice present as I can afford it but they have very expensive nursery fees to pay so I wish they would just buy me something small but whatever it was it would be well received. I am very easy to buy for as I love chocolate! I don't want to think they would be stretched financially because of buying things for me.