gifts or money-which is best?

Buy presents for son and daughter. Which they suggest. Maybe a little surprise as well. son in law v. Hard to buy for as he is not v interested in material possessions. Small present for grand daughter and a cheque for her bank account. I call it her college fund but daughter laughs and says she is going to be a plumber!

I like to buy presents for the little ones - after consultations with parents. Teenage relatives get gift vouchers eg amazon, itunes, Body shop, wh smith or book /music tokens acording to preference. Don't like giving money - seems a cop out but i do if thats what they asked for. We always ask for 'ideas' in the family.

Like most children these days our grandchildren could all open toy shops. At parents' request this year it will be money and a very small present to open on Christmas Day. Far from being a cop out, we think it a more sensible option to go in their accounts for future.

Ask if they have an amazon gift list - you can still choose but from a big list of likes ?

I'm afraid I've become a bit disillusioned about the whole thing. We give money to them, they give money to us, what's the point?

I always enjoyed buying gifts when people could give me a list of ideas to choose from, thus ensuring that they got what they wanted, and I spent what I could afford, but now even my 10 year old granddaughter has no idea of what she would like as she literally has too much already. Send the kids money these days and the vast majority don't even say thank you without prompting, let alone know what they've spent it on if you ask later, so again, what's the point?

Think hubby and I might just ignore the whole thing this year and see what happens, could be interesting!!

No, not an old Grump, just fed up with the commercialism that's taken over our lives.

Those of you who give money, is that cash or a cheque? I used to send cheques but when I realised that the DGC's parents found getting to a bank to pay it in to be a chore (they all do internet banking but we don't) I had to resort to cash.