The burning question this Christmas

Every year I say I’m going to be more responsible, and every year when I’ve failed to do anything about it, I order reams of shiny paper from John Lewis.

Every year, I say I’m definitely cutting down on present buying, and every year my present wrapping room looks like a branch of Hamleys.

I have the very best of intentions, but something always seems to go wrong.

Ordinary gift wrap without any metallic glitter can go in recycling.
So that’s what I use, with sellotape.
Who wants a present wrapped up in newspaper ( fish and chips!) or in brown paper, shudder.

All the gift wrapping that is left here, I put in a big bag and use for firelighting

Having inherited the thrift gene, I keep last year's gift bags and re use them. DD does the same so we all seem to exchange and re exchange the old familiar (but cheerful) bags. They can be livened up with new tags made from recycled Christmas cards cut up with pinking shears.

One of my daughters brings back all the bags for reusing the next year

I have cards and paper in my C box in the attic. I always have too much so reuse. Same with crackers.

We never break the bank are downright mean when it comes to C presents. I often get a family game for each family.
The wee ones have stockings but they get those from their parents nowadays.

If anyone is staying in our house we encourage them to leave a sock out for Santa and he fills it.

I bought reusable gift bags a few years ago and recycled them again but they look quite tatty now - I still have a lot of paper from previous years so won't buy anything until I've dragged it all out of the loft.

Every year I say I'm not buying for everyone but each year comes round and it's just the same. Now I'm no longer working I really need to cut back especially with a friend who will insist on buying for us - some years back I said I was only buying for the children but she said she would still be buying for us! Does anyone have a suggestion how to broach this again?! It's ridiculous buying each other £20 worth of stuff we really don't need or want!

I can't even think about it , 'ostrich head in sand' springs to mind!!!!

Just don’t reciprocate, Willow500. If your friend wants to buy for you that’s up to her, but by the same token you have the right not to carry on. Stick to your guns!

As a family we have a £30 Secret Santa for all the adults. The children get more than enough from Santa and other people already, so we give token presents and top up with cash.

I re-use gift wrap and gift bags, and cheap recyclable paper to top up. Those glittery ones never sellotaped well anyway. I did once go for brown paper with broad tartan ribbon, which looked really lovely (if I say so myself ).

Apropos the tartan ribbon - I bought two discounted reels of it at a haberdasher’s (one green, one red), rather than expensive gift wrap ribbon. I had a lot to wrap in those days.

We only ever buy for the kids. We take nice food and drink for the host when visiting. I wrap gifts in other useful things (instead of useless junk) such as a new cot blanket, pillowcase or sheet, a towel or tea towel, then I use plain old string to tie.

Maggiemaybe, the adults do the Elfster secret Santa but we keep it to £15. There are just too many of us!

Good grief - wrapping presents?? Are you trying to kill us all with your cavalier attitude to the environment? I shall be handing out unwrapped items from charity shops and foraged walnuts.

Mind you dispose of those shells responsibly.

We do children and grandchildren only now, but I’d be the first to admit, I spend far too much on them.

We haven’t done each other for years, I never know what to buy him, and to be honest, he obviously doesn’t know what to buy me! I’m not interested in jewellery, and on the couple of occasions he’s thought I might like some new household appliance, he’s soon realised his mistake!

The two oldest are getting a cheque only this year, so that will be a bit easier!

I love those lunch bags, thanks for the link I have put them in my wish list.

gks.. presents that they want,, they send me the link so I order online....

older gks get money, they and I are happy with that.

I’m a “ brown paper packages tied up with string” lady ! And I stick a sprig of berries in at Xmas, or flowers at any other time of year ....

With more grandchildren Christmas was getting expensive so we decided that the we would put the 6 adults names in a hat and each of us would pick one out and would buy that person a present up to the value of 50.00. We have done this for 4 years now and everyone is delighted with it. No more socks, chocolates, hankies that all went in the cupboard. We actually can suggest things we would like because we know the value that we can go to. Must say its not only saves on money, but on shopping for 5 other people, wrapping up another 5 presents - its so less stressful and everyone gets what they want.

sara, same here. I make used wrapping paper into "paper sticks", to use for lighting the log burner, as does my daughter.
Therefore I buy the cheap stuff.

Last year l bought rolls and rolls of recyclable brown paper and then stamped on designs using a potato cut out and water paints. It was the most laborious and boring thing l have ever done, this year l shall just use brown paper!

Gifts of pantomime tickets; vouchers for a beauty treatment or an experience day; a magazine subscription or monthly delivery of flowers or chocolates require zero wrapping or packaging.

I buy a gift for my little granddaughter, and give money to the two teenage ones. That’s all. We decided, some years ago, that it was stupid to get into a frenzy wondering what to buy everyone, while they did the same for me. At my age there is very little that I want, anyway. Gifts, no matter how much thought goes into them, often end up stuck in a drawer. I often felt obliged to wear/use things that weren’t really to my taste because they had been given with love.
Martin Lewis wrote a very good article, a year or two ago, about the feeling of relief most people experience if someone is brave enough to suggest jumping off the gift-giving merry-go-round.
As for wrapping gifts, my little gd lives in Australia, so it is always something smallish and lightweight, and my daughter gift wraps it for me when it arrives.

Willow500, last year, well ahead of Christmas, I sent an email to friends, suggesting no gifts and a charity donation instead. (This is only 5 or 6 friends.) All agreed immediately, except one who didn't reply; she isn't much of a friend so I just carried on - thankfully she didn't give me gift! (Heaven only knows why we were exchanging gifts anyway!) A couple of charities gained from this (from me) and I presume that was the same with my "real" friends.

Very boring but just give them some money.