What to give them?

Sons get money, tin of biscuits and tub of chocolates, bottle of spirits. DIL gets Next voucher, box of chocolates bottle of wine. 2 eldest DGC 12 & 15 get money, selection box and bath gift set.
Daughter sends me her wish list and I pick something from there, also biscuits bottle of spirits and tub of chocolates.
Then we come to the youngest DGC age 10, and no idea what to buy them!

National Trust offer purchasing to donate a tree. I’m thinking of doing this for my grandsons, starts at £7.50 which is very reasonable

I pride myself on being able to buy something very personal to those the gift is going to thinking firstly what hobbies they may have eg personalised book mark for readers of you can't afford a book a scarf or neck warmer for someone with shoulder pain a journal for that interesting person I always thought slippers and sockets were quite boring tbh makeup for the friend who would a lippy who would never treat herself a reed diffuser for the one who compliments the smell in your home I find it exciting buying gifts for people I write a list of people I would like to buy for what their interests are and take it from there xx good luck ☺️

We say the same to our AC’s and invite them to lunch so we can all get together. We arrange a buffet lunch and just spend time laughing and talking. We often get old photos out which means lots of laughter

A meal together is a lovely idea. Depending on where you are spending Christmas then a contribution to the food for the day would also be welcome. Perhaps buy the turkey or vegetables, Christmas pudding, sweets, chocolates or wine would be much appreciated.

I have bought a wind spinner for my son and dill. It's made of copper and spins in 2 directions at the same time. Also has a solar light. Have a look on Amazon.

In this family, all the older adults (well over 60s) just don’t want any more ‘stuff’- we’re mostly trying to get rid of things. Hence little edibles only for 🎄, because it’s still nice to have something to open - we think so, anyway.

Charity gifts are a great idea, and I have received many of these over the years with much pleasure.
It's a little late for this year, but next September, you could force some hyacinths by planting them in baskets garnered from charity shops, putting them in the dark until December, then bringing them into the light.
A gift of beautiful, fragranced blooms for January, costing you just a few pounds and lasting the recipient for years, as they can be put into the garden to bloom every Spring.

Bulbs that you have planted yourself for them are a great present as others have said. A little work but so worth while.

I would try taking them at their word this year, and see what happens!

If they honestly mean that they do not want you to spend time, money and energy buying them presents, then don't.

I don't much care for the thought, but it seems to be the trend these days "Oh, we don't need anythig, - we buy things when we need them".

Lucky youngsters, or are they? Doing themselves out of the fun of being surprised, or of receiving something they did , want, but couldn't persuade themselves they could afford to buy themselves.

Perhaps you could compile a photo album of the family.. from births.. most people only have photos on line.. and it's such fun going through them together

Gift vouchers.

Why not believe them when they say that? Make that event memorable and enjoyable ?

Awh Miss A, that is lovely, I hope your monkey thrives, you must send us a pic when you get one, it's also a great Christmas pressie idea 🎅

I think tanith that as your family have asked you not to buy them anything but spend time with them instead (“your company is enough”), then abide by their wishes.

Perhaps if you are having lunch with them, you could offer to buy the meat or some of the extras, if you feel uncomfortable about not buying gifts; but it seems to me that they don’t want you to have the expense of buying for many.

I still haven`t started Christmas shopping, but after my daughter`s death last week, I just don`t feel ,like it, so am going to bung money into envelopes this year. I hope they won`t take offence at this.

If they say don’t buy them anything then don’t buy them anything.

tanith

How do you buy gifts for grown up family who all say please don’t buy us anything your company is enough, they don’t drink mostly, are all on some sort of diets so wine and chocs are out. I can’t afford experience days for all of them as I have a fairly big family. HELP!
What’s acceptable when they don’t want anything?
What do you do?

Is there any reason why you can't just take them at their word and stop buying presents for them?

We have stopped exchanging presents between adults in our own family - no one knew what to get each other, and trying to find suitable and affordable gifts was causing more stress than it was worth.

Bridie22

Awh Miss A, that is lovely, I hope your monkey thrives, you must send us a pic when you get one, it's also a great Christmas pressie idea 🎅

Here she is, being bottle trained.
The bullet had grazed her face when they first got her.



youtube.com/shorts/_2xFIJrL6d8?si=7YvEnFIv_XYnU-a9

Home made presents such as pickles, chutneys,jams along with homemade made savoury crackers all nicely packaged and presented

Miss A, she certainly tugs at the heart strings, so sad and cruel losing her mum that way, I hope she gets a lovely safe life now 😟

She will, bless her.
And I get entertainment from watching her learn how to "monkey".

Think about things you can do for them. Doesn't have to be difficult. For the one who can't sew, a homemade voucher offering your services to repair, sew on buttons etc. A voucher
to walk the dog, weed the garden. The choice is yours.

MissAdventure

I've bought my grandsons a cow, a cockeral, and my best one was a toilet.
All donated so that families can set themselves up with farming basics, and begin to earn their way out of poverty.
I used the send-a-cow foundation, but there are lots similar.

This is what my mother, sister and I do for my brother, who is wealthy andspecifically said he doesn't want physical presents. This year, I have bought the opportunity for a child to have an operation to heal a cleft lip.

Lovely gift to give.
I watched a TV programme about the doctors who do those ops, and how much difference it makes.