Since the economy is so bad and everyone's budget seems strained at the seams, my family has decided to forego gifts this year. I'll buy my daughter things she needs, like some new boots and a coat...but in terms of the rest of the family, like my parents, we've decided we'll just exchange cards.

Anyone else doing something similar?

My gift to family and friends will be a big Christmas Eve party, but there won't be the big pile of gifts under the tree...

I have money put away for the holidays but am cutting back this year........my older 2 married children dont seem to use the gifts i buy them......and I dont like giving money as a gift.........so I told them Im not going crazy this year.........it seems that the closer it gets to the holidays i would just buy something to buy it so that I have something to give to them but not this year........I have an 11 yr old who will still get toys but not as much........and for my firends that live away ....Im going to tell them no gifts this year also..........Valerie

[quote name='scaredvalerie' date='Oct 25 2008, 05:55 PM' post='247316']
I have money put away for the holidays but am cutting back this year........my older 2 married children dont seem to use the gifts i buy them......and I dont like giving money as a gift.........so I told them Im not going crazy this year.........it seems that the closer it gets to the holidays i would just buy something to buy it so that I have something to give to them but not this year........I have an 11 yr old who will still get toys but not as much........and for my firends that live away ....Im going to tell them no gifts this year also..........Valerie
[/quote

Hi Robin

My friends and I have decided not to exchange this year. As for my family we usually get each other just a small gift. I think there will be a lot of families cutting back this year.

Enjoy your evening
Tara

No gift exchange here....
Each of the family members have decided, to pick a name at the local homeless shelter.

Lil Lily....(grandbaby) will be having her presents.

Yep

I think that's a lovely idea!

Certainly we're all cutting back. Maybe more folks will remember what the holiday really means and just enjoy being together with friends and family, greatful for all we have. Sharing traditions - The tree, the baked goods. Some one thing really special under the tree. I think the commercializing of Christmas has gotten way out of hand anyway.

Christmas after all should be about remembering the greatest gift ever given to all of us.

I think Dr. Suess said it best

Hurry Christmas Hurry fast as long as we have hands to clasp

The day after Christmas last year I made a "simplify Christmas" list. It's here on my dresser and I plan on sticking to it. I've been soooo bad about buying new decorations each year and got to thinking how much I must be spending on all that stuff Crazy!!!

I want to make most of my decorations this year. It's amazing what you can do with a branch of pine or spruce. I'll make a wreaths for the doors...hubby is good at that so he can join in the fun

My tree will be simple. I'm not spending tons of money on ornaments...use what I have or make some old fashioned decorations. Gifts will be cut back. Grandkids come first. We'll give our children smaller gift cards, my mom a smaller amount of cash. My nephews will get smaller gift cards too. I already eliminated birthday cash for my nephews.

My hubby was one of many folks in this country who because of our economy lost a job he'd had for 35 years. One day they came in and told him "we're sorry but this is your last day" so life is certainly different for us. We can cut back and still enjoy the beauty of Christmas and count the many blessings we do have

Love to all (((((((Hugs))))))))

Fin

We are cutting way back this year too. We will be getting necessities and that is it. Wont be giving to friends and extended family like we used to. Cards will be big this year.

we are cutting back too. We'll buy more things we need and less of the things we want.

We scaled back about 5 years ago after I read a book about unplugging the Christmas machine. We have a very small simple tree. We don't exchange gifts. We celebrate by going to our church's Christmas program and donating to a needy family in our community. I did like to bake and give cookies and treats as gifts but this year I am not baking anything. Dh's diabetes symptoms have worsened and my weight has gone up, so no sugary treats for us and none laying around in temptation. The holiday insanity has got to stop! I stock my pantry right before Thanksgiving and I stay out of the stores until after Christmas, only going out for necessities like bread and milk. I don't enjoy being trampled by a stampede of people with the gleam of sugarplums in their eyes.
MaryB26

People definately go mad when it comes to grocery shopping at Christmas. The queues are horrendous as if people are stocking up for three months rather than a long weekend and the prices are hiked up even for a simple bar of chocolate just because of the christmassy wrapping.

I love Christmas time and no way am I going to let the credit crunch have any effect.

I think it's all the little extras that soon add up so I'm making all my own Christmas cards this year. There are a lot of craft shops on line where you can order at cut price. For those in the family who are receiving presents, I am making all the gift tags out of last years cards. If I have time I may even look into making a few home made tree decorations. When I was growing up we used to do this every year and it became a family tradition but the simple things in life have got lost over the years.

Luv Tiptoes x