For kids - I don't buy until closer to December. Kim is right - they will change their mind and I learned that the hard way!! I have also tried to incorporate the 3 gifts (like Jesus received) in an effort to simplify things; 1 from SAnta, 1 from mom and dad and 1 from Brother. I say try, because it is usually me who will just "get one more thing" for them and DH is shaking his head "no, they don't need anything else". (which is totally funny because he is usually the spend thrift and I am the cheapskate!). They get so many other gifts from Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles and cousins that they are truly overwhelmed. If I could do anything better this year - that alone would be it - teach my kids that less is really more. This is a lesson grown ups have a hard time with too, though. As they have gotten older, they have been more impressed with quality (i.e. gameboy) over quanity.

Both of my DSs have declared clothes to be the kiss of death and I have warned the grandparents but they still give clothes. That is a lesson in gratitude we are still working on. (thank your grandma for the nice sweater, sweetie). But Santa always puts something fun like bubbles or neat "consumable" stuff in the stockings.

We draw names for the cousins and we don't exchange with my siblings, but we do with my BIL (He wants gifts). We do our parents and then the kids also do a gift for them.

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Debbie

"Watch the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves." --Benjamin Franklin

I really do like the 4 gift idea and the 3 gifts idea. I may use that. DD just turned 3yrs old and maybe by xmas things may change, but right now, she still doesn't grasp the idea of gifts, giving or receiving, or even of asking for anything. I am hoping we can get away with it for one more year. Last year, she received a tricycle (her big gift) and an xmas outfit. We may still do something similar this year if she still doesn't care. So far, we haven't really made a big deal about the gifts.

As for the rest of our family, we don't exchange gifts with my siblings any longer. We just buy for the children (right now, I have 3 neices). Same with my extended family that live in town (there about 3 girls and 1 boy). I shop throughout the year for them and are pretty much done with all the children, except for DD. We also give gifts to my parents. As for DH's side of the family, there is only MIL and SIL and SIL's DH to shop for. We'll probable just get gift certificates for them.

For friends, we usually just buy for the children, babysitters (2). Last year, I made some peanut brittle to pass out. I'll probable do the same and add something chocolate also.

Over the past couple of years, we've really simplified the holidays, so we can actually enjoy the holidays and join in on some of the activities and events that go on.

I wish my and DH's family drew names- instead we include all the neices and nephews until they are 13. So, between the two of us, we have 14 neices and nephews to buy for plus our own two. Good thing is that last week I hit the Target toy clearance and finished all 14 and our two for $95- and ended up w/ some really nice stuff (I got there at 8am!).

DH's two older sisters and my two younger sisters get bath gift baskets filled w/ goodies that I pick up cheap throughout the year. None of them are married so we dont have to include a spouse. My younger brother requested a deer jerky and snack stick basket this year- easy enough since DH hunts and makes a bunch anyway. DH's parents are getting a jam gift basket filled w/ jams i'm currently making, muffin mix in a jar, homemade candies and coffee samplers. My mom and step dad are getting a BBQ basket (they're always cooking outdoors from as soon as the weather allows)- it'll have a bunch of different homemade sauces that I'm making and some grill seasonings- maybe a few BBQ accessories if I find a good clearance at the end of the season.

I'm actually pretty much done- we still have DH's twin sis and her husband, so probably another basket gift there and my dad and step mom, maybe a jam basket for them too and 2 grandmas. Considering how many people our list started w/ I'm actually pretty proud of myself being this much done this early!

I make gift baskets for each families...I have budget of $20.00 bucks for each families. I make a theme basket like movie theme( I buy baskets for cheap at dollar stores or garage sale finds). Stuff it with microwave popcorn 3 packs, redvines,snickers, and etc.. cheap $5.00 or $1.00 movies wal mart and wrap it up in colorful cellophane. Budget is $20.00 bucks only. It is the thought that counts right..?!?!

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My JSEVENS: JJ, Jaren, Jocelyn, Jamie, Jasmine, Jordan
"Mom of Seven...Darn Proud"

We cut out buying for the extended family...I have cousins that I am much older than, and they refer to me as Aunt, and all neices and nephews we no longer buy for. We also don't buy for our siblings, except my brother and his wife. That knocked out almost 30 presents just by not buying for them! The aunts and grandparents I do buy for from the kids are simplified this year..All grandparents are getting a calendar with the kids pictures for each month and the aunts,uncles and God -parents are getting an ornament. I just can't go crazy like I used to...Next year we will probably make a few more cuts to the list. ANd my 2 kids, we don't shop for until a few weeks before X-mas because they're 6 and 4 and their wants change weekly.

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I like to do family gift baskets for my siblings and their kids. A game basket would have card games and maybe a board game with chips and salsa and a soda. A movie night would include either a cift certificate for a movie shop or a couple dvd's, popcorn, a giant size candy and a soda. Maybe a family meal with spagetti noodle and sauce, croutons and salad dressing with a recipie for a nice salad, some candles. Or a cookie basket with a cute small cookie cook book and maybe some ingredients for one of the recipies or cookie cutters, a rolling pin and some oven mitts or aprons.
I don't loke getting indiviual gifts for my married siblings and thier spouses and children. Besides a lot of stress, it's a lot of money and for things I'm not even sure they will remember or use within a month. I like to do one or two gifts for our children, then a family gift and some small stuff. They get presents from Grandparents and other relitives and plus there are four of them, so they get more then enough!
-C.

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The most frugal thing I do for Christmas is to shop early! Finding exceptional items on clearance allows me to accumulate quite a stack of presents for each family member for almost nothing.

I had an ongoing joke with my mother for a while. I signed up for every single freebie I could find, regardless of what it was. Then she would get everything wrapped in one big box (in addition to her regular gifts). It was really funny seeing what you could get just by sending an email...quite an assortment!

We have a certain amount we don't go over for each child, but that doesn't mean we have to meet that amount either. And we don't get our kids many presents because they get so much from others. So far ours haven't been disappointed on Christmas morning and hopefully that will never change. As long as they get the one or two things they REALLY wanted, they're pretty happy.

I think that is an interesting point... if you have a set dollar amount you don't have to meet it. Bringing happiness to your kids is most important.

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I don't believe in miracles; I depend on them