Does anyone else feel the same as me? It is so costly this time of year, it actually depresses me. I can't see any way I can get around to saving any money on gift giving. I have budgeted the amounts I will spend on each person, which is not alot, but when I add it all up, it is alot!! Any advice to gift giving this year?

Dana

No real advice here, just a note that I share your pain. The stress of selecting the "right" gift is just so bogus - I really believe you love people all year and show them love all year, not just ignore them and then come up with an elaborate gift each December to make up for it!!! And "having" to give to those you would prefer not to (certain relatives come to mind). Now my blood pressure is rising!

This year I vow to simplify!

i hear you i'm so stressed i make lists daily what i need to get and then go over the budget everyday to see if i can make it happen. dh keeps telling me as long as we have stuff for the kids thats all that matters forget everyone else they are adults. and he is right but i think i will have it covered. just know your not the only one that is feeling the pressure.

__________________
'The will of God will never take you where the
Grace of God will not protect you.'

I am in the same boat as all of you! ITA that if you only have the money to just cover for you kids- try to just do your kids- although I have a guilty consciencous and have a few obligations that I need to stick with so that is not happening for us this year.

If you don't have a budget- of course set one now- say you are putting aside $25 for each person- try to find deals where it is under the $25 (if regular price is usually $25- great)- but don't make up for that extra that you saved.

List- definately make a list and keep it with you- with who you need to buy for- what they like, their sizes and etc. When you buy the present- mark it off and don't buy them any extra.

Hold onto your receipts- if it happens to go on sale within 2 weeks of purchase- most stores will honor the sale price.

Try to save some money towards the after the Holiday sales (I will be saving $30 for this) so next year you will be more prepared and not have to spend so much money towards next years Holiday- I did not do this very well last year and now I am making up for it !

Yep - feel the pain here too. I am making a ton of presents this year with stuff I already have at the house, so that helps. It seems each time we turn around, we need something and it pulls and pulls from the christmas budget.

Just remember to enjoy the season ~ things have a way of working themselves out!

__________________

Glad I am not the only one feeling this way. I wish our family would just buy for the kids and that is it, but no, I have mentioned it to certain family members about just stopping the gift giving and let's just have a nice dinner all together, but that didn't work. Well, we do the dinner every year, but I just wanted to not include gifts this time! I really have to budget my spending this Christmas, because I am still paying off last Christmas! I refuse to get a lot this year, I just won't do it. I all ready told DH that the kids are not getting alot, because they hardly played with the toys I got them from last Christmas. I am trying to enjoy the upcoming holidays, but thinking about all this spending just makes me stressed about it.

Christmas sure is a stressful time of year if we let it be. Why should we allow what others think or want to do dictate what we need to do for our budgets?

If you can't afford x amount of gifts on your list, shorten the list. Tell people you're sorry but the budget does not allow for the amount of gifts you are used to giving. If they still want to give your family gifts after telling them you won't be exchanging, that's their decision.

I think a lot of what we do has to do with being embarassed or people pleasing. It's about time most of us start pleasing ourselves; especially our budgets. Afterall, who is going to be paying for Christmas gifts? Not the recipients - us! And, to have to pay for Christmas on credit throughout the year is insanity.

Stand firm, make a budget, whatever that means, and stick to it!!

Our society is so focused on materialism that is seems hard to go against the grain. But, knowing what the true meaning of Christmas is, having family to celebrate and feeling at peace are really what makes the holiday special.

I have budgeted for our Christmas shopping and am not going over. In fact, I'm almost done with the exception of gift cards for my older nieces and nephews. Now, when I go to the mall to enjoy the holiday decorations, music and festivities, I can relax in the center on a comfy chair and watch everyone else go crazy while staying peaceful knowing I can afford my Christmas and it's been paid for with cash.

At least you tried cutting back with the adults! DH and I would LOVE to stop doing some of the adults (especially when they are never happy with what we get them). I wish we could stop but just suggesting it would probably start WWIII and we already have to go to multiple Christmas's on that side of the family since half of them aren't talking to someone... ANYWAY...

My kids were the same way with their toys! My oldest son was 3 last year and right away would find a favorite toy and stop unwrapping to play with it! We had to keep reminding him to unwrap the next one! My middle son was 1 and just loved the wrapping paper! They had probably close to 30 gifts under the tree just from us! They were almost all garage sale toys so it wasn't a big investment but I cringe at the thought of how many toys I have already sold at garage sales or donated! I wanted to make it special for them and instead NOTHING was special and I just cluttered up our 'cozy' house even more! Someone here once had posted the 3 gift idea (since Jesus was given 3 gifts)! That's it this year! Well, 3 from us and 1 from Santa! Plus stockings!! The boys are actually getting toys that I think they'll LOVE and with less distractions they're gonna be JUST fine!

__________________
Stay at home mom to my 3 boys... ages 5, 3 & 1!

I can do all things through CHRIST who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

I was looking at toys just to get an idea of the costs for the ones we're planning to get the kids and almost cried there in the store - I couldn't believe how much toys have gone up this year! We are planning on spending the same amount as last year but it won't go nearly as far as it did.

Instead of maybe buying just 1 present for each person- maybe do a basket for each family. There is many threads on the different types of baskets you can make (a family movie night basket with a movie, fleece blanket and popcorn- or for the foodie family some spices, a small cookbook kitchen utensils)- you can pick up most of the things for cheaply and it is a together present- so that may save you some money.