Well, my family finally decided that we are only giving to the children this Christmas, no more gift giving to the adults. I am so glad we are doing this, it's a big relief. Also, my mother and I have set a certain amount on what we are spending on each other, which is great and I talked to DH about setting a limit on what we spend on each other as well. I refuse to go into debt to buy gifts this year, I made that mistake last year and I am still paying for them.

Isn't it liberating?

We are only buying for our kids this year. Except for cousins that are hours away there are no other small children in our family.

We're starting this also this year with DH's side of the family. We have 6 nieces and nephews, so we can't do adults anymore, plus we would end up getting really impersonal gifts like gift cards because it's hard to shop for them, they always buy everything they want and we were always that ones that had to struggle to get through.... We still buy something for MIL and step MIL, something nice, but reasonably priced.
It is very liberating!!! Kids are much more enjoyable to buy for. We still get something on the small side, usually books. (My dh is a teacher and always receives a few gift cards to bookstores from students, score!)
We still do adult gifts for my side of the family, my ds is the only grandkid and I only have one brother and one sister. We've downscaled a lot for what we buy, such as buying a combo gift for my Mom and Dad, and my sister and her partner. This year, it's a nice steel thermos and fleece lap blanket to take in the car for cold road trips (blankets were $3.99 at Lucky's!).
We also are making jam, I love giving everyone something small I have made and show that gifts in any size are special!

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Doing my best to raise a GEEK- Genuine Enthusiastic Empowered Kid!

We did this last year! It IS very liberating! however, I think our family was the only family that really loved the concept. Everyone agreed to it- as far as i know. If there was any sort of secret present exchanging or opening before we got there, well I didn't know about it. ( although I suspect there might have been) while the kids were opening presents Everyone else acted like they were bummed out or something- or acted like something was missing. I'm sorry but if someones whole focus and main activity of a family gathering is presents.... well then they have a problem!

anyway, now that we enacted this- it gets even more interetesting, because we have one high school "kid" and 2 middle school "kids" past the age of toys- where really, all they want is a video game or music cd. not much fun there- almost like giving to adults at that point. If the 2 littlest kids go to thier other grandmas, we end up again with exchanging gift cards, because that's all the teens want ( who could blame them) .

I wish this side of the famaily would enact a new traditon- watch movies, play board games, ect. If I flip on the Tv looking for a good holiday movie to watch ( thinking everyone will come in and join me) I get stares from the elders like I'm totally rude for turning on the tv. a board game is considered by the elders as " exclusionary" because not every person can, or knows how to play.

bleh- I think I'm staying home this year. Hopefully- OP your fmaily is more fun and finds neat things to do to replace the present exchange.

I wish both sides of the family would understand this. I keep working at it!!!

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MARIE --- MOTHER OF TWO ANGELS (MOST OF THE TIME )

My mother-in-law decided that she wasn't going to buy gifts this year. (Who can blame her with 5 kids, 16 grand kids and 7 great-grandkids) Then, two of my sister in laws decided we would do a white elephant exchange between the adults--no mention of the kids! How wonderful will that be for the adults to be opening gifts and the kids watching! I emailed them back--I'm all for NO GIFTS, but if they are going to do something, they need to include the kids.

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Wendy~Self-proclaimed hippie momma to Bob and Jamie

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Stephanie

we stopped that a long time ago. We do a gift game for adults so if u want in u only buy 1$5-$10 gift.

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allgirls, mom to 3 girls

It's Girl Scout Cookie Time

I have a lot of aunts and uncles and in the family we do a basket swap type game at the christmas party. for my brother and sister in law, we do for eachothers children, and all of the aunts and uncles do for them as well. I cant imagine a family doing only for adults though, that seems odd!

We do this on my side of the family!! and hopefully this will be the way for dh family!!
(I only have 1 brother he has 3 sisters need it more on his side than mine!! my SIL (my rothers wife) and I said its riducoulous to get GC for each other !!!

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Kelly mom to 2 gymmonkeys!!!