If your family wanted to opt out of giving gifts at Christmas this year would you go for it?

The economy has hit everyone especially hard this year. We have all decided not to give gifts (except for the little children and our Mom, who is 87). Instead of gift giving, we are having a big Christmas dinner with homemade foods from everyone. We are permitted to give one food item to each family (breads, pie, cookies, whatever preference we have). It is a relief to all to not have to spend money for things we really don't need and we will have the opportunity to enjoy the true meaning of Christmas with our family members. We may even write some thoughts or a poem down to share with the others and bring pictures from our past holidays to reminisce over. Christmas should be more about family and the time that you share together not about spending more than you can afford to. I recall a meeting in our church group where we went around the room and asked each person what specifically they remembered as being special about Christmas and each and every person remembered sharing time with their families more than receiving any particular gift. That says it all!! This might just end up being a more memorable Christmas than all the rest for all the right reasons.

several years ago my family started fazing out gifts. as my cousin and I got older it was strictly gifts for us and now that we are both in our 20's we have opted to not do gifts. If your family gets along games and cocoa sounds great. if your family is like mine though that could turn into a big fight. we get together and eat but we are Souther and we are baptist. lol.. (and we fit both sterotypes lol) but I would say go for it especially this year since the ecomonmy is so bad. you may be glad you did it later. The real meaning of Christmas is not the gifts anyway... it's a time to celebrate being together just like thanksgiving. Good luck hope it works out.

I really like giving so I still would!

But this year we are making gifts instead! Whether it is baked treats or a knit doll. I even got my dad to make something out of wood and his girlfriend to make my daughter a quilt! I didn't make them,.. but I mean they are excited about it, and I thought they wouldn't be. Gifts are so much more heartfelt when handmade.

You can make something very nice and personal for very little.

My family always spends time together at the holiday's and I think every family should. Then again we play board games every other night and knit together or something. :] Family time is important to us.

I think my family and I are going to do that this year. We have also in the past set limits ($10 last Christmas) or done a gift exchange. Any of those are great but I don't think we will ever go back to huge Christmas presents that stress us out with too much shopping and credit card bills. Merry Christmas to you and your family!

We only do gifts for immediate family,son,daughter spouses and 4 grands.I either make things or send cards for all the rest.Most I only see about once every 4 or5 years,but we call all the time.So it really isn't a hardship yet.But if all decided to quit even that it would be fine.Our Christmas is more about family time and food and movies and conversation than gifting.

Wow,I even have the comparable subject happening with my Niece & Nephew too! My Niece is nineteen and hasn't been to our kinfolk Christmas in 2 years now so i've got desperate to no longer purchase her any further presents and letting her understand i do no longer prefer something the two....(I by no capacity get something from her besides although)...My Nephew now and back exhibits up on the social gathering so I save a rapid nutrients present card reachable for him; he's 14...My Bro in regulation divorced their mom 2 yrs in the past... i think of the superb decision is ultimately as much as you as to what to do,yet when I have been you i might decide out incredibly than positioned your self by using that humiliation...Its unhappy that toddlers in the present day could be so materialistic besides.... >=)

At first we all agreed to get gifts for just the kids and Grandma & Grandpa. As the kids got older (and more numerous lol) we decided to draw names for each other with a $20.00 limit on the gift. My oldest brother kept the master list of who drew who's name, so if you forgot, you could call and find out who's name you had.

i have over 30 christmas presents to give, i can't afford it. last year all i could afford was .99 cent "crap" for each person, it was very disappointing for me and my family. instead of wasting money pull all your family money together and buy 1 really cool thing you all can enjoy. the true joy of christmas is being with your family.-blurey

Well that would be hard since we live in different states but yes I've actually thought about asking everyone not to get us stuff. I just have so much STUFF already!

I would do it in a heartbeat.

Thats actually all i want for christmas, is for my brother to come here for christmas, and for everyone to have a good time.