Does anyone else not exchange gifts?

kjvogelsang

I will be 28 in November and haven't exchanged gifts with my family (mom, dad, sis, aunts, etc. . . ) since I was 15. We don't see a point in it. We are the type of family that when we need something, we go buy it ourselves.

I only exchange gifts with my hubby and my step-daughter, who is 6. This year, we decided that we were only going to buy for my step-daughter. We decided that we have plenty and don't really need or want anything.

Does anyone else not exchange gifts?!

sassypants527

DH and I don't, but I cannot seem to get my family away from that, which is challenging because DH is a minister and we've moved twice in the past two years, which meant no employment for me for a while and money was tight.  The first year we moved I asked for no gifts, and what I got instead were really tacky cheap gifts, which hurt my feelings more than not getting anything (which is childish, I know).  I'd rather just do for my nieces and nephew, but getting my family to only do for the kids just doesn't seem to fly.

Ajknightfan

I wish I could get my family off of it. Any suggestions? Part of the problem is that, of all of our siblings, we're the only ones without kids. So even if we were able to get them to agree to only buying for the kids under a certain age, they'd feel bad about us (even though we just don't need anything and would not care).

DH and I don't exchange....I'm glad for that at least.

candreco

DH and I don't always buy for each other, often we'll splurge on something for us together beyond the household budget. 

My immediate family (parents, sister and her family) generally does one small gift per person, DH's sisters do the same.  My extended family just does stocking stuffers- mini lotions and perfumes, socks, lip balm, etc, and we don't see a lot of DH's extended family.

However, DH's mom is nuts.  She always has 8-10 gifts for everyone.  And only one gift is opened at a time.  Christmas morning takes FOREVER.

BAB09

With my husbands family among the kids (4 plus spouses so 8) we draw a name and do one present only, it cuts down on the amount you have to buy and also generally means you get something more than just a generic gift card. His parents we will never be able to stop from giving gifts, and most of the time we all chip in to give them something bigger. It definately cuts down one the expense of christmas.

Lucky7's

Nope, we do not exchange gifts for birthdays. My parents still send me money, but I return it to them or if I am in town I will take them out with the money. For the holidays we decided to do charitable stuff.

riderpunk

We only exchange gifts with siblings and parents, and everyone else we have stopped exchanging.  DH and I have never exchanged gifts, we thought it was silly since we would rather save for a weekend somewhere then more stuff.

ZestofLime

kjvogelsang:

....type of family that when we need something, we go buy it ourselves.

That's how DH is, so we don't always exchange gifts for Xmas.

My mom and sister are gift-freaks, so I usually try to get them something, but I let them pick it out. Last year, I got my sister's car stereo replaced, b/c that was what she wanted, so she obviously had to be there for that.

Just a personal preference thing.

Dr.Loretta

We've gotten to the point where we pick names and only buy for one person. It put an end to the madness. Kids still get gifts.

DH and I rarely buy each other Christmas gifts anymore. As you said, if we want it, we'll buy it. And I don't need more crap in my house. I'd rather we go somewhere instead.

angelashly

This year we aren't exchanging with each other because we have decided to by ourselves a Wii so it will be both of our presents.

My family always exchange though and I don't see that changing.

CatGal

Yes and no.

DH and I don't exchange gifts for Christmas. We'll buy something for us that we've been thinking about buying, like a TV for the exercise room or a DSLR).

I'm not terribly close to my family. I send my mother small gifts for her brithday and christmas.  My brother and his wife? nothing - it got really stupid a few years ago and I decided that it wasn't worth it to me. I still send smaller gifts to their two kids (who rarely acknowledge them).  ****yeah, there are some issues here****

 We still exchange gifts with DH's Sis and BIL.

k22t

dh and i will usually get each other a gift or two.  my sis and i go in together for our parents and since i buy for my niece and nephew, my sis & bil usually get me something small. i also exchange with my cousin & my parents will put a goodie box(household & personal items) together for dh and i and for my sis and bil.

hudysgirl

We still exchange with our families and they've grown quite a bit this past year =/. We have at least 13 people this year. DH and I have switched from exchanging Christmas presents to just doing a combo gift on our anniversary that covers everything(bdays/Christmas). This way we each get one nice thing that we want and wouldn't have bought ourselves otherwise.

H's parents do not do a gift exchange with each other. Like you said, they have all they need and if they don't, they just go buy it which makes it hard for us to find them a gift, but they expect us to still get them something.

DNK777

We don't for the most part.  We have a large family and most of us are lower middle class and the holidays can be financially stressful enough.  I still buy for my two brothers who are under 18 as do my parents and maternal grandma.  I will buy for my child this year and my mom at least is planning on buying for my child as well.  DH and I usually set a limit for each other depending on out financial status that year.  For example last year I think it was only $20 since I was laid off at the time and DH worked for Honda who was not doing to well in the economy.

My paternal grandparents are of modest means have something like 30 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren so they stopped doing gifts a while ago.

Mikes Sweetpea

DH and I do gifts for each other, our parents, our siblings, and then at DH's Dad's we put everyone's name in a hat and we each draw a name and get a gift of $20. or less for that person.

WheelerToBe

I love to open a gift.  It is the fun of the holiday.  I do not exchange with anyone but dh.  I don't care if it is a flashlight I just like ripping open the paper.