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Thread: Well, it's all downhill from here!!!

  1. #11
    Senior Member Romans828's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Femme* View Post
    The thing is, with dearest ones, I buy goodies all year


    I give very nice Birthday Gifts to Family and close Friends throughout the year - I told them 30 years ago, when I decided it wasn't their birthday that we celebrate on December 25th, that they should not expect gifts from me for Christmas, and please don't give me anything either.

    They totally understood, and we look forward to exchanging outrageous, extravagant and fun birthday presents with each other every year.

    Edited to Add: Yes, that includes kids too.

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  3. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Lista View Post
    I don't even know how you make that happen. How do you tell your family you're not buying presents for everyone anymore?!
    1 - You make a major announcement. Like, let's all consider the poor and less fortunate and help them as you can. I don't want any of you to stress on finances to buy everybody presents and put a financial burden. Those who give to the poor lend to the Lord.

    End of story. Yeah, some will grumble, but they will just need to grow up. We crossed that bridge along time ago.

    I recall the waitress who was stressed about family expectation on gifting that pushed her to stress on her finances. She really needed to take action - I hope she lista'd, err, listened to me :)

    2 - Or a small deal like a $10 giftcard.

    3 - Or you have a family dinner at a decent restaurant and go dutch - we go to a Chinese restaurant every year and it is a great time.

    Yeah, call me grinch - I'm too old to care anymore :)

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    curly sue (12-05-2018), Lista (12-05-2018), Romans828 (12-05-2018)

  5. #13
    Lista, if you go out, on your own, and do this.. the first round you'll probably hear about it. That's ok.. Once they realize the concept (IF we're serious about the focus of Christmas then this other stuff needs to go away sort of thing,) there's a good chance they'll "get it" and come on board. I was trying to remember how we got everyone on board right away.. I think it was partly we'd already moved to drawing names.

    Of course, with kids it's a whole different ball game.

    Although, our family got so huge I finally just stopped.. except for little tokens.

  6. #14
    We were raised not to over do Christmas giving. One year Dr. E.V. Hill preached a sermon along the lines of "Christmas is not your birthday, give gifts on a person's real birthday." We tried that and it worked for exactly one person's day.

    I'm sure that extended family we have left think we are odd since we quit giving gifts to them ages ago. Actually we don't ever see them anymore. We give a small cash gift to dd and sil and very moderate gifts to the grands. This year we may change the grands to cash as well. Dh and I don't exchange gifts. We buy as needed. Some of the extended family will buy for you no matter what you tell them. You just learn not to feel guilty not buying for them. Dd's family give dh and I small gifts.

    Like Bookie, I have worked retail at Christmas and that will fix you for sure.

    We have no problem giving to the needy.

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    A.J. (12-05-2018)

  8. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by curly sue View Post
    We were raised not to over do Christmas giving. One year Dr. E.V. Hill preached a sermon along the lines of "Christmas is not your birthday, give gifts on a person's real birthday." We tried that and it worked for exactly one person's day.

    I'm sure that extended family we have left think we are odd since we quit giving gifts to them ages ago. Actually we don't ever see them anymore. We give a small cash gift to dd and sil and very moderate gifts to the grands. This year we may change the grands to cash as well. Dh and I don't exchange gifts. We buy as needed. Some of the extended family will buy for you no matter what you tell them. You just learn not to feel guilty not buying for them. Dd's family give dh and I small gifts.

    Like Bookie, I have worked retail at Christmas and that will fix you for sure.

    We have no problem giving to the needy.
    I miss those nights when EV Hill preached on TBN. He was a great one.

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    curly sue (12-05-2018), Romans828 (12-05-2018)

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