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aaannnnddd.....Christmas.

secret's picture

My kids' lists are very short.

Cash.

They want cold hard cash. Super, makes it easy for me.

I'll give them each 100$ and a few small silly things, and call it a day. No muss no fuss.

Asked ss last night what he wanted santa to bring him.... chocolate. Anything else? Ummm...a chocolate toy.

Well ok then.

Got an inflatable 12 foot pool on sale for 50$... picked up an extra tent (it's those connectable tent pods)... picked up a couple new games for the wiiu... picked up some bedroom decor stuff for my girls... an electric razor for my son...

I'll be getting some new clothes for ss, as well as some easy boardgames for kids...

For dh - he wants nothing - last year I got him a new phone, and got ss to make a handprint plaster thing, which I painted, and is now hung in our family room... I've been toying with woodburning lately, and he's been really praising the stuff I've made. I might make him something for the garage...which is his new man cave. I've got this really nice big log waiting to be split and I might take a slice off the top to use.

What are ya'll getting the kids/skids/better half?

Comments

moving_on_again's picture

Now that my 11 year old FINALLY knows Santa is not real, we are doing the same. Cash and some small items. SO even cut down the cash to those over 18 to $50. My 11 yo admitted she knew Santa wasn't real for a while but was worried we wouldn't get her anything if she admitted it.

advice.only2's picture

Lol my 11 year old did the same thing, she tried to pretend she didn't know, then admitted she knew but didn't want to lose out on toys. This year she will be getting a t.v. for her room, they have some nice ones for 200 and my BS is graduating so we are buying him his class ring. I won't lie this is the first Christmas that presents are going to be sparse.

moving_on_again's picture

We have been able to afford more that last couple years but after finding presents untouched stashed under beds and in closets, we decided to really stop trying so hard. Plus I am in school full time and working full time so I just don't have the time to look for stuff.

Dontfeedthetrolls's picture

We're getting the kids each 3 gifts off of a list they provided with a total cost between 50 and 60 each. We'll also get them both a book, new pajamas, A couple small toys and candy for stockings. Together they will get a board game and more Legos with an idea book.

For each other we may get something small as a surprise but most often we decide on something large we both want either for just us or the house.

We are also planning a trip over spring break with the kids which is just as much for us. So again we may not do much for us and instead put the money towards that.

strugglingSM's picture

For Christmas, the kids will get new winter coats and gloves for skiing. DH wants to get them other ski gear, but they are still growing, so I'd rather wait.

They might also get something for their rooms.

DH has purchased expensive gifts for them before and they are quickly discarded.

DH and I will plan a trip together for our gift to one another.

notasm3's picture

I cut a lot of people off of my Christmas list. I used to exchange with lots of cousins, aunts, friends, siblings, nephews, niece, parents (when still here). And SS32, the BabyMamma, and the baby.

SS32 and his crew will get NOTHING. If DH wants to get the 2 year old something he can do it. But that kid has 7 zillion toys. Babymamma was pissed last year that we gave him 5-6 smallish ($20-30) gifts (Christmas books, toys, some clothes) when she wanted us to buy multiple $300+ items.

I have a Christmas meal every year with 5 friends (we go back 50+ years). We exchange $15 or so presents - same gift for each person. It's always fun. My sister and I and another friend get together and exchange a of lot of small gifts. Again it's fun to see what each of us has found. Both said the scissors that I gave them were their favorite gift last year. The items are more like stocking stuffers.

My DH and I pretty much buy what we want when we want it. The standing joke is every major purchase that we make the 2-3 months before Christmas or a birthday is an early present. We are going to San Francisco soon - that's an early Christmas present.

If we get together with DH's 4 siblings we usually exchange a small gift with each family. It could be a gift card or homemade preserves. Really just a token.

NoWireCoatHangarsEVER's picture

My eight year old is really into music.
What are those echo dots ? Are they speakers? I am thinking
Of getting an iPod and going to the library and checking out cds and ripping them and putting the music on the iPod. That's my only Idea thus far. I have a 12 year old and a 9 year old and a three year old too. I just won Universal tickets again so we are
Doing that for my 9 year olds birthday Nov 2. I hope I can win something. I won Kenny Chesney tickets today. I won roger daltry tickets yesterday. I won Faith Hill and Tim McGraw tickets Wednesday and the Universal tickets Monday. My mom loves The Who and her birthday is in two weeks so I got her covered.

justkeepstepping's picture

My husband is always winning free stuff from the radio station he listens to at work. I just remembered that I have free all access tickets for the zoo and botanical gardens in my wallet. I had forgotten about them.

witch.hazel's picture

I don't get my older child anything because he was raised without Christmas and his birthday is the same month. We lived in a Jewish community while he was growing up, and I always sent him to his Christian Grandparents who did the whole tree/presents things. I'm sending him $200 as he'll be 18. I buy all his electronics and always ask him if he wants/needs anything and make sure to get it to him throughout the year (though he usually says he doesn't need anything). When I see him, I take him shopping, so it isn't that he is left out.

My little child is with me, so we do a small Christmas because we now live in a mostly Christian community, and I don't want her to feel that she missed out. I'm getting her the Calico Critters house as the big present, and a few small ones- the furniture, dolls, etc. I'm going to start buying the pieces now, so I will only have to buy the house by xmas.

I stopped doing anything for sd due to major annoyance. I went out with her dad for the first couple years and put a lot of thought into her gifts and then never got a thank you or saw her wearing any of the clothes. I let her dad do it now.

There is no exchange of gifts between adults in our family at Christmas/Hannukah. It's only for kids.

Dontfeedthetrolls's picture

I agree that gift giving has gone WAY over board on all ends. Be it Birthday or Christmas it's like parents are in competition and heaven forbid your child not get the most, best, biggest, expensive gifts.

SO's daughter over here still wants a Hatchimal. They are still $80. Part of us want's to get it because "Hey it's Christmas." However no way in hell are we going to.

We talked about it. We just don't see the value of it. We don't think she'll enjoy it enough and it cost too much.

We'd rather stay in budget, get a few toys we know they will love, and be happy with that.

BM on the other hand seems determined to out do us. So be it. She can play that game alone.

justkeepstepping's picture

I used to do a huge Christmas for the kids. I had always done that for my son before I met DH. I grew up with 13 siblings so we were pretty poor. Out of the few gifts we did receive over half would be clothing we needed. I hated it. No one wants to open socks and underwear in front of all of their siblings.

Skids are as ungrateful as they come. I spent around $600 one year for 3 kids and the skids complained because "that's ALL we get?!" They were only 7 and 5 then and were really rude about it. I think we only got them like 5 gifts each last year. DD had several more than the 3 older kids.

Last year DD3 asked for a sleeping bag and a fishing pole. I asked her the other day what she wanted this year from Santa. She said she wants him to bring her a sleeping bag. DH laughed and reminded her that she got one last year. She said she didn't want it for her. It was for her best friend because she doesn't have one. Her best friend is my niece who is only 3 weeks younger than her. Awe Smile DH told me to go ahead and by one so that she could give it to her after Santa leaves it for her.

The only thing I know for sure at this point is that SD is getting a new bike. She is almost 8 and tall for her age. She's still riding a 16" bike. She refused to learn how to ride it without training wheels until just a few months ago so DH refused to by her a bigger bike. The bike is now way too small and it looks awkward when she rides it since her last growth spurt.

I'm about to the point of just giving DS11 a prepaid debit card or cash. He loves to fish and go skating and the cost adds up pretty quick paying for equipment, bait, and door prices. I was told they have cards for kids with parental controls. I think she called it a green light card.

momjeans's picture

This Christmas, our littles will be 2.5 and 4.

They both get pajamas and a book that is opened on Christmas Eve. Christmas morning is a few presents to unwrap, with a few more just sitting under the tree, and their stockings packed with stuff.

My 2.5 year old is obsessed with fire trucks, so I’ll probably get him a fire station. My 4 year old wants a Barbie horse. Other than that, it will be more books, art supplies. Not sure what else yet...

When we lived in the same town as BM, Christmas was a total pissing match. DH refuses to stoop to her level, but we always placed bets what BM was going to splurge on for skid. It was ridiculous!

Acratopotes's picture

MY son is an adult - he gets nothing.....
SO no idea,

We are not big on gifts for Christmas it's not what it's about Wink

Acratopotes's picture

yes sort off lol...

he did something I never thought he would do oh and he's parenting his adult daughter, too little too late,

so he's on probation, I'm not fully invested in the relationship, he know it, he's doing everything to get me back, it's like the days before we dated, and I will keep it this way, he knows I will make a final decision January only..... long story lol, I think it's enough time as well for him to decide if he wants a slave/maid or a partner.

Either he compromise for life or it's not going to work... he gets it now.

fairyo's picture

Good to hear Acrat- it seems that there is something in you that will have him back, but keep holding out for a change. I hope you succeed, but I'm not sure men really change that much. Just be sure he isn't playing that game where he'll get you back then revert to his old self.