No, your not a Grinch. There comes a time when (after religion), Christmas is for kids. It's too bad so many adults don't recognize the fact and pull-back on the reins of gift-giving.Originally posted by CathyA.
I guess I'm a grinch.
No, your not a Grinch. There comes a time when (after religion), Christmas is for kids. It's too bad so many adults don't recognize the fact and pull-back on the reins of gift-giving.Originally posted by CathyA.
I guess I'm a grinch.
CathyA....25 gifts is insane! I would definitely address it after the holiday about changing the format...at least for your family's participation in it. As for something simple....you can buy those knit gloves at Michael's (2 for $1.50) and some good chocolate and give that to everyone...it will be eaten and used
on the charity thing - I would hate it. I would rather have nothing than a gift given by you to a charity of your choice in my name. Now, if you know that someone is actually passionate about a particular charity, well then, it would be a good gift.
But beware that some people like me see it as you giving a gift to yourself and sloughing it off on me as a present. I may be the only one, but I don't think so. Just my 2 cents.
Yeah, and then you can take the tax deduction. Merry Christmas, sucker--here's your heifer!
I think I'd go the gift card route before I'd divvy up a sheet cake, but 25 presents you'd rather not give makes for quite a dilemma.
CathyA. I reread my previous entry this morning and didn't like the way it eluded to, and had the tendency of sounding a little like I was directing my comment "it's too bad so many adults don't recognize the fact and pull-back on the reins of gift-giving" at you. Just want you to know I wasn't, but instead, was attempting to relay the point that people (a lot of people) tend to place such emphasis on gift-giving at Christmas time, that even though they may not know it or be aware of it, they actually make others feel obligated to extend themselves by the same (hence you wanting to save money and do the cake thing), and that's just wrong.
I lucked out this year in noticing that Publix supermarket had some very cool candy bars, the size of money, packaged in a box printed to look like a million dollar bill with Santa's image and Mrs. Claus' signature. So I'm giving everyone a million dollars for Christmas this year, at $1 apiece.
Thanks, Jane, for my morning guffaw..."Merry Christmas, sucker--here's your heifer."
That's just too good!
Me, I'd opt out of giving 25 gifts (gosh even the wrapping would wear me out!), or give something small and unique and inexpensive...I like the Christmas ornament idea...
peaceful, easy feeling
You can tell that I'd reached the point where I was bone-weary of giving gifts that were just automatically expected and automatically received, the I Love Lucy conveyor belt of Christmas So, in fact, I didn't give a sh** what they thought of it any more -- I felt forced to give a gift by the social norms of my family, and so I rebelled by (horrors!) doing something good with my money instead.
But the next year they all got nice cards and hugs instead, and it's been that way ever since. Some friends still get handmade "gift certificates" for things like "We'll come and make you dinner when you're just too tired to do it!" and "One free b*tch session when you need to just unload (bottle of wine included)"
Our gift-giving is very limited, but our love-giving is enormous. Much happier that way.
Do you have no time to fix something or would you just rather not? If you do have a little time, might I suggest sugar plums. Easy to make, you can very quickly make enough for everybody since each only gets maybe 2 or 3, and very special, especially when accompanied by a reading of the classic 'night before Christmas'. Christmas eve is the perfect time for this kind of gift. And you can make it ahead of time, earlier in the week.
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