Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Christmas

Who only buys for children at Christmas?

17 replies

nappyaddict · 17/12/2012 15:02

I would like to do this but what do you do if people buy for the DC and they don't have DC of there own?

For example DS' grandparents, great-grandparents, godparents and aunts/uncles?

OP posts:

Report

DewDr0p · 17/12/2012 16:04

We buy for PILs but not other adult inlaws. Although usually get a token (bottle of wine type gift) for BIL, as he doesn't have children.

In my family noone cares. Until this year we were the only ones with children and everyone loves buying for them so it's a non-issue. We do a Secret Santa for the grownups.

DewDr0p · 17/12/2012 16:05

I did check re my family btw, I'm not just assuming everyone loves buying for them!

Whistlingwaves · 17/12/2012 16:08

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

dishwashervodkaanddietirnbru · 17/12/2012 16:39

I would buy a token gift for people that give gifts to your children but dont have children of their own e.g. my single brother is getting a tin of quality street

susanann · 17/12/2012 16:52

Some years ago I approached my sister and said shall we just buy for the kids as this is getting so expensive. She happily agreed. The children are now all over 19 and we dont buy at all. We still buy Birthday presents but only say £10-£15. Works for us.

WeAllHaveWings · 17/12/2012 19:55

We agreed about 10 years before ds(8) was born to only buy for kids and it didn't bother me buying for nieces and nephews and not getting anything in return.

MrsCF · 17/12/2012 20:48

With my husbands family we just buy for the children, and each adult buys a gift for £5. When we all get together the £5 gift goes in the middle and everyone gets to pick one, we then have an opportunity to swap or steal other people presents. It works well as a token gift and we are on the look out through the year for the best £5 gift, offers or entertaining gifts.
For my friends if they have kids we just buy for each others kids and the we do birthday presents later in the year. For those that don't have kids I do usually buy something but not much.

nappyaddict · 19/12/2012 10:12

WeAllHaveWings

Now you have a DS, do you the grandparents and godparents something off DS if they buy for him?

OP posts:

Arcticwaffle · 19/12/2012 12:45

We try to arrange only buying for children. We also buy for a couple of friends without children who always buy for our children. And I buy for my parents cos I can't get them to agree to the no presents for adults deal.

It does make life a lot simpler (and cheaper) at this time of year, much less stressful (I find buying presents for adults who have everything really hard).

MyMamaToldMe · 19/12/2012 12:50

Yes - we buy for children only (however there are a few adults we buy for i.e. teachers).

saythatagain · 19/12/2012 12:53

We buy for dd (obv), her 5 boy cousins, dh's mum and my mum & dad.
We stopped the rest several years back and it's brilliant!
Not having to worry about cost & choice.
This is the first year we're not 'doing' teachers either; dd has moved to her next school and I took the executive decision to cease from the start!

BadRoly · 19/12/2012 12:53

We buy for Grandparents only now. Nephews and nieces all get gifts until they are 18 (we have many). Budget is about £10 but recently has crept up a little...

There is one childless couple (dh's cousin & partner) that we used to get gifts or but we haven't seen them now for several years and have no idea what to get them so probably won't bother this year.

Izzyschangelingisarriving · 19/12/2012 13:00

Me I can't afford adults - i asked everyone not to buy for me or DH anymore - some still do but I don't buy back.

It's too difficult - DH and I don't even buy for each other

GimmeIrnBru · 19/12/2012 13:16

We said a few years ago (wasn't sure how well it would go down with DH's side of the family...) that we'd only be giving those with children Christmas presents, not the adults. We made the exception with my SIL who is single and my own DB who is also single, they each get a present as they've no children of their own. We buy for both sets of our parents.

I have bought DH a token gift, to unwrap in front of the DC but tbh, I feel it's really more for the children when it comes down to it.

twinklesparkles · 19/12/2012 13:28

I have this year but only cos I've been so broke :(

Have bought pressies for 3 or 4 people who don't have kids

Startail · 19/12/2012 13:45

Absolutely wouldn't work, because My parents and childless DSIS are really generous to my two.

We have more money than them, it would be ridiculous not to reciprocate.

Also what message does it send to DCs if only they get gifts.

Adults are people who want to feel special and loved to.

Postal present to cousins' children etc, yes I can see that. It's very hard buying for adults you rarely see.

crushedintherush · 19/12/2012 14:39

Me !! Easy, I know, but us adults on both sides of the family have decided that after giving and receiving unwanted gifts (very politely) in the past, it made sense to only buy for the children on each side. We buy what we want during the year anyway, so we don't go without

Flip

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.