To be amazed at the amount of gift related threads Christmas has sparked?

[superstarheartbreaker]

Just shows how emotive the whole gift thing is.

We've cut out a lot of people for Christmas gifts. We just buy for our three children ,and our parents (including step parents) and my cousin's children. All our neices and nephews are grown up ,some with families of their own,and we don't buy for our siblings. Mostly because we hardly see them from one end of the year to the next.

It's a darn sight easier. I really don't see the point of giving presents to people you only have a tenuous connection with.

RiceBurner - One of my favourite birthday presents this year was something pre owned / regifted.

My little brother and I are really close and share a special bond despite a massive age gap ( he is 9).

I am pregnant with my first child. He was really excited about giving me my birthday present, and told me I would love it. On the day of my birthday he got upset been it wasn't ready yet. I told him not to worry about it.

Then a few days later, when I unwrapped his gift, it was a beautiful soft toy elephant, that plays music when you press his foot. It used to be his when he was a baby,and he thought I would like it for my baby.

The reason it wasn't ready on my actual birthday was because it was still drying on the washing line.

The thing was he'd really thought it through. He had considered giving me a little lion for the baby that roars when you press its foot but decided that would be much too scary for a tiny baby!!!