About "just a little something"

[Poopooplop]

So I meet up with a group of friends every year about this time to drink cocktails, gossip and be silly. In our younger days, we'd exchange cheap (under £5) presents.

Since then we've all had children/got married etc. We still meet up but have agreed that we won't do presents. Every year... They all "buy a little something" but "don't expect anything back" and I feel like a dick because I listen to the agreed "let's not buy each other some pointless gifty crap".

Gah! I can't afford to be buying a bunch of people really cheap presents. Am I a miserable git or should I just suck it up and buy them some reindeer poo?

You've agreed you won't do presents, so it's completely fair enough that you don't do presents. And no-one really wants some cheap tat for the sake of it, do they?

Exactly! I don't want cheap tat... Exactly.

Can you afford really expensive presents instead?

I would make some nice shortbread and put it in nice tins from the 99p shop done up with nice ribbon.

I never give anyone pointless gifty crap, can't see the point of that at all but I have been known to spend very little on gifts.

Dame, would that I could! It would be great to buy them all a kitchenaid or something to make them all feel stupid (and also because they are lovely girls would love them)

You could suggest you all do a secret Santa this year, that way you only buy for one person.

I would, but we did that a few years ago and then just before we arrived, one girl said "oh, just so you know, I've bought a little something for all of you"

What is your budget per person, how much would you be happy spending on each person or is it a case of anything is a pinch?

And how many friends are there?

well, I have this scenario so I buy things like the body shop kit of a nice hand cream with nail file in a box, £6 but get a few when I get the %50 code, also find useful things cheaply in amazon eg for secret santa this year I bought a pineapple slicer / corer thingy for about 1.75!! had to be a gift suitable for male or female and as we are a health promotion team it felt appropriate I wrap em and take along to produce if the others do, if not, I leave em in the bag

How about a Christmas tree ornament for them? Really nice ones are about £2 each.

Yes, I have done Xmas ornaments in the past. This year I have ordered handbag organisers from eBay for the princely sum of 99p all the way from China with free postage! I saw exactly the same organiser in a Xmas catalogue recently for 12.99!

Yeah, I wouldn't bother. Or you could do what I'm doing for my cousins and get a load of chocs from the 99p shop

There are 6 of us. And I'm really really super skint (single parent, low salary, part time)... Body shop is a good shout though....

How about something like the favours given out at weddings, but with a christmas theme. A christmas decoration, a christmassy chocolate (wrapped) and maybe a spring of christmas tree tied up in glitter chiffon or the clear, see through wrapping paper.

You could colour coordinate each one for the person you are giving it too.... Bit of ribbon, sorted. Something to give, cost in pennies and nothing to dust afterwards.

In a similar group we set a budget of £3 per gift years ago and we find that the gifts are ingenious and creative every year. People pick up their £3 gifts on their summer holiday, split packs, find bargains, make things, call in favours with crafty mates to achieve the best £3 gift they can. We all love it, they're the most eagerly anticipated presents of the year.

They are friends though, right, so they must know you're a bit strapped for cash? I'd go for shortbread and a nice card, they'll be delighted.

It is annoying if they agreed no presents and then go ahead and get them. But I agree with body shop or something home made. There was something on This morning for home made Christmas treats. I think the recipes are on their website.

I'd definitely suggest secret Santa. Supposing one woman turns up with gifts for everybody, at least you've not turned up empty handed.

Secret santa doesn't work because some of them buy for the person they got them "just a little something" for everyone else as well.

They're very sweet because they do it to be nice but it's annoying when we've agreed not to and I look like a tight git.

Have a look on the christmas bargain thread.

It is annoying when that happens but you could buy small token gifts. Soap, multipacks of creams etc & split it. M& S do a lovely bag of wrapped chocs for about 4 which you could split into smaller bags & tie a prettu ribbon round.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/2246528-Christmas-bargain-thread-20-Black-Friday-is-coming

There are often v good deals posted there, I bought a tassimo for 35 quid after a tip off on there.

I would make some nice shortbread and put it in nice tins from the 99p shop done up with nice ribbon."

That sounds nice.

How about ordering a bottle of prosecco / wine or a cocktail pitcher whilst your out for the table?

We used to do this and one year I got a pair of cosysocks from primark which I think are only £1 and I used them. So cheap but not totally pointless.

i don't think you can opt out of what has become a settled tradition (though you can be alert to anyone else showing signs of restiveness and foster a unanimous change, it that might take several years for disenchantment to spread far enough).

But you can scale back your offerings ('things are really tight this year, but I hope you like this'). If you have one handy, you could try looking in a Poundshop. Church Christmas fetes can be a good place to get nice stuff cheaply too.