Are people not buying Xmas presents anymore or just my family

[nicjoo]

We have not bought Christmas presents for the family for 15 years or so. As no need to waste time, money and stress buying stuff people don’t need and then for them to put into a cupboard and forgotten about.

Buy some nice food n drinks with the money instead

We do buy for birthdays as more personal.

There’s talk about people spending less money on gifts. But I don’t think this is the case.

Shops are full of pointless gifts sets such as little pots of jam that don’t cover once slice of toast.

Last year, a former colleague asked me what to buy her sister’s fiancés gran. I said nothing as you aren’t related.

Friends and family who work in retail always get customers coming in asking could they get refunds, credit or exchange on gifts they received as don’t like, item is the wrong size etc. Many don’t have a receipt so unable to refund etc.

Think before you buy and think do you really need to buy presents for certain people

I also think presents are a waste of money and we stopped buying them 12 years ago at Christmas. The kids were a bit upset at first and questioned why Santa didn't visit which was tricky to explain. The youngest is 15 now so they're all more accepting of the decision and we've saved so much money over the years.

I don't know anyone who doesn't buy presents at some level, it's a bit joyless.
Maybe if you are really struggling financially it would be sensible to limit to children or for very large families.
We generally buy for those who we are celebrating with. So immediate family, adult DC and their partners. I spend a bit on my adult DC but for everyone else it's a small gift of something I know they like.

I buy presents for very few people now. My friends and I do a weekend away every couple of years instead of buying each other gifts.

With immediate family we tend to exchange small food type gifts or may take each other out for a meal etc.

We all have more than enough stuff.

We’ve told our families we only buy for children now and not adults, and no one need buy for us anymore. It didn’t go down very well.

We’ve only been buying for any under 18s for over 10 years now.

Last year, a former colleague asked me what to buy her sister’s fiancés gran. I said nothing as you aren’t related.

Good on you. This is a ridiculous level of buying.

I’m not struggling with finances. We still have fun and joy. Plus do at least one Carol service. Then visit a few churches in the area that do Christmas tree festivals. It’s where community groups and individuals that decorate trees with their own themes.

People who are struggling with money should not get themselves into more money issues

We dont do adult presents in DH's family. Dh and I get each other one thing. The kids still get stuff but I've become more mindful and avoid any novelty/ seasonal tat/ joke presents that just end up in landfill.

In my family we only buy for children at christmas now. We still buy gifts/give money for birthdays and throughout the year I give my children extra cash if they are struggling. Or on occasions I have bought new white goods for them, if theirs have gone wrong.
We don't see it as joyless as we still get together at christmas and spend time eating drinking and being merry. We just don't need stuff to celebrate with and show we care about each other

I have not been buying presents for the adults in my family, for years now. No one needs anything, if they do, they can buy what they want. It is not joyless, as some people wish to think. It saves a lot of stress, and my home is not filled with things, that I have to offload to the charity shop in January!

I wish my family was this reasonable and stopped buying pointless gifts for adults. If I wanted something I would have bought it for myself already. I don’t need or want gifts. But I’m alone in thinking in this way.

We do presents but only for immediate family not for a random cousin twice removed.
We also do wish lists so people aren't buying random stuff.
We don't spend much either - most £30 - 40 (except for the one child....she gets more £££).
The "nice food and drink" part of Christmas doesn't interest me the slightest so if money was spent on that it would feel like a waste of money to me.

Bit sad for the kids

I ‘m not surprised the kids were a bit upset! Not buying for adults is fine but not to buy them for children seems mean spirited and joyless.

This has made me laugh so I hope it was tongue in cheek.

I don't buy presents for anyone where it's a hassle to choose something. Only close family and we all know what types of things we appreciate. I really enjoy it and so do they. You do you, but these sort of posts just sound joyless to me.

Carol services and churches do not form part of my Christmas, no ta.

Maybe the Gran was coming round for the day with the future brother in law.

I don’t quite buy the whole ‘magic of Christmas’ vibe, but small children do seem to love getting gifts (if it’s what they want). Seems a shame not to indulge them. Unless you buy them the things they want through the year and so having a set time doesn’t work.

I remember getting my first pair of roller skates as being one of the happiest days.

It is just as well that we all are different.

Bit mean to tell her she shouldn't buy for her husband/wife's to be gran! They will be related soon, and it's rude to buy a gift for her own gran and not his if they're opening presents together. It's fine to get no one gifts if that's what you choose to do, but I know full well how my family would have reacted if my (then) boyf had only got gifts for one side and not the other-he'd never have become my husband!

Not sure there’s any need for the preachy “think before you buy”.

in my extended but close family we do secret Santa for the adults with a decent budget (not £5/10 like you might do at work) so everyone gets one decent present with thought put into it

We're spread about the UK and get together once a year, the time of year changes, October 25, Xmas 25, Easter 27 ect, and we do a 'secret santa' then with a decident £30 budget. We're all adults and we dont need anything we also only do a small token gift at birthdays. I do agree birthdays are more personal. The only people i do spoil at xmas are my mother and husband.

@seahorsessky They won't be related though.