to think that Christmas has very much become a case of spending money for the sake of spending it?

[wannaBe]

So suffice to say I have no inspiration. as to what to buy for anyone...

But I do think that a lot of that lack of inspiration is brought on by the fact that the people I need to buy for don't need anything. And by the same token I don't need anything.

But we'll all go out and buy each other presents which although lovely, we don't really need.

And so we all continue spending money just because it's christmas and because it's expected.

PS if anyone has any idea what I can buy for mil/fil even though they don't actually need anything, please post your recommendations here...

We stopped buying for all siblings and parents a few years ago and did a name out of a hat thing where one person buys for one person. Worked well. Not even bothering with that this year! None of us need anything.

We are staying with my parents so will buy them something. Will get a magazine subscription for MIL.

You don't have to buy presents for everyone. I make most of mine to relatives. Truffles and the like are eqsy and fairly cheap but show you've thought about it.

I agree that some people go overboard but you dont have to buy into that. It is what you make it in my opinion.

Posh Hamper, theatre tickets?
I can't imagine never being pleased to receive gifts tbh, although we mainly spend on Children.
I've got my Dad and 3 brothers a paintballing experience for them all to go and shoot one another! PIL have theatre tickets.

I don't think it's for the sake of spending money - like you say, when you get gifts it's still lovely, and presumably you get an emotional pay off from picking something that is appreciated (whether or not it is needed) and I think that motivates us to keep giving past the point of need far more than any motivation to pour money down the drain!

Oh, but we need the kitchen scissors and the cake scraping thing that we've been dropping very heavy hints about. If people are good at delayed gratication, it makes Christmas shopping easier. Wish I could get the family to buy my shoes and have my hair cut for me too, as I am too lazy to get round to it. (but delayed gratification sounds better)

Any one buying a present for me would be spending money for the sake of it - I can never think of anything I want for myself. I have asked dh to buy me a gift from Worldgifts Cafod. Perhaps some family in a more disadvantaged part of the world will get clean water supply.

Might your mil/fil be interested?

YABU. I love choosing presents for my family, kids and adults, it's a pleasure to get them something they want. I don't feel I am spending money "for the sake of it". I never buy them presents at any other time of the year (except birthday) so why not? Life is full of miserable things, let's make the most of something that's not.

YANBU - although I agree with branflake that it's nice to buy someone something nice once a year, I also hold the same view as the OP.

The real problem is, with so many women working now, no-one waits for anything any more. I know I don't. If I see a CD or a jumper that I want, I simply get it. I don't think "oh, I ask for that at xmas time and perhaps I'll get it then". To be fair though, I used to ask and then not get it, which was really annoying.

Maybe the answer is to treat people to our time which these days is more precious than plastic tat and perhaps take a family out for a meal, a day trip, or give them cinema vouchers or just something they can do rather than have

YANBU.

It's good to be in the position to be able to buy for other people but like you, we don't NEED anything, and neither do the people we buy for. If we "want" something during the year, we just buy it.

It's the same with our DCs, we don't just buy for them for their birthdays and Christmas, but during the year as well, so we are running very low on inspiration!

I hate the fact that Christmas in this country is all about tacky decorations (passed a garden yesterday that was full of santas and snowmen), and spending loads of money that a lot of people will still be trying to pay back this time next year....

Needless to say though, we have no family in this country, other than the four of us, and will be away from the 19th till after Christmas, so to a certain extent Christmas will pass us by again...