How much of an active role does your dp take, in organising Christmas presents...

[DoveOfPeace]

Particularly those for your dc?

Absolutely none. Christmas morning is as much of a surprise for him as it is for the kids! I don't mind though. He puts money in the joint account so I'm not paying for it all and I love christmas so I'm happy to deal with the presents/decorations etc. He does all the cooking over the hols, buys the drinks and makes sure we have wood for the fire.

I make the lists and we will sit down and go through it together, he will add his ideas for the the final list then we stick to it.

Well I try too :o. Most years I end up adding stuff I see on sale or something DSs have showed an interest in.

I have to say though, our family has had a tough year, especially for the boys and DH has been going more overboard than me.

It's great. [santa]

Dh provides the money because I'm a sahm. We agree a budget before I start shopping. That's pretty much it unless it's a football related thing for Ds in which case he gets more involved because he's interested because I don't really have a clue.

None. Which is why this year I've been tearing my hair out as I'm so behind with everything & he just doesn't get why I'm panicking so much.
He has absolutely no idea of all the work that goes into Christmas.

Could you bombard his arse with 'What about this?! ' e-mails, Sally?

DH really likes shopping and has chosen some lovely thoughtful gifts for me over the years.

The only thing is, he doesn't really plan ahead for Christmas. If I left it all to him, he would probably start shopping on the 18th December and then wonder why he can't get any of the toys on DC's list.

So I do up a lot of lists (I love making lists anyway). At this stage I've most of the Santa presents bought and I also have a reserve list for DC, so if any friends or family ask for suggestions, I can provide them. I make note of what each family member is getting for DC (if they ask me or tell me) to avoid duplicate presents. I also shop for the DC's Christmas clothes.

We've a lot of events between now and Christmas. Some of them relate to DC's after school activities. DH finds it hard to keep track of everything so I've sat him down a few times and gone through it all and made sure he's put it all in his electronic calendar.

DH usually does the big grocery shop and has cooked the Christmas dinner a few years although we're away this year. I help out with the veg preparation and wash up but he co-ordinates it all.

We both agreed on her big, main gift. I told DH he's on the hook for half of DD's stocking stuffers. I don't care what they are, as her father he can find cute age appropriate toys that she will love. It will be fun to see what he comes up with.

Absobloodylutely nothing
I think he thinks the Christmas Elves do it. He never buys cards or presents for anyone......

Zero.

None. I've done everything. Dh doesn't know half of what kids have got. I did give him 4 presents to buy and he's got 2 so far which means I will buy the last 2 as I want it all finished before December!!

i do 99% of it. He twitches the week before christmas

Zero, nothing whatsoever

He may crack open a Terry's choc Orange on Christmas Day. That's it

Thanks, everyone

He comes up with ideas. That's it.

Buying the same items he would probably spend about double the amount I would because he doesn't have the patience to look for offers, deals and voucher codes. He'll just click on the first link/item google gives him and buy it.

So he's not allowed to help

He does cook Christmas dinner though, which is a bit beyond my skills

Stick to what you're good at. Mine has always been penny pinching!

He's the only one that's done anything about it so far, which is to say he has made an amazon wish list. We've had conversations, and at some point we'll sit down and do a big online shop. When they come we'll have an evening wrapping everything up together. There maybe be an eventual shift to me doing a bit more, last minute things etc., but it'll probably end up about 55%/45%.

He does the big presents for the dc as he likes to research.

He also does his own family, the Secret Santa for whoever he gets in my family and of course my presents.

I have the much easier job of getting the smaller presents and stocking fillers for dc.

Oh, he's also in charge of the tree and the decorations.

Hardly any,he's usually my bag carrier

I've found and bought the presents for his Mum,stepDad and they're cats.I've found and am ordering and paying for DH's Nan's and his Auntie and Uncles presents.I've got him to buy they're cards.

We chose the presents for the 3DC(that are still at school)teachers and heads,I've sorted the presents for they're friends and the rest of the staff.

I've sorted and paid for the presents for my great newphews and nieces,my 2 nephews that don't have children yet,for my Mum,Dad,big brother,aunts and uncles,1 lot of our friends and all of our pets.

DH has found out a few bits that our youngest DC wanted,I've bought them he picked them up,I've sorted the rest of all of the 5DC's presents.

He'll buy for me from himself and from the 5DC.I'll buy for him(got some of his bits)from me and the 5DC.

I'll most probably do the lions share of wrapping pressies getting them sent and deliverd and the card writing,he'll deliver some gifts and cards.

I'm the one that gets the house organized before Christmas,finishing sorting the 5DC's rooms tomorrow,getting DH to take stuff to the tip and drop bits of at the Charity shops,then getting him to wash all the windows inside and out.

I've finished bits of decorating in the house that needed doing and I've sorted all the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen and frontroom and I've de-cluttered everyones's wardrobes and drawers(there's 7 of us)and sorted most of the toy storage of the childrens.

I just need to sort out new carpet for the hallway and get that fitted next week.

I'm also the one that sorts the Christmas tree and all the ornaments in the house,sorts the food shopping,sorts out the Christmas menu and does all the cooking and prep.

I'll probably need to help my Dad again this year with his Christmas gift buying,wrapping and sending of gifts and writing and delivering of his cards.

I'll probably need to get someone in for a good one of clean of the house for my Dad as well,I usually do it but my healths just to bad now which makes me feel crap that I can't do more for him.

Thanks

My hubby nods and makes vaguely interested sounds when i show him stuff on the internet. However i am a sahm so he pays for everything and he wraps everything. If i ask him what so and so on his side would like a get a "dunno"

I have control freak tendencies (good at budgeting also) but hate wrapping so it works well. I just wish one of us knew what his mother would actually like as she refuses to tell you and always looks underwhelmed by my ever so thoughtful gift!!

my dh has bought nearly all our kids gifts already. I would have liked a look in actually....

Very little! We just had an argument because I said we end to get dd2 some more bits as dd1 seems to have alot more - his solution? Hold some stuff back from dd1s for her birthday...in August and not buy dd2 anything I've really cut back this year so compare to previous years dds would notice a discrepancy I reckon.

He will buy for his brother and dad and me but that's it, and we only do silly stocking fillers.