Minimalist gift giving

[Spanielmadness]

There are plenty of threads about anxiety around gifts and concerns over budgets, buying for people who the poster doesn’t like.......

Just wanted to share, that for the last few years I’ve been more constrained financially and I’ve gone from buying loads of stuff for lots of people, to only getting a gift for those I see on Xmas day, or who are a close family member (sibling/parent), or a partner. These gifts are low budget, but thoughtful and personal.
It’s really liberating not to have to worry about getting loads of tat for people who won’t really be that bothered about receiving something.

The first year it feels a bit strange, but once you see it’s OK, it’s great! No more time and money wasted and everyone is just as happy!
Try it!

I've done similar. For close family members we have done a poem or picture.

I agree OP. There's so many threads about people buying for all sorts of people just for the sake of it and so many threads along the lines of 'what do I want for Christmas because I can't think of anything that I want' or 'what do I buy DH for Christmas when he doesn't want or need anything'.

So instead of tying yourself in a knot buying people stuff they don't want, just stop, and buy token presents if you have to buy anything at all - small but nice box of chocs or biscuits, bottle of alcohol that they like, something like that.

Not more and more socks and gloves, books, toiletries, gadgets, jewellry etc etc. If they want that sort of stuff, they can buy it themselves whenever they want to.

I completely agree.
We started doing a secret Santa amongst the adults in the family. £50 spend. So every adult got just this 1 present. Initially we all wrote a list of gift suggestions for our Santa, but over the years, family members started to ask for gift vouchers, so it just became a voucher swap. At this point we decided not to bother anymore.

Instead when we meet up over Christmas, we swap £10 table gifts. We sometimes have a theme to make choosing a little easier. But every gift has to be useful.

Love that idea waterlemon

This year we have a “funny” theme

I have bought a snail slime face care set, DH has bought a sweary Calendar. MIL always buys a bundle of lottery tickets/scratch cards regardless of any theme in the hope she will get half ha ha