Is anyone cutting down their Christmas present list this year?

[007User]

Who are you cutting out or cutting down on?

Any good ideas on how to communicate it if you've always done gifts but want to stop?

My present list is already relatively minimal but I’m definitely cutting back a bit this year.

I’ve been buying in sales and have a lot already bought, but have spent a bit less than usual as a result. Have worked out a restrained budget for the rest and will get them a bit closer to the time. I quite like getting it over with early, but I do wish it wasn’t all such a palaver. There were definite benefits to the minimalist Covid Christmasses 😂

I dont have many people to buy for but I am cutting down on how much I'm buying for the kids. I'm aiming to do no more than 10 items each for the kids and that's including their stocking fillers. Last year there was just too much stuff and hardly anything played with by the boys (aged 8 coming up to 9). So I'm definitely being more mindful with the purchases as well. Luckily most stuff I thought my son might like he's already been asking for for his birthday in October so I think I'm on the right track.

Yes . I generally only buy for my sister and my adult children. Have told them already it will be a £50 token gift this year …all happy with that !

A friend and I were pretty much just exchanging presents from habit so have agreed to spend the money on doing something rather than buying stuff for each other. It's probably a small saving only, because of the cost of the activity we're doing instead but that's obviously completely variable, you could do something free or very inexpensive.

We’re not cutting back but could you just suggest just buying for the children if you’re wanting to communicate less buying to other adults?

I’m conscious that people may find themselves struggling this winter, so I’m not buying gifts in advance until I see how things shape up. I’m saving as much as I can for now.

I'm about to have this conversation with extended family and suggest we buy for kids only. Literally don’t have the money to buy for everyone any more and I can’t magic it up. I’ll buy for nieces and nephews that I actually see (not the children of step/half siblings I rarely speak to) and I’ll buy for my child-free sibling who is very generous with my DC.

I figure that the people who care about me wouldn’t want me spending money I don’t have on presents for them, and anyone who would rather receive a gift even if it puts my family finances in a precarious position doesn’t deserve my generosity anyway.

I have cut back over last couple years, a few friends I used to do gifts with we mutually decided to stop. Only do DC in family

I’ve always kept my present lists short, just DDs and DH. He buys for his family.

Have a chat with family and say it’s better to just buy for DC, there will be people who are relieved to stop buying many presents.

Yes. Usually buy dc (young adults) clothes. However, both dc now have lots of clothing so don’t really need any more. May buy a few choice things, but not lots.

Im not cutting anyone out.

I am making a change this year in buying less but bigger/better things.

Usually the kids get LOADS of cheap arts/crafts things etc... (EVERY pintrest, youtube, forum mam suggests these things as great minimalist toys that encourage imagination) but they never get used as non of my kids have been arty or care about making their own perfume/slime/bouncy balls etc... and now its not 'minimalist' as I have loads of boxes of unopened crafts.

So instead of getting 10 poundland type craft things they likely wont use they'll now get 2 bigger/nicer toys (themed plushies, role play, board games etc...) that they will use.

It will cut down the number of gifts drastically but hopefully look more impressive because it wont just be little 'random' bits.

As for family for parents/siblings I buy 3 gifts and a few sweets to create a stocking for them.

For inlaws I just buy them 1 present, might not bother with sibling in laws as they dont seem to care and never came to collect their presents from the last 2 years.

I already don't buy for many people; we've agreed in the family to do a secret santa amongst immediate family so that will be a big help.

For the DC I am trying to cut down but, I have so many good ideas for them this year it's going to be quite hard

I would like to do 2 - 3 main presents, pajamas, 4 - 5 medium presents and a stocking. That would be cutting down from previous years but each present would be more thoughtful. The medium presents would be things like books, and the stocking will be a combination of good small gifts and stuff designed to make the day itself more fun.

Oh and I want to spoil DP this year too and have tons of good ideas for him. I will try and spread everything out to help with the cost though

I have cut my brother and his partner off after an extended family holiday from hell. The upside is its 2 less presents to buy!

We have set a budget of £20 per adult for the past few years. It was getting ridiculous and we couldn't afford it every year.

I started to cut back a few years ago. My sisters and I agreed to do treat hampers for each other’s families, rather than gifts for each family member. My nieces and nephews are all grown up now anyway. We don’t spend a fortune on our hampers £30-£40 max.

I have two grown up dc who have left home, I usually get them gift cards for local restaurants/cinema and we take them out for a meal Christmas Eve.
Youngest ds is 13 so he’s the only one to really buy much for.

my parents are deceased now and in laws live in South Africa. So no parents to buy for.

I always review it every year. I have stopped buying for my nephews now they are over 18. I always bought for my adult Godchildren and gave them a decoration now I have decided just to do the decoration. I have realised over the years that it's all a token as we do not have a huge budget.

The main thing is to tell them now ( although some of my family members will have bought already and bloody wrapped them in February. )

Friends we do birthdays but one recently sent a message asking that we stop. So we have with her. No issues.

I don’t buy for my sister and her children. I do buy for SILs children. We see them though!

Im also stricter with those who buy and give them ideas to reduce the waste. I ask what they’d like.

I am not giving up on my best friend and her kids even when skint. I want to gift something to another friends family a game maybe with the understanding no return expected. Just her company sometime please.

I’ve been cutting back for years and it is still a work in progress. Imagine how bad it was!

This year my priority is to use up leftovers; leftover cards, wrapping etc. I want it at the point where I just buy what’s necessary every year. I’ll bake Christmas cakes and other things. Not everyone’s cup of tea, but I get told my Christmas baking is most welcome. I’ll accompany it with wine or port or a bottle of whiskey.

Think I may make some hampers from a place I’m visiting.

For me, it’s not so much about the money, it’s about the spirit of Christmas. There are some people I love to buy for and spoil as they deserve it. Others, I begrudge as they don’t and are CF’ers. They are the ones I’m cutting back on.

What I did, was cut back year on year. I did this because when I tried to stop, I received mass hysteria. It was awful, so instead I dropped it back every year by £5-10. I used to spend £100 on certain people. Now they get £25-30.

Yes, I have asked a few people if we can stop exchanging gifts for myself/them.

Mostly due to cost of living crisis, but it had been on my mind for a few years - I spend a silly amount of time trying to think of gifts for people, and I get anxious about receiving gifts too (I dislike surprises/get stressed by having to 'react'/worry that I won't like it and have to fake it etc. I'm possibly autistic). I'd rather have the free time/money to be honest, and focus on spending time with people.

There are lots of December birthdays on both sides of the family. I am reducing the amount of multiple gifts per person. Families are getting a joint gift such as a board games instead. I will also bake treats for token gifts and no longer have to donate to the class teacher gift.

My Christmas gift list is down to 7 for Christmas and 2 for Hanukkah. Also 5 of the 7 have December birthdays!
My Christmas card list is down from 100 to 8. (Much of that is due to my friends and relatives dying out however.) What our family is doing however, is cutting down on how much we spend. Limit of $50 - can be several inexpensive gifts or one valuable one, but must stay under the limit.
Also we are cutting down on the Christmas buffet - much less "fancy food" this year. We are a family of non-drinkers so we don't have the expense of alcohol, but we are chocoholics who do love fancy chocolates.

How do you phrase it?

I cut everyone bar the dcs, 2 good friends dcs and our parents
I cut 15 off the list, aunts uncles etc

I simply sent a text saying Hi. Looking ahead for Christmas unfortunately from now on we can only afford to buy for oir Dcs. Im sure you understand.
Everyone wad fine. And lots relieved as meant they could cut their list too

We are cutting down a massively on what we are buying for each other, reducing the budget by 50%. No new tat this year either - we have enough Christmas decorations for two houses so I’m not going to even look at them this year. And reducing the endless food purchases. January is always spent ‘eating up’ cheese and chocolate and crisps. So I’m just not going to buy it this year.