Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

How many people do you buy Christmas presents for vs how many would you like to buy for?

76 replies

Pinkkisugarmouse · 01/11/2023 18:55

I just buy for DH, DD(21) and cats and DD’s gerbil and hamster. DH buys a gift for his 46yr old DD (big age gap between me and DH)

I am happy to not be buying for lots of people who I have no clue about what they like and already have etc. I know many people feel obligated and others would like to buy for more people but for various reasons (usually money or distance) can’t. I’m just curious/nosey. 😆

OP posts:
ClockHolly · 01/11/2023 22:02

This has spurred me into making a list… 40 people! That’s about twice as many as I thought. I’m happy with that though - I like giving things but I sometimes struggle for good ideas and hate wrapping.

Udford · 01/11/2023 22:09

I buy for 14:
My parents
My sister, her partner and their 2 children
My other sister and her two children
My husband and our two daughters
Two elders

Of those 14, I only enjoy buying for 9. The rest I feel obligated to buy for and I always feel as though I am wasting my money as gifts never seem to be appreciated. It’s one of those circumstances where if I didn’t buy, it would create drama across the wider family 🙄

Kitkat1523 · 01/11/2023 22:13

Pinkkisugarmouse · 01/11/2023 18:55

I just buy for DH, DD(21) and cats and DD’s gerbil and hamster. DH buys a gift for his 46yr old DD (big age gap between me and DH)

I am happy to not be buying for lots of people who I have no clue about what they like and already have etc. I know many people feel obligated and others would like to buy for more people but for various reasons (usually money or distance) can’t. I’m just curious/nosey. 😆

Do you not have any other close family OP? Just curious….. I buy only for close family ….which includes DP, DM, DD, DSIL, DS1, DS2, x 3 GD, the dog , DN age 16 (the other nephews and nieces are over 18 now so we don’t buy anymore)

ThePoshUns · 01/11/2023 22:15

shivawn · 01/11/2023 21:32

My mum and dad, my MIL, my husband's 19 nieces & nephews, my son, BIL and his wife, SIL, Secret Santa at work. My husband and I don't really buy for each other, we have joint finances and tend to be the kind of people who just buy what we want when we want it so aren't bothered about buying presents for each other just for the sake of it.

Sooooo 26 people.

I'd love to do a Secret Santa for all my husband's nieces and nephews but everyone else seems happy to continue individual presents. It's not the cost that bothers me, it's just a lot of pressure. They range in age from 2-33 years old and some of them are so hard to buy for.

Wow that's a ridiculous amount. I'd stop buying for adult nieces and nephews

PerspiringElizabeth · 01/11/2023 22:16

Buy for my parents, DH, kids (3), nieces and nephews (5), grandparents (2), 1 aunt and maybe others if I see them. One friend’s child if we’re going to see them. DH buys for his parents (and me obviously).

Id rather buy for my siblings, DH’s siblings, friends too but money/enthusiasm/inspiration isn’t there. I don’t want to exchange tat and want to buy people really gorgeous stuff but I’m not made of money!

SeulementUneFois · 01/11/2023 22:19

ilovetea14 · 01/11/2023 19:15

My parents
Mil&Fil
Husband & 2Dc
15 nieces and nephews
Little girl I mind
2 kris kindles
Friend
My godmother
I also have 4 birthdays in Oct, 2 in Nov and 4 in December. I like to start shopping early!

Some of my nieces and nephews or 21 and older it's hard to know when too stop, you don't want to be known as the mean aunty.

@ilovetea14

do the over 21 nieces etc buy for you?
if not, you wouldn’t be the mean aunt no more than they the mean relatives.

minipie · 01/11/2023 22:19

I buy for my DC and a small token gift for DH (by mutual agreement). Nobody else.

My side of the family haven’t done adult gifts for years, by agreement, and there’s no kids on my side except mine. DH’s side recently agreed no adult gifts as well and DH is responsible for presents for his nieces/nephews/child cousins. I will wrap and contribute ideas but he has to do most of the legwork.

Johnisafckface · 01/11/2023 22:28

I buy for my DD and best friend. I would prefer to buy for one more - a partner but that won’t ever happen.

scrivette · 01/11/2023 22:30

Not including 4 DC as they get lots each and 2 of them have Christmassy birthdays...

Both sets of parents - 4
Sister in law and family - 6
Brother and family - 5
Aunts/Cousins/their children - 11
Friends - 6
Friends children - 6

So that's 38 people, plus chocolates for work colleagues/my staff and then Cub leaders/Scout leaders/Police cadet leaders and school teachers collection.

scrivette · 01/11/2023 22:31

Oh and forgot DH!!

MegBusset · 01/11/2023 22:55

DH (small food/drink gifts only)
DS1 and DS2
Chocolates for cleaner and neighbours (plus cash for cleaner)
One Secret Santa gift for Christmas dinner with friends

Stopped buying for other family members a few years ago.

ilovetea14 · 01/11/2023 23:26

@SeulementUneFois last year one niece did buy me a present. They range in age from 18months to 25.

RoseMartha · 01/11/2023 23:33

I buy for my dc's.
Sister, her dh, their 4 kids
My mum
Something for my dc to give their dad
A family friend's child
6 small presents for friends

Trumpton · 01/11/2023 23:44

30 people in all, 10 of them children or young teenagers.
I am happy to buy for all. Not one of them is a chore.

I gained 4 more this year as I made a new friend with 3 children and I am genuinely fond of them.
Oh and a new baby in the family! Make that 31!

I don’t buy for anyone I grudge!

SeulementUneFois · 02/11/2023 07:31

@ilovetea14
Perfect, then she's the one over 18 you continue to buy for.
The rest, you assume that they don't want to do presents anymore as per their actions.

theduchessofspork · 02/11/2023 07:51

Partner, 2 step kids, my sister, bro in law, my bro in law and sister in law on partner’s side, my in laws, nephew, niece (x2) and about three young kids of close friends (small kids just get books, sometimes bigger things for birthdays).

My partner and I share in law presents to a degree.

theduchessofspork · 02/11/2023 07:53

I am fine with this.

Older godchildren I just do birthdays now - but I also have them to stay and take them out to dinner etc, so they do fine.

Beenalongwinter · 02/11/2023 08:14

7 grandchildren
Plus
1 elderly neighbour

That's it

ToesInTheWater · 02/11/2023 08:24

Partner and our 2 children
MIL/FIL
6 friends and their children.
Cleaner and token gift for her 2 children.

We give our adult nieces and nephew some money. And we buy gifts for our animals and friends animals, of course. 😂

flutterby1 · 02/11/2023 08:25

49 ! I've just counted my list. I'm a single widowed parent and this has to stop.... some are friends but not close friends, some get token presents less costly, immediate in law family do a secret Santa do we spend £30 on one adult and £30 on one child. Thank god.

It needs to stop

Any suggestions?

RJnomore1 · 02/11/2023 08:29

Good question. Dh, our two dds, mil and dhs uncle and wife. My god daughter. Next door neighbours little girl and one friends little boy. Is that 9?

Plus 5 direct reports at work. We don’t have a big family, I love buying presents though.

poppym12 · 02/11/2023 08:31

My son. Sometimes my husband if there's anything particular he'd like. And probably son's girlfriend this year.

GunpowderGuido · 02/11/2023 08:33

I buy for about 14 people - which is plenty. I quite like present buying and giving except for the one relative who is now in her late 90s and it is really hard to know what to get her.

I think she still kind of likes and expects something but every year it's hard to think of something that isn't one of a doen boxes of chocolates she will get.

hattie43 · 02/11/2023 08:41

Mum
2 x close friends
6 x friends
3 x dogs
Selection box and scratch card for 7 work colleagues
Charity donations x 3 to those important to me .

Wish I had a bigger local family to buy for .

CrazyBaubles · 02/11/2023 08:53

DH, Mum, dad, 3 nieces, auntie, 2 nephews, MIL & her husband, friends dd, 2 close friends.
Plus we do a charity Santa thing locally where we buy gifts for 6 children in lieu of buying for FIL & wife, 2 SILs and their husbands.
So quite a few (20) but the list is smaller this year as my sister, a close friend and a cousin have all agreed not to buy for each other anymore.

I'm pretty happy with the amount of people. One of the friends I'd like to stop buying with/being bought for but she gets very few presents as I'm one of her only friends so I can't do it.
Plus I enjoy buying and wrapping Xmas Smile