Does anyone else like exchanging adult Christmas presents

[Nameinspirationneeded]

prompted by seeing more threads about how pointless and wasteful it is. Presents should be children only, at most maybe secret Santa.

Maybe because I’m in a small family so it’s practical. I exchange with my parents and some close friends. Just reading the other threads I feel grabby. I like feeling thought of, and spending time thinking what others would like, but wouldn’t probably treat themselves to.

im absolutely fine with others deciding they don’t want to and I’d stop and don’t feel offended.

I enjoy exchanging adult gifts, and my children have enjoyed buying gifts for the adults in their life since they were very small too.
I hate the idea that presents should just be for children!

And as for achieving something - when I make my daily cup of tea in my little travel mug, I am reminded of my thoughtful mother in law, who chose it for me - and the same goes for lots of other little things around the house that were presents.

I do. It's fun. Me and my husband get each other a little something every year. It's nice.

I love putting the thought in to get a lovely present for someone - even if its the mumsnet 'nicer version' there is still thought into finding and buying it.

And yes sometimes I get (hopefully don't gift) tat, but one womans tat is anothers treasure, as they say. I once got something horrific (imho) from my DB for Christmas at our early family gathering. Took it to the charity shop the next week, popped to buy stamps and as i came back they had it front and centre of the window, when I came out of the hairdressers it had clearly already sold. I hope someone loved it as much as DB did when he chose it for me.

I love it. DP is particularly good at choosing presents and the thoughtfulness really touches me. I like Christmas shopping for others and thinking about what family and friends might like. It’s a way to show love and care. I was blindsided by how hurt I felt when one of my siblings suggested only buying presents for the kids - I’m the only one without children in my family and it really caught me in the feels.

We cut it out about 5 years ago. Now we only buy for my godchild and his sibling and our own adult DC.

It's fabulous - Christmas Day is so much more relaxed when you don't have to pause the fun to sit round opening unwanted socks/toiletry sets/novelties and expressing completely insincere gratitude. Now it's non-stop fabulous food, drink, chat, games and karaoke.

We aren't total scrooges though. At different points during the year we will treat various members of the family to a night out at a gig or show with drinks and dinner. It costs a lot more than a present but it doesn't end up in a charity shop or landfill.

It doesn't achieve anything. It doesn't have to. It's just what we do?
We live in different countries and Christmas is the only time we see each other. It's about the getting together and cooking and giving the various children their presents and so on, and we don't need or want fancy presents, so we do little things.

The only adults I give a gift to are my mother, who has very little and my adult children.

They are all fully aware that it is not a transaction and that I do NOT want a gift back. Thankfully after many years of saying this they have finally got it.

I do recognise the irony of buying for my own mother whilst instructing my own children not to buy for me - but she likes presents and I really do not. (and am very bad at pretending)

I love giving and receiving gifts. But what I don't like is gifts for the sake of it. Feeling that the person needs "one more thing" and then trying to figure out what that thing should be.

I prefer to give and receive fewer, more considered, gifts.

I love it, but as some PP I have a v small family so I just do /get from DM, DS and DH, and an occasional friend if we happen to stay with them over the festive period.
DH's family can be a pain but they are his problem!!

Personally I enjoy exchanging gifts with others. I enjoy thinking of what they might like, I enjoy wrapping, I enjoy the actual exchange where I’m excited to see what they think of their gifts and I’m always pleased with what I receive. I only exchange gifts with a small number of people, none of us give pointless tat or anything silly, none of us spend more than we can afford. It’s always a thoughtful, meaningful thing to do.

I understand some people can’t afford to do this, or don’t enjoy shopping, or whatever other reason - each to their own. What I really hate and am sick of hearing about is the concept that Christmas is only for children or that gifts should only be given to children. Just, no. Christmas is for everyone, in whatever way anyone wants to celebrate it.

I do. I love buying presents. My family is small though so maybe I'd feel different if had tons of people to buy for.

Christmas is definitely not just for kids.

I exchange presents with my 3 siblings. We used to buy for each others’ children but they’re all grown up now and they all have more money than we do. We don’t spend a lot but we know each other so well, it’s fun to both give and receive.

I find it awkward because it shows up the gaps in relationships. Like you might get exactly the perfect present for DB1s wife, because you know her, and get on, then you want to find something with the sane "wow" factor for DB2s wife but you can't because you don't really understand her, so you end up paying loads of money for something a but underwhelming. Even worse, you thought you'd nailed a present but it is wrong and has to go back.
Kids are easier. Young ones don't understand money and just like the gift in front of them. Older ones do a list so you know it is appreciated.

Hate it.
It's so wasteful. So much money and effort goes into it but people rarely get anything they actually want.

Why should presents just be for children.

i love buying gifts for others, I love the anticipation before they open it and love watching them open it and then love the gifts inside.

i put a lot of thought into buying gifts and I love receiving gifts too, why should adults miss out. Christmas is about family , all family, not just children.

Me and DH and adult DD do gifts but we tend to know what each other needs

and one family secret Santa which I hate but keeps people happy so that’s ok

Yes I do. I love exchanging gifts among my friends and family whatever they are. Mostly people say the kind of thing they would like ("a mustard coloured beanie! Nail varnish! Vinyl records! The latest Richard Osman!") and most of my friends and family are pretty chill and easy to buy for anyway.

One year we did charity shop gifts which means that if you don't like it you can just take it to another charity shop, and the person who bought it hasn't spent much. Mostly books.

Sometimes it feels like people want to remove stuff that makes Christmas day different from every other part of the year (sending cards, exchanging gifts, seeing wider family) while also spreading the food (mince pies in November) and decorations part of it over an ever increasing period starting ever earlier.

I like it

I would love to enjoy it, but I just cant . I always feel awkward and uncomfortable. What if I didn't spend enough and the other person spent more, or vice versa. What if I don't like or need it or already have it and again the other way round. I know im overthinking it but ir just gives me really bad anxiety.

I enjoy giving gifts to the people I'm close to.

I'm grateful that we've agreed to only gift the dc for one particular part of the family who were very difficult around gifts.

Yes I love buying presents for my in laws, mum and my husband. My husband is also a really thoughtful gift giver that he’s never given me something I didn’t want/need. I like treating him as he never spends money on himself so Xmas/birthday/father’s day is the best time to do so!

Yes, we do.

It's just DH and I who exchange gifts. We spend up to £200 on small fun things

I enjoy choosing things for him and seeing what he has chosen

I have no interest in sharing a list, I want a surprise! The occasional thing misses the mark but so what?

Yes, I love it. But we stick to consumables for adults here.

As a family, we all have sweet toothes and so give each other things like chocolate-shaped cats, salted caramel spreads, fancy creams, novelty fudge, wacky liqueurs or florentines. Occasionally there's the odd spice kit or fancy candle thrown into the mix. A lot of the gifts are consumed jointly over the Christmas period. So minimal waste and we get to try some new stuff.

I absolutely love present-giving and receiving as an adult. We are just a small family. The children get so much already - i think it’s good them seeing Granny getting a present.