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Christmas

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Original poster

Who buys the presents in your house...?

58 replies

frostyfingers · 08/12/2008 08:59

Is it all you, mostly you, or is it shared? This year, as usual I seem to have ended up buying all the presents for the children, with practically no input from DH apart from the odd grunt, and all stocking stuff. Now, the actual buying part isn't the problem, it's the total lack of help or interest and it really gets me cross! I have bought for all my side of the family, and for his nephews. The other night, he said "what have we got for SIL and BIL" "We, I said, which we would that be?" "I haven't bought anything for them". This is because, browsing through my catalogues etc and making suggestions as to what might be appropriate for various members of his family all were shot down, so I gave up. Why do I now feel guilty....? Bah humbug, sometimes it's more hassle than it's worth.

OP posts:
juicyjolly · 08/12/2008 09:07

You feel guilty because even though you know he will give no input at all.....whats new there then.......you have still gone ahead in the past and bought all the presents.
Whats different this time then?

And yes, it is more hassle than its worth, but hey ho, it is xmas. And yes it is Humbug

Lemontart · 08/12/2008 09:22

Present list: me
Present purchase: me
Wrapping and labelling: me
Posting: me
Card writing: me
Card posting : me
Food shopping: me
House decorating: me
Tree decorating: me
Social arrangements: me
Food prep: me
Thank you cards: me

Tree purchase: Dh and the kids (he has to take the kids they are sensible enough to choose a decent one!)

I know it is uneven, I know I end up doing virtually all of it BUT that is ok. I have done the dividing up thing, sharing wrapping hell, stress of the highstreet+DH deal and NO MORE. Now I do it all, I know it will happen on time, decent gifts, well wrapped, names correct (no cards with dead great uncles names on... awful mistake one year by DH) etc etc.

(DH does loads round the home in other ways, we both work from home to share childcare etc so don?t think badly of him. He is just pants at Christmas)

RubyrubytheRubynosedReindeer · 08/12/2008 09:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

cookinmama · 08/12/2008 09:26

I do all of the buying but it was on the condition that he only has to buy for me so it better be good. I want a stocking and surprises and so far (we have been doing this for 3 years now) he always comes up trumps and I don't have to deal with him being grumpy while we are shopping. Win win situation!

ComeWhineWithMe · 08/12/2008 09:28

I usually do it all but have had bad start to this pregnancy ,so I write the list dp goes and gets it .

I am quite surprised 'cos he has also found loads of bargains but glad he has done it because I haven't had to stand in a queue for months .

StretchmarkSantaClaws · 08/12/2008 09:29

We both do the buying together, DH does the wrapping because I'm pants at it, and I write all the xmas cards as DH hates writing!!

DH also does the xmas tree because in the past, when I have decorated my side of the tree, DH turns the tree around so my side is at the back!!

bellaBuonNatalevita · 08/12/2008 09:32

I do most of it because I like doing it.

I work part-time so that frees up a lot of time to go shopping.

Having said that, if I could not find something where we live, DH works in another town and he would quite happily go in search for me.

The boys have got i-pods and DS1 a laptop this year, so DH loves looking at that kind of stuff and tbh he knows which model is the best so he ordered them.

DH went up into the loft on Saturday to get all the xmas things down. He put the tree together (always does this) and then myself and the boys do the decorating.

If I do need help with the wrapping of presents - I only have to ask and he is only too glad to do it, but it is easier to get it done during the day with no one in the house.

I order our xmas food online - but if asked he would be more than happy to go the supermarket (before online supermarket shopping he did it), also with food prep.

But then I have the most gorgeous and willing DH

ohdearwhatamess · 08/12/2008 09:41

I do pretty much everything (presents, paper, cards, tree, decorations etc). I don't mind at all though (dh has no interest - except in the dcs' presents - and is a bit crap at this sort of thing).

He will buy the food though, because he'll be cooking it, and my gift, and he funds it all.

mumoverseas · 08/12/2008 09:49

same as Lemontart. Me, me, me, me, me.
DH seems to think that santa must bring all the presents for the whole family. I also pay for 99% of the presents although he usually pays for the xmas food (I use his credit card)
It does average out though as he pays for holidays, petrol etc. And anyway, I love him to bits so don't mind too much really.

octavia · 08/12/2008 10:26

We both decide on the childrens presents ,then I chose everyone elses apart from my own.I then order them all on the net.I wrap them and Dh does the labels.I do the food shopping (cheaper that way!)

SheSellsSeashellsByTheSeashore · 08/12/2008 10:35

I save for vouchers all year long. Each yaer DH moans that I have bought vouchers that can't be spent in Game or JD Sports where his nephew likes to get his presents from so I also buy his nephews present too.

He then complains at me for spending all of my vouchers and not buying any food with them. We take turns buying the food though this is normally because I point blank refuse to pay for it so he has no choice but to go without or buy it himself.

I write the lists and I buy the stuff. I also organise dd1s birthdays and pay for them and all her presents too, which is tomorrow.

I wrap all the stuff. Basically I do everything. Apparently I am unorganised and don't put enough effort into xmas especially his present. At this point I nearly threw his wii at him.

To give him credit though he has put in a bit more effort this year and always goes to great lengths to make sure he knows what to get me, even after I have told him half a million times I don't want anything. He will accost my sister and make her go make up and perfume shopping with him.

rislip · 08/12/2008 10:42

It's mostly me. Only because otherwise DH will buy wildly expensive presents for people he hardly knows or totally age un-suitable for the children in our family. Bless him, he does really try though. I do think since I work only part time it's partly my job to do the presents, cards etc. He does the tree, lighting (think Griswald family style) and roasting of the ham.

dizzyjingles · 08/12/2008 10:44

me or frankly nobody would get anything

nickytinseltimes · 08/12/2008 10:44

Dh organises it all.
We go shopping together - share the misery!

TheVirginGoober · 08/12/2008 10:53

We decide together for kids, via Argos and other christmas gift book things.
I go and get it all, I choose his families. We both wrap. I sort out all food shopping, ordering and cooking.
I wouldn't have it any other way.

dizzyjingles · 08/12/2008 10:54

goober!!

did you have a lovely birthday yesterday?

TheVirginGoober · 08/12/2008 10:59

Yes, thanks Dizzy.

dizzyjingles · 08/12/2008 11:00

glad to hear it!!

cherryontopofthexmastree · 08/12/2008 11:48

dp has given me some money towards presents, and picked a few bits for the kids, his family and has picked mine (not been together long so he asked for a list of what i would like, and picked some items from it) i have done the food shopping online and he is paying for it, christmas decs were done by both of us, and the tree will be a joint effort tonight- he will hold the lights whilst i wrap them around so i dont get tangled up, cooking will be done by both of us, with help from my nan who loves cooking.

OhLITTLEFISHofBethlehem · 08/12/2008 11:54

Almost the same as lemontart in this house

Present list: me
Present purchase: me
Wrapping and labelling: me
Posting: me
Card writing: both of us
Card posting : dh
Food shopping: me
House decorating: me
Tree decorating: dh, me and dd
Social arrangements: me
Food prep: me
Thank you cards: me

I work part time and have Wednesdays without dd (while she is at nursery), so it makes sense for me to do it all. Dh works full time.

BeckyBendyLegs · 08/12/2008 11:56

The only presents I don't buy are the ones for me (at least not yet...)! DH does try to get stuff for his side of the family. He usually leaves it until about 22 Dec, gives up, and then asks me to do it on 23 Dec!

But I am lucky as DH loves to cook so I have never ever cooked a Christmas dinner. If I were to, they'd be eating burnt turkey, soggy roast potatoes and frozen peas probably... Anyway it is my birthday on 25th so people tend to feel sorry for me and let me get away with not doing much!

weblette · 08/12/2008 11:58

Er that would be me, including my own.

jeee · 08/12/2008 12:02

I buy everything. I used to have this fantasy where DH and I would have a lovely day Christmas shopping, and then I'd get cross because he'd be too busy to come ("I don't know why you're worried, there's 3 whole weeks till Christmas"). This year I gave up on him, and you know what? It was so much less stressful. And the presents he would suggest. One year, when the DC were 2,3 and 5, after much brow-furrowing, he suggested that he thought that they would really like diaries?????

DrNortherner · 08/12/2008 12:05

I do all of the buying for everyone, and usually most of the wrapping, although I plan on enlisting his help this year.

I don't moan about it though, I actually enjoy it tbh, and, if left to dh everyone would get shite gifts

He does however, alwyas choose and buy 1 gift for ds himself.

littlerach · 08/12/2008 12:06

I od pretty much all of it.
He is supposed to do his parents and sister, and their cards (they are abroad).
He also does his tiher 2 children, or agian, is supposed to. I always used ot do theirs but as they've got older it is harder.

I also do cards, advent calendars and most of the food.

But i ratjer like it all, so it's fine

He does go and het the tree though, and my presents.

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