Christmas - and how to survive it

[Granny4Eyes]

Well, heading into the festive season and that hot chestnut (lovely with salt!)---
Christmas.
some thoughts already on the hello thread but I reckon it deserves a thread of its own.
So what do we all think of the expense and the tears and the disappointments and the joys of this season!!
Personally I love it but have no idea of how to keep to a budget and therefore always spend too much and it takes months to catch up again. How much should we be spending? How to stick to a budget? How to maintain the feeling that it is a festival of hope and joy and not for getting pissed and oneupmanship....(though I love both of those elements too!!ha ha) What to get the children who have everything and the mother who at 90 needs nothing.....Any ideas??

My Grandma has always given us fab pressies at Christmas. Never expensive or showy but always lovely.....

She's usually 'packaged' presents as a little 'treats hamper' filled with things:

e.g. From being small we cooked together and some pressies have been unusual food treats (a star fruit one year, special ice cream to try, chilly sauce, nice chocolates...)

Plants - I still have a cactus that she gave me when I was 7, last year she potted bulbs up for our new yard.

My sister is into fashion, clothes etc so my Grandma used to take her into town (quite far from where we lived and we were not allowed on our own). They would have a budget but my grandma would take her into any shop she wanted (not possible when shopping with busy parents!) and they would try on loads of stuff and have fun.

Often she gives us a little treat money and although many feel this is unpersonal she always asks us to tell her what we've spent the money on. When we got married she gave us money and we got our pans with it - they are special to us because they were with her money.

Tescos vouchers could be good....could buy CDs, games, clothes, foody treats, toys....

Don't know if this is useful!

Thank you mossycow. I like the sound of some of those ideas, especially the cactus and the shopping trip! I've tried the hamper idea before only with a big stocking, but then felt a bit mean. I think it's my problem. I just want to spoil everyone because I don't normally.....
I'll have to wait a few years before the oldest one will be up to that though.

I do like to buy nice pressies for my grandchildren but this year is going to be tight so hubby suggested cinema tickets for them then at least they can see what they want whithin 6 months i think. i have 9 granchildren and 4 step one so expensive time.i like filling up stocking for the baby ones.