Are you cutting back this year?

free · Postby **free** » December 3rd, 2008, 9:35 am

On Christmas shopping/giving that is...My wife and I are scaling back on what we buy the kids and my brothers/sisters, etc have all agreed to meet for a meal and not buy presents for anyone this year.

What is your family doing differently if anything?

Paully_44 · Postby **Paully_44** » December 3rd, 2008, 9:44 am

free wrote:On Christmas shopping/giving that is...My wife and I are scaling back on what we buy the kids and my brothers/sisters, etc have all agreed to meet for a meal and not buy presents for anyone this year.

What is your family doing differently if anything?

cutting back on gifts for the adults. Except, i am hoping to pick up Rock Band.

paul · Postby **paul** » December 3rd, 2008, 9:47 am

Christmas as usual.

INLOVE · Postby **INLOVE** » December 3rd, 2008, 10:01 am

cutting back slightly

KBevangelist · Postby **KBevangelist** » December 3rd, 2008, 10:01 am

I have been advocating cutting back for years, this is the first year I get my way.

To much is spent on gifts that for some are never used, worn or the like.

KB

jinjer · Postby **jinjer** » December 3rd, 2008, 10:11 am

I'm not cutting back, but I am considering giving gifts to charity in the names of those I love, and asking them to do the same if they are considering giving us a gift. One little boy in my family will NOT be getting a gift this year, but will have one donated to a less fortunate child on his behalf. He was so rude and arrogant last year about every gift he received that I decided then that someone else would appreciate his gift more. I will be telling his mother why I did it. Besides, so many of us don't really need anything.

Jinjer

Brandon Pickens · Postby **Brandon Pickens** » December 3rd, 2008, 11:23 am

We are cutting back on gifts this year. I am on four days a week and money is tight but we are making it....God provides in a big way. My wife and I said we were not going to purchase anything for each other but I bought her a little something last week for Christmas. She deserves it for putting up with me.

God bless.

Jennifer Smith · Postby **Jennifer Smith** » December 3rd, 2008, 11:28 am

We won't be cutting back, we have four kids and they are gems... it's hard to say what I'll get my parents and sam's, probably family pictures and a small personal gift. I don't want to cut back on anything though. Family is precious and Christmas is a time to let people know we love and appreciate them.

crispfin · Postby **crispfin** » December 3rd, 2008, 11:44 am

We've all decided to cut back on presents, but we're looking to go do more fun (and free) stuff together as a family.

Tracy · Postby **Tracy** » December 3rd, 2008, 12:03 pm

We are cutting back--exchanging few present within the extended family. I plan to cut back more next year. I also bought gifts on clearance this year, as well as making some homemade gifts.

RamboPreacher · Postby **RamboPreacher** » December 3rd, 2008, 12:12 pm

will prolly buy less wrapping paper.

I give all year round, so at Christmas time, there really isn't a lot spent special anyway.

I did get my son a laptop for Christmas, as he was accepted in the Disney college program and will be going to Orlando in January through August.

Sherry · Postby **Sherry** » December 3rd, 2008, 1:15 pm

RamboPreacher wrote:.

I did get my son a laptop for Christmas, as he was accepted in the Disney college program and will be going to Orlando in January through August.

Congrats to your son!

That's awesome!

We aren't doing anything different here, though there are less on our list, by choice.

lady4jc · Postby **lady4jc** » December 3rd, 2008, 6:57 pm

We are some. Usually we buy for all our brothers and sisters but this year my Daughter and her 3 kids are staying with us until she can get back on her feet good. We will buy for them and for my mom and his mom only. Tom, my husband and I usually go shopping together and he will pick out what he wants and I do the same and go ahead and buy what we want together. We might find something small and special to buy for each other but not sure yet.

Gerald Creasy · Postby **Gerald Creasy** » December 3rd, 2008, 7:00 pm

I'm cutting back on what I eat.

Time has cut back on the extent of the celebration. The family has either dwindled or scattered to the extent that there'll be only one or two with me this Christmas. (Amazing how when the grandparents die the rich part of the family wants nothing more to do with you.)

Linda · Postby **Linda** » December 3rd, 2008, 7:09 pm

I have a limited amount I spend on our daughters, but I let them pick out what they want and I pay for it. They are adults, so it makes life much easier, plus, no returns!

My hubby doesn't give "normal" gifts, but takes us on trips! He has already taken us to Disney World a couple of weeks ago as part of our Christmas presents and in the morning we are heading to Branson, MO for another Christmas trip. We are all excited! We spend a lot of time together as a family and really enjoy it!

Jude 2