Christmas 2022.

[barkley]

I cleaned my mother's house during a visit over the summer and found at least 10 years worth of Christmas presents stuffed in a closet unopened

growing up we could always count on at least one item in our easter basket wrapped in christmas paper. it never failed that mom would forget where she had squirlled away christmas gifts and would rediscover them when she went hunting for our easter baskets.

 

[100AcreWood]

This is good subject! Everything will be around the same budget for the kids but I would like to reduce spending on adult gifts.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

growing up we could always count on at least one item in our easter basket wrapped in christmas paper. it never failed that mom would forget where she had squirlled away christmas gifts and would rediscover them when she went hunting for our easter baskets.

I wish this was the case with my mother, it was 10 years worth of stuff we had given her - that she had just stuffed in the closet without even bothering to open.

 

[barkley]

I wish this was the case with my mother, it was 10 years worth of stuff we had given her - that she had just stuffed in the closet without even bothering to open.

got it. a similar thing happened to a former neighbor. when he and his sibs went to clear out his very elderly mother's home after she passed they found a couple of decades worth of brand new small appliances still in their boxes under her bed. they realized it was a collection of christmas, mother's day and birthday gifts they had collectively given her.

 

[Bamaclan4]

got it. a similar thing happened to a former neighbor. when he and his sibs went to clear out his very elderly mother's home after she passed they found a couple of decades worth of brand new small appliances still in their boxes under her bed. they realized it was a collection of christmas, mother's day and birthday gifts they had collectively given her.

I sometimes wonder if it’s a carry over from their upbringing with that generation. They didn’t waste or buy unnecessarily and always held onto things that they may need later. Oh if more people could grab on to this process there wouldn’t be near the debt and waste, but that’s for another post.

 

[barkley]

I sometimes wonder if it’s a carry over from their upbringing with that generation. They didn’t waste or buy unnecessarily and always held onto things that they may need later. Oh if more people could grab on to this process there wouldn’t be near the debt and waste, but that’s for another post.

oh it was definitely that way for my mom and dad, they lived by the old saying of 'use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without. while they genuinely appreciated the gifts they received if it was a duplicate then it would be carefully stored until the existing was either beyond repair or its repair exceeded its value. i will say-stuff like appliances were made better back then and had a much longer use life. i am the grateful beneficiary of several appliances in stellar working condition that date back as many as 85 years-

a first year issue (1937) kitchen aid mixer,
a 1966 farberware rotissery broiler grill, and
a 1967 vitamix (with the stainless steel container).

they never wore out for the decades their original owners possessed them nor have them for me going on 30 years. my 2 kids joke about who has dibs on these items as well as some old odds and ends in my kitchen that just like those we've spoken of-i refuse to discard b/c they still work perfectly fine.

 

[isabellea]

For the second time, we will spend New Year at WDW then go to Universal. The kids know about the WDW portion since it’s our July trip that had to be postponed so I could get a surgery to remove a (benign) tumour. But the Universal portion is a surprise! We booked RPR with points so it won’t break the bank and we will have free Express pass!

We always do 3 gifts per kid every year. One from their sister, one from us and one from Santa. We give our daughters 50-100$ each to choose something for the other. Our gift is always an activity or experience. In the past years they received an annual pass for the zoo, tickets for Ariana Grande show, karting, etc. This year they will receive the Universal portion of the trip as a gift. I will try to find gryffindor swag for them to wrap. Finally, Santa’s gift is usually the biggest (in size, not necessarily value) wrapped gift. This year, my oldest will get a makeup organization system with a Sephora GC and my youngest will get a shaved ice kit (I found a KitchenAid attachment and some syrups).

For advent calendars, I have a handmade one with little boxes and I already bought some Lindt truffles when on sale for them.

Finally, I cannot wait to say a permanent goodbye to our Elf on the shelf but my youngest still believes. it’s the last year!!!

 

[dreamin_disney]

After being on the receiving end of *scanned , scamed * gift cards last year we will NOT be buying them this year ,,cash is golden.
( Creative ways to give Money)
https://www.creatingreallyawesomefunthings.com/creative-ways-to-give-money/

i get so nervous buying gift cards as gifts. I try getting the ones that you need to scratch the codes and it’s covered up. Which kinda card did you get and was it just a barcode or scratch off code?

 

[dreamin_disney]

I bought the two pack of blend jet blenders for 69.99 . Did anyone the two jet blenders and do you like it?

I just realize there’s two versions. I think the one we bought is the original but there’s a #2 or a next Gen version. I already wrapped it up lol! If you own the Blender Jet let me know if you like it and it’s worth it. These are pricey individually so I thought 2 for $69.99 was a good deal.
Oh and if you have the lid off is there anyway if you accidentally hit the button will is start? That’s my biggest fear lol! Wish it had a little flap or cover and sipping top

 

[bababear_50]

I retired last Summer. I used to have money automatically deposited into a Christmas time savings account, time for a new savings method.
I am giving my 3 sons and granddaughter $200.00 cash and one Amazon Gift Card each this year. (they always seem to be ordering something from there).

To get me started with my cash savings for next year I made this savings chart (2023).
I still make stockings for them but having the big cash expense taken care of is great.


Hugs Mel
$200.00 saved so far. for 2023.

 

[kathy884]

This is not just this year, but a general trend for me is cutting back at Christmas:

We've stopped air travel at holidays. We will though do a driving trip up to see my dad for Christmas and keep this driving trip up for either Thanksgiving or Christmas each year. Dad is just six hours away. For both Christmas and Thanksgiving we used to travel (air) for at least one of those holidays (lots at Disney/Orlando too) and very often both Thanksgiving and Christmas. We have lots of reasons for this change - not tied to a school schedule, more vacation time, so can travel at nice times of the year vs. needing to fit in visits to farther away family and vacations at holidays, not as interested in Orlando (common place for my side of the family to get together), Mother-in-law in New Jersey is deceased and we aren't doing the annual trip to New Jersey to see DH's other relatives (sister, niece, and nephew) in that area with her gone, it's so expensive to travel during the holidays, and everywhere for vacation is so crowded during the holidays, etc. Love skipping that after doing it for so many years/decades really.

For Gifts overall spending is down for this year over last, but is higher than in the past for two people
-- DH and I have never exchanged.
-- I still do something for our 20 something grown son and his boyfriend, but have cut back on Christmas (do a lot during the year for them) // just spending 1/3 of what I did last year for Christmas. But last year I got them a washer and dryer for their new apartment.
-- I usually get something little for my dad -- am doing more than normal this year -- bringing a Honey Baked Ham and getting up a replacement cordless landline four phone system that I will setup for him. He's 86 and has been having problems with his landline phones. (spending about double what I normally do -- two things instead of one). The honey baked ham is more for us, though -- We just love that for Christmas. The phone is because his just recently started giving him trouble, so that's the perfect thing to get and he'll appreciate my setting it up for sure.
-- For my brother I now just send him and his family a $12 box of these really yummy chocolate covered almonds.
-- Have stopped gift exchange with everyone else.

More charitable contribution to more distant family than gift exchange BUT:
-- I spend about $650 every year (check, visa gift card, and peanut brittle) for one super sweet cousin who has disabilities and lives in section 8 housing. I put aside $25 each paycheck so this doesn't seem like a burden to me or overly excessive. Used to adopt a family I didn't know thru church spending about the same, but do this now for this very sweet appreciative person who is way worse off than those families instead. He does the best he can with his limited means and is very thankful for everything he has and is thankful and feels blessed that he can get by (very thrifty and a very impressive attitude). I started that about 10 years ago. Have not despite inflation upped that. With DH retiring though our income is lower, and I haven't lowered that either.

-- I have another cousin (cousin above's brother) who went into assisted living during Covid (nice place I think -- poor guy though is not doing well, is really messed up). I have never exchanged or gotten holiday gifts for him before. He though told me he was really was interested in a digital frame with digital photos of family, so how could I possibly refuse anything like that that might give him a little joy. My son converted old family photos to digital and I got a digital frame, loaded photos on a USB flash drive, set if up the way I think he'll want it, and just mailed it to him with this put together so he doesn't need to do anything or have staff do anything. All that has to be done is plug it in (no need for WI-FI), and I'm sending this to the director of the group home and he will have one of the staff plug it in, in a good place in my cousin's room. (This cousin lives a good 18 hours away from where I live.) Will probably just go back to a nice card next year. This year was an exception.

Sometimes less is more.

 

[bababear_50]

i get so nervous buying gift cards as gifts. I try getting the ones that you need to scratch the codes and it’s covered up. Which kinda card did you get and was it just a barcode or scratch off code?

Hi
Just barcodes.
They were gas cards and just a barcode.

 

[barkley]

getting up a replacement cordless landline four phone system that I will setup for him. He's 86 and has been having problems with his landline phones.

you may want to have him keep at least one cordless phone plugged in or at least set aside near a landline connection so he could grab it and swap it out in case of a power outage. cordless phones don't work when the power goes out so it's a safety consideration.

 

[dreamin_disney]

Hi
Just barcodes.
They were gas cards and just a barcode.

I ended up buying 5 Starbucks gift cards $10 each to add to coco goodie bags I made For coworkers. The gift cards have a barcode and pin scratch off. Hopefully there’s no issues

the other 5 coworkers I just gave bags with coco packs, cup, cookie and some fuzzy socks.

Next year I need to plan better and get good deals on food lunch cards

 

[100AcreWood]

I'm not a crafty person, but I wanted a creative way to give money to dd(20). I found this idea on Pinterest. The money is attached to the card you pull.