A bit more this year as we have a new daughter in law!

More this year, but not on gifts - travel. Relatives flew down to us last year since we had a newborn. This year we'll be flying.

Keep your fingers crossed that TSA employees don't decide to strip search my 1 year old daughter at checkin.

Less. My sister's family didn't appreciate their gift, made disparaging remarks, so they will go without a gift of $80.00 worth of gourmet award winning cheese. Makes my life easier to boot!

"they will go without a gift of $80.00 worth of gourmet award winning cheese"

Seriously?
You cut off you family because of $80 worth of cheese?

Great gravy, who NEEDS that much cheese?

Well, mail-order fancy cheese costs about three times what it would cost in a store. But it's a present I would love.

But I understand the sentiment Daisymaewi5 expressed, and I'd have the same reaction. We quit giving presents to any and all adults many years ago. My son and his wife get a gift card to Costco, but the 6 yr old grandson still gets goodies. We send Christmas cards to everyone else.

We also encourage people to not gift us, or at most, make a charity donation. We got really tired of people wasting money on gifts that we didn't need, so this goes both ways.

The biggest cash gifts I give are to the gardener and the cleaning lady, both of whom get the cash equivalent to two-weeks service.

We've never spent a lot at one specific time of year. We just give what we want throughout the year and never on credit. The week of Thanksgiving is my usual time to decide which charities to support before the year ends. We give to those that supply basic needs -- only local ones where we know they make every dime count: A food bank, a hospice, a mentoring program.

A suggestion to the food gift lovers gift yourself before you send a mail order food gift. Most of those even the ones that say they were award winners the award was for one ingredient in the whole container. SIL used to send those until we served him the product. Really nasty processed cheese. Some food gifts are absolutely wonderful but having learned from FIL's gift to try before ordering. You can request early shipment to yourself. Then if it meets your standard order for gifts. If you work or volunteer you can always pass it on.

I am planning on gifting more. Hubby has always wanted a Canon EOS camera so that will be his only present. His birthday is the 26th so will be getting accessories. After that my gift money that I set aside will be gone.

less by about half. Our children have more $ than we do, so trying to pinch to buy them something really nice just doesn't make sense. Also, there have been no raises for several years now and we are approaching retirement. We are blessed that my husband can still work, but we still have to pare back

A little more this year, however the kids a little less. They both had expensive laptops and phones recently and we agreed that this was their main Christmas/birthdays rolled in to one ahead of time!!

Less. Absolutely nothing. We are all employed but we realize we have so much STUFF. I have spent most of this year carting items to the Salvation Army and arranging for charity pickups. New motto - use it or get rid of it!

We are all relieved to have no shopping to do! But none of us have small children either, though we do have a few in their twenties.

Last night I saw a commercial about gift wrapping and felt another moment of relief knowing I have no wrapping to do!

We will get together, eat, play games, watch TV.....looking forward to it!

My family agreed 10 yrs ago that everybody was adults and nobody needed more 'stuff'. Nephew has a new (first) baby so I donate to his 529 plan and sent the info to everyone else; the last thing this kid needs is more toys, LOL.

We give to charity, and considering the times, have bumped up our contributions 100% or more to each one. DH has finally gotten used to this (his family gives NOTHING to charities, just tithes to the Catholic church), and is now encouraging of our donating to those who are in real need.

We are spending a tiny bit more as my niece moved back to town and has a seven year old daughter - the only child in the family. I used to send my niece a check, but will buy something from the child's wish list this year. We also buy small gifts for the neighbor kids, but only those younger than 13. The adults all go out to dinner. It is relaxing and festive without all the hassle of shopping. No one needs more "stuff."

I do my charity giving through the CFC; it comes out of every pay check. We've also taken loads of stuff to the local thrift stores run by the charities.

Western Pa = I didn't cut off my family. I am just not giving them a gift this year. We often don't give each other gifts without repercussions. Why is it so important to give gifts? I'd rather spend quality time making memories instead of the obligatory gifts people think are so necessary.

Also, this was not Kraft Velveeta cheese. It was US Cheese Championship award winning cheese. 4 different cheeses to nibble on over the holiday week. Excellent; worth every penny.

Funny you mentioned the US Cheese Championship award. A friend mentioned it and I looked at the site to see the cheeses. There is a class for Velveeta type cheeses along with some spreadables. I am leary about food gifts because taste is so subjective.

The judging will be again held in 2011. No judging was done in 2010

Here is a link that might be useful: Cheese championship list

We are giving lots of homemade baked breads and cookies, canned jams and salsa, handcrafted jewelry and knitted items. I prefer to receive homemade gifts myself.

I can't imagine the holidays without giving gifts. I love shopping for people and I love receiving gifts. I don't buy food except for a friend who loves Harry & David Pears. She gets them each Christmas. I buy for my husband, kids and grand children and a few friends. Money for cleaning lady and gardener.

I also love wrapping gifts. I love the way the house looks at the holidays. Its all fun!

Jane

If you take Jane's post and replace the word "love" with "hate", that would fit how I view buying christmas gifts for anyone except small children.

Just ballpark, as a country we spend $45 billion on "stuff" for christmas. There are about a half million homeless people/families in the US. That is enough to buy all of them a modest $90,000 house. Instead, most people bought stuff they don't need for people who don't want it. I know it isn't a really an apples to apples (or cheese-to-cheese) comparison, but I think it is very telling as to where our priorities are.

Wow bill.

I feel for the homeless people, but I'm not going to help buy them a house, modest or otherwise.

I'm going to buy "stuff" for my kids and their spouses and for my mom that I know they want but can't afford to buy for themselves. Some years the "stuff" is more needed than others - like buying blinds for one kid's entire house. This year the "stuff" is less needed but still desired, like GPS units for the cars for daughter and her husband, and cooking classes for son and his wife.

I'm also going to get non-neccessary "stuff" for my husband, buying him something for Christmas that he would be buying for himself in the next 6 months or so anyway.

I'm a fairly generous person and give a lot of financial support to my mom (who otherwise has only a small SS income), an uncle (disabled and also otherwise has only a small SS income), a sister (special needs child's needs prevents her from working), and a college student nephew, in addition to giving to a couple of select charities (which do help the homeless) but I'm not going to stop giving welcomed presents to my loved ones in order to give money to help house the homeless.

classicalone - It's your money, so you can spend it however you want. If you think that highest calling for that dollar is a GPS unit, that is your decision to make.

Personally, I would rather not get store bought presents for christmas. My wife and I have only been able to convince about half of each of our families to get rid of the gift "tradition." Despite numerous requests, several family members insist on giving us unwanted items and will be offended if we do not respond in kind. That is just life in the US circa 2010. People don't see the irony of a month long shopping season to commemorate the birth of someone who rejected the material trappings of the world. Maybe I just missed the part where the wise men brought a new pair of earrings for mary, a flatscreen for Joseph, and a gift card for the inn keeper.

No.. they just brought gold, frankincense and myrrh!

Less. I told all members of my family (on a personal letter) we can't afford gifts this year. I'm only giving a few stocking stuffers to DH. And maybe $50 or $100 to each of our 2 daughters. I'm making gifts-baking cookies and knitting little Christmas stockings as tree ornaments for loved ones.

Less. I loved giving gifts, period, to my nieces and nephews but have rarely been thanked and my SIL has acted as if I am imposing on her when I do so (ie adding to her burden since now she has to get something for me--though I tell her no reciprocation needed). Part of a very complicated family emotional situation. So this year I am gifting her with her wish-no gifts!

Less to family members but not because our financial situation has changed (DH job loss due to companies closing). November had BD's of our granddaughters, ages 11 and 19. Both were sent cards with money and neither thanked us. Somewhere it is said don't give a gift with the expectation of gratitude but I feel that means don't expect reciprocation or undying gratitude - a simple thanks should be expected.

Also, MIL's sister passed away, we paid for her to fly for funeral and for necessary dental work. A gift when needed.

Those are 2 examples. Like raee, I enjoy gifting. What I have done in the past and will continue to do is gifting local charities. Many of the families here are in more dire need than we due to stated companies closing. So we will continue throughout the year to contribute to food pantries, etc. Also, at times I have bought items; one year it was 10 basketballs for the mission.

I agree with Raee and Calirose. It's sickening not to be thanked for gifts from the teens and 20 somethings in the family - who are not in need of anything anyway. This year, I gave more to a family who I know is in need (single mom on unempolyment who makes $18.00 too much to get food stamps), rather than give anymore to people who don't need, want it, or feel obligated to return the favor and just because they happen to be member of my family.

This is the last year I spend more than $100.00 on Xmas.