Xmas presents - is it all worth the fuss?

[Rockstar]

Yes, yes, I know it's a nice thing to do and the kids love it but is it worth the hassle?

At the ripe old age of 47, I have just experienced the first Xmas free of giving and receiving any gifts. It's amazing how wonderfully stressless it has been not to be caught up in all the rush and fuss.
As we grow up and find ourselves owning all we need is there any point in focusing on this cultural activity of having to give and receive presents on one particular day of the year - especially when one is not a christian?

How does this Xmas present exchange affect you? Do you enjoy it or is it a stress?

 

[topcropper]

I've no religious beliefs whatsoever.

It's all just a bit of fun, booze and good food. I enjoyed presents as a kid and now I enjoy making my kids happy with santa presents.

Most of my family live close so theres never been a big family thing about christmas, we see everyone all the time. No stress here, but mainly because my great wife does all that present buying stuff as just before Christmas I'm always busy with work.


Cheers.

 

[vincenzo]

Yes, yes, I know it's a nice thing to do and the kids love it but is it worth the hassle?

And the wife loves it too, what more do you want?

Merry Xmas Somersofters

 

[Luv2Travel]

How does this Xmas present exchange affect you? Do you enjoy it or is it a stress?

Rockstar... AKA Somsersoft Scrooge.

I've enjoyed the gift buying process this year as I started early and have been organised. I enjoy buying gifts for others, especially now as there are young children in the family it's even more fun. However, even the rest of the family members, I think it's still nice to give and receive gifts.

As far as receiving, I won't say no to them. I actually don't have everything I want, as I try to be reasonably sensible (borderline tight@rse) and so for me, it's a chance to get something I want and not feel guilty about it.

Anyhow, Merry Christmas everyone.

 

[pennyk]

Well, we've just opened our presents, and I say yes its worth it!
I leave it to the last minute and run round like a headless chook..... but its a good chance for my hubby and I to get things that we would put off otherwise (DVD player, luggage this year), and its still exciting for the kids who are entering their teenage years. Yesterday my son was complaining that it didn't feel like Christmas anymore...... but today he's so excited, despite being a cool teenager!

But I do agree that we shouldn't be so focused on presents. When we had Christmas overseas one year, it was a much simpler affair (helped by the fact that I forgot to pack the gifts I'd bought for them in Australia!)..... and that was really special as well.

Pen

 

[Piston Broke]

I have just experienced the first Xmas free of giving and receiving any gifts. It's amazing how wonderfully stressless it has been not to be caught up in all the rush and fuss.

It's been like that for a few years round here, with only the little ones getting presents. And it's not as if they have lack of toys to play with.
Xmas is not about toys or presents, it's about being together with your loved ones giving and sharing your most valued asset: time. Mixed with lots of food, drink, banter music and especially laughs..
You buy what you want, I buy what i want and everybody is happy.

What's the point of being a tight@rse all year and then buying some presents one time of the year because the media said you should.

 

[ok180]

I got married this year so now I get to outsource all the stress to my wife who happens to love shopping for everyone's gifts.

She usually tells me what she wants as well so it's all pretty easy.

 

[Deena]

I agree, I could do without Christmas, can't bare all of the fuss and bother. I did love watching the kids when they were little, all of the build up and excitement watching thier faces when opening thier presents. Now they are teenagers if you do not get them the right brand, etc they are not happy.

I have not bought presents this year, they think I am kidding but wait till they wake and see it is true. We are going out to a resteraunt for lunch today, costs and arm and a leg, so I say they should be grateful.

Nothing worse then getting presents for the sake of presents, something you really do not want.

My step mum is from a european background so we celebrate with dad on christmas eve.

I think all year round you get what you want, when you want per sae so trying to buy the right thing for chrissy perhhhhhh

It is my birthday in a day or two's time, think that is more special. I wait all year round and it is all over and done with in two day, chrissy, birthday.

 

[The Y-man]

At the ripe old age of 47, I have just experienced the first Xmas free of giving and receiving any gifts.

Must admit to having done that for a while now

Where we do give gifts - we tend to try and make them - literally (I reckon this makes them harder to replicate and put a price on!)

eg...

A loaf of bread (well, everyone does cakes, so why not some nice bread?)made with straight organic wholemeal flour (ok, just discovered that 100% wholemeal don't rise as easily and you end up with a very heavy bread - should have gone sourdough option so the yeast would have more time to digest the hard stuff...)

Plants propogated from cutttings from our garden - some of these take 6months to prepare, so they actually do require planning way ahead!

The Y-man

 

[kathryn d]

This has been Rob's and mine first Xmas in Australia together. It is just the two of us.We are also not celebrating Xmas for the first time.
It is my dad's birthday..he would have been 87.
Our 4 kids are in Canada. Daughter is spending it with friends. The boys are not celebrating as far as I know.
We still sent them money, so all is good there.
Our other present to them was not to buy anything for us.

Rob and I never exchange presents.
Normally we would have the xmas dinner of turkey,gravy, stuffing, carrots, suede turnip,mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce. Apple pie and pumpkin pie for dessert.

Today will be chicken breast in a simmering sauce over rice.I thought about cooking a chicken with the trimmings..maybe later in the week.

I have noticed warm climates do not do the decorations like the colder northern countries.Canada is more like the Norman Rockwell scenes, than I realised.Certainly not all of the homes..but a lot.

Merry Xmas forumites

 

[jaycee]

Yes, yes, I know it's a nice thing to do and the kids love it but is it worth the hassle?

How does this Xmas present exchange affect you? Do you enjoy it or is it a stress?

To provide for kids something which was obvioulsy so speical and so enjoyed by me and al the other kids I've known..... absolutley worth it

What's so hard or bad about it that it dampens the enthusiasm and joy you see in kids at this time.

 

[Nikolina]

The whole presents thing is just an waste of money and an excuse to boost the economy bit like Valentines day. Totally overrated.

 

[Mooze]

Love giving pressies! First year hubby and I haven't had at least one of the families around to celebrate with.

Usually we just get each other one thing we've been hanging out for a while for. This year went through usual proceedure, but I also secretly spent the last three days getting lots of little presents for the other half, wrapping them, stashing them in spots. Cut a branch off a tree last night and decorated it. Put the dogs two presents under it (with peanut butter smeared inside for hilarity). Got up around 3am this morning and put all hubby's secret presents under there, woke up around 7:30 and told him santa had come for him.
He saw the gifts, massive smile on face.
Lots of little things - nerf gun and ammo, wahu soccer ball, lollies and chocolate, gym floor mats, matchbox car, scrabble, dvd - basically recreated a kids christmas - haven't seen him so happy in a long time.

So yes presents are worth it all!

 

[jaycee]

The whole presents thing is just an waste of money and an excuse to boost the economy bit like Valentines day. Totally overrated.

Shame to let commercialism take over something so beautiful, I mean the idea of Christmas etc was around a long time before David Jones and Myer etc started telling people how to run our lives !

 

[ianvestor]

Yes, yes, I know it's a nice thing to do and the kids love it but is it worth the hassle?

Definitely not worth the hassle. Today is my best xmas ever! No presents given or received, sitting at home alone in my PJ's completely stress free. It certainly is a merry xmas.

Cheers everyone!

 

[Y33]

Never use to enjoy xmas that much until my own little ones came along. I nearly missed out on not being home this year and it wasn't until yesterday that we could put the tree up together. Christmas is what you make of it and if you want to spend the time alone at home or don't want to give something special to love ones or family then that is your prerogative. Would be nice if the Christmas spirit could be every day instead of once a year but then again it feels like Christmas every day at my place.

 

[The Y-man]

The whole presents thing is just an waste of money and an excuse to boost the economy bit like Valentines day. Totally overrated.

Could buy an IP or two for a loved one?

The Y-man

 

[NBS]

Xmas is for the kids, I used to take the kids 4x4 ing and search for a tree in the forests (adventure packed for the kids) they helped pick out the tree once felled, loaded and home the fun started.

The tree was always higher than our ceiling (3.6m ceilings) the wife would just shake her head and protest about the size and how its was going to fit. Once erected the decorating started and everyone was involved, pressies all put out (bar some specials for the kids) we know how they like to rattle things etc

When the rellies turned up on the day they just shock thier heads and laughed about the tree (size), and it was all about the kids, food, drinks and plenty of laughs and a chill out day.

No stress then or now, although things have changed kids grown up and living interstate, so now usually only 6 adults (rellies) on the day and its more just a gathering for laughs, food and some drinks.

Food everyone brings a plate and BYO, as for presents we just do a secert santa thing NO STRESS usually to a value of $50 - 60.

Brian

 

[angela1]

I enjoy buying for my daughters, but I find it stressfull having to buy for nieces, nephews, inlaws etc.
I suggested today that next year we do a secret santa, and instead of exchanging (mostly) gift vouchers, that we buy one special present for one person only.
I will still buy for my kids, but it will be so much easier to not have to try and come up with pressies for the rest of the clan

 

[rugrat]

I love christmas. But to be honest, I don't find present buying at all stressful - I love to shop and this gives me a good excuse. What I find more stressful is the extended family (ie, MY parents and siblings) who all think things should be done their way.

It's strange. We have dinner with these people about once a fortnight and rarely have issues, but all of a sudden its christmas day and they drive me mad. Next year I have decided I'll just stay at my house until the end of the day and then see the rest of the family for the hour or two when we are actually having dinner - much less stress.