Do you and your SO still exhange gifts since having kids?

[Tiff]

Only asking as I got taken to task by my Mom for hubby and I not exchanging gifts at Christmas.

To be honest, Christmas is incredibly expensive for us as Claire's birthday is just 6 days before. So not only do we have presents to buy for our families, but then on top of that birthday presents for Claire.

Hubby and I decided that since we both work and whatnot we can buy what we want for ourselves (and each other!) randomly over the year, rather than feeling pressured to buy gifts for each other and add to the already massive bill. We even start buying Christmas/Birthday gifts early in the year to avoid how expensive at one shot it can be.

My mom thinks this is atrocious And she told me she feels "sad" for me that we don't exchange gifts. Tbh, I quite enjoy seeing Claire's face opening up presents rather than get any myself.

Got me to thinking though, does anyone else do this? Or are we the exception?

 

[Ceejay123]

I buy my OH gifts. Its annoying that his birthday is in November though! (I suppose so is mine, Sorry OH!)

I always buy him some from the kids too x

 

[mellyboo]

We always buy gifts for each other around christmas time we have a budget about 150.00 each and I aways buy him something from Jords too.

 

[jd83]

We don't. We just buy for our kids, and other family members that we do exchanges with. That's expensive enough, lol. We have the same view, that we can buy what we want throughout the year, and we buy each other gifts on bdays and Mothers/Fathers day.

Some years we buy something for the house that we've been wanting, and say that's our present. In the past, we got a new dishwasher one year because it was needed, and that was our gift to ourselves. Another year we got a new bedroom set. And so on. THis year Idon't think we'll do anything for ourselves as we just don't have it in the budget.

ETA: I think my FIL feels the same way your mom does, lol. He always buys my MIL a piece of jewelry for Christmas, and acts likes its a huge thing that he's done. To me, she has tons of jewelry and buying her a new piece every year kind of seems thoughtless and unneeded since she has so much already that she doesn't even wear since she has a few favorite pieces. Buying just for the sake of buying is not needed. And buying the same thing every year is not really putting much thought into it. But that's just me. He tries to get my DH to do the same for me and make it a tradition, but I've told me DH very clearly that I find expensive jewelry to be a waste of money when we have other things much more needed by the family.

 

[Savannah11]

I always buy gifts for hubby and even more annoying is his birthday is 20th december but i love spoiling him as he buys nothing for himself xxx

 

[Tiff]

We don't. We just buy for our kids, and other family members that we do exchanges with. That's expensive enough, lol. We have the same view, that we can buy what we want throughout the year, and we buy each other gifts on bdays and Mothers/Fathers day.

Some years we buy something for the house that we've been wanting, and say that's our present. In the past, we got a new dishwasher one year because it was needed, and that was our gift to ourselves. Another year we got a new bedroom set. And so on. THis year Idon't think we'll do anything for ourselves as we just don't have it in the budget.

ETA: I think my FIL feels the same way your mom does, lol. He always buys my MIL a piece of jewelry for Christmas, and acts likes its a huge thing that he's done. To me, she has tons of jewelry and buying her a new piece every year kind of seems thoughtless and unneeded since she has so much already that she doesn't even wear since she has a few favorite pieces. Buying just for the sake of buying is not needed. And buying the same thing every year is not really putting much thought into it. But that's just me. He tries to get my DH to do the same for me and make it a tradition, but I've told me DH very clearly that I find expensive jewelry to be a waste of money when we have other things much more needed by the family.

That's us to a T! Birthdays, Mother's Day and Father's Day are more spread out through the year and its so much easier to buy for those ha ha.

I really do feel the same way about the gifts. Granted, if we had the extra money (or Claire's birthday not be so close to Christmas!) we'd probably exchange gifts as well. But that's not our life!

I don't think its wrong to want to spend money on your OH at Christmas for sure! But I found it a bit mean to be told that we're "sad" because we don't? Its weird how kids change things. Before Claire, I very much wanted my prezzies

I'm such crap with gift giving too. Claire is easy as she has a list a mile long to pick from. Thankfully my brother and SIL feel the same way as us (they're much better off financially than we are ) and so we don't exchange gifts with them. We just buy for our nephews and they just buy for Claire.


I do feel the same as well about buying for the sake of buying. I wouldn't want the same thing over and over again each year either

 

[monkee12]

We will be buying for each other this year, my bday is also a few days before Xmas so hubby gets a bugger budget for me lol. This year the budget is 150 off me and 50 off the kids x

 

[SmartieMeUp]

Depends on our money circumstances with if and how much we spend on each other.

OH's birthday is on 19th so it's pretty close to Christmas and takes a little of out the budget. I've got him a few bits for Christmas this year but nothing huge, last year I spoilt him. My presents from him are coming out of his 31st December wage so he can focus on DD.

 

[BertieBones]

We don't buy each other much, we have a stocking each and then buy a few token gifts for under the tree. I normally get DH new socks, some toiletries, chocs and sweets, some silly bits (like a yoyo or lego keyring) in his stocking then aftershave and maybe 2 other gifts for under the tree. ( last year was aftershave, a photobook and a voucher for back massage at a local beauty place). We dont spend more than £50 on each other though x

 

[060509.x]

We still buy for each other.

 

[Bid]

We buy each other gifts but from DS, if that makes sense. Usually it's just a few small bits like slippers etc, but this year I got a good deal on a new headset for his PS4 so he'll be getting that. I'll probably still get him his slippers though! We do the same for birthdays. We don't do valentines day or anniversary gifts or cards either.

 

[Quackquack99]

We do and I hope we always do even if it's a small token gifts. I don't remember my parents ever exchanging presents for birthdays etc so I think it's nice to do it.

 

[jd83]

We buy each other gifts but from DS, if that makes sense. Usually it's just a few small bits like slippers etc, but this year I got a good deal on a new headset for his PS4 so he'll be getting that. I'll probably still get him his slippers though! We do the same for birthdays. We don't do valentines day or anniversary gifts or cards either.

We do have the kids get a gift for us, something small. The kids are going to help me decorate a coffee mug for DH, and he had them get me a bracelet that says "Love you to the Moon and back" because they always tell me that (I opened the package when it came in the mail. oops lol ). It wasn't expensive though, I think maybe $15.

 

[Vickie]

We do but our kids birthdays are way more spread out than yours! And I don't really buy for family (well I buy something for my parents but that's about it really). I try to pick up a little something for close friends kids as really that's what Christmas is about for me--I love watching kids faces as they open their gifts

 

[Amarna]

We do but we spend much more on the kids than on ourselves. I don't see a problem with not exchanging gifts if that's what you've decided on. Especially with your daughter's birthday so close to Christmas I can definitely see things getting tight.

 

[Tanikins]

We buy something for each other. Its normally so.ething he needs though. This year he has a jumper, boxers. A coffee machine but really for both. Hoping to get some trainers closer to xmas

 

[wendzwoo]

We have a £20 budget but dh usually spends more on me . I do get him stocking presents though as my mum does mine.

 

[MrsEngland]

It really depends if we have the money. More often than not we set a budget and both get each other a few little bits.

 

[Pearls18]

We do yes, I love buying for DH, I'm really good at it lol, I love his shocked face when I get him something he mentioned months ago. I have to admit DH normally asks for a lot of help as to what to get me lol, but I would hate not to buy for him as you say it's seeing their faces, his just as much as the kids lol. We've stopped buying on anniversaries and do joint treats then instead. Our budget is only £100 each for Christmas so we don't go crazy (we obviously spend a lot more on the kids) when we had less money it was less but I think we've bought each other something every year, except perhaps the year we got married as it was a week before Xmas. It's a bit of a pain though as his birthday, DS2's birthday and our wedding anniversary is all in December.

 

[aimee-lou]

We buy for each other. We normally just have a small 'challenge' budget...this year its £25. I try to get him something thoughtful rather than spoiling him. His birthday is in January so he gets more then..... Big ticket items then lol. This year he's getting cufflinks and a book he's been after for ages.