Where do you draw the line with family?

[ChloesMummy]

My family is mahoooosive and the cost is just getting ridiculous. The adults (anyone over 16) stopped buying for each other and we just do a sort of secret santa thing which is fine. But we still buy for the children under 16, there is something like 15 on my side and 4 on OH's then both sets of parents and both sets of grandparents

I just know that even if everyone agree's to stopping they will still buy my 2

It needs to stop! x

 

[Tegans Mama]

We buy small gifts (fiver or less) for everyone but my niece (she's the only niece we have on either side)

 

[kiwimama]

Our family stopped buying gifts for everyone years ago. Until last year we did a Secret Santa but last year no one gave anyone else anything. Ella was the only one who got gifts, but she's the only child in our family.

 

[leeanne]

Why don't you try to pick names this year? I am sure these children probably get a ton of gifts from Santa too, am I right?

 

[Blah11]

We have some family friends and we get the adults a cinema ticket each and the kids get a box of chocolates to share Not very expensive but the thought is there

 

[Laura2919]

I buy for
Mum
Dad
Brother
Sister
Niece
Aunty (mum sis)
Uncle (mums bro)
2 cousins (my uncles kids)
My OH
My girls
My friends

The rest of my family I rarely speak to although they buy for the twins

 

[Scally]

We are moving house this year so i have said to my family that we wont buy at all this year- my family are skint too. So i buy for one sister who is 17, not for any of the others, my cousins baby (we are close to), my sister's three children. and on my OH side we buy for his mum, dad, sister, brother in law, and two nans (going to try and get him to cut down this year).
We do have a rule though if u have children, people stop buying for u and buy for the children instead.

 

[wannabmamma]

i buy for:
My parents
OHs parents
Nieces and nephews (7 in total)
and OH

 

[emilyjade]

i buy for

my LO
OH
my dad
my mamma
OH's grandad and partner


think thats it all my family we either dont speak to or they have passed away!

 

[discoclare]

I buy for:
DD
OH
Mum
Step dad
Dad
Step mum
Niece
Nephew
Best friend
Godmother
MIL
FIL
SIL

but not for my sister / brother as we agreed years ago only to buy for each other's LOs.

 

[sequeena]

Luckily my family is quite small but I have told everyone we don't have as much to spend this year as we're getting on top of our debt.

I feel bad though as my mum has told me (not because she expects the same, this is the first Christmas since my father in law was arrested for sexually abusing me since childhood so she wants to make it the best Christmas ever) that she's spent a ton on stuff for me and has got loads. I told her it's ok I'm 21, not 5 I don't expect a lot but she won't have any of it. She's severely disabled and only has incapacity/disabled benefits I feel terrible but she's an awesome budgeter and buys throughout the year. Can't help thinking she should be spending the money on herself though

Woops, went on a bit of a waffle there.

 

[ChloesMummy]

Luckily my family is quite small but I have told everyone we don't have as much to spend this year as we're getting on top of our debt.

I feel bad though as my mum has told me (not because she expects the same, this is the first Christmas since my father in law was arrested for sexually abusing me since childhood so she wants to make it the best Christmas ever) that she's spent a ton on stuff for me and has got loads. I told her it's ok I'm 21, not 5 I don't expect a lot but she won't have any of it. She's severely disabled and only has incapacity/disabled benefits I feel terrible but she's an awesome budgeter and buys throughout the year. Can't help thinking she should be spending the money on herself though

Woops, went on a bit of a waffle there.

Thats awful. I hope this is a great Christmas for hun! x

 

[sequeena]

Luckily my family is quite small but I have told everyone we don't have as much to spend this year as we're getting on top of our debt.

I feel bad though as my mum has told me (not because she expects the same, this is the first Christmas since my father in law was arrested for sexually abusing me since childhood so she wants to make it the best Christmas ever) that she's spent a ton on stuff for me and has got loads. I told her it's ok I'm 21, not 5 I don't expect a lot but she won't have any of it. She's severely disabled and only has incapacity/disabled benefits I feel terrible but she's an awesome budgeter and buys throughout the year. Can't help thinking she should be spending the money on herself though

Woops, went on a bit of a waffle there.

Thats awful. I hope this is a great Christmas for hun! x

Thank you, I'm going to have a lovely Christmas whether he's convicted before or after new year xx

 

[Lucy_lu_84]

We buy for both sets of parents. None of dh brothers or sisters. But for 1 of my siblings not for the other 5. Just kinda stopped: and buy for dh nephew and my sisters 3. I ahev 18 neice nd nephews so so chance.


Cut righ bk this yr

 

[xprincessx]

This year i'm buying for:

- Mum
- Dad
- Brother
- Sister n law
- Niece
- Son
- My other half

I already have all my sons presents so don't have to worry about him. And everyone else just gets one present each x

 

[Weeplin]

I buy for
my oh
my dd
my ds
my mum
my step dad
my sister
my other sister
my bil
my nephew
my fil to be
my sil to be
my bil to be

I think that's it. Thank goodness.

 

[Bartness]

This year I had to put my foot down. My brothers and I will not be exchanging gifts, though we'll still buy for our parents, and we are drawing names for all the kids (there is a total of 10 kids between the four of us). I am not buying my cousins kids (4 on my dads side, and 10 on my moms) on gifts this year. My OH and I will also buy for his mom, and for his neice and nephew, since its only two kids on his side.

I will be baking some holiday treats for all the kids though, and some beef jerky for my brothers, but they will not be getting any actual gifts, as I just cant afford it this year.

 

[amylw1]

luckily my family is getting smaller. so its not such a problem.

there are my 3 boys, me, OH, my sister and my nan that is all we buy for. OH family disowned us last year, my parents sadly died and my sister has no kids etc.

howqever, b4 that we would get a small gift for the adults and a picture of the kids in a frame (£1 shop for 3 frames).