It's Christmas Time

[Bad Manners]

Well not yet
But a chance conversation with someone today got me to thinking about Christmas and the credit crunch and was just wondering howmany people are reappraising their gift giving.
Do you go all out to buy as much as you can so as not to disappoint regardless of cost?
or do you think that now is the time to trim christamas back to a suitable gift without going overboard?

In past years we have known people just spend and spend and then repay it all over the following year.
For us we buy one present for each person as it is the gift that counts not the quantity of gifts. How about you whats your take on it all

[hotrod4]

Oh no not already!! ;) I wish that big bang did go off today that way I wouldnt have to worry about Crimbo.:(
Buy now worry later!

[justine]

got birthdays before that, so will worry about pressies at beginning of december..

[AfternoonDelight]

Oh dear... I have so many things to sort out before December I may well be bankrupt or have run away by then!! :confused

[unicorn]

My aim this year is to be sensible. :roll:

[SunsetSong]

My aim this year is to be sensible too....Though its not been that previous years! :eek:

And for the first time have actually been able to spread out the buying, just got the kids big 'santa' pressies to get. My two take it in turns to get a more pricey gift, so is the turn of my son, whilst daughter gets a moderately priced gift.

[bobandag16]

My aim this year is to be sensible. :roll:
taken out to shop on monday .by the door was buy one get one free. my aide said i have just brought four for xmas.iam still trying to pay for my easteregg.:)

[Iffy]

I've had my husband work away for too many Christmases !!

Thank God he was home for the last one, and now, cos hes self employed, will be home for all the rest to come. Presents don't make make a Christmas - presence of loved one DOES !!!

[Julia]

I can't believe folk put themselves in debt buying Christmas pressies! A gift should be from the heart and not the pocket ;)

[YummyMummy]

Advent calendars & selection boxes in the Thurso Coop - saw them Monday!!! :eek:

[Bad Manners]

Advent calendars & selection boxes in the Thurso Coop - saw them Monday!!! :eek:
Never mind it will be easter eggs next week sunglasses the week after

[silverfox57]

world was going end today ,now Xmas ,will get snow bye end of week.

[Tom Cornwall]

Advent calendars & selection boxes in the Thurso Coop - saw them Monday!!! :eek:

they have been in the shops down here just after the bank holiday...what's the rush??:):)

[balto]

Advent calendars & selection boxes in the Thurso Coop - saw them Monday!!! :eek:
aye couldnt believe it when i seen them today when i went in the coop, very scary as to where the year has gone. i started my xmas shopping a few months ago, with the 3 kids to buy for plus and new baby due in december and now we are moving house in october thought it was best to get organised lso got the other halves birthday and my eldests daughters birthday to buy for aswell,going to be an expensive few months.

[scorrie]

A gift should be from the heart and not the pocket ;)

Too true. That is why I am sending relatives cholesterol, rather than condoms, this year ;)

[telfordstar]

I say the same thing every year that im not over spending but every year i do. This year ive no choice in i will have to cut back.

[mums angels]

EEK don't mention xmas yet i have four birthdays before then .
Our spending has got less and less at xmas every year but can't see it happening this year ..as the kids get older the pressies seem to get smaller and more expesive :(

[Kevin Milkins]

I've had my husband work away for too many Christmases !!

Thank God he was home for the last one, and now, cos hes self employed, will be home for all the rest to come. Presents don't make make a Christmas - presence of loved one DOES !!!

Iffy , you are so sweet.:~(
Can you please run that Idea by Dawn.lol:lol:

[Thumper]

Its very hard not to overspend when you have a small child who is desperate for just about everything on the market!My older two know that I cant afford to buy expensive presents and ask for small things(if they even ask at all) but my youngest is still a beliver and thinks that santa will manage to get him all the stuff he really wants.So I end up stressed and broke trying to get him things that will make him happy.I sell a few personal things on ebay,or even on the org to make a little bit extra,I never ever use credit,and i will go without things to get what the kids have asked for.Xmas is a really hard time for everybody,infact as I have said on here before I dont like xmas at all but do it for my kids sake,if they are happy then I am happy and thats what its all about.Everyone else just gets a small token gift,if they are even lucky enough to get that! x

[AfternoonDelight]

Not wanting to show off - but I do most of my Christmas shopping in the January sales - whew!! [lol]

So for my last message read "having a nervous breakdown" instead of "bankrupt"...

PS - you'll be glad to know I am in a better mood today!! :Razz

[badger]

It's very hard to resist children asking for what they want but I don't think it does them any harm, however young they are. Most children these days have far too much so don't really appreciate it. If everyone could resist the pressure to buy what the children's friends have, life would be so much easier. Same thing goes for clothes. I'm sure children would rather have happy, unstressed parents who can spend time with them than lots of presents and being stuck in a bedroom with tv and a computer for company. Now, when times are really hard and most parents have to work hard just to make ends meet, could not schools suggest they get together and agree to stop this annual shopping madness?

[Bad Manners]

It's very hard to resist children asking for what they want but I don't think it does them any harm, however young they are. Most children these days have far too much so don't really appreciate it. If everyone could resist the pressure to buy what the children's friends have, life would be so much easier. Same thing goes for clothes. I'm sure children would rather have happy, unstressed parents who can spend time with them than lots of presents and being stuck in a bedroom with tv and a computer for company. Now, when times are really hard and most parents have to work hard just to make ends meet, could not schools suggest they get together and agree to stop this annual shopping madness?
Not all but a lot of children know the cost of everything but very few know the value. it's hard to say no but sometimes you just have to and they appreciate it in the end

[Thumper]

Even when children do realsie the cost of things how can you then say to them that santa brings the wee boy two doors down everything he asked for but yet only brought your child one toy? I do explain to him about the cost and I tell him that I send money to santa for the toys because there are so many children in the world now that he needs the help to give everybody something but it is still a child we are explaining to and they still have "the dream" that santa gives good little boys what they dream of x

[Welcomefamily]

My daughter gave her young brother (10) a book of 20 vouchers she made last year, each voucher represented an activity such as going to the cinema, or taking him to the park, or spending an hour playing lego. Each voucher was redeemable at 24 hours notice. It kept him occupied for a good 6 months.

[balto]

my 2 eldest started doing jobs bout the house last year so they could save enough money to go and buy xmas presents for us, and i must admit that they were little nic nacs but they ment more to me than if it was the biggest present going, think it was because they had picked them themselves.