Don't Go Broke this Xmas

[penguinsoda]

Last year I made a decision to only buy for "the kids." I certainly don't need any more STUFF to dust or deal with, and hubby buys whatever he wants or needs through the year for himself. It was really a relief last year to not spend a ton of money on a bunch of useless stuff and just spend the day together eating and relaxing and not having to clean up a lot of stuff either.

[SCUBAbe]

I think christmas is way overblown and people buy into it hook line and sinker. It's not he gifts that matter and it never has been....thats what retail crams down our throats, but I don't buy into it. To be honest i don't celebrtae it. i do nto get the tree...I do not decorate and the gift part is bare minimum. I would prefer not to do any gifts at all.

[sir clinksalot]

My wife always makes scrapbooks or collages for the family.

We buy for my Mom, Grandpa, my in-laws, grandmother in-law and our kids. That's about it.

We have our anniversary on Dec. 9th, Mom's b-day on Dec. 13th, Wife's b-day on Dec. 23rd and Christmas. TOO much stuff in December to go all out.

We also get the kids AP's each year and it's understood that it's a Christmas present.

We just went to Michaels yesterday and spent $25 on frames and that was about 6 presents right there. Printing out photo's right now to go in the frames and we are good to go.

My wife and I buy each other a few things, but we figure that if we want something during the year we buy it anyway. And since it all comes out of the same account, no need to go crazy at Christmas.