[Palooka]

Me! *Wave* I used to trip about buying for everyones brothers sisters cousins, neice twiced removed from the family and because they showed up to a christmas gathering. Hmmm, not anymore.

Thank goodness my family decided long ago not to exchange to each other. First it was the adults and then the kids. No it wasn't just talk about it and be the one that surprised them walking in the house with a hand full. We are done with it. It's just a nice Christmas dinner(fun food stuff) and I look forward to it.

On my dh's side, we did the big family game too! If my SIL wants to give me a call like she did three years ago and we both agreed to not exchange gifts for each family....then well that is cool...but don't be two-faced and march in and go against your word to buy my kids something, make me look bad because I didn't buy your kids nothing this year...because you said you didn't want to..

So now our Christmas is simple. I take care of my kids first! Thats it! My family!

I feel (like everyone else does) that if you buy for one, you have to buy for the other... and other and others....

 

[frugalwarrior2]

We reserve xmas day for our immediate family. No friends or extended relatives. We call family but see my mom on 12/23 her bday or sometimes after.
This is the first year we sent cards in at least 6 years to more than a small handful. We don't get exchange,white elephant,boy scout,teachers gifts or any of that anymore.
I may do cookies but not the marathon I used to do.

Stocking are just some candy not big productions. Missed church last year. Don't know this year. But I do know it won't be my brothers church. I don't like it. There I said it.

We don't do lights high on the house. I don't want DH on a ladder. Maybe those net lights on the bushes we'll see

I did get the tree today. That tradition stays. A real tree w/ lights and glass ornaments. And presents underneath no bows.

No more video taping.It hot uncomfortable. Dinner at home. Mostly prepped the night before.
Just glide now ,can say NO gently. Booted MIL and her fakey fake out of our holidays. We are more simple too. Unless we are sick. 4 crabbies,that's not so pretty. Nope. Not pretty at all.

 

[frugalfranny]

I'm with you Palooka........I don't stress.

If you don't do much you don't have to worry about it.......and I don't do much. This year it is ONLY baking........ANYTHING I give will be something baked. (unless I toss in something I canned this summer)

Only thing I have to do is 'chase groc. store sales'....yippee!! And have that pretty much done, I think.

 

[ladykemma2]

i like thanksgiving MUCH better than christmas.

In AA we express gratitude. Gratitude for our recovery, our spiritual walk, our possessions, our jobs ... puts things into perspective.

 

[Grainlady]

Our immediate family had a "What I don't/didn't like about Christmas" summit a few years ago. The most dreaded things were associated with the horrors of all the years we were held hostage by the holy obligations of our large extended family.

We now have a distilled version of Christmas that respects each others perspective about the holiday, while still maintaining the essence of the season. Keeping the best about Christmas, and eliminating the rest.

 

[Lora88]

Not to buck the crowd but I do alot and I love it . Big family dinner huge tree lights all over the house still buying gifts . I dont find it stressful I enjoy its once a year and I want to do it If I didnt I would say so and Im sure my family would understand.

 

[ladykemma2]

next year I'm not going to do it. at all. I have been weaning back. since the divorce, i have been spending the "obligatory" christmas at my friend's house, doing a sleepover.

I plan to celebrate by myself. watching the LDS dvd about the birth of christ and making a nice meal.

 

[Contrary Housewife]

We have no family to share it with, so it has always been small for us. I miss the early days of our marriage where we gathered with his folks, his brother's family and kids.

I used to send out a lot of cards, but not get many in response. I used to send gifts to aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, etc. and not get so much as a thank-you. Maybe it's selfish to want something back, but if my efforts at staying in touch or choosing a cheerful gift can't be acknowledged I'm not sure I want those people in my life.

So now we put up a few lights (I noticed when I put up lights, other houses on the street started to do it too), a miniature tree, and give gifts only to each other and a few close friends who we see often. It's a quiet day for us and I don't have a lot of angst to wrap.

 

[ravenmaniac]

Over the years we have cut back. Just gifts for the kids in the immediate family. At work I do not participate in Secret Santa, even though it was fun. The 5 of us who teach together drew a name so we only have to buy one gift. We bring a small snack to share on the last day of school and exchange the gifts.

I crocheted a bunch of dish cloths and packaged them two together to give as last minute gifts. My sister and mom will be getting some dish cloths as a small gift.

I honestly do not feel stressed over Christmas. My decorations are up and I am enjoying the season!

 

[perSue]

we have extended family & friends (mostly these folks) trying to rope us in for gifts every year.
it's not so much a selfish thing, tho it seems as such... as it is a "let's get together" sorta deal. but "plz bring a gift."

extended family is good about saying "no gifts" but giftcards are usually given for the kids... and that's it. this is great!

but it's friends, who have several kids, who expect something themselves, but dont have much to give anyone else. and that's ok. i dont mind giving toys or gc to something like 'build a bear' or whatever.

so our solution has become.... "why don't we all go out for dinner (kids and all), and we buy each others dinners."

being that there are kids, it wont be some expensive restaurant (gotta have chicken nuggets on the menu!), but it also won't be fast food. Something in between, moderate price range... and we know our bill will be more expensive than their bill (meaning, our family is smaller, and they'll pay our bill, which is cheaper... and vice versa).

that's how we don't trip out & keep people who want, want, want at bay.

 

[Lady_V]

I love Yule... LOVE IT !!!

I do NOT stress over it... if I did, I think I would lose the meaning behind it. Renewal. Light. LIFE itself.

Once upon a blue moon I went crazy... wrote out so many holiday cards I had hand cramps for days. I bought stuff for everyone who crossed my path.

The one day I woke up and remembered -- Yule isn't about cards and store-bought junk... it's about celebration. Give gifts of the heart. Feast. Share.

I've been slowly breaking the store-bought habit and returning to my TRUE Yule roots for next year.

 

[Hamada]

I bought two small gifts for two people I wanted to give to. Other than that, everyone else is getting a card. We even just talked about it. I said I bought them something small. Also because I did not want it to become a situation where we were trying to out do each other each year. They both agreed. We are all in the same situation financially.

 

[Trishagirl]

I love the Christmas Season, I stress over it some cause it comes so fast. This year we are doing a white elephant gift so that takes much of the stress off of me for my dh's side of the family. I do all the the baking for our christmas eve together so that's all I need to worry about getting that done. I only have 9 gift to get for my side and immedate family not bad.I love all the decorating and festivities! Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[Surilda]

I used to be super big on Christmas. Sent lots of cards, had a
truckful of presents to take to the family gathering. Spent days
baking and making candy. Spent alot of time decorating the
tree and inside. I LOVED Christmas!

After my depression a couple years ago, I lost my Christmas
spirit and it has never returned. I don't put up a tree nor
decorate. Everyone gets money except for my sister and
I get her something to open. I give something to 6 people
now, not 15.

I still make cookies and candy, but there isn't much anymore
to trip about!

As long as I get my baking done, and have the money to
give, I don't worry about anything else.

 

[thriftstorequeen]

We don't celebrate it. Makes things very simple. We save alot of money and hassel

 

[dcompton]

Do I celebrate it? Yes and no. I always have a good chunk of time, a couple of weeks, off over the holidays. For a few years in the recent past I went out of town, now I stay home. Alone. Love it. I have finally persuaded my friends that no, I am not lonely, and no, although I truly appreciate their kindness, I don't want to share Christmas dinner.

So for a couple of weeks I shift into low gear. I stay home, seldom going anywhere, live in fleece sweats, read, work puzzles, crochet, do minimal housework and easy cooking. I don't decorate, but I do listen to Christmas music. No shopping, no gift exchange, no prep. Just relaxing and renewing. No stress at all. It's perfect.