So who's cutting back on gifts this Christmas?

[lunatica]

In my family we don't have any children, which makes our choice easy. No Christmas gifts. We might like dangerously and splurge to go see a movie on Christmas day, but other than that it's just another day in our household. If we have a hard time making ends meet at the end of every month, then we don't have any money to spare for gifts.

[liberal N proud]

1. Who isn't?

Smaller list

[lunatica]

4. I wonder how many retailers will simply die this season...

I hear they're already slashing prices.

[liberal N proud]

22. I saw a list of stores that are closing and some that may have to

A lot of high end stores.

Eddie Bauer is closing most of its stores
Ann Taylor
Talbot's

Can't remember all of them, the list was in the news a couple of weeks back.

[malta blue]

2. We are only "giving down"

I give to my daughter - my parents give to me.

That is it - no "up" gifts.

[CreekDog]

We've been cutting back for years

Everyone has too much crap and nobody wants to add to it.

[Midlodemocrat]

3. We are. Cutting the kids back significantly.

I think it's a good idea regardless of the economy. Christmas here was getting ridiculous.

[Lebam in LA]

5. Gifts for children only this year

Fortunately there are only 4 little ones so its not too bad. We had thought about drawing names but decided even that was too much this year.

[MadinMo]

6. We'll cut back, but have two 15-year olds.

We'll have a minimal Christmas this year. The kids will no doubt get $$ from Grandma so they can splurge with that. I was thinking just this morning that the after-Christmas-sales will either be really really drastic or non-existent because prices were slashed before Christmas.

MrMadinMo and I will probably exchange one gift only.

[LaurenG]

7. We are

but we'll have a nice dinner.

[Obamanaut]

8. We don't have children at home any more, but there are grands

and one great grand. Ms usnret88 gets small items on sale throughout the year, and stores them in closets for birthdays mostly. We don't do christmas. For us, we give each other little surprises year-round.

For the holiday celebrations, we just try to get as many as possible together just for a gathering. This thanksgiving many are coming to our house.

[riqster]

9. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back.

Fortunately, most of the kids are grown and know how tough times are.

[crim son]

10. Me. Tremendously.

I'm not even getting a big tree like I usually do. It's going to be a very small holiday this year.

[JVS]

11. Less gifts, more booze!

[BOSSHOG]

13. Now thats just downright old fashioned smart retailing priorities.

[JVS]

19. I'm going to sit by the fire and drink scotch whisky.

Then I'm going to drink whatever else is laying around. By the end of the week, I hope to have finished off all the bottles sitting on the shelf.

[lunatica]

12. I think even the big luxury items aren't going to move much

If wealthy men are cutting back on their mistresses, you know the'll be cutting back on the wife's gifts next. The prospect of 'losing it all' will haunt their dreams. Probably already does.

edited for really bad grammar.

[all.of.me]

14. I'll be making calendars for my teenage daughters, buying nothing by the looks of it. nt

[Lerkfish]

15. me, but I'm getting laid off december 31, so its a no brainer

:puke:

[lunatica]

17. I'm sorry to hear that

It looks like I'm going to be cut back just so I can keep one of my jobs. I won't be getting even sick leave on it. I still have the other job though, and it's much harder for them to fire me or lay me off.

[Lerkfish]

18. well, good for you... I guess

its hard to tell from that description, seems like a mixed blessing.

I just hope to get a job soon, otherwise I have no idea what will happen to my family.

[lunatica]

21. Well, I'll eventually lose the second job

Being cut back in hours is just so I can keep a while longer. There's a limit on the number of hours I can work there as a temp then they have to give me the job. But they don't have to let me work up to the limit. If they 'lay me off' then they can just hire another temp. It's in Academia and the university policies have been an uphill battle every inch of the way. Sometimes it's one step forward and two steps back.

[Le Taz Hot]

16. Same gifts I give every year.

Homemade jams and jellies, my AWARD-WINNING (I just have to put that in there) bread-and-butter pickles and yeast & quick breads. People seem to enjoy them. But actually BUY Christmas gifts? Nope.

[shadowknows69]

20. Does zero count as cutting back or is that technically a cancellation?

[akwapez]

23. No gifts for adults at all this year n/t

[tandot]

24. Our whole family is.

In previous years, we always bought a gift for each and every person, which got quite expensive (about 15 gifts). This year we decided that each of us will draw a name and buy a present for that person only.

My sister-in-law just had a baby and we are having one on the way. We have to be careful with our money right now.

[ileus]

25. We're finished shopping; increased around 25% from last year.

For my family and I times have been good. We cut back all spending after Ike, and that gave us around 1000 "extra" dollars in our bank account that used to be spent on eating out, wasting money at Wal-Mart Sams, Best Buy...ect. We've managed to save around 100 a week and now that petrol prices are down that's another 60-70 a week savings.

[demnan]

26. I'm going to be laid off in December

so my gifts will be baked ones this year for the most part. I bought my Mom some things and I will probably get something for my boyfriend but that's about it. The rest will be something I make.

[Mari333]

27. Only buying lots of gifts for 1 yr old grandson

otherwise I informed everyone that its going to be small this year. Making fudge and applesauce for people to make up for the fact that they are only getting one gift each.
(I bought him a Radio Flyer wagon, btw..every little kid needs a Radio Flyer.)

[SammyWinstonJack]

28. No job=no christmas. And that's okay. Just a nice dinner.

:-)

[mnhtnbb]

29. We are. Not sending gifts to my brother's family, but donating to food bank and toys 4 tots.

Immediate family members also getting less.

[CrispyQ]

30. With the exception of cash for my mother, who is gone now,

we haven't done Christmas in years! It started about 20 years ago when my mother had a yard sale in the summer. She was selling two gifts that I had given her the previous Christmas. I wasn't pissed, but it made me wonder why I spent $40 on something so she could turn around & sell it for $5 a few months later. The next year I started giving her cash.

We don't put up a tree or anything. We are the original Ba Humbugger's. ;)

However, on the first day of winter, I treat myself to a small bottle of Kahlua & vodka & drink White Russians in celebration of the days getting longer.