Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

With black friday coming up soon and holiday shopping season beginning.... Just curious to see during the holidays who in your family you usually buy for.

On my side of the family we just do parents/nieces/nephews but on DH's side of the family its extended family like cousins' kids.

Including the lengthy school staff/therapists for my son, I cringe every year at my holiday list on the amount of $ I have to spend lol...

What about you? Do you buy for extended family or just close family?

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

We just buy for kids - our kids, our siblings kids, and one of my cousins kids.

With my cousins we do a secret santa but its more of a funny thing than serious gift giving.

Life is so much easier this way.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

Just kids.
My daughter, my nephews and that's it
And nobody extended.
Way too much stress and unnecessary wasting of money.
The holidays shouldn't be about gifts. Especially for grown adults.
Does anyone really need that scarf or Bath and Body Works set or candle that their aunt is going to buy them?

Message edited 11/14/2019 10:06:26 AM.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

JMO, but to me it wouldn't be Xmas without gift giving, even for adults. I enjoy finding a special gift for someone, even if it's something small. I've also made homemade gifts in the past for extended family such as beautiful wreaths or homemade vanilla extract. It's not big usually but it's always the thought that counts.

That being said, I've paired down my list over the years ONLY because I have so many Grinches in my family who don't want to be bothered anymore. I use to buy for my parents, DH's parents, my siblings, DH's siblings, my cousins and their kids, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles and my own kids.

Then the list got cut to just parents, nieces and nephews, cousins kids and my kids.

Now, since we moved, it'll be just my kids and nieces and nephews.

Times have (sadly) changed.

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

on dh's side we buy for his sisters and his parents. They have no kids or significant others.

On my side, there's 4 siblings plus my parents and all siblings have kids. we buy for my parents, and then we do a secret santa between the adults and the kids.

Then I buy for my teaching assistants, my principal, my AP, and my secret santa at the annual christmas party we attend.

Dh and I don't really exchange anymore. Usually, we get like one big gift for each other and then spend the rest on DD

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

I buy for no one. If I visit, then no one gets any gifts. We will maybe go out to lunch or something. If I don’t visit, then I still buy for no one.

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

Kids only. I will get something small for my parents from DD.

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

We buy for our 2 kids, my parents, my 2 nieces (I don't buy for my brother's or their wives- we just buy the kids), my aunt (cause she always spoils my kids), my in laws, DH's sister (she's single and has no kids), my boss and DH's boss.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

My dh’s Family lives in another country & they don’t celebrate Christmas. We do bring gifts for them when we visit in the summer, so it feels like Christmas shopping in the summer lol

But, for Christmas we buy for my parents, my 2 siblings & their children (I have 7 nieces, 1 nephew & 1 great niece). I also buy for 3 close friends. I try to set a budget for all the kids because there’s so many of them & because I try to spend the same amount on each.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

This is my mantra- for adults-

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

We buy for DD
Then a little something from DD to the grandparents
This yr she wants to get something for her Dance Teacher
that is the extent of it--we don't go crazy. For us it is unnecessary

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

Extended family.. I'm the only one with kids on my side of the family so we still exchange for adults... that's my aunts/uncles, immediate family including brother and sister, and 3 cousins.

For DH's side, we do for the kids only. I still like to get the adults a little something, but nothing big. Like I get my ILs a calendar with pics of all the grandkids for each month... or I got my SIL her fave bottle of wine or my BIL an insulated coffee mug.

Then I do gifts for the teachers/aids. We had gifts for 2 teachers and 2 aids last year for DD. This year it's 2 teachers, 1 aid and then 2 daycare teachers for DS.

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

We give gifts to our kids, nieces and nephews, cousins kids, and our parents.

We also both participate in a secret santa at work and friends holiday party.

Also, we give gifts to teachers, mailman, garbage men, etc.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

As the years go on, we have shifted from adult gift exchanges to child gifts only. My siblings all have 3 kids. A few years ago, we went to a secret Santa gift exchange for adults once a few of us had kids. Last year, my brother didn't participate. This year, I think no one is participating.

On my DH's side, we transitioned to a secret santa, but that stopped last year. My son has been the only child on that side for the last 5 Christmases. This year, my SIL is due with her first on Thanksgiving.

We still get something for our parents as well.

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

Officially only for the kids (ours and nieces/nephews), but I always get something for our moms too as they help us out a bunch through the year with our kids and school breaks/days off. Hair salon, mani/pedi, coffee, etc.

I also might get something for my sister if I find a really funny gift. Like this year I got her a Golden Girls coloring book that I know she’ll love! And it was under $15.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

I wish we would just keep it to close family, but we do buy for some of the extended family.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

I have a very small family. DH is an only child, as is my BIL. I have one sister.
My dad doesn't want gifts anymore, DH and I don't buy each other gifts, we would rather spend the money for day trips when we are on vacation.
I buy something for my older niece and nephew, for DH's cousin's youngest children who are 3 and 5, and then there are 2 dirty santa gifts for "Cousin's Christmas". Because I am the baker in the family, I make the desserts for the party.
My sister, BIL, DH and I don't exchange gifts anymore.
That's it for buying stuff.
Dad, BIL's mom and aunt get homemade cookies from me, and I usually tuck some chocolates in there as welll.

I love the holidays, but every year they seem to get busier, work gets busier and I feel like I don't have the time to really enjoy them.
Everything feels rushed rather than relaxed.

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

We do Secret Santa exchanges for the adults and kids on DH's side. On my side, we do gift card exchanges with my siblings and then I buy for my nephew. We both buy for parents.

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

I buy for our parents and our kids (we are only children).

I buy for the kids on DHs side (which may change this year a little since there are so many kids and the parents of the kids don’t get my kids anything so I’m done).

On my side I get something little for my aunts and uncles. We do a white elephant amongst my cousins and my kids each pull a name out of the hat amongst my cousins kids to exchange (since there are 16 kids now and it got pricey).

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

we buy for extended family... but not too much

* all children under the age of 20... currently 12
* our own children (all adults)... 3
* each other
* my father
* my sister
* one cousin
* one token gift per household (usually a baked item plus something very, very small)... currently 11
* cookies for the neighbors... 3
* i used to do a token gift for coworkers. there are too many people in my new job, so i will probably just bake a double batch of cookies and put them in the break room.

now, mind you... i start shopping on 12/26 and am usually done by the summer. all i do in december is make fudge and bake cookies.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

I buy for a lot of people, and spend too much money, but it really like doing it. My kids are all adults. I buy for the 3 of them, their spouses, my dh, and my 4 grandkids, and my mom. I also buy smaller gifts for my great-nieces and nephews under the age of 16 ( there are 13 of them!) I also buy a very small gift for my brother’s family members who celebrate with us on Christmas Eve (5 adults). I know I should cut out the extended family, but it’s hard to do.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

Our family is small. My side doesn’t exchange and we aren’t in touch with any extended family. My in laws are big on gifts, so we just exchange with dh’s parents, brother & SIL.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

UGHHH, My Christmas list is ridiculous.

My Mom & Dad (Separate gifts)
His Dad & Stepmom (Separate gifts-OOS so we mail them)
My Sister & her husband (separate gifts)
My Brother
His two stepbrothers (OOS so we mail them)
2 Aunt & Uncle (combined gift)
2 Uncles
4 Aunts
1 Grandma
1 Adult Cousin
Kids in Family: 9
We do a secret Santa with "my generation" of cousins (so 1 gift from me and one from DH)
Then, we also have several good friends we exchange with.
Plus the teacher gifts.
We both gift to our support teams at work.
It's ENDLESS.

Re: Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

.....

Message edited 3/29/2020 4:45:17 PM.

Your holiday shopping list- close family? extended family?

My kids already got some presents lol.
The sales are really hard to resist!

Most of my purchases are gift cards to give to the providers for my son. I have already done this. Will likely buy some box of cookies for some others.
Cash for some
That’s it

Even that is going to cost a pretty penny this year.
Don’t know how people manage this time of year

Message edited 11/15/2019 4:49:24 PM.