Which Do You Use - Wrapping Paper or Gift Bags

[AnyaLynn]

I'm a wrapping paper kind of girl for sure. My husband and I make a night of it, usually when the kiddo is at Grandma and Grandpas. A couple of glasses of wine, something nice on the telly, and a truckload of presents and wrapping paper.

 

[sheeplady]

We can't have children so that experience will never be our's. And being in my 70's I have become rather cynical of the spendfest that Christmas has become. All I ever buy for, is my wife, she gets her favourite perfumes, and usually a box of useful or useless gifts, it depends how much time I have to shop. But every year she gets a wad of cash with a long love letter, and an expression of gratitude for all that she is and all that she does. In 50 years I have never stopped writing love letters to her. She knows that if something catches her eye she can overspend on the purchase if she so wants to, the lady is priceless.

This is very sweet.

We do a really constrained xmas for everyone compared to a lot of couples I know our age. For the kids there are three gifts under the tree for each: one from Santa (under $20, something like a bike helmet or a small toy), one from us (can be a larger gift, this year it's a doll house for my daughter and a hotwheels race track thing for my son), and a craft kit. Other than that, they get their stocking. I typically put an item of clothing and some little things in that, like ornaments, to fill it up. And an orange in the toe.

The husband and I do gifts for each other, but we limit to 5 or less, by request, and most fit in stockings. This year I asked for a necklace made by a local artist, a new heating pad for the bed, a hot sauce collection, a book, and if he can't find one of those things, a set of silverware I've been collecting. He asked for some summer appropriate hats (not the big ticket items many fellows on here get, but Orvis quality) as he recently had a bout with skin cancer. I got him some little things for his stocking, but many are practical and not fancy... like the pair of kitchen shears I picked up for him today! (We had a pair break earlier this year.)

I read an article the other day and it was on "how to make your kid a minimalist" and it recommended that you limit your gifts from Santa to three and budget under $300 per kid from Santa. Who knew we were ultra minimalists?

 

[AnyaLynn]

I read an article the other day and it was on "how to make your kid a minimalist" and it recommended that you limit your gifts from Santa to three and budget under $300 per kid from Santa. Who knew we were ultra minimalists?

Goodness, I don't think we spent more than $300 total this year, for 6 people!