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Do we give gifts because........

it's the custom in our culture...or....

to show our love and appreciation to the recepient..or...

it makes us feel good..or..what?

I'm no Scrooge....I love the Christmas season. The lights, the music, the outside decorations, the church services, the nativity. But it seems every year this time we get caught up in the "shopping for gifts" and agonizing sometimes over our limited budgets on what gifts to get for who. I am speaking of myself as well. I do give gifts, some with love; some, quite frankly, because I feel an obligation to fulfill and that does not make me feel good. I guess, because, I never want anyone to feel obligated to give me a gift.

What are your thoughts?

Tradition I suppose.

We spoil more and more each year due to media and peer pressure.

I love Christmas for the fun aspect, the whole holidays, families getting together, xmas decorations, nativity plays and concerts...Kids getting excited but not the consumer side of it.

Why do people buy so much food at christmas when the shops are back open boxing day and some even stay open xmas day??We dont over food shop at xmas and do a normal shop (excluding the xmas meat and booze) with a few treats.

I like to give gifts to people all the time, not just at Cmas. It makes me happy if I've made them happy. I hope that it shows I appreciate them. I used to fall prey to the media every year, telling me to "make this a perfect holiday" and try to have that Hallmark card Cmas, try to find THE perfect gift for someone. Invariably, I'd end up crying in the store because I couldn't find THE gift. One year I just said "this is BS" and I stopped trying so hard. I realized that there is no gift in the world that's going to tell someone how much I love them so why even try? Now I just get something I think they'll really enjoy and I TELL THEM "I love you." I give presents because it's fun and it makes me feel happy to do it.

i agree with chezzie...it's tradition i guess lol

Another year has gone by since this thread was started. This year, we avoided the holiday consumer rush.This year, I didn't bid on E-bay for little gifts for co-workers.This year, we sent no wood craft gifts in the mail. This year, we did not make out money-holder Christmas cards for kids and grand-kids.

No money for all that.

Is everyone still gonna love us after December 25th? Probably so.

Why do I still feel so sad?

along-for-the-ride;1089342 wrote: Another year has gone by since this thread was started. This year, we avoided the holiday consumer rush.This year, I didn't bid on E-bay for little gifts for co-workers.This year, we sent no wood craft gifts in the mail. This year, we did not make out money-holder Christmas cards for kids and grand-kids.

No money for all that.

Is everyone still gonna love us after December 25th? Probably so.

Why do I still feel so sad?Because you like giving and feel sad because you cant darlin.You have the best gift you could give to anybody and its totally free...........your love and Im sure you have plenty of that to give that wont be thrown away.....that wont be cast aside and forgotten about.The gift of love money cant buy and that my friend you are so rich with.

Thank you for your kind words, Carolly. I can barely type, 'cause I can barely see. Your words moved me so. I hope that others in the same situation at Christmastime get some comfort as well. :-4

along-for-the-ride;1089351 wrote: Thank you for your kind words, Carolly. I can barely type, 'cause I can barely see. Your words moved me so. I hope that others in the same situation at Christmastime get some comfort as well. :-4Im sorry I made you cry but its true.The best gift in life is to be loved and to love in return and all of us must never forget that.I would rather have no money and lots of love around me then no love and lots of money as the money wouldn't mean anything.Now give us a smile;):-4

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be

Everybody searching for a hero

People need someone to look up to

I never found anyone who fulfill my needs

A lonely place to be

So I learned to depend on me

Chorus:

I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows

If I fail, if I succeed

At least I'll live as I believe

No matter what they take from me

They can't take away my dignity

Because the greatest love of all

Is happening to me

I found the greatest love of all

Inside of me

The greatest love of all

Is easy to achieve

Learning to love yourself

It is the greatest love of all

I believe the children are our future

Teach them well and let them lead the way

Show them all the beauty they possess inside

Give them a sense of pride to make it easier

Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be .......:-4

On Christmas, gift giving is a remembrance of the child I once was. I want everyone to feel the awe of the Season.

For me, it has more to do with the tradition of the family I've married into. Before marrying my husband, Christmas wasn't a huge thing for me, or my family. We, in my opinion, see it for what it is.... a holiday which every year gets further and further from the true meaning of what Christmas once was.

Now, as my husband says, it has turned into a "Hallmark moment to encourage people to spend money they don't have." My sentiments exactly.

I do enjoy giving gifts, though. I don't really care if I get anything back. But, like others have said, I enjoy giving through the whole year. Limiting it to one day with a mad rush, and with possible debt, is silly to me.

Please have a Merry Christmas and enjoy the company of your loved ones!!

I'm okay now, Carolly. I do count my blessings.

I also like to give spontaneous gifts throughout the year. The joy for me is seeing the smile on the recepients face.

along-for-the-ride;1089948 wrote: I'm okay now, Carolly. I do count my blessings.

I also like to give spontaneous gifts throughout the year. The joy for me is seeing the smile on the recepients face.
Your a good lady and that is a fact;):-4

Because, Give gifts to another at Christmas It show your love for another.

not this year!:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl:yh_rotfl

I stopped with all gifts the year I got divorced. I was barely keeping myself alive. Was even homeless for short periods. Never bothered to start with gifts again. All the adults got more that I have and the little snotwad kids broke every toy they ever got their first day of ownership.

hoppy;1197973 wrote: I stopped with all gifts the year I got divorced. I was barely keeping myself alive. Was even homeless for short periods.


its just to much money Hoppy, I don't blame you one bit.

Every day we have on this earth is a gift in itself. What we do with this gift is what is important. Christmas is just one of these days.

For us Christmas is a family time we take time to be with as many members of the family as we can, boxing day is the day we welcome others into our home those who either have no family or whos family is far away weve done that for years.

Last year my son who lives in Dublin did the same for co-workers who couldnt go home to their families.

Its not about huge gifts and debt its about shareing, being together and celebrating life.

Its also I time to remember those no longer with us during the hoilidays I let a candle burn to remind us of the ones we have lost.



Christmas is what each of us make it. if you choose to see it as nothing fine, very religous also fine, a family time great just dont waste a chance to see it as a positive thing just because of retail industry spin..