Has the economy forced you to make changes to the number of people on your Christmas gift list this year?

Have you had to make cut backs on the number of names or the $ amount of the gifts? Are you exchanging names instead of buying for every one?

I'm just curious to see what everyone is doing this year.


My gift list isn't changing, but then it's not very big. Just Dad, Mom, Sis, BIL and a few friends. All the extended family lives in other states and we, as in the whole extended family, decided once they moved that we wouldn't send gifts. Before the move, we used to have a family "gift card swap" where everyone brought a $20 giftcard and we would put them in identical envelopes and do a "Yankee Swap" with them at the big family get together. Very fun and very easy.

__________________
Jesus SAVES by shopping smartly and using double coupons!

We will give to the same people we always give to and the same amount.

__________________
Check out my homepage http://julie.mycoupons.com/

We *thought* we'd have the same list that we've always had, but then, after much persuasion from my mom, we've all cut our lists. (My dad lost his job and my sister/BIL are in a terrible financial ordeal due to a gambling issue with BIL).

So, for the adults on my side we're doing a white elephant. It can either be something from home or a max $5.00 item. Should be interesting! My niece and nephew will still remain the same for us, as will my grandpa.

On DH's side, we're going to get a combined gift for his grandparents (usually buy each something, but at 100 and 95, they don't need much, per MIL) and then we'll buy for DH's parents as normal. What we are cutting out is the nieces and nephews. As DH said, his siblings really don't know our boys and we honestly don't really know their kids. So, we'll make a donation with all the nieces and nephews name on it to our local Veterans Memorial Fund.

Our boys and the gifts DH and I buy for each other will remain the same.

Same list, but cutting back on $$ and going with practical things. We have too much stuff as it is.

cj/

__________________
I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

Our list got bigger and we will try to get the best sales and deals and use store coupons, however its always hard because my dh is truly like another kid when it comes to christmas and he always has made christmas very very special for our entire family.. I am not looking foward to all the crowds since we do not start until the day after thanksgiving. Peace. Catherine

__________________
in memory of my beloved beautiful brother Sonny who is now an angel in heaven

We are buying for the same people, but different amounts. Some of the amounts have gone up while others have gone down. Just depends on who they are.

__________________
Think about helping out with cancer...
Join the Relay for Life

For the most part, we're doing the same people same amounts.

I quit buying for the school bus driver when my girls entered middle school, but dd has an awesome bus driver this year so we are going get him something this year.

Also, we are at the stage where our oldest nephew had a baby last summer and has moved in with his girlfriend. We have always bought for him. But, I think this year we may not buy for him, but get something for the baby instead.

I also think we may increase what we spend on our parents a little.

But other than that I think most everything will be the same.

Lisa

__________________
"It's not having what you want,
It's wanting what you've got"

"The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything;
they just make the best of everything they have."

My gift list was shortened last year and will be shortened again this year to include only my children. We are in month 15 of DH working only 2 wks a month with unemployment the other weeks. DH worked this week and is working next week. Hopefully work will continue to improve between now and December. Even with steady work, my gift list will still be for my children as paying bills comes first.

Times are very very tight for us. At the end of August my dh's company told everyone they would not be paying them for their unused sick leave any more. For years we and many others used that money for most of our Christmas shopping. Without that I'm not even sure how I will but for my own children. They know that the amount this year will not be the same. Two of my nephews are 26 and 28 and I will stop giving them money this year. I will ask my brother and sil if they mind not exchanging this year. I will do the same with my sister. On my dh side we don't buy for adults but I will talk to sil and see if we can both set a limit of $20 for each niece and nephews. I have 3 children and she has 2 and am sure a lower amount would be good for them too. I only buy for one friend and may suggest we just go to lunch together instead. I have never been in this situation and I don't like it.