Gifts - are we being cheap?

[DianaB]

I know that you weren't talking about Christmas gifts but something that we do for people that we don't feel like buying a gift for is........we buy a movie, a package of popcorn and some candy and give them a "Movie Night". It's an expensive gift and it can be for the whole family.......and I try to make it a family movie.

[Lindsey]

Originally Posted by DianaB

I know that you weren't talking about Christmas gifts but something that we do for people that we don't feel like buying a gift for is........we buy a movie, a package of popcorn and some candy and give them a "Movie Night". It's an expensive gift and it can be for the whole family.......and I try to make it a family movie.

That is a great idea Diana!!! A few years ago, we gave my brother and his fiance a "date night" for Christmas. What else do you get a couple who buys whatever they need? We got them a gift certificate to a nice restaurant, a gift certificate to the movie theatre, and a card saying we will come over and watch the girls for the night so they don't have to find a babysitter.

Last year, part of their gift to us was buying a goat in our name for an impoverished family in Africa. I thought that was such an awesome idea. This year we are going to donate to the WWF in their name. In return, they will get a certificate and a little stuffed animal of the endangered species they "adopted" We just have to choose which species we would like! So we will do that for the whole family, as well as a framed professional picture of the girls from our wedding, and a little gift each for the girls. I really like the charity idea I kind of hope it turns into a tradition between us!

[judy]

The chance to give to those in need in somebody's name is a wonderful gift! I have done it, and it has been appreciated. The framed pictures of the girls is also a lovely gift.

Diana, I love the idea of a movie night gift! That can be done for any occasion. I think that a gift certificate for a couple of video rentals would be nice too with popcorn, etc. That would make a nice birthday gift for an adult too.

I'm giving my grandkids money. I love this! I hated shopping for toys. They had about a gizillion toys already! Kass isn't positive she wants money, so she will decide.

[DianaB]

Lindsey, I'm sure that they'll love the picture of the girls. What a nice gift!!

I like the idea of making a donation to help buy an animal for a person or family in need. The people who got the goat got milk......probably fur to help make clothing.....and meat from their young. I've heard of organizations that do that kind of thing. You can pick what kind of animal that you want to get for them.

A really nice homemade gift that we got last year from Amy was a really nice frame and on the inside instead of a picture she printed off a design with "Bakers" printed on the top. Then she also gave us an erasable marker so we can write on top of the glass. She gave all of her siblings one and me......and each one had a different design with their last names on them. I just love mine!! I remember that Jaci's had sunflowers on it because that's what her kitchen is decorated with.

[Lindsey]

Diana, that is a really good gift idea!!!

While shopping last weekend, we found something else to include in the gift to my brother and his fiancee. It's a funny book called The Marriage Dictionary - the unofficial, TRUE meaning of "I Do" I browsed through it in the store and thought it was hilarious! For example:

Chores: Day-to-day household activities that you and your spouse supposedly divide equally, but in reality will be done by whoever gets fed up with the filth the quickest.

Jell-O: One of only two foods your husband has ever learned to "cook" (see Macaroni & Cheese)

Fat: 1. What your new wife will ask you if she looks every time she tries on a new outfit.
2. The chance that you will ever have sex again if you answer the above question wrong.

Lol!!! I hope they get a kick out of reading it too.

[DianaB]

That sounds like a really funny book! I bet they would love it!! I love to read little funny books like that!!

[2tiredmom]

Our families just get together and have dinner. We don't do gifts. It's way to expensive.
But we use to. We also have done where everyone brings a white elephant gift. Which here means something you have around the house that you don't like or use. It can be fun just watching people open up and see what they get. You pick numbers instead of names. And if some one wants a gift that someone else has gotten you can pick one of those. Just and Idea. Hope it all works out for you.