[ShepherdsDog]

It's that time of the year. Spending like you're the Greek government on Germany's dime and gorge to you pass out. With the way the economy is wobbling around, how many of you are going to cut back on Christmas this year? We've set a limit of about $ 1000 for everyone(20 people in total, but not everyone gets an equal share) and everything.

We're also doing a big dinner on Christmas for about 15 people. Going to try sweet potato perogies this year. We're having a turkey and a ham smoked, and mixed sides(western and asian....the perogies being a fusion of the two). What are your plans?

[QBC]

Well, the economy here in northern Alberta is quite good and is expected to stay in an almost "boom" faze for the next 3-5 years so we're not too worried about a crunch and have recovered nicely from the last. That being said, we're still having a smaller Christmas than last year. This year we bought a holiday trailer in August so that's the "big family" gift for this year. Rosie and I are just doing stockings for each other, no big presents, and we are cutting back what we spend on everyone else. I would imagine we'll come in around the 1K mark too, maybe a little more.

Just having diner at home this year with family. Dinner will be traditional Christmas fair, but I may try and make my mom's "broken glass desert". That was always a tradition when I was growing up. A nice quiet day for us this year.

[Lemmy]

We don't break the bank on gift exchanging. We always take the kids into the Toronto for few days (check out some restaurants, museums, take the kids skating, out to a movie or play, swimming at the hotel pool, etc). The kids want to go to a hockey game, which won't be happening at NHL ticket prices, so we'll take a trip back home to the Kawarthas to see the Petes play, stop in for the grandparents to spoil them a bit, check out the cottage (hopefully no break-ins or trees crashed through the roof). Back home for New Year's Eve, which is always night out with friends. Looking forward to a couple of weeks relaxation with family and friends.

[Yogi]

How about NO Christmas at all! Several years ago I totally denounced the sad farce that it has become. I neither give nor accept gifts or cards with anyone. I stay home, and just enjoy 'another day'. My family and friends have finally accepted this and respect my decision.

Who really needs a diamond tennis bracelet or an X-box, or an iphone or a....and the list goes on. But I'd be willing to bet that everyone knows at least one family who could really use a 'hand up', not only at this time of year, but all year around. Since I have chosen such a family, and am helping them out with some of the basics, as well as a couple of 'luxuries'-new coffee maker-fancy sweaters, some foods which they would never be able to normally have, and a few dollars for them to be able to have 'some jingle in their jeans'.
After all, it is my understanding that the tradition of 'gift giving' started with the 3 Wise Men giving gifts of 'the coin of the realm' to a family who had nothing.

Merry Master Card & Happy Visa to all!

[stratos]

I will send some cards out to family and friends and I will receive some cards. That is about it for gift giving for me. I will be working 12hrs on Christmas day and have already told the guy I work with not to come in till after 11am. He has a wife and kids.

I will make some calls to family and close friends on Christmas while at work. That's my BIG CHRISTMAS this year.

[dino_bobba_renno]

Well in spite of my best efforts to keep a tight Christmas budget I know I’ll probably end up spending more than I originally planned to just like the last few years. Mind you my kids are getting older so there’s less emphasis on toys now. The only problem is that toys seem to get replaced by more expensive high tech stuff when they get older so even though I buy fewer things they end up costing me more, go figure.

I’m not a big Christmas kind of guy, I like a nice small and relaxing break from both work and the Christmas rush. I’d rather have a few family members over and just spend time at home with my kids and wife on Christmas day but my wife all ways disagrees with me on this every year.

Speaking of which, I didn’t realize until today that’s there’s only 20 days left till Christmas, I better get my tookass and get shopping.

[bootlegga]

We're going a bit bigger than in previous years - mostly because we can better afford it this year.

My family basically only buys stocking stuffers for the adults ($20 limit), and a decent gift for the kids ($40 limit)- which is good, because I've got five siblings and a dozen or so nephews & nieces. My wife's family is much more low key and we usually just give some money for the kid's college funds.

However, because our financial picture is rosier this year than it has been the past couple, we've bought nicer gifts than we usually do, going towards the higher end of the gift limit than the lower/middle as we have in the past. We also spent a few hundred bucks on Christmas decorations for the house and tree, and our big family gift this year will be a cruise and trip to California.

Still, the one thing we do is that we buy Christmas presents all year round, so it really cuts down on costs. If we see an awesome gift for someone on sale in June, we buy it and sock it away. That means we don't get the Christmas hangover in January a lot of other families do. We actually had 90% of our gifts bought by September this year, so the only expenses we've had the past couple of weeks were some gift cards and a few other small items.

For my wife and I, Christmas is also a time to give back, so we usually donate a couple boxes of food to the food bank, take our extra clothes to Goodwill and toss money into the Christmas Bureau buckets we see around town. I'd guess we probably donate somewhere on the order of $200-300 each Christmas - and we don't care that we don't get a tax receipt in return - the warm feeling we get inside from giving is more than worth it.

[Dragon-Dancer]

My family is small and there are are no kids involved. Gift giving has toned down quite a bit over the years, something I'm quite thankful for since I never know what to get my parents anymore. I'll be picking up a few small gifts for my friends and family but I break no banks in the process. Christmas day will likely involve dinner at the parent's place as it does every year though I may need to help cook it this year depending on when mom gets her hip surgery. Other wise I'll be enjoying my time off and trying not to think of work.

[DanSC]

I thought Christmas was only for those who believed in fairy tales? Otherwise you have Festivus.

[commanderkai]

We're going to have a pretty huge Christmas this year. My family and my extended family (on my dad's side) are going to Nuevo Vallarta in Mexico this Christmas. Pretty exciting, actually. Not sure how the dinner or anything like that will work out, but I'm pretty excited

[Lemmy]

DanSC wrote:

I thought Christmas was only for those who believed in fairy tales?

Christianity was origninally a pagan sun-worshipping religion. The fairytale part came later. I believe in the sun and worship it as frequently as possible. Christmas, in its present context is, for me, a reason to cook & eat. I also celebrated the Feast of the First of Muharram with a roast beef and turnip feedbag just a week or so ago and look forward to a bevy of excuses to belly up to the dinner table over the holiday season.

[bootlegga]

DanSC wrote:

I thought Christmas was only for those who believed in fairy tales? Otherwise you have Festivus.

Of course it is - unless you're still convinced Santa is real! Sorry, if I just burst your bubble...

[Gunnair]

A little smaller this year and I hope to take the boy out for a day or two of backpacking and winter beach camping.

[DanSC]

bootlegga wrote:

DanSC wrote:

I thought Christmas was only for those who believed in fairy tales? Otherwise you have Festivus.

Of course it is - unless you're still convinced Santa is real! Sorry, if I just burst your bubble...

[Strutz]

Yogi wrote:

How about NO Christmas at all! Several years ago I totally denounced the sad farce that it has become. I neither give nor accept gifts or cards with anyone. I stay home, and just enjoy 'another day'. My family and friends have finally accepted this and respect my decision.

Who really needs a diamond tennis bracelet or an X-box, or an iphone or a....and the list goes on. But I'd be willing to bet that everyone knows at least one family who could really use a 'hand up', not only at this time of year, but all year around. Since I have chosen such a family, and am helping them out with some of the basics, as well as a couple of 'luxuries'-new coffee maker-fancy sweaters, some foods which they would never be able to normally have, and a few dollars for them to be able to have 'some jingle in their jeans'.
After all, it is my understanding that the tradition of 'gift giving' started with the 3 Wise Men giving gifts of 'the coin of the realm' to a family who had nothing.

Merry Master Card & Happy Visa to all!

Yogi... it's a relief to know there is at least one person out there that won't ask for an explanation when I say I don't "do Christmas". It's funny how some people just don't understand...

Not that I don't do anything. I too help those who need the basics that virtually all of us take for granted.

Me too... a quiet day. Perhaps we'll see each other in here on the 25th then.