Whew! (How we're doing Xmas this year)

[The Wild One, Forever]

That is a really cool idea.  Stocking stuffers are my favorite part of Christmas gifts, anyway, so I am going to suggest this to my husband. 

[TOLady]

About 4 years ago, we sat down with DH's family and asked if it would be okay if we didn't exchange any gifts going forward. There are no kids on either side of our families anyway.

We thought there might be some resistance, but everyone went for it! We all figured we were all spending so much on stuff that none of us really needed (or wanted) and the stress of it all was making me seriously sick.

So now we get together at ILs for a small dinner, tons of stories and much laughter and no more stress!

DH and I get each other something small, but after that - it's a bottle of vodka in the freezer and LOTR marathon for the 25th and 26th!

The only glitch this year will be my Mom. My DSF passed away last year and she's not getting along all that well with the SD, so she may not go there for Christmas. However, she knows my feelings about Christmas in my family and hasn't *itched too much yet. I'll see her the weekend before if I can have my Dad drop me off at her place after I see him. Even that is making me queasy...

[Ceallach]

DH and I buy gifts - often 2-3 each - but I would actually really like to do stockings as I miss them!  My parents did the most awesome Christmas stockings ever. 

For everybody else, we now give only to those we're spending Christmas with.  e.g. this year we will have Christmas at my brother & SIL's place (a few blocks away from us) and my parents will be over too, so they'll all get presents.  My other brothers and sisters who are back in our home country won't get presents from us nor will they send them over.  (Although our parents will give to all of the kids).   For me, gift giving is a big part of the joy of Christmas so I couldn't bear to stop altogether.  It would be impossible to buy for our whole family though - there's oodles of us!