Bossy just counted it up, and there are exactly 50 days until Christmas.
For many years now, Bossy has been the family curmudgeon when it comes to exchanging presents. Gifts long ago lost their appeal, both in the receiving and giving category. Mostly because everyone Bossy knows is highly budgeted themselves and have small homes where the idea of new stuff isn’t even welcome.
We all have too much stuff to begin with–isn’t that the complaint? The thought of even more stuff makes Bossy throw up a little in her mouth, and she doesn’t even care if that makes her sound like Scrooge, because Scrooge wore cute red boots. Or was that the Grinch?
So now you have Bossy googling the Grinch, and all she can find is photos of Jim Carrey, and Bossy is all, “That’s not the Grinch, this is!”
Anyway.
A few years ago, Bossy made a rule with her friends that she is not exchanging presents–although occasionally Bossy will practice a Holiday Random Act of Kindness, like dropping off a string of sweet Christmas lights, where occasionally means one time three years ago when she made the rule.
And Bossy made a rule with her extended family that no adults would receive gifts, but it was OK for each child to receive one gift and aren’t you happy you don’t have Bossy in your family? And no one else in Bossy’s extended family likes this rule or follows it, which means that Bossy’s kids sit in a pile of packages while Bossy’s nieces stand around holding their one package from Aunt Meanie Bossy.
As for the immediate family, Bossy and her husband no longer exchange presents. And Bossy’s kids know that Santa is way poor these days, in fact his sled is being repossessed and his workshop is in foreclosure.
But the fact remains that Bossy’s kids will have a small list of things they need, and Bossy and her husband will attempt to purchase these things.
And so Bossy is thinking that she needs to make these 50 days work for her. If she knows of items on the wish list, and she knows the sizes and or colors or brands — she needs to begin scouring eBay and other discount sites for deals.
With 50 days remaining, many auctions can be watched and many things can be delivered in time, and Bossy won’t have to lose her mind paying full price or driving around creation in her car, because there’s a lot of traffic
in creation.
MariaV says
November 6, 2008 at 12:25 pmI’m trying to convince my husband that we should skip Christmas this year. He’s not buying into it.
Your 50 day notification is just the push I need.
vuboq says
November 6, 2008 at 12:28 pmi tried to convince my parents/brother that we didn’t need to exchange gifts this year. Oh, well. They’re all getting pottery.
vuboq prefers Thanksgiving. No gifts. Lots of food.
steph says
November 6, 2008 at 12:32 pm50 days?! I just had a heart attack.
Tootsie Farklepants says
November 6, 2008 at 12:33 pmMy husband and I also gave up exchanging gifts with each other because we have a habit of buying whatever it is that we needed or wanted throughout the year anyway. We made the same adult/child gift deal with my side of the family as you did. We haven’t convinced his side yet. And of course his side is the size of a small country.
mrs. g. says
November 6, 2008 at 12:44 pmI am similarly grinchy at Christmas. I’m even more of a buzzkill. My kids get a few things and the extended family get donations to Kiva in their name. They openly mock the nobility (code: suckitude) of my gift.
update at: http://derfwadmanor.blogspot.com/2007/11/building-nest-egg_03.html
Lisa says
November 6, 2008 at 12:49 pmA single Mom here…..I’m doing calendars of my photographs from the last year. If you get them on Vista print (25) with shipping and handling and download fees, they are $7.13 a piece! I am also baking healthy cookies. My son is not getting anything because I paid the tax and license fees on his car he got this fall. My daughter…..well we usually go somewhere nice like the Nutcracker or to Hearst Castle. I do stocking stuffers, but they are always things the kids needs like new toothbrushes and socks, etc.
I also get a week off at Christmas time just to spend time with my kids and friends. This year because things are so slow, I might take two weeks! Yeah!
andrea says
November 6, 2008 at 1:53 pmMy side of the family usually does secret Santa but we might cut that out this year. It hasn’t been decided. Due to a baby on the way, The Prof and I will buy a few small things for each other and then concentrate on baby gifts we still need to get.
jan8mr.lootiato says
November 6, 2008 at 2:02 pmwe’ll all have a new and wonderful first family in our stockings. What else do we adults need?
Liz says
November 6, 2008 at 2:04 pmYeah, nothing sucks the spirit out of Christmas like the financial strain of trying to keep up with gift-giving. For this reason, I am the Grinch of my family, too.
Can’t we all just be happy with a pretty tree, good food, and overly competitive family board games?
LeahBear says
November 6, 2008 at 2:31 pmMy mom says every year that she wants to skip Christmas, but every year there is a pile of presents under the tree that borders on VULGAR. It’s not her fault. It’s all of our faults. Maybe we need to have a serious talk this year.
At least this year I made myself a budget for Christmas! I’ve never done that before!
Here is my latest post – complete with Christmas list: http://wherearethebears.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-am-so-good_06.html
Windy says
November 6, 2008 at 2:45 pmOh Bossy, I’m with ya! The thought of all the stuff that Christmas brings makes me sick. We are so very fortunate that we don’t need one more thing, can’t store one more thing, and the folks we buy for don’t need anything. We have tried to stop this nonsense for years but no one listens!
dexter says
November 6, 2008 at 3:09 pmChristmas has been officially cancelled this year. We’ll decorate the house and have family over but thats it! No gifts…. However, I am sending the wife to the Rose Bowl Parade with friends, so I guess thats a present for both of us.
Jen says
November 6, 2008 at 3:43 pmOh, how I wish Bossy was in my family. I can’t convince anyone to draw names or cut back. Guess my fam. is attached to piles and piles of made-in-China-by-a-four-year-old-child landfill fodder.
http://jlogged.com/ here’s to 30 days of frugal fun!
Tuli says
November 6, 2008 at 3:52 pmBack in September, I got a sewing machine for my birthday. My mantra for Christmas this year is, “If I didn’t make it, I ain’t giving it.” Because y’all? Fabric remnants are cheap! And there are free patterns for cute bags and hats and mittens and scarves and quilts (not that I’m making anyone a quilt this year) and ornaments on the Internets.
So I’m going to totally skimp this year and NO ONE WILL KNOW. Unless my sewing sucks. Which it doesn’t totally. I’m gettin’ better.
MamaMo says
November 6, 2008 at 4:13 pmWe don’t do the whole presents/stockings part of Christmas – though the girls are encouraged to MAKE sweet little gifts for their friends/teachers – which they LOVE.
Liz says
November 6, 2008 at 4:33 pmOh sheesh…only fifty? ARE YOU SURE? Wahhhh.
~Liz
http://www.AGiveawayADay.blogspot.com
http://www.LovingThisMomStuff.blogspot.com
http://www.JustAnotherLiz.blogspot.com
rockle says
November 6, 2008 at 5:15 pmboy, am i glad i have a christmas club, is all i am saying. otherwise we’d be HOSED. because diapers are expensive and my daughter poops A LOT.
Kelly says
November 6, 2008 at 5:16 pmI was just stressing about this. I have over the years stopped buying gifts for everyone but my daughter, my nephew, and my daughters brother and sister. Last year I couldn’t even do that. I made a stained glass panel for my daughter with leftover glass and that was it! It was well received.
I don’t know what to do for her this year. **chews fingernails**
big hair envy says
November 6, 2008 at 5:47 pmYesterday, I posted the Countdown to Christmas ticker on my site. I then proceeded to print out my Christmas gift list, and immediately cut it by about 60%. Boy, that felt GOOD!!! My final act of defiance was setting a LOW budget, and breaking it down so I would know the maximum I could spend on each gift. I feel liberated!
David says
November 6, 2008 at 6:19 pmThe year I was laid off I baked cookies for all my loved ones and put them in various “found” cookie tins and they were a huge hit.
I’m a big card sender though. I used to send out over 60 cards each year. Last year I paired that down to under 40. I will probably pair it down again this year.
My family has never been big on gift giving. We never bought into that “eight gifts for eights nights” malarky for Hanukah. So my holiday shopping is usually accomplished in a matter of 1-2 hours sometime in early December via the comfort of my own desktop. A gift card for each of my two nephews, a small gift basket from Kiehls for my sister, and a donation in honor of each of my parents to their favorite charity.
Kristina says
November 6, 2008 at 6:21 pmWe really only buy for our 2 kids (D19 and S7), son’s teacher, bus driver, and CCD teacher. In the big extended family if you are 18 you are out of the present pool. This means, dear son is the only one who gets presents at the big family Christmas party. You know what? It’s ok. Nobody needs or really even wants anything. Hubs and I take a mom and dad ONLY 4 day vacation every other year (it was Vegas this year, 2 years ago it was San Francisco) and that covers Christmas, birthday, anniversary gifts between us for 2 years.
Sparx says
November 6, 2008 at 7:38 pmOh, yes, this is us… my sister in law just emailed to say she’s put some presents in the post for us and I’m all ‘wha???’ And I’ve been shopping on ebay for my son for a month now – a fiver here, a fiver there… Cindy Lou Who will be getting presents after all.
Linda260 says
November 6, 2008 at 8:01 pmThere are no small kids in the extended family, and we never exchanged gifts with the adults. Last year we adopted the “no presents in the immediate family” rule. you know what? It was fine. We have a household budget that we stick to. If my husband or I want something, and it’s within the budget, we buy it. If not, we don’t. Neither of us needs any (more) stuff just for the sake of having a gift to unwrap. We do the lights, tree, decorations, and have a lovely family dinner. It’s enough.
I have a couple of close friends who live on the other side of the country. Since we can’t see each other at the holidays, I’ll pick up something small (i.e. cheap) and craft-y for each of them. Our rule for that is it has to be something holiday related, so that none of us have to find a permanent spot in our homes for another bit of stuff.
wrh says
November 6, 2008 at 11:28 pmI love love love Bossy’s Act of Kindness idea. LOVE IT. Did I mention that I LOVE IT. TWGH and I only do stockings for each other because, what? if I want something bad enough chances are I’m going to buy it for myself…and then hide it in the trunk of my car for three weeks so that when he asks, “Is that new?” I can say “no” and not be lying.
donna in mid michigan says
November 7, 2008 at 8:29 amBOSSY and friends…years ago I checked out flylady.net, and she VERY much suggest giving EDIBLE presents…everyone needs to eat, and it doesn’t take up space, have to be displayed or hung on a wall out of gratuity. She calls them “Clutter free” gifts. http://flylady.com/pages/holidaycruising1.asp
Great idea..it has worked for my family ..THAT and LED 3 dollar flashlights from Amazon.com…everyone loves getting a flashlight!
and I didn’t “QUOTE MYSELF” once. Bleh!! lol
Cat says
November 7, 2008 at 11:55 amSanta already gave me what I asked for on Tuesday.
Amy in StL says
November 7, 2008 at 4:52 pmYes, I am glad bossy isn’t in my family. We love Christmas and love to buy things for each other and I would die, DIE if Christmas didn’t include a big pile of gifts. And no, getting isn’t the best part. The best part is going to the mall, in all the crowds and listening to holiday music and spending hours picking out the right gifts for my family.