[Misc] Christmas Present Question

[BadFish]

My son was telling me that his friend (both 14) doesn't buy his parents or his sister a Christmas gift. The presents are purely one way.

They tell me this is 'normal' and that our way of buying each other something is odd.

My daughter reckons this is a well to do thing and those with more money don't get anything from their kids.

I am somewhat astounded I thought everyone bought everyone something!

What do you and your kids/grand kids do?

 

[Mental Lental]

I was thinking about this the other day. I and my siblings all give the core family presents (going up and down generations) but I can't remember at what age I started it. I definitely didn't buy presents for the family when I was a kid. What is the age when you're gonna expect your kid to start buying you a Christmas present? I have a 3 year old, that's probably a bit to soon.

 

[keaton]

Doesn't father Christmas only visit children?

 

[BadFish]

I was thinking about this the other day. I and my siblings all give the core family presents (going up and down generations) but I can't remember at what age I started it. I definitely didn't buy presents for the family when I was a kid. What is the age when you're gonna expect your kid to start buying you a Christmas present? I have a 3 year old, that's probably a bit to soon.

Nah get them out working to buy you presents .

Yeah I guess the question is : what age?

Ours were quite young but we bought the presents for each other. Before that I think we did from wife and kids.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

My son was telling me that his friend (both 14) doesn't buy his parents or his sister a Christmas gift. The presents are purely one way.

They tell me this is 'normal' and that our way of buying each other something is odd.

My daughter reckons this is a well to do thing and those with more money don't get anything from their kids.

I am somewhat astounded I thought everyone bought everyone something!

What do you and your kids/grand kids do?

Don't think I bought a present for my parents till I was 18 when l started work. I earned a few bob as a church choir boy till my voice broke, but I think it was taken as read that it was a one way thing at Christmas. I had no money of my own from when I stopped singing in the choir to when I started work apart from a little pocket money that was saved until I had enough to buy something occasionally like a construction kit, a handful of fireworks or a single (one of those round vinyl black things that spin round on a record player to make music). I would have needed to save all my pocket money from January to Christmas to buy Christmas gifts for my parents and sister as well. And I certainly wasn't capable of making them. No, I'm pretty certain I didn't give them gifts till I started work.

 

[Worried Man Blues]

I get a card from the dog?

 

[Justice]

My daughter reckons this is a well to do thing and those with more money don't get anything from their kids.

Should that those with less money don’t get anything from the kids?

Before all of ours started working we used to save all our odd change in a jar over the year and give it to them before Christmas to buy presents for each other and the grandparents. It became a tradition until they grew up. One year we had saved almost £300 in lose change I was gutted I didn’t count it early doors

 

[B-right-on]

I buy my wife 2 presents. One from me and one from our 15 y.o.
Used to be 3 until our eldest started work and she bought her own for the other half.

And it's reciprocated.

 

[Justice]

I get a card from the dog?

What a miserable dog mine gets me at least some socks and a bottle of bourbon

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I somehow always managed to get my late mum something, even if it was home made when I was little and didn’t have pocket money. Once I was 13 pocket money stopped and I had to earn for myself - paper rounds, car washing etc until I could get a part time job in a shop or hotel at weekends. Christmas is a time to give - it’s not all take, take, take.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

One way. I don't think my brothers and I started buying presents for each other and our same-generation family till we were in our thirties. I'm not sure my dad (died in 87) was ever given a Christmas present by anyone. I imagine he would have thought it weird. As the silverback of the family, now, I must confess I find it a bit odd being given presents, albeit this may be related to my being a bit odd. When anyone asks me 'what would you like for Christmas' I feel stressed and just think 'leave me alone', but I realise that giving presents makes the giver feel nice so I try to not show a face like a smacked arse, be nice, and give a considered reply.

 

[The Clamp]

I don’t want any presents and I don’t give any presents.

I have been known to hand presents back to people who have tried to give me gifts and they get a telling off with it if it’s some crap that’s destined for landfill.

 

[PILTDOWN MAN]

My wife and I used to give the kids some money to buy presents. It meant we were buying our own presents but our thinking was we would take them out individually to buy for everyone else with a limit to each present but they had to be thoughtful and not just get “garage” bought chocolates.

 

[dsr-burnley]

I was 7 when my Dad first gave me £1 (it went further then, 1971!) to go to the shop and buy presents for everyone - two grandparents, two parents, a great-aunt, three siblings. I can't remember how old I was when I had to fund it myself, probably about 10 or 11. It probably helped that Father Christmas was a myth in our house!

It's important to teach children how to give, IMO.

 

[BadFish]

I was 7 when my Dad first gave me £1 (it went further then, 1971!) to go to the shop and buy presents for everyone - two grandparents, two parents, a great-aunt, three siblings. I can't remember how old I was when I had to fund it myself, probably about 10 or 11. It probably helped that Father Christmas was a myth in our house!

It's important to teach children how to give, IMO.

Isn't father Christmas a myth in everyone's house?

 

[WATFORD zero]

We always bought my parents and siblings presents. I remember making them at school when very young and then being given money to buy them until I started work at 15 and then funded them myself. Stopped buying my siblings presents when they had kids and bought for their kids instead, stopping that when they got to 18 or so. (Now buying their kids presents ).

And my kids have always bought presents for me and Mrs Wz, funded by the other when young and by themselves when they started part time work at 16. Actually been getting increasingly good presents from them last few years

 

[ozzygull]

when she was little I would get my daughter to do a small job, and would give her £5 to buy a Christmas present for her dad. the jobs could be putting toys away, helping match the socks after washing, so she felt like she earned it. One year she bought him a bucket and sponge for cleaning his car. It was a bugger to wrap, but greatly received as his old one had a hole in it.

 

[Swansman]

My son was telling me that his friend (both 14) doesn't buy his parents or his sister a Christmas gift. The presents are purely one way.

They tell me this is 'normal' and that our way of buying each other something is odd.

My daughter reckons this is a well to do thing and those with more money don't get anything from their kids.

I am somewhat astounded I thought everyone bought everyone something!

What do you and your kids/grand kids do?

Didn't buy people anything when I was a kid... no money and also no real perception of what the oldies wanted. Didn't start giving until I was maybe 16-17 and was making a little bit of money.

In recent years, my commie grandma has been pushing for no presents at all because the materialistic nonsense distracts from what Christmas really should be about... yet I think everyone including her will be giving some presents this year as well, but I sort of agree with her. I could see the value of doing it in the past but these days people consume useless junk all days of the year so turning Christmas into something more... spiritual wouldn't harm.

 

[Arthur]

I don’t want any presents and I don’t give any presents.

I have been known to hand presents back to people who have tried to give me gifts and they get a telling off with it if it’s some crap that’s destined for landfill.

By not accepting then surely you are just accelerating it's path to landfill whilst making yourself look like a dick in the process.

 

[The Clamp]

By not accepting then surely you are just accelerating it's path to landfill whilst making yourself look like a dick in the process.

Edited for rudeness.