Christmas Gifts and Friends

[Cleopatra]

Hello

I have a question for you gals! Christmas is right around the corner....uhh ohhh....Black Friday is 24 days away. This means that Christmas shopping season and gifts galore are awaiting us anxiously.

How do you girls handle gifts for good girl friends? Do you buys each friend a separate gift? Do you all pull names and buy one special gift for the friend whose name you pulled?

I'm curious to know because I'm thinking of suggesting "name pulling" to my friends for this season. We are all fresh out of college with limited pay and on our own for the first time - we really don't have too much money or need to spend on a gift for each one of our friends, yet don't want to not include someone because of financial reasons....plus, several of us are planning weddings - so this means - lots of money being spent on weddings - not to mention gifts for the married-couples-to-be.

Is there a correct way to bring up this "name pulling" idea to my friends without sounding "cheap"???...because that's really not it - I'd gladly spend my money on my girls, I just know that they would do the same and wouldn't accept the "don't give me a gift excuse" ...

 

[somethingshiny]

We don''t do Christmas gifts for each other (except maybe a little ornament) because that could rope you into buying for all the husbands, kids, etc. We just buy for each other''s birthdays. Then we''re not buying tons of gifts all in Dec. The birthdays are nicely spread out and we get to add to our "going out" list of events. Years ago, before husbands, kids, etc, we would buy for everyone but they were pre-determined gifts. Like one year it was decided that everyone would buy bracelets. So, we all got 7 bracelets (this was still in the silver budget days)that we could play around with. We also did Christmas on New Years Eve, with the intention that we could hit after Christmas sales. Since we were so busy with family obligations, that worked out quite well. And, we still had something to look forward to after the Holiday.

 

[FireGoddess]

While we were in grad school we mutually decided one year that it would be birthday gifts only - no Christmas gifts anymore. Even though we have graduated and all work, it's a lot easier than having an endless Christmas list!!!!!! If that's not an option, perhaps name pulling would be a little more economical. Or what if you guys just did a Christmas lunch or something instead - get together WITHOUT gifts and just spend an afternoon together? It would be a nice respite from all the other shopping you have to get done!

 

[Gypsy]

I think it''s smart and responsible, and if you just present it the way you did to us... that your concerned about everyone''s tight finances-- but also want to make sure everyone gets something nice, it makes sense. Put a dollar limit on it it''s all good. I don''t think it sounds cheap at all. My close freinds and I get each other presents sometimes, sporatically... a birthday here, an holiday there... it all works out, and we get what we can afford. And the years one of us hasn''t been able to afford much, a card is always appreciated.

 

[pinkelephant]

Hi there,
This year, my good girlfriends and I have decided to get together and either hire an esthetician to come to the house to give us manicures/pedicures or to go to a spa and then out for a nice dinner. We are all so busy during the year that we figured it would be nice just to get together and spend some time relaxing during the busy holiday season.

As for my siblings and their partners/spouses, we have decided to make Christmas stress free and draw names and so that each gift would essentially be from the group of us.