Gifts - Specifically Birthday and Christmas
I was driving around today, picking up cat food and a cake pan. I got to thinking about gifts (because I was running around for Stephans bithday), and I was thinking of how much gift giving lately seems to be monetary. I didn't know what to get you so I got you a gift card/cash/check. Not that I don't appriciate it, but it just seems so impersonal and almost a little competative, because you know EXACTLY how much the other person spent on you.
I want to make a resolution not to fall into that trap. That said I'm granting myself the following exceptions:
Teenage Nieces/Nephews - especially those that aren't allowed to have jobs. I know how hard it was to get money as a teen without a job and how much you want to go out with friends. I see giving them cash as almost like giving them a night out with their friends.
My fraternal Grandfather, because there is nothing this man needs. I have found the solution but it kind of falls into the gray area so I'm granting an exception. This year I took him out to lunch for his birthday, this worked out nicely. (I normally go to lunch with him about once a month, he normally pays).
Any nonbirthday/xmas occasion especially those that are traditonally montary gifts. (First Communion/Graduation/Wedding) (I'm not saying I'm going to, but thats an option)
My goal for this year is to find birthday gifts for stephan, michael, and ali that don't total more than $20-$25 and include a complete outfit (top and pants) and a substantial looking toy. One down, two to go.
My goal for xmas is to find two gifts for everyone in my family and jims mom. I'd like to keep them under $30 total, and realisticly its most likely one big gift and one little one, because I feel bad that everyone gets both Jim and I gifts but we only buy them one. I normally do splurge a little on Jims mom my mom and my aunt. If I ever found something absolutely perfect for my maternal grandfather I'd splurge, but I never find anything he likes, besides dvds. Also I need to find toys for all the nieces and nephews, well I got books for the one, but I need toys for the rest. If xmas is over here I'll need stocking stuffers too.
One of these days I'd like to do an actual gift exchange with Jim but we never do, sometime in late november early dec we'll figure out something we want and justify it as our Xmas gift. Maybe this year we wont because we've been splurging all along. (Mostly on house and computer related stuff)
I need to figure out what the total budget for gifts is going to be, and hopefully spread it over a few months.
I want to make a resolution not to fall into that trap. That said I'm granting myself the following exceptions:
Teenage Nieces/Nephews - especially those that aren't allowed to have jobs. I know how hard it was to get money as a teen without a job and how much you want to go out with friends. I see giving them cash as almost like giving them a night out with their friends.
My fraternal Grandfather, because there is nothing this man needs. I have found the solution but it kind of falls into the gray area so I'm granting an exception. This year I took him out to lunch for his birthday, this worked out nicely. (I normally go to lunch with him about once a month, he normally pays).
Any nonbirthday/xmas occasion especially those that are traditonally montary gifts. (First Communion/Graduation/Wedding) (I'm not saying I'm going to, but thats an option)
My goal for this year is to find birthday gifts for stephan, michael, and ali that don't total more than $20-$25 and include a complete outfit (top and pants) and a substantial looking toy. One down, two to go.
My goal for xmas is to find two gifts for everyone in my family and jims mom. I'd like to keep them under $30 total, and realisticly its most likely one big gift and one little one, because I feel bad that everyone gets both Jim and I gifts but we only buy them one. I normally do splurge a little on Jims mom my mom and my aunt. If I ever found something absolutely perfect for my maternal grandfather I'd splurge, but I never find anything he likes, besides dvds. Also I need to find toys for all the nieces and nephews, well I got books for the one, but I need toys for the rest. If xmas is over here I'll need stocking stuffers too.
One of these days I'd like to do an actual gift exchange with Jim but we never do, sometime in late november early dec we'll figure out something we want and justify it as our Xmas gift. Maybe this year we wont because we've been splurging all along. (Mostly on house and computer related stuff)
I need to figure out what the total budget for gifts is going to be, and hopefully spread it over a few months.