Too many nieces and nephews!

[boefixepa]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

Okay, I didn't read all the comments, but had to jump in quick, because I too feel the same way!!! I have 8 neices and nephew and yeah in the beginning when there were one or two it wasn't a big deal...but now it is!! I think back and I can't remember one birthday or christmas gift from an aunt or uncle other than a family gift or a christmas tree ordinmate. My siblings may call me selfish and mean, and it's not that I don't love them I do really I do, but if I have to show my love my shelling out all kinds of money then that's not love! I got really feed up with it all a few years a go and said FORGET IT! I send each family a gift card to Wal-mart and mom and dad can do whatever they want with it. I've stuck with this method the last few years and it seems to work...this is the whole of my Christmas budget for the most part

Older sister 1 married with three childred - 5 X 20 = 100.00
Brother 1- married two kids one on the way 4 X 20 = 80.00
Exwife of brother 1 w/ two kids from my brother = $50.00
Brother 2 - single - $40.00
Brother 3 - Just divoriced with 1 kid - 3 x 20 = 60 , but I will have to split that this year....grr

That totals $330.00!!!! That's ALOT of money...

So for those who mentioned it was mean...sorry it's not!! I know Christmas is about giving and receiving and all that, but what on earth are all my siblings thinking!!! They don't spent $10 on my throughtout the entire year!! Yet they want me to just be a cash machine for their children!! I don't think so! I do my best to make sure they get a little something and I do extra if I am actually spening Christamas with them, but I get really REALLY mad when my siblings expect me to shell out all this money! It's not fair and it's not right. I'd much rather spend time with them, but since we are so far away from each other that really isn't a possibility. So sorry if I offend, but Christamas isn't about what you get...if they can't get a gift for $20 and put it under the three for me...that's their problem not mine. If they use the money to buy groceries, fine...that's better than going without. I will no longer feel guilty or be made to fell guilty that the bank is closed!!!

[mariec99]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

Personally, I would buy books for each of them and make sure to write a little message inside.

When I was six years old my Mom bought me a copy of The Giving Tree and wrote a lovely messgae about how she hoped I would share her love of reading. I still have this and treasure it so much -- if there was ever a fire it would be the first thing I grabbed to save.

The other things I treasure are things that my relatives made for me -- Great Grampo made a tiny doll size table and chairs from scraps of lumber and oil cloth, tiny chairs he had crafted out of tin cans, etc. (I still have these!) For my own niece, I made a doll couch, bed and dresser from materials I bought from the scrap bins at Hobby Lobby/Michaels -- she loves them and has asked me to make another bed for a new doll. It costs me so little and I really enjoy making these kinds of things -- I truly put love into them. **P.S. Use the 40% off coupons that Hobby Lobby and Michaels sometimes print in the Sunday papers to buy the more expensive materials you need.

The other idea I have for you is to give board games (Monopoly, Life, Candyland, etc.) that have an age range that covers all (or most) of the kids in that household. Then you can buy one gift and more than one kid can enjoy it. Or any other toy that can be shared easily -like those cardboard "bricks" you can buy in sets at toy stores. Have them upwrap it at the same time to emphasize that they are to share it.

P.S. And forget about presents for the adults! Or have all of the adults draw names -- that way you are only expected to buy one gift. Make sure you all decide on a dollar limit. This is how my family does it. And actually having a lower $ limit can make the present buying a fun/creative challenge!

[Ima saver]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I honestly like the McDonald's booklet the best. Kids love going to McDonalds, especially in that age group!

[Fern]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I know someone with 4 siblings all with kids and at Xmas they draw names and each adult is assigned one child to buy for. That's it. No breaking of the bank.

[geojen]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I really wish the family would decide to draw names for the kids. It would make it so much easier on all of us. The adults do something fun: we exchange homemade ornaments. Now, some of the men don't find this that much fun, but they do it anyway. And, it is so fun seeing what everyone made and looking at them through the years.

[creditcardfree]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I have the same problem...lots of neices and nephews.

We usually just send a card for birthday, so they know we were thinking of them. Some years I have included stickers, even just a sheet not even a whole package.

At Christmas...I shop Walmart. Last year, I bought gifts that averaged about $6 each. The girls got makeup sets, older boys received addidas cologne, younger boy was given a fake shaving kit and things to use in the bathtub.

I've also given boxes of books, coloring book, crayons, markers, paints, bath items, character toothbrush and paste...things that get used up. I have kids myself, so I try to buy things that can be used up. Kids really do get too many gifts at times...its hard to manage it all.

I personally don't expect our girls aunts and uncles to get gifts for Christmas. As it turns out some do, and others don't. My kids don't even seem to notice!!

[rickatheslicka]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I have so many cousins, I have lost count. So I buy things that can be broken into several pieces, like a $10 bath/spa kit gets broken into shower gel and a poof for one girl, lotion and a candle for another girl, bath salt and the pretty bag for another girl - $3 each! (I know your nieces and nephews are a little young for this still...)

For little ones, dollar stores and the "party favor" aisle at Target, Wal-mart, etc can provide great finds (package of 6 noise makers for $1 - would make a perfect gift for their demanding parents, don't you think?! LOL).

The sample aisle is also great, our stores are carrying the most adorable little packets of nail files, lip gloss, nail polish - all for $1 or less.

We once found jigsaw puzzles for various ages, boys/girls for $1 each! We bought 30, wrapped them, put a small G or B on them, and had plenty to go around for all the cousins (no worries about forgetting poor Suzy). The kids were touched that we had gotten them all something, who cares what the parents thought? I think Christmas is for the kids in many ways, and kids are generally easy to please.

I think there are plenty of good deals to be had out there, so do your best to include the kids. When they're older, shoot for them to say not so much, "Wow, I loved such and such that I got from Uncle Bob" - but instead for them to say, "I always enjoyed Christmas with my extended family, Uncle Bob always managed to get all the cousins something, even if it was homemade or not very expensive, we appreciated it."

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

Time is often the best and most remembered gift.. I like to give our nieces and nephews gifts that are time, or require (and recieve) our time...like a rocket we gave one for his brithday..including the trip to go shoot it.

Sometimes we aim for a game to play with them, or a craft to build with them...anything that involves time with them.

[debtfreeme]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

didn't take the time to read through this yet but how about a family gift? Something like tickets to the zoo or some fun outing?

[greedy4chips]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I have a brother and sister along with 5 stepsisters and 1 stepbrother. Between us all there are 20 nieces and nephews minus your own kids plus great nieces and nephews are starting to come along.

Our family decided several yrs ago that adults would toss their name into a hat and draw 1 to buy a gift for. We did the same for kids. That lasted until last year when after many people getting shorted by someone who could not come up with the $25 gift (adults) or $15 (kids). We now give white elephant gifts for the adults and kids still exchange names.

Any kid who's gift does not show up will receive a gift that was intended for one of the jippers kids if appropriate boy/girl. It is so sad to see a kid crying because they were jipped by so and so.

I have a sorta crummy step family with 3 of them in jail over the years and can't keep a job to save their life. Another who would spend her rent check on booze and cigs, then ask her mom for rent money. It drove my dad nuts that a 30 something adult couldn't pay their own rent! To this day that money has never been seen!

[dshep]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I would do a family gift... a couple of cheap dvds (kids cartoons or something) from Walmart or the dollar store and a box of microwave popcorn or a tin of the flavored popcorn. (that gift even gives the parents ten minutes of peace and quiet ) Or a Big art kit with all the bells and whistles ( I got one at Walmart for about 9 dollars) and a ream of paper. Or make up a Ice cream Sundae basket and include a grocery card or coupon for the icecream. Its so much easier to do a family gift, then try and spend the same amount on each child.

[Sivart5]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I have three children and eight nieces & nephews. A few years back we decided the kids would exchange names. Now we only have to buy three gifts instead of eight. They still get a ton of presents from grandmas and grandpas anyway.

[geojen]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

I have three children and eight nieces & nephews. A few years back we decided the kids would exchange names. Now we only have to buy three gifts instead of eight. They still get a ton of presents from grandmas and grandpas anyway.

See, why can't my SILs understand this concept? It is so reasonable, and so much more doable for all of us. They are still going to get terribly spoiled from their grandparents. Why do they need 100 present. Wouldn't 90 be enough?

[Snoopy2645]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

Well in my family I have a sister with 1 child & a brother with one child & brothers gf with 2 little boys. I give my niece & nephew $15 gc they are 15 & 17 so they are at the age for it & my 2 I guess you might say stepnephews I actually gave some stuff I got free to them nice new stuff for little kids & I made them each a pillow & I bought a gift for one cheap gift though I didnt want the little boys left out my niece & nephew are grown but these boys are 6& 8 so I love to give them stuff. But now I have 3 girls so my brother & sis dont give us much but thats ok I now I am more frugal than them I can give tons of nice stuff I got free from deals & these people are too busy working to do that kinda shopping.


But now brother & sis are very well to do & we are not so anyways that is how that is!!

[justbee]

Re: Too many nieces and nephews!

greedy4chips, what is a "white elephant gift"? I have never heard that term before.

I think gift giving to nieces and nephews kind of depends on the family situation. In my case these kids don't have a lot of other family that they receive gifts from. Their only set of grandparents are on SS and usually aren't able to give much so they only get gifts from their parents and us.