Are you financially better off or not than last this year at this time?

debodun

debodun

SF VIP
Location
way upstate in New York, USA
I ask because this Christmas I only received two gifts - much less than usual and the ones I received were cheapo; a hand towel and a tin of Danish cookies, which I have a strong feeling both were re-gifts and these from people that usually give Swiss Colony gift baskets or Russell Stover boxes of candy. Even in the family grab bag, where the minimum cost of the gift is $5, half the people didn't participate and the ones that did put in dollar store items. Also, mailed 8 cards and only 3 were reciprocated.

I realize Christmas focus shouldn't be on the gifts, but golly, I feel like Truman Capote who said one Christmas "I'm giving Tiffany's and getting poinsettias!" Just wondering if it's because, in general, people are hurting financially this year.
 

If the hand towel and the tin of cookies were given to you as a sincere gesture of the Christmas spirit then be happy and enjoy them.

If they were given to you as an obligatory gesture then they are just stuff and you should not give them a thought.

Focus your energies on the meaning of Christmas, try to stop keeping score or comparing the haul from one year to the next!

Merry Christmas Deb!
 
Giving and receiving gifts as a tradition stopped many years ago for us. Replaced by, for family is giving something at a time when it is needed and useful during the year. All others welcomed the change, probably a relief not having to figure out what to give to people that have all they need.


As for
Just wondering if it's because, in general, people are hurting financially this year.
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The better possibility is for the many that now have a job they could be catching up on debt incurred during the previous 8 years of the Obama administration.


Prior to dropping the gift giving & receiving price was never the criteria, sentiment was. Could be I've lost sentiment in favor of practical.
 
My family, what there is left of it, quit giving Christmas gifts long ago and my friends and I have done the same. Christmas is not about gifts, and it certainly isn't about keeping score about who spent what on what. Christmas is about the birth of Christ, God's gift to humanity, and his message of redemption, love and peace.
 
I got Hoot a nice big pack of doggie treats, and that was the only gift I bought. My new lady friend and I agreed to a "No Gift" deal this year. I did get a very nice framed picture from my son, along with a wine & cheese basket. Sent out 8 cards got about that many back.

The "economy" may or may not be doing better, but that doesn't mean that some folks aren't still struggling. Cheap gifts?? Meh. I don't judge.

Merry Christmas
 
debodun said:
I ask because this Christmas I only received two gifts - much less than usual and the ones I received were cheapo; a hand towel and a tin of Danish cookies, which I have a strong feeling both were re-gifts and these from people that usually give Swiss Colony gift baskets or Russell Stover boxes of candy. Even in the family grab bag, where the minimum cost of the gift is $5, half the people didn't participate and the ones that did put in dollar store items. Also, mailed 8 cards and only 3 were reciprocated.

I realize Christmas focus shouldn't be on the gifts, but golly, I feel like Truman Capote who said one Christmas "I'm giving Tiffany's and getting poinsettias!" Just wondering if it's because, in general, people are hurting financially this year.
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Deb, it's nice that you received those gifts, I wouldn't judge them too harshly, it's the thought that counts. Can I ask what you gave the folks who gave you those gifts, did you buy something really expensive for them?

We don't do Christmas gifts, but we did send out around a dozen cards to family and friends and got the same amount in return.
 
We don't do much gift exchanging in my family. We sisters don't exchange gifts, but we do still give gifts to our own and each other's grandkids and great-grandkids. My daughter and granddaughter and I exchange small gifts. I give my mom a grocery gift card every year and she buys herself some luxury food items she wouldn't normally get. The Spousal Equivalent and I exchange very small gifts; I got him a new Sudoko book and he got me two cartons of Mexican Coca-Cola......which is exactly what I wanted.
 
We have no problems financially. I'll probably apply for Soc Sec next month, don't like the way the political winds are blowing. One good thing about the tax bill (which otherwise I loathe): the individual AMT shot up to $1M. We would probably have hit the old limit (I think $144K?) in a few years, so that worry goes away forever. We'll certainly never hit $1M/yr, LOL.

We don't exchange Xmas presents in my family. Gave it up years ago when we realized we all had too much stuff, LOL! I give gifts only when I see something someone will really like or has expressed a need for. We even stopped buying presents for my nephew's kids. They have way too many toys anyway; they don't need more.
 
I have no idea what relationship there is between financial status and ingratitude.

May be you could try giving a gift without expecting an equal dollar return? There are many worthy charities.
 
Debodun, how would we know about the finances of the people you expected gifts from? (That's really what you're asking.)

Regarding comparing yourself to Truman Capote, do you give Tiffany quality gifts? I didn't get that impression from some of your other threads.

Suggestion: spend some time reading to kids in a burn unit or cancer treatment center . . . might help you put things into perspective.
 
Debodun, what gifts did you give to the ones who gave you the "cheap" gifts. And you say you only got two gifts, how many did you give?

Are you hurting financially or just thinking others may be?

As for your opening question, I don't see what that has to do with gift giving but we are much better off since the stock market started soaring since the election and expect to continue doing well.
 
debodun said:
At least I didn't get a chia pet. LOL
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Be thankful for that! LOL I just had this discussion with my husband as it relates to sympathy cards with money or checks in them. My parents always put something in a sympathy card. Now people don't even give cards anymore and most don't give money. I still do because that's what I'm used to. I do think the economy has something to do with people backing off from buying expensive gifts or gift giving at all. I know a lot of people who are struggling to make ends meet. Some are working people, some are retirees. If it makes you feel good to give expensive (or more expensive) gifts that will also please the recipients, then isn't that what it's all about? Or are you trying to meet an expectation or keep up with the Joneses? Whatever your answer, that should be your guide for next year. I'm sorry, however, that you weren't pleased with your gifts. I am financially better off but we don't celebrate Christmas. Our EID is the time for gift giving and gifts are never "expected" to cost a certain amount, to be something that was purchased (instead of handmade) or even to be given at all in some instances.
 
I don't exchange gifts for the holidays, except with my grown daughter because, well, she's my only child.

Yes, I am financially better off than last year at this time. I am retired and my nestegg has grown quite a bit during the past year. Since I don't exchange gifts, every year after Christmas I buy myself something I'd like. This year it's a $13.99 watch I saw on Amazon. Sure, I could afford more but this is the one I wanted so it is the one I ordered.
 
I received a raise this month which equates to 3k per year (gross) so that was a nice xmas gift.
We hoped to have sold our land by now but maybe 2018 will be a better year
 
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