Awesome. I'm sending these to my family.

Here would be mine.

I like you and we're good casual friends/extended family, but we don't know each other all that well and chances are pretty good the gift we give each other will be the equivalent of the bunny suit on A Christmas Story, so let's just get drunk on eggnog this holiday season.

Sybarite: The only physical gifts I buy are for a couple of different white elephant parties. Now that presents a fun challenge. There's nothing quite like the look on someone's face when the get the N*Sync board game I found at Goodwill.

Ditto! We are having a white elephant party this year. Any ideas on how best to wrap a kitchen sink?

This is why I give farts for Christmas.

If you don't give gifts at Christmas, you hate Santa, Jesus and America.

I just sent the family an email saying that I got them the gift of not having to shop for me this year. I'm notoriously difficult to shop for, so it's not complete bullshiat.

Fish in a Barrel: I just sent the family an email saying that I got them the gift of not having to shop for me this year. I'm notoriously difficult to shop for, so it's not complete bullshiat.

And now that the link has finally loaded, I see that it's basically the same thing.

Killing all your family not an option? You have to give out these coupons? What kind of pussy are you?

I have two nephews who are teenagers. I give them whatever they ask for. I also get my bff a gift. That's it. Otherwise, it's crafts.

My rice crispy treats ornaments usually go over quite well. Make rice cripsy treats, but set them in balls about the size of the palm of your hand. Wrap in squares of Saran wrap. Tie a few pieces of curling ribbon at the top, then curl. Affix an ornament hook to the ties. If you feel like it, use glitter glue to make dots or swirls or bows on the wrapper. Always a big hit.

My church rolls out this program every holiday season, known as Advent Conspiracy. Basically, they encourage people to spend less on typical gifts, and instead, give gifts with some sort of relational value (something that involves the giver spending quality time with the recipient). The money people theoretically saved is then given to charity--in our church's case, Living Water Int'l, which not only drills fresh-water wells for impoverished villages and towns around the world, but also works with leaders and people in those places to improve their overall quality of life. Last year, the wife and I gave donation gift cards to my extended family members which enabled them to donate in their name and, if they so desired, choose a particular project which their gift would support.

This year, we're hosting Christmas Eve for my wife's family (1 parent, 11 kids, 10 or 11 significant others, and one grandkid), and I proposed doing something similar for their white elephant gift exchange. Or, in the very least, taking the $25 limit and not doing what they usually do and buying or re-gifting crap that the recipient won't use. That was shot down pretty quickly. Instead, the theme this year is "St. Louis Cardinals" (we're all Cards fans), which is ridiculous considering that pretty much eliminates articles of clothing, so everyone will end up with even more Cardinals merchandise than they had beforehand.

There was never any reason beside some sense of obligation to gift most people for Christmas.

Last year, one day after my 33rd birthday, my aunt and uncle gave me a dollar store kite for Christmas. The $10 price tag was still on it.

I'm always pretty broke; so the nefew is the only one who actually gets something.

Though I do bring a couple bottles of Egri Bikavér wine and a bottle of Elijah Craig bourbon for everyone's enjoyment.

/oh, and my hashbrown casserole that everyone swears I add crack too

I've told friends and family for years that I do not want them to give me gifts at Christmas. I don't give gifts to anyone anymore except my wife and sometimes we elect not to be bothered with it, but get something we really both want together before or after the holiday. I had one stubborn sister, who ignored my requests and for years, I had to send her something to reciprocate her gift. Then two years ago, I didn't do that. I just sent a thank you card instead. That was her last gift to me. Well, that only took 20 years.

Believe me, not exchanging gifts makes for a much nicer holiday and it's so much better not to be broke come January.

I don't understand why people don't like giving gifts. I've been broke as a joke for years and I had to skimp on giving gifts or invent cheap-o gifts and all that crap...but I've got a ton of money saved, getting ready to start looking for a house, have school paid off, own my car and I'm ready to go.

I'm buying a big flat screen for my dad and step-mom, a remote control helicopter for my cousin, and a bunch of other shiat for people. Christmas is awesome.

FloydA: That's a pretty good idea, for the rest of you, but I'm doing it the old fashioned way: by alienating and pissing off everyone I meet.

It's more work, I admit, but a card lasts a day- deep-seated loathing lasts a lifetime.

Came here for this, and leaving highly satisified. I think I am in love....

JackieRabbit: it's so much better not to be broke come January.

Seeing as how you know that Christmas is going to be, roughly, the same day every year...have you ever considered saving a little bit of money over the course of 2/3 months? Then, you get to spend that money in December without hamstringing yourself for a month.

Just a thought.

Dream on, tightwad! The love of your family and esteem of your friends is a commodity you must buy every December, or you will find yourself alone and unloved in January. You are obliged. Consume! Consume! Consume!

How to get away with not giving any gifts for the holidays divorced.

FTF Mustbesinglemitter.

Go Jewish??

bulldg4life: I don't understand why people don't like giving gifts. I've been broke as a joke for years and I had to skimp on giving gifts or invent cheap-o gifts and all that crap...but I've got a ton of money saved, getting ready to start looking for a house, have school paid off, own my car and I'm ready to go.

I'm buying a big flat screen for my dad and step-mom, a remote control helicopter for my cousin, and a bunch of other shiat for people. Christmas is awesome.

I think you just answered your own question. I don't have money to spend on gifts. There is nothing I want, but I need a new laptop, and so I will be asking for gift cards to go towards that purchase. After I buy my family presents and they give me that money, I'll be back to where I started, so it would make a lot more sense to not exchange gifts.

"How come people don't like buying gifts? I have a ton of money so I love buying things!"

Don't be silly.

Say you bought everything already but before you could send them out your neighbor got bedbugs. So now, you too have to toss everything you own out before the pest guy comes.

Still want your presents?

bulldg4life: I'm buying a big flat screen for my dad and step-mom, a remote control helicopter for my cousin, and a bunch of other shiat for people. Christmas is awesome.

Why not give them these gifts on some random Tuesday, with a note that you're thinking about them? Doesn't that say a lot more about how you feed about them than just doing what is expected on December 25th? Make Christmas about something deeper. And consider that if you're getting "a bunch of other shiat for people" you are not doing it for them, you're doing it for yourself. After all, you say you love giving gifts. (guess what, we all do) Have you considered that the shiat you give them may not be wanted and it creates a burden on them to reciprocate when they may not want or be able to?

I actually -like- giving gifts, but much more as a surprise than a stupid holiday requirement. So, "surprise! Here's a gift for no reason!" is a common thing, but during the holidays, after one too many "here's our list of demands, err, 'wishlist'" ransom notes from relatives with kids (including, at one point, a *car* which is finally what ended former generosity), everybody gets a donation in their name to a charity. No, I'm not buying you a car, a PS3, or even a game for one. Here's a donation to [charity]. Think about someone else for once.

However, if you do give donations for Christmas, I strongly urge you to find small, local charities -- it doesn't matter what cause you want to support (animals, soldiers, people, environment, science, whatever), there *will* be a local charity, and they will appreciate your donation *MUCH* more than a national name brand, and it will do more good.

Getting gifts is cool, too. But so help me if you give me some homemade thing, with FSM-alone knows what's in it or how it was made, it's going in the trash and next year you're not even getting a donation in your name. It's not cute, it's not endearing, it's gross. No, I do not want your [cookies | bread of unknown contents | candy | etc ]; give $5 to the local animal shelter or something.