Last year, after a particularly hectic and expensive xmas present buying year (especially for my grandparents) my Nanna brought up the secret santa subject. Maybe we could just buy the one present for the adults and then concentrate on the kids.
I was happy with that. Saving time being my priority…plus it means that instead of getting lots of little presents and knick knacks we could put in a couple of requests for useful, essential items (I’m thinking massage vouchers and that mini-trampoline I never got around to buying).
So a couple of weeks ago the subject was tabled again. Everyone seemed to agree and a couple of weeks later we picked our secret santa.
Then last week my brother, who was extremely unhappy with the situation didn’t want to do it. He found the thought of not buying his family gifts (especially Mum and Dad) a bit disturbing and dare I say cheap-skatish.
Bone-tired from throwing the weekly family dinner (8 people and two kids to feed) I sat at the table wanting to cry as I thought the decision was made.
For me Christmas is about my children and spending time altogether as a family. I am extremely lucky to have really special family christmases with my own family and with my husband’s amazing family too. The importance of gift-giving and receiving (for adults) has diminished for me but to him, without children as yet, I can kind of see his point.
The last thing I want is for something like this to take away someone’s joy at Christmas. So the subject is being voted on this week and instead of my firm “in favour” I am going to go with whatever makes people the happiest. It’s Christmas after all.
It is a subject full of issues and politics though. I brought it up at dinner with friends on Saturday night and there were some hilarious stories on the rules and regulations that are imparted at Christmas plus the dreaded scheduling to see everyone.
What’s your thoughts on Secret Santa’s at Christmas Time?
Date: Mon, 12 Nov 2012 06:38:40 +0000 To: quicksilver500@hotmail.com
I think they are a great idea! Who needs excessive amounts of presents?Save that for birthdays. Xmas is pretty low key here. We only buy for each other, the kids and my parents anyway.
Contentious issue especially when people are at different stages of life …the verdict will be tonight. Either way at least we have chatted about not getting presents we don’t want and have to come up with a list!
We do Secret Santa – but we are the worst ever at it! We all promise to stick to the list but then we all get the guilts and start buying each other pressies ‘just in case’ the other person has bought one for us!
Yeah all that shopping just in case is not appealing to me!!
One year instead of buying presents for our extended family, we all put our money together and donated it to a family that was less fortunate. It was so fun to see their faces when we brought Christmas to them. It was a Christmas memory we will always remember!
My Mum brought up the charity thing but no one really wanted to commit to no presents…we are just not there yet I don’t think but its such a gorgeous sentiment.
We don´t do secret santa. For me its important that my kids spend time thinking about what family would really really appreciate and LOVE for Christmas, and also appreciate that other people have really thought about them and who they are, and what they thought they would truly like when they bought them a present.
I want them to get a sense of caring when buying, wrapping and receiving gifts…… that is when christmas becomes special. /Louisa
That is a lovely thing to do.