[Rhapsody]

Thought I would start a thread to help us share, and or vent, about how this darn Economy is going to effect our plans for Christmas this year.

I know for me it means I will be limiting my family gift giving at two gifts per person, and if need be my husband and I will for go giving each other gifts so the kids can enjoy Christmas.

What about YOU?

[lynn P.]

I'm afraid things are so bad that I don't know if I'll be able to buy the girls anything. We barely have enough for food and i'm already buying everything on sale. The girls are talking about what they're hoping for and I feel awful.

[Rhapsody]

[Beholden]

My hubby is going to have gastric by-pass and it will be our gift to our family in hopes of keeping Gramps healthy and around a lot longer!

I'm stuck with what to do for this year. so I"ll keep checking this thread

Last year we didn't exchange with anyone. This year looks the same. What I'd like to do is home made gifts. My daughter likes to make jams etc and she shares those all year long...and they are so good.

[ddheal]

Originally Posted by Rhapsody

Thought I would start a thread to help us share, and or vent, about how this darn Economy is going to effect our plans for Christmas this year.

I know for me it means I will be limiting my family gift giving at two gifts per person, and if need be my husband and I will for go giving each other gifts so the kids can enjoy Christmas.

What about YOU?

Hi Rhapsody,

I know what you mean. This is the worst possible time to be without funds for Christmas. I am a single parent of an 11 year old son and I don't think there's going to be a way Santa can bring him everything on his list this year. I'm not sending Christmas cards...probably ecards and keeping my expenses low. I'm even concerned about affording a Christmas tree! I've been unemployed for almost 4 months now and it's beginning to take its toll on me mentally. I feel discouraged and it seems rather than have the hope of finding a job, I'd better learn how to weather the storm until things inmprove. It's nice to discover this support group!

[Timgt5]

I think most of us are in the same boat this year when it comes to the holidays. Even those of us lucky enough to be employed are having to carefully limit our spending.

Here are a few suggestions.

Offer a "certificate" to perform a service for someone you love, could be cooking them a nice meal, washing their car, helping them rake leaves, etc.

Shop at thrift stores. People often sell used movies, games, books etc there at far lower prices than buying them new.

Gamestop has a used games bargain bin, with some titles as low as $2.00 each come with a 2 week guaranty.

Invite some friends to come with you and voluntier at the local shelter. It would time spent in service of others, and a true meaning to the season.

Budget yourself for gifts, find small things that have meaning.

finally if you cannot afford gifts, there is no reason to be embarassed, people now more than ever understand we are in the worst economy in a long time, and frugalness is seen more than ever as a virtue.

[thunderbear]

Yeah Christmas is'nt looking too good here either. I don't even know how we're going to get our 7 year old anything. I mean, how do you explain that to your kid? I like tmgt5's iidea about gamestop. that's where we have always gone to get the boy's games for their Nintendo ds and playstations. but even that is going to be a reach

[Beholden]

Thunderbear and Tim,

I'm hoping you can get something for the 7 year old. and Tim too, kids are special.

I'll be sewing a purse for my youngest granddaughter. For the oldest one???? she is 16 I think I might beable to give her a gift card for her favorite Christian music CD, Fly Leaf! If she hasn't already got it

The hard one is the 12 year old grandson. He has autisum and is really into techy stuff.

Hey, Tim, what are some of the less expensive games for really smart 12 year olds?

I'm not a parent, so I really can't say I can only imagine what it must be like if parents can't afford xmas gifts for their kids this year. Xmas is just way too commercialized in my opinion, as is every other holiday. I really don't like this time of year. I'd be more worried about keeping me from being homeless than xmas. That's the last thing on my mind right now. I just don't see how people will go into debt for gifts, not me. Sorry, it just has been an awful year for me.

[Yoda]

It isn't the economy because I am on disability but it is my low income that limits my spending. But that is just the way it is and I will have accept that.

It has been this way for several years though so nothing new. A few years ago my heat pump died and I used my fireplace to heat the house for three months until I finally gave up. Fortunately I had sold an old truck a few years previously and about that time my friend told me he was buying a brand new heat pump for $1000 and did I want one too? Knowing my house was 45 years old and the heat pump was old I bought one and put it in my garage for storage. So all I had to pay was $750 for installation. But to me $750 is a lot of money so I sold one of my model horses on ebay for $750. I had only paid $600 for the horse and started the bidding at $600 and offered buy it now for $750 and luckily the horse is pretty rare and a collector really, really wanted the horse and used the buy it now. That paid for the heat pump installation but still I had little money for gifts. I felt really bad but all I could afford was a used game boy that came with several used games on ebay for my teen son. I told my son I was sorry I couldn't get him more and he surprised me when he said he didn't care and he was proud of me for selling my horse so we could have heat again.

Last year I split the cost of one nice gift with my ex to give my son. This year it will have to be only one gift again but my son will be fine because my sister is spoiling him. My son already has several game consoles and one of them is an Xbox 360 but they are making a limited edition Xbox 360 and I don't know what is so special about that but he told my sister he wanted one and she bought it.

My son really needs some clothes because I didn't have money to buy much when school started so if I have enough money I will buy him one "fun" item like a DVD or game and then buy some tee shirts maybe.

What I really need is a plumber to fix my stopped up drain so I can use the dishwasher and then I can cook again or an electrician because we have shorts and no power in my son's room or the bathroom or my heat pump guy to fix the AC because it froze up and busted the rubber and was leaking about a gallon an hour in condensation so I was afraid to use my dryer because the water was under it and I was afraid the electric would arc but now that it is winter the heat is on, not the AC, so it isn't dripping water now. Is that not one heck of a run on sentence or what?

[bebop]

in my area there are phone numbers you can call to put your children on a list from dfacs/cps for gifts. I don't have children at home but I have a friend that just did this last week. she also got a call from a local church to get food since she signed up for the gifts.

[CJR520]

I am a grandmother of 7 and great-grandmother of 1. I fell down our stairs over a month ago and have been off work also. I work part time, so no more money from me coming in til the first of the year. I really feel bad for all you younger folks who have lost jobs or cannot find a job. We are getting each of the kids a game to play and share with each other, a book, and a pair of jammers. So far, the games are new games that I found on sale for buy one get one free at Krogers. The books are always hand picked and signed for each child. The jammers will be the nice sales they have at Kohls. I will pick their best sale day I can find, and usually end up with really cute ones for about 2/3 off with my coupons. The time I can spend with the kids is what I value most, and I hope they learn that, too. I like to have them overnight, and do special little things like a candlelit dinner for the girls and a girlie movie. Pizza for the boys, and riding the 4-wheeler or sled riding for all of them. Have a sled riding party for Christmas. All of you go and just have a ball. Go ice skating. Then, have a hot chocolate party. The kids will remember those things long after the toys are gone. Have a great holiday!! Use your imagination!! We have lost that in all the spending and expensive gimmicks that don't mean squat!

[Hunny]

You are all so imaginative, inspirational and courageous!

For a few years when our children were younger, we received food hampers at Christmas (after putting my name on a list a local church). It was filled with wonderful things that we couldn't otherwise afford.

Just being together with a few decorations and going to a few free Christmas events made all the difference in those years!

We had a tree each year from a place that had the lowest price. Sometimes they looked like Charlie Brown's tree but it was ours! It was always about celebrating together and some yummy specialty things to eat that made all the difference. My children are older now and they seem to have good memories of those times.

Please be strong to reach out for help. It's hard but when you think of it for your children, then, well, you can be courageous.

.
Have a happy Christmas Season!

[AAAAA]

I discovered on Mother's Day the PERFECT gift, for us all. The kids get a chore that they otherwise wouldn't do, they get passes for their normal chores and we're all happy.

Mine are all older so it's easier. When they were small, thank God my parents were in a better financial position so Santa was able to make an appearance. For those of you with younger kids, contact toys for tots or the salvation army. I'm not sure how it works, and I'm sure it varies by state, but my daughter's friend is on welfare and they brought the kids a van load full of gifts last year for her three kids. I know this to be fact because I helped haul them in and hide them. So if you're getting assistance with small children, ask your caseworker what programs are out there to help.

[Rhapsody]

Even though this year has been tight where the $$$ was concerned - I am thrilled to say that I only have two gifts left to buy then I am through for another year.

BTW - I am opening a Christmas account at my bank the first Monday after the holidays so I can start now and put a little dent in next years spending... first time I have ever done this.

[AAAAA]

That's a really good idea. I say I'll do it every year, and every year I forget until the next October.