For some reason, in my family we always give each person several gifts. It's not one gift per person, like a great mug or new sweater, or coffee maker or toaster, or new sheets. It's all of the above. Perhaps not those specific gongs, but you see what I'm trying to say. This year this is making it very stressful. Especially when you go to a post Christmas Yankee swap and see some of the gifts you chose and bought for someone as part of the swap.
Every year my husband and I say we're getting one gift per person, and every year I am met with the feeling of guilt that I can't just buy one thing for dad, one thing for mom, because they go overboard with gifts for us and they do so much for us all year long. Especially when it comes to babysitting Sophie, it saves us bundles of cash since we don't need daycare.
But, I am finding it stressful to shop for everyone this year. I feel like I need to keep up with everyone else's budget, even though we all have different ones. I feel like I have to buy my niece something for $80 because my other sister spends that on one gift for her. But if I spend $80 on her I need to spend $80 on my nephew, right?
Not only that, but every year everyone gets the same "stuff" from people. Socks, underwear, bath products, chocolate, pjs, slippers. Or things you don't need like 5 piece ceramic popcorn bowls, or dollar store paring knives that are so flimsy you don't dare use them for fear of them breaking and catching someone's eye.
Yes, I'm stressed about Christmas. I want to do one gift per person. Thoughtful gifts. Not a whole bunch of little things for everyone.
I thought of mentioning drawing names, which would be great. But then everyone would feel bad they didn't get anyone else a gift and would buy for everyone anyway.