Do you buy yourself Christmas presents?

[BikeBookBread]

My husband and I pretty much buy gifts that we tell each other to buy -- stuff that we would've purchased anyway, and then wrap and put under the tree. He's never been one to get super excited about the "surprise" element of Christmas presents, and he doesn't like hints -- he wants straight answers. :lol:

 

So this year he told me to buy exactly what I wanted, have it shipped here and he would wrap it and put it under the tree. So I did. :) No, I didn't buy the iMac that I DESPERATELY wanted, but I did get a new workout watch with heart rate monitor in bright cherry red.

 

Anyone else do this?

[Tap]

Sometimes. This year I bought myself an All-Clad skillet. :0)

 

 

ETA: I said other in the poll because we do all three. It just depends on the situation and gift needs/wants.

Edited December 16, 2009 by Tap, tap, tap

[Pink Fairy]

I do ALL the shopping, mine, his, the kids, and all friends/relatives. It works, because I like to shop, dh hates it.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I used to do all the shopping. Then along came dd8 - aka "events planner". Part of coordinating a holiday is picking out the gifts. I've never had it so good!

[Thea]

I usually buy my own. He always buys his own.

[myfunnybunch]

Other, of course. A little of each. I love surprises. My dh is not good at thinking out of the box.

 

So we buy one thing off the list (sometimes more) and one surprise.

 

Usually I am glad he bought me the gift off my list so that I got one thing I wanted. Often whatever I tried to get off his list wasn't quite the thing he'd pictured, the wrong model, the wrong color even though he wrote "red" and I chose the only red one I coudl track down.....Usually he likes the surprise gift.

 

And after three years in a row of saying, "No chocolate in my stocking please," and getting chocolates, I started buying my own stocking stuffers. I'm not surprised, but at least I get something in there besides the chocolates he bought at the last minute. (He's a good husband. Fabulous. Just not great at gift-giving.)

 

Cat

[AudreyTN]

I buy my gifts and his gifts... it's just easier that way. :)

[TammyinTN]

I buy for everyone, but me. We sit down and prepare a list and go over everything together and then I shop til I drop. ;) I enjoy the shopping part, him not so much.

 

He buys my gifts and I get him his. He always surprises me, he gets me awesome stuff I would never buy myself. :D

[KidsHappen]

We usuallu buy our gifts together usually on a day date with lunch.

[gandpsmommy]

I used to do all the shopping. Then along came dd8 - aka "events planner". Part of coordinating a holiday is picking out the gifts. I've never had it so good!

 

That's funny. My 8yo dd is much the same. She loves to buy gifts, make cards, put gifts into gift bags with tissue paper, wrap gifts, etc. She wrapped all of the gifts we bought for our nieces and nephews, and the gifts we bought for dh. She was rather disappointed that we had already chosen to give one set of cousins group gifts for the boys and girls because she really wanted to pick out something for each of the girls.

[Arch at Home]

I often pick up things I like/want while I am out doing my other Chrismas shopping. Then I slip the stuff I got for myself to him so that the kids can wrap it.

[TN Mama]

Other, of course. A little of each. I love surprises. My dh is not good at thinking out of the box.

 

So we buy one thing off the list (sometimes more) and one surprise.

 

 

 

 

This is what we do.

[teachermom2834]

We discuss possibilities and then go from there. Too many years I sat there calculating the cost of useless things he had purchased (although he did it thoughtfully).

 

We talk about it and then take the kids shopping for each other. Often there is a surprise or two thrown in there but I really discourage it because I just don't like getting something I won't use and have to find a place for.

[JudoMom]

I do not buy myself Christmas presents. Although this year I did find a super cute pair of slides at Lands End on clearance that I bought while Christmas shopping for others, but they are in my closet and I digress.

 

It really depends on the year on whether or not we shop of the list of surprise each other. It is usually a mix. I love getting things off my list. I usually put stuff on my list that I would not buy myself even if I had the money (this year it's a Kindle, a fleece from Lands End, and a battery pack for my camera), but that I really, really want. If it's a piece of clothing I send a link to the item with the size and color. Dh is much the same way about gifts--there are some things he would like, but has a hard time justifying the expense when it's not a need--we do buy what we need throughout the year.

Edited December 16, 2009 by JudoMom

[TravelingChris]

Well the last two years we bought a big joint present. We both have birthdays near Christmas and often want the same thing. Last year it was a big screen TV and blu ray player. THis year it was a digital SLR camera. He got a small digital camera (non SLR) for his birthday too. It is easiest for us to just buy these big ticket items near CHristmas since the sales are usually better.

 

I have done something else now too. I just buy gifts and decide who gets it later. That is because with music cds, one cd is usually good for all. With jewelry, it can be for either girl. For games, again either girl. Books are a bit different since they mostly read different things. Even clothes are now for either girl since they wear the same size in tops and dresses though not in pants.

[Peela]

Dh loves to buy me gifts and does frequently...Christmas is just another excuse to do so, really, and it may or may not be something I particularly want since if I really want something, we don't wait till Christmas, so sometimes we really run out of ideas by then.

One year though I felt really neglected and I bought myself an electric can opener and wrapped it and put it under the tree for myself. It was something I really wanted and I felt guilty spending the money at the time (I wouldnt now) so I made it a present to myself, from myself.

Generally though, we dont buy our own presents. I will be painting dh a tshirt again this Christmas.

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Well, I've always wanted a tin of Almond Roca for Christmas. So, this year, when I was in the drug store and passed by the Almond Roca *on sale* I bought myself one. I plan on wrapping it and addressing it from Santa to put under the tree. My kids think that is weird, but I don't care.

 

Usually, dh and I just exchange lists.

[Melenie]

DH and I do not buy each other gifts at all for Christmas, are we weird? I never thought this was strange, but am starting to wonder!

 

Since the kids came we have made Christmas about them. If I can think of something that DH really wants I may buy it at Christmas time and wrap it up for him, but as rule we do not expect gifts from each other.

[Holly IN]

I selected Other because we do all of the above. This year we are only getting 1 surprise present to each other and then we will buy our selves presents while we are out shopping together in January. (Money is tight this month because we splurged and got all the kids laptops) We decided to do this way this year because they need the laptops. So we are doing our fun shopping together in January.

 

Last year we had a list of wants given to each other. There were some surprises as well.

 

One year we didn't do any list but all surprises. So we do it all different ways. We decided to do fun shopping together in January instead of opening a bunch of presents this year (kind of have to because of the splurging of laptops for the kids).

 

We also do a joint present sometimes.

 

ETA: My dh is a great gift giver. He thinks outside the box. He really does. (btw he is the one that would make a BETTER homeschool parent than me)

Holly

Edited December 16, 2009 by Holly IN

[chiguirre]

DH and I do not buy each other gifts at all for Christmas, are we weird? I never thought this was strange, but am starting to wonder!

 

 

 

We don't do gifts for grown-ups either. Both dh and I do more shopping than normal at this time of year because there are good deals on his clothes and electronics. But, there is no way we would pack stuff up, lug it to Miami and wrap it. Even the kids get small gifts on Christmas because of the luggage factor.

[Sasharowan]

The kids and I buy surprises for dh and wrap them. If I really want something, I usually get it and often end up wrapping it myself (at least up to last year when my dd got old enough to wrap and insisted on wrapping mine for me). Dh will buy surprise gifts if he's near a store with money, but often it is something that just sits around and gathers dust.

[lynn]

He gets in the shopping mood sometimes around the 22nd and goes out and gets it done. He does pretty good at suprising me. This year I dropped a few things in the Amazon shopping cart. I am not sure what he is planning. I did buy myself a leather jacket and a wallet and I told him I'd wrap them and put them under the tree if he wanted me to....lol. He said that was to boring get as gifts. I tried to make it easy for him. I like to go out and find whatever new gizmo or gadet there is in the tool world and some type of toy. He mentioned he was thinking about getting an i-pod for his trips so I am planning on getting him one.

[elegantlion]

In our house, we give each other lists. My dh buys from my list, I surprise him and find stuff not on his list. Occasionally there will be a gift for me from "Santa", which means I found something I wanted for myself while shopping. :D

[AngieC]

We aren't getting anything for each other this year. My daughter wants to buy me a present though because she is sad that I won't have any presents under the tree.

[patchfire]

I give dh a list. I don't think he's ever deviated from said list in the ten years we've been married. Sometimes he gives me a list, sometimes not. Even when he does, I usually get one thing off the list and one thing that's not, that I thought of on my own.

 

But I'd be very scared for dh to think of a gift for me all on his own! :D

[kpupg]

Anyone else do this?

 

We have done this for years -- for all gift giving occasions. I always thank dh for doing this (buying his own gifts). It is such a load off my mind. And we don't waste money and time on mistakes.

 

Full disclosure: gift giving is not among our love languages LOL.

 

Karen

[Kari C in SC]

We started buying our own gifts about 8 or 9 years ago. We do still do a few small "surprise" type gifts for each other just to have something to open up with the family. Some years my dh will really do well with the little surprise, but most years - he gets me really odd stuff. I love him. He is great in every other way, but he is just not good at gift giving. He always waits till the last minute even though he hates crowds. Part of the problem of having each other buy bigger gifts was that I am a control freak. Our last year of him buying me a big gift, he bought me a digital camera. See, I would spend hours researching just the right one, etc. He would walk into the store and buy one. Then he would give it to me and it wouldn't really be the model I would want. His mom clued us in on just buying our own gifts. It was like a huge light bulb went off. Some years we get very little for ourselves and other years we will make a bigger purchase. It just really depends on the budget and what we are hoping to buy.

[Georgiana Daniels]

I really ought to suggest we each buy our own--not because I want to pick out my own, but because he is SOOOO hard to buy for. That would save me much agonizing in the weeks leading up to Christmas.

[ladydusk]

We often buy one something "for each other" ... this year it was a replacement digital camera. The children each get some money to buy a present for mommy or daddy ... but with young children we generally aim them in a certain direction. I'd really like to have a decent watch from the children for Christmas, my husband knows it. We'll see if it happens. Jason is getting a new page a day desk calendar (every year, different theme), a philosophy graphic novel book he saw and thought looked interesting, and something else (maybe from that philosophy series).

[Parrothead]

I used to give dh a list. If the list had "purple sweater" on it he would go find the first purple sweater he could. It didn't matter what store it came from, what style it was, and it could be anywhere from lilac to blue-violet. Inevitably, the sweater wasn't what I wanted.

 

For the last couple of years we'd go shopping together. I'd get exactly what I wanted, but it was no fun Christmas morning.

 

This year, dh has left it to the last minute. He won't be able to be off work to go shopping for me until Christmas Eve. So I'm sending him to the local shops in town. I'll probably get a bunch of what-nots, a Yankee Candle and some earrings.

[rwjx2khsmj]

We shop for the kids together. While we are shopping for the kids, I get a list of what he'd like and purchase it later and he does the same.

 

This year, his gifts had to do with travel (backpack laptop bag, noise reduction headphones) or hunting (new camos). Since he went hunting right after Thanksgiving and is traveling to and from Brazil between Thanksgiving and Christmas it made no sense to have the gifts wrapped and under the tree. He's using them and enjoying them.

 

For me, he usually shops but since he's in Brazil and I found the buffet that I've been search for since we bought this house three years ago, I bought it for myself. It's gorgeous and EXACTLY what I wanted.

 

As with everything in our lives, we've learned to be flexible and do what works rather than sticking to what we've done before.

[Moniksca]

My dh shops for the kids from a prepared list only because I have to watch them even though he hates shopping around the holidays. We both buy our own gifts as we don't care for the surprise element. It's really more for the kids.

[Krista in LA]

I put other because we really do a combination of those things. I know I'll get a few things I like that way, but dh still has the chance to pick out a few things for me.

[6packofun]

We do this most of the time, too. Sometimes we surprise each other--or one person is surprised and the other hasn't bought anything! lol I have to say that we both know each other so well that it's easy to find a gift for one another and sometimes we will get a surprise gift "just because."

 

My dh is a very good gift giver--I never think the ADD man is paying attention to the details of what I say, but he remembers things I've said that I want even when *I* don't!! I have to MAKE him promise not to get me something on the holidays that we decide to NOT get each other any gifts. This year it's a definite NO gifts for adults Christmas. We're not even buying for parents. :(

[hornblower]

DH and I do not buy each other gifts at all for Christmas, are we weird? I never thought this was strange, but am starting to wonder!

 

Since the kids came we have made Christmas about them. If I can think of something that DH really wants I may buy it at Christmas time and wrap it up for him, but as rule we do not expect gifts from each other.

 

If you're weird, I'm there right along with you. :D

This is us.

[DarlaS]

I'm pretty sure he'll get me something--he always does. Last year I got jewelry (which i do not wear...). So I take it upon myself to get something I'll use.

 

He also never seems to believe (or pay attention?) to what I'd really like. I wanted a table saw and it would have probably cost less than the jewelry I did get.

 

This year I bought myself this:

 

Peter Reinhart's Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques, Extraordinary Flavor (per your recommendation I believe! :D)

 

I will wrap it and put it under the tree. I do this with a couple of little things every year (or the kids might think Mom's been bad. ;))

 

He's a great guy, but they usually pour on the overtime this time of year (and he's finishing up THREE classes this semester), so he just has NO time to shop.

 

I still want a table saw, so I plan on getting one about Mother's Day--just in time for our big diy kitchen remodel. :w00t:

[Daisy]

I voted other.

 

I sometimes buy hubby's gift (based on what he tells me) & my gift. Just makes it easier since he works all day long.

 

MOST years we just go in together on a gift. Such as the year we bought a new custom order range hood for the kitchen or insulation for the garage.

 

Hubby and I will tell each other cheap things that the kids can buy us.

[Corraleno]

I buy all the presents for everybody, including myself. DH hates shopping and is *not* good at gifts, so after years of either (a) getting nothing or (b) getting stuff I don't like and have no use for, we both decided it would be easier if I just bought my own presents.

 

We used to spend Christmas with DH's family, and his niece would go through a toy catalog and circle every single thing she wanted. Then Christmas morning she'd tear through her presents in about 2 minutes ~ often just ripping off the corner of the paper so she could see what the item was ~ then she'd whine about everything she'd circled that she didn't get. I swore I would never let Christmas be like that with our kids, so they don't make lists, they don't ask for anything, and they're always very happy with their surprises on Christmas morning.

 

Jackie

[Kari C in SC]

We used to spend Christmas with DH's family, and his niece would go through a toy catalog and circle every single thing she wanted. Then Christmas morning she'd tear through her presents in about 2 minutes ~ often just ripping off the corner of the paper so she could see what the item was ~ then she'd whine about everything she'd circled that she didn't get. I swore I would never let Christmas be like that with our kids, so they don't make lists, they don't ask for anything, and they're always very happy with their surprises on Christmas morning.

 

Jackie

 

We don't do lists either. My dh's extended family is very into lists. They do not overindulge, but they have to have the list. They sorta thought we were nuts because we don't do lists. I shop for my kids all year around. If my dd sees something that she is in love with, I will sneak it into my cart. She will long have forgotten about it and then on Christmas morning, so excited when she opens it and remembers wanting it. If there is something very specific the kids have been wanting, I do try (within reason) to get it, but I don't ask for something in writing of what they want.

[eternalknot]

We don't do lists either. My dh's extended family is very into lists. They do not overindulge, but they have to have the list. They sorta thought we were nuts because we don't do lists..

 

We started doing lists a few years ago because our family began moving to other states, and while we still feel "close" we are no longer necessarily have that day-to-day familiarity with each other's kids' likes/dislikes, interests, passions, et cetera.

 

I've been a bit put off by some of the lists, but am outvoted every year when I try to revisit the subject LOL. My kids' lists are very general - favorite colors, activities, etc. and don't list specific items (I'd be more inclined to buy those myself). My family doesn't overindulge either, and I'm hoping lthis list thing doesn't change the kids' perception or expectation of Christmas.

 

To the OP - yes, I buy gifts for myself. My husband also buys for me.