Tina Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Now that my kids are all adults, I want to cut back big time on gifts. Would love to do just one or two each besides the stockings, which they really look forward to. They're really hard to buy for now anyway!And with just a 2 yr old gs, not looking to buy him stuff for their house either. We'll have to switch to more game playing, I guess, like we do at my big family's gathering. And now I'll probably have to fix a big dinner, too, tho maybe I can get away with appetizers again like last year, when the kids didn't come til 4 or so, after gs had his nap. Also, I'll be making the big dinner for 20 the weekend after Christmas. Once for the week should do, I think! 😉 How about you? Things changing at your house, too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynn Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 I try not to think of it as depressing. I miss the living room being taken over by Legos, battle bots, American girls etc. We only have one home and she's 14 and has asked for only 1 thing but it's pricey so dh and I are debating.. The adult kids are hard to buy for. My Navy kid will be home and will only have his back pack to take anything back with and needs or wants for nothing. I miss the shopping and planning. However we do have a grandson and since his parents and he are here all day Christmas I'm trying to find him a gift that's entertaining. So that's been fun trying to find that one or two toys for him. I'm thankful dd likes to decorate for Christmas with me. I'm thankful for the many years I had while the kids were little and am embracing our new reality of life as semi empty nesters. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 This was going to be the first year without one of mine. DD21 is married and living in another state. Her husband is Air Force so we thought they wouldn't be home on the holiday and they would be flying so we would just send the prez to their house. This felt kinda weird because that means the big pile under the tree...would be very light this year. Just found out a few days ago, they are getting 2 1/2 weeks off and now the only limiting factor, will be her job! She will be here for Christmas and are driving home, which means I can buy them presents for under the tree!!!! Wooo Hoo. Christmas just got better! I gently asked what the plan was for the actual holidays, and they plan Christmas Eve with us, Christmas Morning with us and Christmas lunch with his family. Another win! LOL 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WendyLady Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 We just have one at home this year with dd18 in college and the two older girls married. We have had some Christmases with all of them home and some all alone. It is different but also kind of fun to figure out new traditions. I’m still buying pjs for everyone, though I think I’ll give that to the couples to do for themselves next year. It’s nice to have a tall son to help with putting up lights and decorating the tree. I still bake cookies and try to have some warm afterschool for most of December. But no gingerbread house.... (though I love the gingerbread house, so maybe?) Last year I let the married kids know that I wasn’t doing stockings for them any more (the year before we were all together and I filled all the stockings, but I didn’t want that to become a tradition!) I tell myself to do one gift for the couple and call that good, but I have always bought another small thing or two for each kid and inlaw. Buying for the older teens is actually harder than the married couples! We will have Christmas with some of the kids and then see the others the week after. Oldest dd just asked if I was planning to bring the chimes (we have a simple set of pipe chimes that we use to sing carols with) it made me happy that she still wants to do them! (Perhaps it’s time to make a set for each couple?) As a military family with the next generation heading into the military next year, we feel hugely blessed that we have lived somewhat close to both sets of married kids for the last few years. I’m sure things will change as we continue moving and they start moving and or start families, but for now it is wonderful to have the chance to see the kids over the holidays!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 (edited) Things are different because we moved here. Only dd comes at Christmas now, although next year I want that to change. We had 2 Christmases where one son was in rehab, and that premature leave-taking left a hollow place in my heart. He is married now and has our granddaughter; I encourage my kids to have their own celebration at home and then come over as a rule, but he did come twice for Xmas and that was actually good (although we fought the last year we were home the day after Xmas, and he said he'd never come to that house again--didn't know we would move and that turn out to be true). Anyway, last year was really hard here, even tho we did go to the Church of the Nativity for a service Christmas Eve. It was amazing but I was terribly anxious in the crowds and homesick. This year will be better, and I only have to get thru one more til we can go home. Edited November 22, 2019 by Chris in VA clarity 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted November 22, 2019 Author Share Posted November 22, 2019 20 hours ago, happysmileylady said: The only struggle I have is sibling gifts. There are 4 kids total. Growing up my parents never instituted any sort of sibling gifts...what a pain to manage having Child A get for B, C, and D, making sure Child B gets for A, C, and D, and on and on . DD23 however chooses to get gifts for her younger siblings (there is a very large age gap between her and the other 3.) And it's just hard for me to figure out what to do....do I have them all get something for her? And then if I do, do I have to also manage each of them getting for each other? I dunno. So far, we haven't done that....but they are getting older and last year, DD11 asked about getting a gift for her sister, so...blah. My three will sometimes buy for each other, or sometimes just one will. It varies. I don't worry about it. Youngest, dd, likes to make something for everyone most years. It's totally up to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted November 22, 2019 Author Share Posted November 22, 2019 5 hours ago, Chris in VA said: Things are different because we moved here. Only dd comes at Christmas now, although next year I want that to change. We had 2 Christmases where one son was in rehab, and that premature leave-taking left a hollow place in my heart. He is married now and has our granddaughter; I encourage my kids to have their own celebration at home and then come over as a rule, but he did come twice for Xmas and that was actually good (although we fought the last year we were home the day after Xmas, and he said he'd never come to that house again--didn't know we would move and that turn out to be true). Anyway, last year was really hard here, even tho we did go to the Church of the Nativity for a service Christmas Eve. It was amazing but I was terribly anxious in the crowds and homesick. This year will be better, and I only have to get thru one more til we can go home. Hope you can plan something unique for this year, so it will stand out special in your memories. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tina Posted November 22, 2019 Author Share Posted November 22, 2019 20 hours ago, lynn said: I try not to think of it as depressing. I miss the living room being taken over by Legos, battle bots, American girls etc. We only have one home and she's 14 and has asked for only 1 thing but it's pricey so dh and I are debating.. The adult kids are hard to buy for. My Navy kid will be home and will only have his back pack to take anything back with and needs or wants for nothing. I miss the shopping and planning. However we do have a grandson and since his parents and he are here all day Christmas I'm trying to find him a gift that's entertaining. So that's been fun trying to find that one or two toys for him. I'm thankful dd likes to decorate for Christmas with me. I'm thankful for the many years I had while the kids were little and am embracing our new reality of life as semi empty nesters. My gs is 2. I've been looking in the stores for toys, and haven't liked anything I've seen there. I was in an antique shop and fell in love with an old Fisher Price camper. Went to Ebay and found a complete camper set that I HAD to have. lol. Showed dil and she said he's going to love it! Having the kids with one really makes Christmas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 Our daughter had been living and working in South Korea for some six years now. She came home for a visit in April; when she returned to Korea, she carried back our wrapped Christmas gifts with her. We'll add a few Kindle books and probably a few paper books from Book Depository, so she'll have a few more packages. We'll Zoom (akin to Skype) with her on her Christmas Day/our Christmas Eve and open packages together. My husband and I might get together with other local family or friends, or we may just be mellow together. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaBelle Posted November 23, 2019 Share Posted November 23, 2019 On November 21, 2019 at 9:03 PM, Margaret in CO said: Wanted to add--just thought of a gift for dd--she mentioned mealworms for her ducks, so I went looking for them on Amazon. The banner read "Gifts for everyone on your list!" and then: mealworms. Hmmm...not too sure how many people are looking for mealworms. Hey, me!! I have the world's most spoiled chickens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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