Originally Posted by ptquilts

Riversong, you can adopt me anytime!! We are not big on gifts. When DH and I got married we decided not to give gifts to each other but to donate to a charity instead.
DH's family was BIG on presents. His brother & SIL would give his parents a TV, parents would give them a TV. We would give gifts of homemade jam, in return we got the $9.99 gift box from Wisconsin Cheeseman. It was very much a case of "tit for tat". I don't have kids but if I did I can't imagine giving them gifts depending on what they gave me. After a few years we quit and all the adults get tribute cards saying a charity gift has been made in their name

DH's ex also was a BIG gift giver, so his kids grew up with that. We gave them gifts while they were small, once they became adults they get a charity donation.

Now there are GK's, we bring a small gift when we go to visit. We are away on Christmas and their birthdays and do not send anything. DH says he would rather see them open the gift. Plus it would get very expensive to mail them all, as some are overseas. But I am sure they all think we are terrible grandparents.

Also, we have told the whole family we do not want gifts for ourselves. We have everything we need. One of DH's sons sends homemade treats. His daughter sometimes sends photos of the GK's. In the words of Peace Pilgrim, "I felt that I could no longer accept more than I need while others in the world have less than they need."

The older I get, the more I am bewildered by the constant striving for money and THINGS.