Barbshobbies

We came from poor families, with 5 kids of our own, and 8 we were God parents for, we had some very lean Christmases. Now how ever, with taking care of our money, to get the most out of every penny, we give money to our children, grand children & Great grand children. The reason is for their college funds. The parents are all doing much better at a younger age than we did, but they also learned how money served them best, and all are doing well. So we all get a present on Christmas day, any one l4 yrs or older, that wants a gift, puts a list of 3 things that they would like and their name in a hat at Thanksgiving, and gets to take one out. We are all happy with our gifts, the little kids have so many toys already, the parents have to worry what to get them. Each of our Kids, grand kids & great grand kids, has a nice nest egg saved. We also give gifts of money to several charities,

luvstoquilt

I stopped when I never heard from them.

carolaug

I only give to the ones that I see on Christmas Eve, which has only been two for years....one is ia now 18 and we thought about it and still are going to give it to her if she comes by again this Christmas Eve.
and of course always my kids and my parents

Liz92B

I used to send presents to my niece and nephew and never heard a word; until the year I called and asked if the parcel arrived (other side of the country) ... their mother (my SiL) made some comment about the 'garbage' I sent. Hung up on her and scratched their names off my gift-giving list. I *still* send presents to my two sisters, and we're all in our 60s now.

Stichin

and yet you keep sending them?

Annaquilts

I think by the sound of it you should have stopped a long time ago. I am sorry they never acknowledge the gifts.

Sandygirl

I hope that you thank them! Something tells me that you do. You sound like a sweet person.
Sandy

Sandygirl

Not this year.
Sandy

mudose8

My thoughts on this would be to stop at 18. I came from a family of 10 kids, and have 28 nieces and nephews, so with that many kids, we never gifted to anyone outside the family for Christmas.

Jan in VA

When my sister first became a single parent, my DH and I made her family our Christmas Angel family. After 3 years of major gift giving and no responses from them - they were all over 10 years old and my sister was included in the thank you neglect - we stopped doing it.

Not a word was *ever* mentioned about their receiving these gifts OR our eventually stopping giving them.

These kids are now in their 30s with children of their own. Their mom died 18 months ago of cancer and I promised her I'd stand in as her representative with them for as long as they needed me. I still do not do gifts, they have much more income than I do, but have given small thoughtful gifts to their children for their young birthdays. That will also stop in a few years as they grow older and I grow "poorer". Nobody seems to be offended by any of this. We all get together for Thanksgiving, birthdays and Christmas meals, traveling several hours to do so. It's enough. Christmas should be about love, family, fellowship, celebration......not gifts.
Only my mother, daughters and their spouse, and grandson receive gifts from me. Friends receive my love, a card, a holiday lunch together, a service or trade, a homemade food gift, or a small plant.

Jan in VA