how’s that sound? I hate shopping, i’m broke, and i don’t need any pointless gifts. would you be offended, if, as a friend, i told you i’m not getting you anything and i don’t want anything? i’m not sure how people will take this. holidays are so materialistic; just being a friend is a gift in itself. if i see something in june that a friend will like, can’t i buy it and give it to them then, in lieu of a christmas gift? just looking for some feedback.
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Instead of buying something for your friends, make something. A mix cd, a nice card, some granola, bread, etc. You don't have to spend money or go shopping to give gifts. But I also don't think that you need to give gifts in order to be someone's friend.
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give everyone a card saying having u as a friend is the best gift i can get
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My friends an I don't exchange gifts for Christmas. We get together to celebrate, catch up, bake, etc...but most of us are in college and don't make enough to buy each other gifts anymore. Your friends will probably understand, and if anything be relieved.
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I don't accept gifts on Christmas, I make the clear to people around me. I don't like to celebrate Christmas. People are nice to be around though.
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Clearly gift giving is for the rich to give to the poor ... (As in, they give you a gift, and you're opted to give them a gift... but what if you can't get a gift that is as good as theirs? even though you try...) (second, whats the point of giving someone birthday card with money when they're going to get it back later) Anyways, just tell them your situation, if you think they expect gifts. :D
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i think the hannibal's idea is very good. u can make something really nice for ur friends. even a christmass card made with ur own hands means so much more than the bought one! But i would also tell my friends not to buy me any gifts, as i would feel guilty receiving sth expensive and giving sth much cheaper instead. Ur friends should understand u. and, well, u can make them a surprise presents on some other holiday, when u'll have the money! Merry Christmass and Happy New Year! *<:)}
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i tell my friends every year i don't do friends i do family and my family knows im broke so their not expecting something lavish i dont think they'd care if they got anything, except my mom, she is very matieralistic
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If you have some likeminded friends or family members, I might have an alternative for you. On the 5th of december the Dutch celebrate 'Sinterklaas'. I won't tell you the background of the whole tradition, since it isn't important now. One way to celebrate Sinterklaas is a kind of secret santa deal with a group of family members, friends or (for instance) people form your soccer club. Everyone buys their secret santa a gift and writes him or her a poem. Usually it is something with a simple AABB rhyming scheme. The poems are often about funny things that happend to the person in the past year, things they have accomplished or what the writer hopes will happen for them in the comming year. The poems are a great excuse to poke some good mannered fun at the receiver. The secret santa group comes together on the 5th and exchanges gifts and poems, everyone takes turns in reading and unwrapping while enjoying some seasonal candy. It's always a lot of fun, especially since most people are realy bad poets :) You could do something similar; leave out the presents and just exchange poems. It's personal and you have made a special effort for someone without having to buy useless gifts. You could even agree to decorate the poems to make it even more special.
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Have a potluck---share time with friends, or are your friends really wealthy? I mean most people I know find themselves in similar boats around the holidays---and we use to just get together, and have a good time. Mix CD's can be nice and fun, sharing music that is good, bad, funny, sentimental. The Irish have a White Elephant...or so one of my ex's family had. Where everyone would bring a terrible gift...each person was given a number and they would open a present in that order. Granted if you opened a gift, your gift was also up for grabs, it usually was a bit of pandemonium by the end of the night. My family has Pikkujoulu (Finnish 'Little Christmas') where we also have a gift exchange of terrible gifts...but you have to negotiate to get someone else's gift and it goes in order from youngest to eldest.