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I try to get something the recipient needs, although that can be difficult if the recipient has enough income to just go out and buy whatever he needs or wants.
In my family there is no gift giving except to the children, with the exception that I gift to my adult son and he usually gets something for me. Occasionally, for Christmas, we will pool our funds and buy something "for the family". Last Christmas, we bought an expensive meat slicer and split the cost and that was the Christmas present.
On the stamps as gifts idea, I suspect that a lot of the younger generation has no use for stamps. They pay all their bills online and they never write letters of send cards.
Frugality?...I suppose so...in that I do have a prince point I want to stay under.
But I also prefer practical gifts and many of those happen to be within the price point I usually set.
So it's not something I have to think that deeply about.
I have a tendency to want gifts I give to others to be something they will use. They don't need any knick-knack to sit on a table and do nothing. They don't need new picture frames or other type of gift.
Two examples: I gave someone who has everything a roll of stamps. They'll use them guaranteed.
Another who loved rock and roll I gave a video called Rock Pop & Doo Wop and a gift card to their favorite cafeteria and a book of stamps.
Boring gifts but they will get used.
I don't need "things" (money is not a thing thank goodness) so give me a case of toilet paper. However I guess things can be sold.
I dont buy gifts because I dont have a job and I am too dirt poor to be spending a bunch of money on toys for people.Also, I dont celebrate Xmas so that saves me a lot of money because it means I dont have to buy those presents.I dont buy presents for kids in the extended family partly because they wont want the toys when they are adults.However, when I do give gifts I give people a 20 dollar bill.I am thinking I may give my sister a 20 dollar bill for her bday.
My bean counter personality has meant that gift giving is a HUGE effort on my part, and I HATE it. It's just so inefficient economically and feels like such a wasteful practice to me. Exchange something with someone who can buy whatever they want for themselves, both try hard to select something, both get something the other person doesn't really want, and both perhaps then donate the gifts received to the Salvation Army or Goodwill -- is that the stupidest thing ever or what? And we do this when we are trying to cut back on wasteful spending?
I have cut way down on who I get gifts for. Ideally I used to strive / try for is something reasonably modest and cute that someone would love that they wouldn't buy for themselves. These days it's harder and harder to do that. So then it's the thought that counts so I end up buying something for someone who doesn't want anything something to let them know they are super special to me and that I am remembering them.
I seem to when I can't think of anything good specialize in overpriced fruit, food -- Harry and David pears, a Honey Baked Ham (need to let people know ahead of time on the ham if it's going to be a big one for a celebration at their house and make sure they on board), Broadway traveling show tickets (again need to let people know ahead of time to make sure they really do want to go at these prices and that it's a date that works for them).
DH and I don't exchange gifts. We just take each other out for dinner. For DS who is grown / out on his own (We do a lot for him regularly, so I try to keep things relatively modest for gifts -- the Broadway traveling tickets or a little home made gift certificate for something he was already going to do (Two nights lodging for when he was doing a get-a-way drive weekend to see Taylor Swift and I got his help picking out the place and then made a homemade gift certificate with Taylor photos, photos for the place at Christmas, saying we'd pay for it -- helps him out some). The wouldn't buy it for himself just doesn't work for me now for him though usually. And then I get father's day, birthday, and Christmas modest gifts for 86 year old dad (thought that counts so usually consumable as he is downsizing not accumulating and doesn't want anything). The one other person is a cousin who doesn't have much that I adopt for Christmas every year -- used to do a family from a list at my church, but do him instead as really and truly he has less than any family on their lists. Good ole cash/check, a visa gift card, and a food treat works here (cash is an efficient gift and Visa gift card has a wasteful $5 or so fee, but will be used and it feels a little more gift like vs. just cash). And he just gets me a nice Christmas card and letter which is perfect. He is super appreciate too and not embarrassed about this.
I'm a scrooge who tries hard but is not into this gift giving culture and have backed way off on gift exchange.
I have a tendency to want gifts I give to others to be something they will use. They don't need any knick-knack to sit on a table and do nothing. They don't need new picture frames or other type of gift.
Two examples: I gave someone who has everything a roll of stamps. They'll use them guaranteed.
Another who loved rock and roll I gave a video called Rock Pop & Doo Wop and a gift card to their favorite cafeteria and a book of stamps.
Boring gifts but they will get used.
I don't need "things" (money is not a thing thank goodness) so give me a case of toilet paper. However I guess things can be sold.
I've given books of 'pretty' stamps (and received some) to people with whom I correspond. Usually, the gift fits the recipient.
I'm stuck on this "book of stamps" thing. Who uses that many stamps these days? We send almost no paper mail; most things that go in the mail need to be weighed at the Post Office anyway.
I'm stuck on this "book of stamps" thing. Who uses that many stamps these days? We send almost no paper mail; most things that go in the mail need to be weighed at the Post Office anyway.
Many people still correspond or send birthday/Christmas cards. Some bills even need to go into an envelope.
We are past the gift-giving stage in our extended family. Among the adults. We don't need or want anything we can't just get for ourselves. Just too anti-consumerism.
The only gift I give is an Outback gift card to my sister who handles our mail, as a thank-you. We all grew up frugal and spend our money other ways. Except my dad who had to have a new Cadillac every year, and a summer house, lol.
I'm stuck on this "book of stamps" thing. Who uses that many stamps these days? We send almost no paper mail; most things that go in the mail need to be weighed at the Post Office anyway.
We send cards for the various occasions, as do many family members and friends.
I haven't had to weigh anything at a post office in ages... not since the advent of priority mailing.
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