Sir L and I have a different view on who we buy gifts for at Christmas especially as we have family in the UK and USA.
My family ( in the UK) buy for the children and since my mum died my sister & I buy a gift for each other too... a total of 6.
My husbands family buy for each other & the kids which is a total of 7 gifts which need to be lightweight in order to ship to the UK. Then we have the USA side which is a total of 9. Not to mention our own children.
Over the years I have been efficient at buying gifts through out the year by buying them on sale however now that I am working more hours & have three kids in sports I do not have the time to shop anymore. Plus I do not like shopping.
I have begged him to speak to his family regarding this but he won't and I cannot as I will be labelled the BAD sister/daughter in law.
So what shall I do as today is December 5th and I have hardly done any shopping?
I know some people would say send an amazon voucher via e-mail.....I loathe this as it is so impersonable and kids like to get toys or a parcel to open. Plus sending them to & from each country they seem to cancel each other out.
Over the years most of his family have sent vouchers which I then have to purchase a gift for our child with. I am done with that!
So I have given him 4 people in the UK to buy for and let's see what happens!
Meanwhile I have taken the step to say that we will not purchase presents for the local cousins due to the recession however I have said this before & then turned up to have gifts under the tree for our kids and we are empty handed!
Am I a Scrooge? What do you other ex- pats do regarding Christmas, buy for both sides?
3 comments:
I buy for two nieces and nephews in the UK (brother's kids), but not for the 2 older ones (sister's kids). He sends gifts for our kids, she does not. My brother and sister seem happy with this arrangement.I may send iTunes cards for the two older kids this year just because, but would not expect my sis to send anything for my kids.
My BIL's family here in the US is having a hard time financially right now. We will send them presents - probably gift cards - for the kids and the adults. I know they are sending something for the children, but I do not expect anything for us. There have been years when they sent us nothing because they couldn't, but we sent them things because we could.
Shipped one fairly lightweight box to the UK this week - $26 - the same value as the gifts inside!! (In the past I've bought from Amazon.uk, or sent my brother a check and had him buy something.)
Thanks for sharing I appreciate it.
Oh, it's definitely Amazon.co.uk for my relatives in Britain. I'd rather buy a better present than pay the crazy transatlantic shipping charges. We only buy for close relatives - mother, father, daughter and son-in-law and one grandchild in Britain; my wife's son and his wife and child over here. Any aunts, uncles, or cousins twice removed - they may get a card if they're lucky.
Post a Comment