Christmas presents

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Don't you just hate it when someone gets you a present but you couldn't afford to get them one, or thought that your friendship\relationships wasn't strong enough\far enough progressed to merit gifts, or anything like that? It's one of the few things I hate about being an adult, all this holiday gifting nonsense.

My problem is buying gifts for people who I thought were my friends.

I hate buying gifts. If I really care about people I'd buy gifts any day of the year.

No. I expect people to know if you can't afford them a gift because you have bills to pay and rent but don't have any for a gift they would understand. Bills and rent and food comes first.

What peeves me is seeing people say they go broke every year from Christmas shopping. Well why the hell do they buy gifts then if they can't afford it? Why not buy inexpensive items?
Or people saying they can't pay their bills because they spent it on Christmas gifts. What the hell? People think just because it's the holidays, they have to buy their family and friends something even though they don't have the money. So they end up broke or having to borrow money to pay their bills or rent.

If people get mad at you because you couldn't afford them a gift? What do they expect? You go broke or not pay your rent or utilities because you have to buy them a gift? I think it's their problem if they don't understand.

Hmm you definitely make good points Spokane, however it still blows when someone gets you something and you can't\didn't get them one for whatever reason.... that obligation feeling is horrid - like society tells you that going broke for xmas is what you're supposed to do >_<

Just say that you wish you could have bought them gifts but you don't have much money to spare. They should understand. Don't feel bad. I only buy gifts for family and those I really care about.
I once turned up at a birthday party and I was the only one that didn't give a gift.
A good inexpensive gift is a box of chocolates. Everyone likes chocolates. Well, most people do.

My Christmas list is generally based on who remembered my birthday.
I'm only buying for my parents, brother, boyfriend, boyfriend's parents, and boyfriend's sister this year. I make like $300 a month at my part-time job, so I don't really feel the need to buy for people I rarely ever see.
If people won't take the time for me the rest of the year, why should I spend my time and money trying to figure out what kind of gift they would like? I shouldn't have to buy people things just so they will pretend to like me.

Christmas is too commercialized anyway. But I can't convince anyone to celebrate Festivus with me instead, so I guess I'm stuck with Christmas. lol

This year at work we're required to buy a $1-5 present for each other person in the department. We don't get a choice on who to buy for. No, we each have to buy presents for nine different people.

This annoys me. It's not that I don't know what to get them (I'm just giving them all chocolate oranges) but that I'm expected to buy presents for people who aren't family or friends. Some of my good friends aren't getting very good presents this year because of money, but I'm still supposed to pull $10+ out of my paycheck for people who I don't know very well.

i got myself what is in my avatar for christmas erlier this month, i dont expect anything from my family. plus my mom has 4 grandaughters. most of my family is poor so we dont give all to much to each other as adults and i dont have any friends. members of our family showing up under one roof not fighting is present enough.. one of my sisters hasnt spoken to us in like 2 years or something, and im shure she wont come up the mountain to be here. i'll probably chill at my moms christmas day eat like a pig and then return to the pimp lair

My birthday is just a couple weeks before Christmas, and most of the money I get for the entire year is from that. It's always been my understanding that money given to you as a birthday or Christmas gift is meant for you to buy your own gift, which is what I do. I've gotten more than my fair share of dirty looks from people who expect a gift from me. It seems especially stupid for people who give me money for my birthday to expect me to turn around and spend it all on them. Aside from the issue, I typically ask for nothing, literally, yet still get all sorts of things I don't need or want.

I also hate buying and getting gifts. My parents used to try to choose gifts to make me more feminine (jewelry, clothes, makeup), which I definitely hate. I might be female, but this does not mean that I am <insert list of stereotypes here>. Now my parents ask what I want, misunderstand it and buy what they think I want.I do pretty much the same for them though....