how would u handle buying for 27 people for christmas?

[DebK1013]

i agree! when we have tried to stop the gift exchange, one of dh's brother (who has a wife and 1 child,) said they would buy for everyone anyways. so i would hate them getting us something and us not getting them anything. it is very frustrating. dh other brother and wife have 3 teenagers and they barely make it week to week. its just insane. They dont think about it but were i have a split family we have twice as much to buy for. i always feel like the gifts are never good enough on my side of the family. they just open their gift and say thank you and that's it. so rude!

And this is all the more reason to stop buying for everyone! I am sure everyone at least, your dh's brother feels the same way but are afraid to say it just as you are. Why stress yourself out? Holidays are about the time spent with others...not what you buy them. NOT even the kids need more stuff just to say you bought them a gift. Teach them now to give acts of service or quality time. They will remember it more in the future than a "toy" that gets played with for a few minutes and set aside.

I have experienced the "open gift...a bit of an eyeroll...and put it aside". No appreciation. No more of that. I would rather spend time with family and friends having something to eat and playing games. Quality time. Life goes very quickly and we always wish we had more time with others...take the time now, while you have it. Don't stress with "gifts". In the long run, not worth it.

[Gertie2u]

Telling the other kiddies you don't want to play anymore is definitely a possibility, but depends how much you wanna get along to get along. Since you've been doing it all this time, I"ll guess you want to get along. I guess that also means giving all the adults gift baskets you've created by collecting freebie naughty personal products (To my surprise, you CAN get free samples of that sort of thing. Who knew?) is out. Then again, not that it would slow everyone down. Might make some of the family want to keep going with the tradition even more.

On to ideas. Suggest everyone pick a store for gift cards and set an amount such as $5 for adults, $10 for kids 5-20, and you go ahead and buy a gift for kids 5 and under. Get someone a Santa suit to deliver those.

Make things for everyone. Although we don't official exchange gifts anymore, my family still exchanges the following:

Cookies for everyone

decorate photo frames with each recipient in mind - use modeling dough the dries hard to make things related to their hobbies and interests to glue on the frames if your kids want to help you

hand-decorated Christmas ornaments - let the kids make them

baked pet treats for everyone's cats and dogs

homemade bath bombs - we usually do these as a project with the kids when we have our gathering and they give them to everyone to take home where we unwrap them to dry out then use

crochet dish cloths out of cotton yarn - these things are great!

plant herbs in small, pretty pots

rum balls

decorated towels


As to the gift bags from your stash - great idea, btw - hope you pick up freebies to use in that!

Mega Blocks had some coupons available online, you should check if they still have that for the littler kids. Sorry I don't have the link here, but I bet it is in the database.

Bigger kids get gift cards or cash. You know you can't afford to buy what they want with 27 to buy for but if everyone gives them a bit, they can pick themselves something nice they actually like. Be creative with the cash gifts if possible. One year I folded the bills into origami. Another year the dollar store had these puzzle boxes for cash gifts. Once I put them all in photo frames my kids and I had decorated with each person in mind. Last year, I did the thing where you buy clear glass ornaments and decorate by painting or glitter gluing on the inside, and I put the cash gifts inside those. I hear it has become a sort of game tradition to figure out where I hid the dosh.

Give everyone a 'gift card' good for one entry to an event you've planned for everyone. Whomever shows up gets their entry fee paid to somewhere awesome like an ice skating or roller rink, bowling, sledding, or whatever you think most of them would do. Make it close after Christmas, and make arrangements about food or at least snacks and a drink for everyone.

Stop trying to do separate gifts for couples. Give the adults that run each household one household basket each. So if you've got three single parents and 2 married couples, that would be five total baskets. You could bake some cookies, throw in some personal products, maybe something household like these scented candles if you can get a really good deal, hide something naughty in the bottom of the baskets if you wanna cause an uproar maybe a recipe book you've collected (check the freebies, there have been a few of these available lately), whatever like that you can think of. It ought to cut your sheer numbers down at least.

Buy them all one free pass to a movie. One of the major movie theaters had some sort of packs last year around Christmas where you could get four passes plus coupons for popcorn and drinks for very reasonable, and they were just single coupons. That made it possible to just count heads and pick up a few extra gift cards so that everyone got popcorn, drinks, and a pass. Some of the chain bowling alleys will sell you passes, too.

Maybe your husband could take the men somewhere? Bowling, golfing, a guy-type movie?

Magazine subscriptions. We see deals all the time. Pick out a couple in October or November and send each person a card saying Merry Christmas. you'll be getting X magazine in the mail from me. Enjoy!

[res030ei]

thanks everyone for your input! i am ending this and picking 2 winners. i'll pm them.

[res030ei]

Thanks everyone! i enjoyed reading all of the suggestions. Someone asked if the items i use from my stockpile to make gift bags are free, they are or close to it. This year i put back enough nivea body wash for the men and women to go in the gift bags. I look for deals through out the year for free or close to free items to go in the gift bags. i am watching the toy clearance at stores going on now for gifts for kids we have to buy for, also for birthday gifts. as someone suggested, shop right after christmas for the next years gifts. I plan on doing this. I have thought about it in the past but we are pretty much broke in the gift buying department after christmas. This time i am adding more to the christmas club just for the after christmas clearance.

[ravenhart]

I agree that people shouldn't dictate that you must buy them gifts. The concept is about giving from the heart not because someone said you had to. Why not tell everyone of those 27 to go buy themselves their own gift since they will pick out something they want anyways and you will do the same for your family and then it's up to you if you do or not.

I also agree there is more happiness in giving than in receiving. If you live close why not find a truly needy family and all chip in and buy for them - food, clothes, toys, etc. Or if live apart have each family pick a needy family in their area and buy for them.

If you decide to make gifts/food for them Crafts | Handmade Gift Ideas | DIY Projects - Craftbits.com has alot of recipes for gifts in a jar.