The holiday season is here once more. This is a joyous time of year with some stressful undertones considering the current state of the economy. I already completed all my Christmas shopping for my family and kept my total spending at a reasonable amount for our current budget. I would like to say that concludes my holiday shopping, but my fear is a friend may surprise me with a gift for my son, and then I would feel obligated to buy a gift for their kid.
This year the budget is tight, and I would rather not buy extra gifts for friends and friends' kids. What is the best way to handle this situation? One option is to be upfront and say, "Hey I'm not sure if you were planning on giving us a gift, but I would prefer to not exchange gifts this year." The other option is to not say anything and hope my friends would not take offense if I did not reciprocate in the event they do give us any presents.
Because I still wanted to give something special to my friends and their children, my son and I made cute little cards, and I included a Christmas photo of my son. I thought it would be an appropriate gift during a recession and not make anyone feel obligated to break the bank.
So I'm curious if it is considered rude if a friend buys a gift for my son, but I don't buy one for their kid? Or should I be upfront and say no gifts this year, please?
UPDATE: Poll Results 12/20/08 - 12/27/08
Has the recession had any effect on your holiday shopping this year?
00% Yes
00% No
100% Meh
Saturday, December 20, 2008
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Personally, I think it might be more appropriate to tell everyone up front. In theory, as friends they should be understanding, and if they're feeling the same crunch, you could be the motivation to get them to admit the same.
ReplyDeleteI like the homemade card idea, too.