When my kids were younger, I used to buy tickets for a Broadway show for the entire family and we would go over the winter break. Since we live in a suburb of NYC, this didn’t involve either airfare or hotel rooms, just a toll and a parking fee.
For my birthday, a milestone this year, my kids got together and funded a year of education for a girl in an underdeveloped country. I thought I would get report cards, so I could kvell, but I haven’t. I plan to ask my D about it. This reminded me that I used to donate to the Heifer Fund.
I wasn’t really planning on doing gifts this year. My D just got engaged, though, so I will probably give her a contribution to her Roth. I will also open Roths for the other boys, though I am not sure if I can do it for the oldest, who works for USPS and has a retirement/pension through it. The other boys all have some earned income, so if I open a Roth and put a little bit in for them, maybe it will inspire them.
I already have them all on my cellphone plan and have two on my AAA because they are the ones who generally do all of the family driving trips.
I also used to get them magazine subscriptions when they were younger, geared towards their interests. Oldest boy got Mad Magazine, there was Highlights for another, National Geographic, etc.
Sigh , it gets difficult as the kids get older, have time constraints , space constraints and just do not want more STUFF.
I like Maya54’s ideas. Going to check some out. Money is usually the way I go, or gift cards to places I know they frequent. I like to include a cheap cute gift from dollar Tree or Daiso. I loaded up on Daiso junk during recent trip to CA because they carry very inexpensive unusual things. That with a check or card in a nicely wrapped box does it.
It’s difficult for those who are cash strapped when material gifts are a burden to their giftees, and services not an option. My cousin is in that situation. $10 cash or gift card doesn’t go far. Heck, some of those Hallmark cards are costing half that. And postage is ridiculous. A hard copy photo from the past or recent archives in a matted frame card has done the trick for her. She spends the year looking for relevant photos. If she gets gifted Starbucks or other national chain cards, she’ll give them as gifts to her kids too.
I just hit a bonanza in second hand striped shirts, all excellent brand nayes, excellent condition My west niece loves striped shirts and ended up with mine when I visited. Sent her pics of them and got a big enthusiastic YES to send them ASAP Aalso got a bunch of high quality, socks in primo condition. Cousin and I are packaging so they look new after rewashing. They’ll serve as mini stocking to some recipients with cute goodies in them. My kids will get a check in theirs as well and I’m giving Cousin a bunch of my unused gift cards to put in hers We are having fun with this project
My grandparents never bought us holiday/birthday gifts. They did purchase savings bonds for us which my mom displayed for a few days, then put away.
When it came time for college, I realized that I had received much better presents than a bunch of toys, clothes or “stuff”.
Something @doschicos said in another thread, triggered an idea
How about a day of family cooking lessons? Compile a list of all the family favorites, and print recipe cards or recipe books (Snapfish). Pick a day when everybody is available and in one place (you may have to travel to them!); cook a meal of favorites together during the day, and at night, the family gathers around the table and enjoys happy memories, good food and good wine!
Experience gifts only work if you live somewhere where there are zoos, etc…much of our family doesn’t. And my folks are not ambulatory enough to do those things anyway. My family that live where that might make sense – I have no idea what they already belong to, or what they have time for.
We have given newspaper subscriptions (so, online access to major papers) but even that is pricey. We began a few years ago giving to a charity in one of the cities family live in, and rotating it through our different towns. Our family is 32.5 people at the moment, and the kids have started making gifts – bookmarks, candles, ornaments — and to be honest, that has been the most fun. I love the bingo idea!! Gonna suggest that to my SILs
Another thing my family does is stop giving gifts to nieces and nephews as they graduate from high school. There is only one left in school and he’s a HS junior this year.
These cousins, as the graduate high school graduate into the “cousins club”. They go in order of age (this year it is my 21 year old son’s turn) and they choose a charity. Then they announce to each cousin what the charity is and the older cousins all contribute to that at Christmas time. The younger adult couisins are still college age and may only give a few dollars, the older cousins are in their mid 30’s and professionals, they give more.
That reminds me, I need to ask my son if he has chosen the charity yet, he needs to announce it to his cousins soon so they have time to send him the money.
So just talked to DS#1. Might end up making donations in their name. They are in a fortunate position of not really needing anything (though the babysitting payment is always an option). DS and DIL apparently make rather significant contributions to charities of their choice. We could add to that if that is their choice. I havent mentioned the personal chef thing. I like that too.
Quoted wrong post. Meant to quote the one below. Some people fund their adult children’s Roths, hence referencing employer sponsored retirement plans and pensions. You’d need a job for one of those.
Someone above (I think @Knowsstuff) suggested funding a Roth, but it doesn’t work if the person has no income. That said, each of my s’s provided all our front office (and my personal) computer repairs/updates etc when they were in 11-12th grade. Saved my coworkers a lot of $ as I didn’t ask them to pay anything. I “paid” each s (when each did it… younger s took over when older s went to college) a few (maybe $2-3K, I can’t recall) a year and then immediately converted it to a Roth, so they never saw a penny of it as direct income in their pocket. They didn’t understand it then. They understand it now.
@bajamm We take the cousins thing even further. We gave gifts for birthdays until high school graduation. And a high school graduation gift. Reserve future gifts for milestones- college graduation, wedding, baby, etc. Cousins have never exchanged gifts so they are off the hook with any of that!
If you like to make donations as gifts here is a way to provide solar lights to those in developing countries. These lights are also great for power outages, camping, morning walks, patio lights, etc. I send them off to college with my kids and their friends. My DS16 had 3 kids studying in his room for an exam when the power was out, so they do come in handy and make great gifts.
Another gift for the person(s) who have everything…a gift certificate to a local bookstore in their town. Or big box, but I like supporting the local bookseller.
Even if you have EVERYTHING, you can’t have the books that haven’t been released yet!
I told my adult children that it was going to be a Venmo Christmas this year. One has asked for money to contribute to a major purchase, and that’s fine too. I’ll buy a few stocking stuffers for fun, but that’s it!
ETA - be careful with those “of the month” clubs. H was never impressed with the beers he was sent and the amount of styrofoam was insane.
Way way back i mentioned a 529 plan for a grandchild, not a Roth. I didn’t start a Roth at fidelity for my child until after his first year of college. Had I’d known more, I could have paid him for his computer help thru HS, but filing taxes for him would have been a hassle
@greenwitch my husband enjoyed the variety of craft beers he got. He got six different beers in each shipment…I think 2 of each kind. Some were really great and others were not as great. But he said it was fun to get them, plus the literature about that craft brewery. And it was only 6 months.
I volunteer at a charity thrift store…so for the last few years, I’ve gotten my DH, DD, DS and SIL some gift from the shop. It’s fun to look for interesting and useful or fun things. We get a lot of NWTs donations. My husband is getting a clock that is made from bicycle and computer parts (he is an avid bike rider, and an engineer…what a perfect combo). DD is getting a Columbia fleece vest because she keeps taking mine! DS is getting a ski jacket (can you believe people buy these things and never use them) to keep here and use when he skis. SIL is getting warm gloves.
The kids will each get stocking stuffers, new socks, new PJs and some candy. And a $ gift to use as they choose.
My sisters and I decided long ago that we would rather do birthdays than Christmas. My husbands siblings havent exchanged gifts in years…although if someone sees something unique, they will send it.