Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire New modus operandi at our place this year

I have 5 kids and we make a decent living. My kids have come to expect a bit much in terms of tangibles from Santa.

This year we all drew names and that person was the only person you were getting a gift for. The average $ spent was about 25bux each.

We actually had a better time than any other year. There was no complaining and lots of laughter.

One of my kids (13) needed money to buy her brother something. She didn't want to babysit the youngest (7) for a couple of hours....so my wife called the neighbor kid and gave the neighbor the 10bux she asked for plus a $50 tip.....my kids jaw hit the floor. She ended up hustling about 12 bux in the hood shoveling snow and made the rest of the gifts by hand.....fantastic life lesson.

I drew my oldest daughter (16 in a week) and she just wanted money. I gave her a gift certificate for a weekend with me anywhere she wants to go....not a thing that she doesn't need....instead, something she does.

I'm liking this....and I saved a few grand to boot.

Quit giving gifts quite few years ago. My wife and I usually buy what we need (not want) as it comes along. Sometimes it don't get bought if other expenses have to come first. We quit sending gifts to the kids and grandkids. Money sent with cards was never acknowledged, let alone special gifts.

We might hear from them twice year, but one we have not heard from for 2+ years and didn't even get an invite to her wedding.

my son is at a point where he needs to start gearing up to be on his own

his gifts from me this year were tools - breaker bar, jack , deep well socket set and folding shovel to keep in the trunk of his car. A starter tool box to keep in the garage.

the daughter got the jack and breaker bar when she went off to college , this year she got an air pump where you put in the pressure number you want and it pumps the tire up to that.

last year she had a flat tire on the way home. She was about 4 hours away. A state trooper stopped to help her. He opened the trunk and saw a floor jack, a breaker bar with the 17mm socket on it and a full size spare in the trunk. He changed the tire for her. I had her do it at home but in the heat of the moment, on the side of the interstate, I'm glad she didn't have to try.

I got the state troopers name and wrote a thank you note to him.

Anyways we are probably guilty of buying too many gifts at Xmas, but the gifts we get now are gifts that get them started on life.

My daughter is big on painting, every Xmas she paints me a country scene - a barn, a field, etc. This year she painted my 8N in front of a smoker barn in a field covered in snow. She has talent.