What kind of Christmas will you have this year?

My fiance and I are going to be giving his mom and dad something, and I will be making something for my mom this year. We won't have enough to buy my niece and nephew anything, but we aren't having Christmas on my side either, unless I go to my aunts. I hope to be able to get something for my niece and nephew later, but we're not sure. In fact, we haven't discussed it. Their mom and dad will buy them what they can, but as for what that is I'm not sure. We don't have a job, neither of us do. I quit mine last year to be with my fiance, and well I don't regret it. The both of us rather stay at home, so we are being as frugal as possible and I am trying to learn crochet so that I can sell things and give things as gifts.

Yes we will not be able to buy gifts for everyone like we normally do but no one is really expecting alot this christmas as far as gifts go because everyone around us is hurting financially right now. So we have decided to just get together eat and celebrate this year without exchanging gifts. We have 3 children so after getting their gifts we will pretty much be done! I am trying not to let it get to me but it does bother me when I see a perfect gift for my mom or brother and I know I cannot just grab it up because we cant afford it.

I am wishing of a simple and happy Christmas. I just wanted to be with my family, have a sumptuous noche buena and exciting gift giving. And spend the eve in a mass at a nearby chapel and chat with family members afterwards.

We're going to have a good Christmas this year. My hubby has been with the same company for about 8 years now. They always provide an excellent bonus - 2-3 weeks pay! - and this year is no different. We usually use that bonus to pay our property taxes for the year and then whatever is left over we use for Christmas. Since the value of our house went down in this economy, our taxes will also be less. So we'll have more for Christmas. We won't buy a lot, though. We would rather make gifts and give money to charity.

This is a very good question because I know everyone has been hit very hard because of the state of the economy,and I know a lot of people have been layed off even people who have been working at the same place for years,and there are a lot of people who do not have much money this year,so things are going to be tight for everyone especially around the holidays such as Christmas,I am sure there are a lot of people who do not like that their Christmas's will not be as good as the ones they have had in the past,and then I am sure there are people who know money is not everything,and do not care that things are going to be tighter this year,and I can understand why both sides would think they way they do,and I am sorry that you have had to tell your kids you can not spend as much on them this year,and I am sure it was very tough,but I am glad you are not going to let it bring you down,and money can never buy happiness,right now me and my fiance do not have a job,and we can not find one since the economy is so bad,and gas prices keep constantly changing so we have to survive off the money we make online,even though my parents do help us but they are tight on money as well,This Christmas is not going to be like most Christmas's because we are not exchanging gifts with anyone this year,my parents said they were going to get us a couple things but that is it,and we had originally asked for a laptop but that was before the economy went down hill,so now we have only asked for a couple cheaper things,and we have bought my parents a couple presents,to give them,and we are not going to let money get us down,because Christmas is a time to celebrate the birth of Jesus and it is a time to be together with family,and we are going to do that this year like every year because it is what we always do,and the other reason it will be different is because my grandpa recently broke his hip and had to have surgery so he is staying at my great grandmothers since he has to use a wheel chair and a walker,and since he can not walk or put pressure on his hip for six weeks,we will have to do Christmas up there instead of at my parents house or my uncles house,and I know my mother and my grandmother,me,and my fiance are all worried about him,especially since my grandmother has to pay a lot for his medicines,but we are still going to try and have a happy family Christmas,even though things are so bad right now.

Exactly! As of today economy let us make our spending be wise, the way what is not important don't buy. This coming Christmas for us is the same last year celebration. We cannot go on expensive preparation of Christmas. Very simple with foods in the table just okay for us to eat and simple gifts that every one's preparing to give to each member of the family. Aside from family we are preparing gifts to our friends and relatives. Then our kids go to their Godparents.

we dont have a whole lot of money either but i am pretty smart in the sense that i shop for christmas all throughout the year and by the beginning of november, i had most of it done (and some wrapped already) i have been also making stuff to sell and give as gifts. by shopping all year round, i was able to get stuff at thrift stores and garage sales and my family doesnt mind that.

I never use credit to buy for Christmas. I never raised my chilren believing in Santa Claus. I have always been very upfront with my children regarding our financial condition. This year I already told them that we are going to put more emphasis on individual birthdays as opposed to buying big at Christmas. I have six kids (three are grown) so I explained to them that this would just make more sense (dollars and cents too). So I look forward to having a very nice Christmas with less stress than in the past. One good thing about not using credit at Christmas time is that once it's over...it's over. But the day will be more about spending time with family and friends than about gifts.

Christmas this year will not be as good for us as it has been in the past. Not because we want to save our money (christmas only comes once a year) but because we simply dont have the money to spend. We also just had a new addition to our family (our 3 month old son) so we spent a lot of money getting ready for the baby and now we have an extra person to buy for. But we will be happy with whatever we can afford to do. The gift part of Christmas is fun and exciting but that is not what it is about. You are right we are very thankful for what we do have. We are less fortunate than some but many are a lot less fortunate than us. Happy holidays!

I myself have also been quite worried about christmas this year. My husband was put on disibility a few years ago so we live on a fixed income. I am not allowed to work due to the fact that I have to raise my kids (hubby is not allowed to be alone with the kids). This year I find that it will be much harder to have a big christmas. But like every year we will work really hard at trying to make it a good one. I find though that the hardest thing of all is not being able to get the kids the things that they really want. I am very fortuneate to have a program here where I live that delivers toys and food hampers to us for christmas. But we will have a great christmas anyways because we will be surrounded with loving family and friends.

hi. You celebrate Christmas so you believe what and who we are celebrating on this season. When Jesus was born on Christmas Day, he was born in a manger together with sheeps and lambs and other animals. No warm and nice room to spare and most specially, no food nor feasting. So food or gifts is not the main issue in Christmas. It is love and joy that we have received a Savior. Less or no food or less or no gift at all is just fine as long as my family are together and praying to only one God. God Bless you.

Apart from the fact that everything is costing more, I guess we are in the fortunate bracket. Hubby and I both receive a state pension as we are past the age for that. We also both have a little extra income from things we do, and we are still quite hard working. He gets up at 4.30 am every day to fulfil a taxi contract, and I write a bit, mainly on-line. We are certainly not worse off than we have been in our self-employed roles in recent years. I am sorry for your situation and hope you will find a way to have a great family Christmas. This we will miss out on this year. For various reasons, it will be just hubby and me, with everyone else at the other end of the phone line. We will be sending our love around the world this way, and that's good enough for this year. Of course we'll have sent off our usual presents in advance so noone will have missed out.

I kept wondering too how we were going to do Xmas this year. We had a baby in June so I didn't work for 3 months. When I went back to work its been so slow & my paychecks are like half of what I was making before. My husband's business is really slow too so he is barely breaking even. I did save most of my Target git cards I got at my baby shower which was like $125 worth so I went out to there & bought the baby some stuff. She doesn't need much cuz she'll only be 6 months old at Xmas. Then I went to Kohls & spent $50 on everyone else. We got dressed up the one day & put the baby in a nice dress, found a good background, put the camera on the timer & stood back & had our picture taken. I got on the net & sent it to a photo developing site & there we are a family portrait without the portrait studio price. Its not as nice, but who cares! It still came out good. So I bought frames & voila there's a gift for my parents, brother & his wife & then my husband's sister. For her husband & friend I am making them cookies & putting them in a tin. They come Xmas Eve & always stationed by the cookies so there we go a gift for each of them. Then for my parents I bought them each a shirt from Kohl's & then my brother some work gloves & his wife a candle & holder. And for our gift exchange at work a candle & holder as well. For each other we are not too worried yet. We set a limit, like 2-3 things under $40. Its all about the baby this year & even though she won't know we want to make sure she has a good first Xmas!

Even before this economy crash happened, my family never have "a full of gift" Christmas, and hey...we're doing just fine. I have to work at 2 places this year (and still, we live in poverty....:(), so I have lost my bedtime with my two sons. When I get home, they are already asleep. I just wish...on Christmas night.....i can be with them on the bed.....telling story like i used to do.....massage their back....and hold them till they fall asleep.

I would never let that interfer with my christmas spirit.....I have alot to look forward to though...my daughter and family from New York are coming to Minnesota for Christmas!!! I am so excited. I do alot of handmade gifts too....easy ones that will still let someone know how much I care...it's really ths spirit....it shouldn't have anything to do with money!

I think we'll just have a thrifty but still good Christmas. Maybe there won't be that many gifts anymore but it's okay because at least we still get to celebrate it with the people we love. I'm used to having a thrifty Christmas since we are not that rich. As long as we have food to eat on the table even without all the gifts. Christmas is still good.

will make Christmas the happiest in it's simplest way...Nice advises...I would surely make due with what I have given and I won't be stress with what I don't have...I'll be thankful of what I have...Thanks for posting. Merry Christmas

A lonely x-mas with no one at all, with no house, no children, no wife, no bed, nuthing

This Christmas is going to be pretty sad if I don't come up with some money and quick. I'm busy working four different jobs just to try and make money to buy my two boys presents this year. My husband works for a parts supplier for auto companies so I am always worried that he will go in and that will be the day he gets let go. It's not a pretty feeling. Hopefully I can make enough through my online jobs to get something for them.

Well, I have just lessen the amount of gifts to be given to my friends and relatives. But I see to it that everybody can still expect a gift from me. My family will just simply spend Christmas together, that will be the very best gift that we can give to our kids, that we are always together forever.