Jennifer Lea writes for jlogged.com, and is co-owner of 
Opting out of Christmas? Now is the time to talk about it.
I have dreamed of opting out of Christmas for years. Each season we scale back a little more. The first year I was married we bought gifts for every single family member on both sides, friends, co-workers, teachers, etc… We both have large families, plus add to that client gifts. It usually added up to over forty gifts a year! Often charging purchases on high interest credit cards because we caved to social pressure, it felt like we were riding the crazy train all the way to loony town.
Now we know better. Way better. Learning lessons from the school of hard knocks is no fun, but I am forever thankful that we educated ourselves on how to climb out of the debt pit. We’re not still up to our eyeballs in payments, each year robbing Peter to pay Paul.
Currently, on Aaron’s side we draw names for the kids. I shop all year ’round and stock up on quality gifts that cost far less than the Holiday season’s inflated prices. We no longer buy gifts for adults. Only grandparents. My Dad’s side still buys for everyone, so we all have scaled back on what we do buy. Small, inexpensive gifts for everyone. This year I am giving family portraits done for free by a photography student friend.
My children have ridiculous amounts of toys. They need nothing. Aaron and I have learned to give a few stocking stuffers + a couple of small quality gifts that the boys will truly enjoy, and not just throw in the toy chest after a 30 minute toy blitz on Christmas day.
Our running joke is that we will start celebrating Festivus instead, air our grievances around our festivus pole and do feats of strength. (You won’t smoke you again Grandma! I’ve been working out.)
I do love the traditions, the food, and the time spent with family (for the most part.) It’s the commercialism, and waste I have qualms about. Christmas has become so darned insincere. It’s just one big box of plastic made-in-China crap wrapped in a frenzied sequence of thoughtless robotics; we’ve lost sight of the joy.
Our dream holiday is to spend Christmas in Hawaii or Mexico, and send our Christmas cards from an exotic local. If we continue to opt out, and enjoy the things we do not the things we have, that holiday on the beach gets a little bit closer to our grasp. I can almost hear the soft lull of the waves, peppered with my children’s laughter while the Christmas chaos is goes on far, far away without the Lea family.
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October 15th, 2007 at 9:46 pm
My siblings and I cut out gifts for each other, but we still get little ones for the kids. It\’s such a relief. I wish there was a nice way to not give work gifts. I always suggest it, but people always get stuff for me anyhow.
October 16th, 2007 at 6:47 am
This year for work gifts I raided the dollar spot at Target. They have all this great “Office” (the t.v. show) gear right now. Everyone got an office mug with a funny line. Eleven bucks. DONE!
July 14th, 2008 at 8:51 am
I feel your pain! I had the same deal with extended family who were all in the same debt I was it but seemed to continue the snow ball effect of holiday gift exchange. Please check out my site OptOutGiftExchange.com You can register for free and build your profile. In your profile you can set a budget for kids gifts and adults or you can opt out for adults or entirely! Send an buzz to all on your exchange list and wait for the responses, you’ll be surprized! The site is new and members are beginning to roll in. I hope you’ll check it out. Good luck
December 4th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Check out OptOutGiftExchange.com. You can register for free and build your profile stating your gift exchange preference. It can vary from a spending limit to an Opt Out preference completetly! Send your profile to your exchange list in the form of an invitation or “buzz” and await their acceptance. Then sit back and enjoy a stress free special occasion. It’s a growing sentiment especially in these tough economic times. Good luck!!!