I hate the holidays and prefer not to celebrate it. But for some reason no one in my family listens to me when I say don’t buy me shit. Text me Merry Christmas, and let it be done. 
5 Likes
I got a RadioHead In Rainbows 
CD and i got some Dark Chocolate Hobnobs, I’m a simple man to please
5 Likes
There are alot of reasons eg
- because they can
- because they want to show affection and kindness
- because everyone thinks Christmas means something aside from Jesus and his birth.
- because the three wise men gave baby Jesus gifts to show there support of his birth and his ways
Etc etc
2 Likes
Hanukah is a based holiday
3 Likes
Yeah, I know all that. 
I’m just saying it’s not for me personally. I don’t really like the pressure of getting someone a gift. If they don’t like it I don’t know if they’re going to feel obligated to keep it. I would rather they exchange it if they didn’t find it useful. And that’s about the only gift I’d rather give… Something that’s practical. But knowing someone well enough is half the battle. But unfortunately for me, I’m a bit of a loner. A sort of “hermit” -if you will.
Because in the end I’m spending money on something I’m going to give away, and if another person does the same… Why not just spend our monies on ourselves and save the trouble of the guesswork? If it were only gift cards that we were trading? Yeah. That’s just an additional step of having to trade them with the other person/s.
Now, for normal people - none of ^this would be an issue. So good on them if they can get all that to work out.
3 Likes
I think (for my own circle at least) the idea of gift giving has lost something. Used to be that we’d shop for gifts that we thought the other person would like. Now it’s all wish lists and people demanding the gift that they will be receiving. One of our family members called on Christmas day to demand and explanation for our failure to give them the specific gift they had requested. It wasn’t ever up to them what gift we chose to give.
It’s a “gift”, not an obligation. People should be pleased with whatever they are given, without any consideration of whether they asked for it, or if it was on their wish list, or even if they already had one. Just be grateful and say thank you!
11 Likes
Lmao this would have been the last time I would have spoken to them, guarantee you that.
7 Likes
I get a gift from my mother usually but this year only the kids got presents, otherwise it is about meeting family. I also dont like the pressure so we agreed to not gift stuff unless someone has a good idea that the others want to collect money for.
My last months were too expensive to buy gifts. 
6 Likes
Well said. And it for that reason, what are the main gifts given now? Gift cards or cash, so that the person can go and get the exact thing they want and nobody has to get upset, or put any thought into it anymore.
3 Likes
I’ve always thought that a gift card (or straight cash for that matter) is just another way of saying “I don’t care or know you enough to get you something you like so you go buy your own present and leave me out of it”. They have their places, but as Christmas and/or Birthday gifts for family? No thanks.
2 Likes
What if they don’t know what to ask for and so you give them money or a gift card to buy something at a later date? I’ve always found having stright up mobey for Christmas good instead of getting something i didn’t hugely want and either breaking there hearts or not knowing what to do with it
1 Like
Anyone I would buy a gift for I would know well enough to be able to figure out what they would like without having to ask them. The only use I would ever have for a gift card or cash is if I was giving a gift to someone I didn’t know.
I have, on occasion, given someone cash as a gift if they expressly asked for it (like a kid asking if I can pay their utility bill for Christmas instead of a gift) but then got them an actual gift anyway.
6 Likes
I start to feel a little weird after a few months (and/or I see that it will give that award) BUT if I like it enough… 
I’ll like it. Hell, I might even restart a long dead conversation if it inspired that much of a feeling in me.
I’m the same. It often takes me multiple listens of a song to truly get the feel of whether or not I like it (unless I truly dislike it from the beginning which can happen sometimes, if very rarely). I usually don’t get into a new song for a while but I never would have discovered some of my favorites if I didn’t give them those chances. I’m like that for movies and television and books and the like as well; it makes me wonder how many people missed out on how many things just because they didn’t want to give them more than one chance…
My brother is adamantly against this BUT gift cards are really good for this; if you don’t have ideas but know a location the recipient frequents, give them a gift card to it so they can select their own present (with your financial help).
Yeah, lists and requests are fine but there’s no need to be an asshole about it, especially to someone’s face. Just exchange/return it in private like normal people. Jesus.
I used to think this way, and my brother still does (so I don’t give him any), but, as I mentioned above, I’ve come around to thinking how useful and thoughtful they can be. My sister I even ask specifically for them from time to time if we can’t think anything we’d like but someone wants to get us something.
8 Likes
Speaking of, since it came up a bit, how do we feel about the concept of giving and/or receiving gift cards?
- Yes
- Maybe, if I had no alternatives
- I guess, if it was for a Secret Santa or something
- Under no circumstances, there’s always an option
0 voters
EDIT: I always screw up a poll somehow; I wanted it to show who voted 
3 Likes
I had to choose “If it was for a secret santa or something” as I’ve already copped to giving them if directly asked for or if I’m giving to someone I don’t know, so I clearly can’t say No outright.
Edit: Done. Change to “No”.
4 Likes
You can say no if you want; you were in my head when I wrote that one anyway (because I just read it literally seconds before) 
3 Likes
I much prefer gift cards if I have to give gifts. I don’t always know what people want or need so a gift card is a nice way of saying, “I don’t know what exactly you need/want but I still care enough to give you something, so here’s some money, buy yourself something nice.”
4 Likes
6 Likes
Gift cards are all well and good but since you can only use them at specific stores, I think cash is the better option.
5 Likes
Cash is good too! I don’t mind receiving money.
5 Likes