I usually try not to ask too much of anything when it comes to my own Christmas list. And I try not to let Christmas be the one and only time my loved ones know how much they mean to me, so to avoid unneccessary Christmas shopping. But dang, did I have to really try and remember what I got/gave last year!
Funny however much time I've put into gift getting/giving, and I can't even remember it a year later. My son begged and begged for this certain basketball game last year and today I asked him where it was. He couldn't even tell me. Boy, that REALLY puts it into perspective for me on what's truly important at Christmas time and how much I should NOT stress about what kind of gifts to get for others.
Yes but only because I write down all (or most of) the gifts that I buy and keep it in my holiday planner so the next year, I can look back and see what I got for whom and how much I spent.
Yes, my MIL got me a beautiful cape, that ironically I was eyeing out of my Mom's closet when I visited her a few weeks prior to the holidays! SCORE!!! My man got me one of those "key" pendants, again SCORE! My SIL got me a wonderful wine kit, I had been drooling over hers (they were very simmilar) a few months prior and she got me one for xmas! I gave the boys GameStop Cards (amt appropriate for their age levels), the girls got iTunes Cards, the older teen girls also got some cute make up kits with NICE adult brushes. I gift by age appropriateness and based on what large gifts grandma is doing. Last year it was xbox kinnect and iPod Touches! My son got a Wii from me and dad.
What a good point PS! I don't remember what I gave or received, and this year we're doing a frugal (simple abundance) Christmas. Plenty of Christmas cheer, good food, good music, family, relaxing, and less expensive, and more homemade gifts. I'm looking forward to it. It's a relief not to feel the pressure of spend, spend, spend!
You know... some people's memories don't work in adrenaline filled situations (happy or scary ones)! That doesn't mean it's not important. That just means that your hippocampus doesn't quite store things for long term storage correctly when you're stressed. Which is pretty normal.
I'm a little backwards... my memory works *best* in stressful situations (pretty normal for ADHD people). So I remember xmas presents all the way back to when I was a kid. Since ADHD runs (and skips, hops, slides) through my family it's really normal for my about half my family.
ALSO REMEMBER: Recognition is easier that recall. If you had a list, or saw the presents themselves, it's easier to remember than pulling them out of thin air. It's like most people and songs. You may not remember every word UNTIL you hear the music, but as soon as you recognize the music, your brain pulls up every word.
Yes -I remember. I got these gorgeous Old Gringo boots I had been wanting and some pretty earrings and books, and I also gave my husband some beautiful boots and a Kindle. Santa brought the kids a Polar Express train, Legos, books, puzzles, cowboy guns, and Woody and Buzz from Toy Story.
I have a notebook that contains our budget and all Christmas gifts for the last 5 years.
I have what we bought for all family members, MIL, FIL , SIL and her family, my sister's family, my mom and dad, our kids. Plus if any given year we bought extra, angel trees, teachers, etc that is noted
THe kid's list has the stores and prices and who gave it, mom and dad or Santa.
The great grandmas, my grandma and hubby's grandma always get cookie tins. THey are in assisted living.
Same notebook has every bill that has been paid since 2005, I lost the old one in 2004. That was a sad day.
My daughter remembers everything. I made a remark about having gotten her stuffed cat last Christmas, and she reminded me that it had come from out pet. I need to be careful so I don't mess up what comes from us, the cat and Santa.
No, I don't remember. I don't usually remember other gifts that I've given, either. Every once in awhile I notice something new, usually clothes, with my grandchildren and make a comment on it and my granddaughter, a tween, says, "of course you like it. You gave it to me." lol
I keep 'tit for tat' in almost every situation. Yes, I know what I give, gave and got. At my workplace, I keep a list hidden at home which details what I gave and got. If I got a card from a co-worker then the next year she gets a card. If I got candy from someone, then the next year he gets a gift. I always bring 'extra' to work in the case that someone surprises me with a gift.
I know what I gave for sure. Not in a keeping score kind of way, but in the plotting, planning, excitement, keeping it a secret, can't wait til they open it kind of way.I think.....I don't know what I got though, lol. Hmm.
I remember what I got because I didn't get anything!! We don't exchange within my family or my husband's - too much $$. Most of us do buy the kids gifts though. There are only 10 of them all under 7 years old. My husband and I don't exchange with each other. We never have in the last 10 years of marriage.
As far as giving goes...sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I just check with the parents ahead of time that they don't already have the gift/and that there aren't any objections to it for some reason. :)
