Yesterday, Bart and I made an important decision.
We are not buying each other any Christmas presents. Yes, we may be the most unromantic couple alive. But we don’t care.
We decided that, instead, we will pick out a reasonable budget and then, after Christmas when everything is on sale, we will go shopping together and each pick out some things for ourselves. It will be awesome.
Bart and I both have trouble picking out gifts for each other, and it causes both of us a fair amount of stress. If we’re going to spend the money, we might as well each get the things we really really want. (One may wonder how large the budget will be when Bart and I were talking about going to see a movie at the dollar theater this weekend and decided to wait until Monday instead because “it’s only fifty cents on Monday, instead of TWO DOLLARS!” The cheapness – it thrives here).
We did this for my birthday a few months ago and it was absolutely splendid. We went up to the outlet mall and wandered around together, holding hands (see! romantic!), and I picked out a skirt and a purse. Bart gave suggestions, and we both went home happy. He hadn’t been stressed about picking something out for me, and I got exactly what I wanted.
I can’t tell you how thrilled I am about doing it this way. It’ll be fun to spend some time together shopping (Bart is a champion shopper), and we’ll get to take advantage of the after-Christmas sales.
Best of all, no stress about what in the world to get Bart for Christmas.
(And I ordered Josh Groban’s Christmas CD today. It should be here in a few days. HOORAY!)
Bart says
I prefer “frugality” to “cheapness.” Cheap sounds miserly and ungenerous, while frugal seems more wise and patient. No?
Lisa C says
I totally agree with this method. Dan and I love doing it this way or just picking something to do together. Last year we went to see Wicked as our Christmas present to each other. Or if Dan is going to buy me something, I just have to give hints, that way we don’t have to stress about giving or getting the wrong thing. There’s something extra bitter about getting something you don’t want AND knowing your money was spent on it 🙂
Sheyenne says
Dario and I don’t buy eachother gifts either. Instead we each pick out one ornament for the other that has something to do with something that happened in our lives that year. Works great for us.
Ashley says
OK. I’ll be honest. I like big beautiful Christmas presents!! Lots and LOTS of them! Of course, I usually don’t get as many as I would just LOVE to have, but I like a good suprise and I really like to suprise Dave too. It’s a toughie but I usually can figure out something! I just love Christmas and would sell my left leg so we could have fun presents! Goodbye leg.
Dave says
Awesome idea! Though most of the time I look out for discounts and sales for ‘frugality’, on Christmas I, along with my girlfriend go into a shopping spree and often spend more than our budget.;) But we always go together to buy the things so that both of us can get exactly what we want.
Melanie says
Kudos to Bart for being a great shopper. What could be more romantic than having a guy go shopping with you, sincerely offering his opinions and suggestions!
My mom keeps saying that she wants me to have something to unwrap on Christmas morning, but I told her that I get way more joy out of shopping (especially these days when I’m a starving student and can’t take the liberty of the occasional shopping trip)than I do out of tearing ribbon, wrapping paper, and tape off of some box.
She Likes Purple says
Romance is understanding one another and not letting anything (even Christmas) dictate what you have to do for one another. Mike and I rarely buy gifts because we have to. It’s just missing something really, really important.
Miriam Higginson says
I knew someone who did this with their kids each christmas. They got presents under the tree from friends and family, but mom and dad gave them cash and then they went and hit the after-christmas-sales the next week. I know my kids would never go for that, but she said her kids loved it. Maybe if you started young and this was tradition it might work!
janet says
I always try to do this with my husband too! Good plan, I say!
Katie says
I think that’s a fabulous idea! I’ll have to mention this one to my hubby 🙂
RA says
I love this idea because picking out great presents can be difficult. This would work for us if JG didn’t suddenly become exhausted the second he steps foot into the shopping arena. Very inconvenient.
He is, however, very good at picking presents for me, so I hardly ever win the “awesome present” category. Not that it’s a competition or anything…
Noelle says
I love this idea. I’m all for 50 cent mondays too. 🙂 I convinced Phil do do the same thing this weekend (with the movie thing.) Don’t you love not having mondays be schoolnights or have to come home to put kids to bed. We are living cushy lives, I tell you…
chloe elizabeth says
But what do you have under the tree Christmas morning?
allee says
That is a fantastic idea!