Gift giving etiquette. how does it work?

6 Comments

My immediate family consists of 8 people plus myself. There are two couples, and one family of four. We have always in the past bought $100 birthday presents for each other. So for example, the couples, and the family of 4 will spend $100 on my birthday present, costing them $300 in total. It however costs me $800 in total for all their birthday gifts.

Is this normal?

How does the rest of the world handle this? Would love to hear your thoughts.

How you do it is how it should be done. 2
I do it differently. (Please specify) 17
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Comments ( 6 )
  • EccentricWeird
    9 years ago

    Handmade gifts would be ideal, but unless you're really handy with the arts and crafts stuff, that could be a real pain in the ass. At some point you should all settle for a nice family outing in place of more plastic crap.

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  • RoseIsabella
    9 years ago

    I spend what I can afford to on birthday and Christmas gifts. When someone gives me a gift I say thank you regardless of how much said gift cost. If someone wants to to keep tabs and act shitty, because by their calculations I didn't spend enough then they can piss off, save their bloody money and get nothing from me next year. That's how I do it.

    You shouldn't feel ashamed to tighten your purse strings if you need to do do. Not to ve too cliché, but it IS the thought that counts, my friend.

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  • reminiscent
    9 years ago

    We dont count money we go ether by what we know the person likes...like if they collect something or have a hobby.
    Or the person could say what they would like via a small wish list
    I find it weird to pay attention to cost... cuz you could then just buy yourself the gift...like its putting too much focus on cost.

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  • thr
    9 years ago

    That seems unfair.

    I'm happy with having removed myself from gift-giving. No hassle.

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  • Avant-Garde
    9 years ago

    It's better not to pay attention to the cost. Cost means nothing. You can still say that you love/appreciate someone by giving them a cheeper gift. When giving gifts, I would either buy what people would tell me that they wanted or I would go by their interests. Like EW suggested, you could even make them something.

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  • slings_and_arrows
    9 years ago

    Why would you spend $100 on a present. Learn to knit and make them scarves or learn wicker basket making, flower press making, painting, pottery, woodwork etc. what is the obsession with expensive presents?

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