new supercheap gifts for boys

bohuma wrote: I know that you want to be the nice cousins, but you are currently unemployed and you have no real idea about when you are going to work next. I think that your cousins may benefit from a lesson about life in the real world. I think that you should send cards, but keep your cash for rent, food and utilities. I know this sound tough, but so is a severe recession. If you feel you really need to give them something, go online and see if you can make them something for next to no outlay in cash. Or maybe buy something from a thrift shop. Your need for basic necessities of life may outweigh their need for holiday presents.

i've been thinking about this post since i saw it yesterday. i think this is the wrong lesson. while just sending cards will teach the kids that bad things happen and it sucks, it's not the only alternative to digging into debt.

i'm broke this year. i've made changes in the way i live in order to save the little money i'm making right now for real necessities (okay, and festivus). so the gf and i decided that we weren't buying gifts this year, but rather making presents. not only has this saved me a LOT of money (granted, that's partly because i had some materials i could use already), but it's actually been really fun. we've both spent time on these projects, but shopping takes time too.

making gifts for kids (or adults) doesn't have to cost a lot of money, and a small gift doesn't need to take much time. giving a kid a gift that you made -- even if that means it's not what they see advertised -- teaches that generosity is possible for everyone, not only those with money, and that even when times are scary, they are loved.

bohuma wrote: I know that you want to be the nice cousins, but you are currently unemployed and you have no real idea about when you are going to work next. I think that your cousins may benefit from a lesson about life in the real world. I think that you should send cards, but keep your cash for rent, food and utilities. I know this sound tough, but so is a severe recession. If you feel you really need to give them something, go online and see if you can make them something for next to no outlay in cash. Or maybe buy something from a thrift shop. Your need for basic necessities of life may outweigh their need for holiday presents.

i've been thinking about this post since i saw it yesterday. i think this is the wrong lesson. while just sending cards will teach the kids that bad things happen and it sucks, it's not the only alternative to digging into debt.

i'm broke this year. i've made changes in the way i live in order to save the little money i'm making right now for real necessities (okay, and festivus). so the gf and i decided that we weren't buying gifts this year, but rather making presents. not only has this saved me a LOT of money (granted, that's partly because i had some materials i could use already), but it's actually been really fun. we've both spent time on these projects, but shopping takes time too.

making gifts for kids (or adults) doesn't have to cost a lot of money, and a small gift doesn't need to take much time. giving a kid a gift that you made -- even if that means it's not what they see advertised -- teaches that generosity is possible for everyone, not only those with money, and that even when times are scary, they are loved.

baking sweets is always a fun and inexpensive gift

baking sweets is always a fun and inexpensive gift

first off, thanks to everyone for the suggestions and conversation.

when it comes to the discussion, I think it's a complicated one. My wife is the first grandchild to get married, so we're also pretty low on the totem pole, as far as family standing goes. We're not really expected to give real presents, the parents, aunts & uncles cover that. But, we'd still like to give them something small. When we were both employed we dropped $20+ per kid, but we're going small & tacky.

On a personal note, opening presents at their household isn't the warm hallmark moment other folks have. the 12 kids plow through presents and there's shit flying everywhere. There's very little gratitude or appreciation and certainly no room for discussion about the rationale behind homemade presents.

On a general level, sure, I'm all for forgoing presents in the name of necessities; especially since they're not my kids. If they were my kids, I'd probably go the route of homemade presents. Let's face facts, most kids don't want homemade toys. Adults like to use that line, but I've yet to meet a kid that'll be happy with something homemade as opposed to a video game.

first off, thanks to everyone for the suggestions and conversation.

when it comes to the discussion, I think it's a complicated one. My wife is the first grandchild to get married, so we're also pretty low on the totem pole, as far as family standing goes. We're not really expected to give real presents, the parents, aunts & uncles cover that. But, we'd still like to give them something small. When we were both employed we dropped $20+ per kid, but we're going small & tacky.

On a personal note, opening presents at their household isn't the warm hallmark moment other folks have. the 12 kids plow through presents and there's shit flying everywhere. There's very little gratitude or appreciation and certainly no room for discussion about the rationale behind homemade presents.

On a general level, sure, I'm all for forgoing presents in the name of necessities; especially since they're not my kids. If they were my kids, I'd probably go the route of homemade presents. Let's face facts, most kids don't want homemade toys. Adults like to use that line, but I've yet to meet a kid that'll be happy with something homemade as opposed to a video game.

Phase 10 illuminated touch screen game: $6

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0015XQXTS/ref=ord_cart_shr?tag=slickdeals&_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Phase 10 illuminated touch screen game: $6

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0015XQXTS/ref=ord_cart_shr?tag=slickdeals&_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

wait, your wife is the first grandchild to get married and that makes you LOW on the totem pole?

you're doing it wrong.

wait, your wife is the first grandchild to get married and that makes you LOW on the totem pole?

you're doing it wrong.

what about astronaut ice cream? Every kid likes it.

what about astronaut ice cream? Every kid likes it.

It's $1.85: http://explorestore.stores.yahoo.net/asic.html

It's $1.85: http://explorestore.stores.yahoo.net/asic.html

Clue board game, $5: http://www.amazon.com/Parker-Brothers-40613-Clue/dp/B0017RQYDC/ref=sr_1_99?tag=slickdeals&ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1228941732&sr=1-99

Clue board game, $5: http://www.amazon.com/Parker-Brothers-40613-Clue/dp/B0017RQYDC/ref=sr_1_99?tag=slickdeals&ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1228941732&sr=1-99

i hear your point on the brand/status consciousness of kids -- i certainly appreciated the real cabbage patch kids my grandmother finally bought me more than the doll my mother made me instead (though i like the homemade doll better now), but homemade gifts that don't pretend to replace branded items don't have to suck.

age and your relationship to the kids in question matters, of course, but i definitely appreciated the earrings a cool adult made for me a lot more than the ones from claire's my (goofy, short-term) boyfriend gave me. if you have any cool points with these kids at all, you could likewise give a coupon for doing something cool together, sans parents, competing siblings, or whatever.

you may well be right that a video game would be more popular than a handmade toy, but that's violating the "cheap" criterion a bit.

i hear your point on the brand/status consciousness of kids -- i certainly appreciated the real cabbage patch kids my grandmother finally bought me more than the doll my mother made me instead (though i like the homemade doll better now), but homemade gifts that don't pretend to replace branded items don't have to suck.

age and your relationship to the kids in question matters, of course, but i definitely appreciated the earrings a cool adult made for me a lot more than the ones from claire's my (goofy, short-term) boyfriend gave me. if you have any cool points with these kids at all, you could likewise give a coupon for doing something cool together, sans parents, competing siblings, or whatever.

you may well be right that a video game would be more popular than a handmade toy, but that's violating the "cheap" criterion a bit.

What about the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company?

Lots of fun/cheap stuff for kids.

http://www.superherosupplies.com/

What about the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Company?

Lots of fun/cheap stuff for kids.

http://www.superherosupplies.com/

halfpint wrote: legos!

Legos are SO not cheap, FYI

halfpint wrote: legos!

Legos are SO not cheap, FYI