A More Rational Christmas

My husband's family celebrates Christmas as if it were 1999.  Because DH's parents are divorced, there are two Christmases with two sets of families, and then there is my parent's more modest Christmas/Solstice/Hannukah affair.  All I can say, 3+ Christmas celebrations are starting to get more than a little annoying.  When my husband and I say that we "don't want anything" or when we give suggestions for a few things that we really need, we still end up with junk that we neither have room or a use for.  While one of DH's families has lots of people to get one thing for (this year it is 7), we are often his mother's sole focus on Christmas.  The result of these celebrations is the same--an incessant pressure to give and receive about the same about of Christmas booty at each.  There is also an incredible imbalance between my family and his.  I usually get my parents one or two things (this year a quart of maple syrup), and sometimes small gifts for my three grandparents.  In comparison, for DH's family it usually requires an outlay of $250-400+ for everyone involved.

The last couple of years have involved tremendous stress on my end to pick out things that DH's family will actually appreciate; will be reasonably priced; and will be what I view as a "quality" purchase (no junk from China).  Is the past this has involved gifts of food, some select toiletries (high quality and often organic), some choice DVDs, and things that will be "used up."  Unfortunately what I have found is that these items are not "used up" by the gift receiver and will probably sit in cabinets for eternity.

When we could not afford to spend very much, such as last year before our wedding, I went the extra mile to make Christmas cookies, and to purchase most of my gifts throughout the year at the lowest possible price. In the end I have largely felt that my efforts have been wasted.  Very few of the recipients of my gift seem to actually appreciate the thought that I put into their extravagant customs, which are largely a vestige of DH's childhood Christmases (need I mention that no one is a child anymore?).  This year I may try to escape to my grandmother's house far away and let DH handle the madness, or I will probably end up going again through the motions and asking for more specific things.  Things we have a use for, but no room.