LPT: Change the way you do gifts on Christmas morning to make it more about giving than getting

Submitted by dallassoxfan t3_zuav7i in LifeProTips

When handing out the gifts under the tree, put the presents in front of the giver not the receiver. Then, have each person hand out their gifts one at a time, waking over to the receiver, handing it to them, and saying something nice about them or why they chose that gift.

Our family started doing this several years ago and it has made Christmas morning slower, calmer, and much happier. It has also refocused all of us on the giving rather than getting.

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Comments

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BrainGiggles t1_j1i7fdt wrote

I have a huge family and not everyone in my family (adults) could afford to get gifts for everyone. If we were to place gifts in front of the giver - I think this would totally single out a few people and make them feel bad for not having gifts to hand out to everyone. Just overall not a good idea for my family.

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[deleted] t1_j1in1bo wrote

[deleted]

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BrainGiggles t1_j1ipwbs wrote

I agree, it’s not about the price of the gift. But it also has to do with how the receiver behaves when they get such a gift. For example, if someone spends hours making a bracelet and the receiver gets it and acts like they like it but when they leave they don’t even bother to take the bracelet with them when they go home…after a while people just stop giving. Or at least stop making stuff for that person.

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fencer_327 t1_j1i73bk wrote

Depends a lot on the family. Some people are really anxious about how others react to their gifts or afraid they won't react appropriately, in that case everyone being distracted with their own presents helps. If you have children that still believe in Santa, this is a bad idea for obvious reasons.

Do it if you think it works, bur thing about the implications!

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Kyrrdis t1_j1i4br0 wrote

If I had to do that it would INCREASE my stress, not bring about warm feelings. It would be like giving a report and getting evaluated on it. Maybe your family is not like mine...

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adgjl65 t1_j1j1nuv wrote

It would increase mine too. Too much focus on me.

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timmyboyoyo t1_j1imuny wrote

Why increase stress? Don't you know why you got some things for some people? Do you like them and feel comfortable?

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Kyrrdis t1_j1ip59q wrote

No, I do not feel comfortable around all of them. I generally try to find something that’s acceptable. My family generally has more money than I do, and have everything they want, plus half my in-laws shun us because we are a same-sex couple. No small children are left to delight, just social obligation.

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timmyboyoyo t1_j1ivame wrote

Ok is different if you don't feel as comfortable around them all, hope they learn to stop shunning, but if they do they don't deserve "gift" from you

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BeneficialDark1662 t1_j1j2m2e wrote

I would find that completely cringey, and quite a bit attention-seeking on the part of the giver.

My main issue though is that I think there’s a whole boatload of assumptions there: that the people involved all like each other, everyone has roughly the same spending ability, no one is getting competitive about gift buying, no one gets anxious about the perfect gift, no one is going to feel bad because they very publicly got a kitchen mixer while someone else got an iPad, everyone is comfortable with this (and not shy or introverted).

If all of the above are true, and everyone wants to do it, then go for it. It would absolutely not work for my family though.

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keepthetips t1_j1hxjxu wrote

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kiffens t1_j1hy9ms wrote

Stop trying to make Christmas more cringey

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OneTwothpick t1_j1hzwsv wrote

I'm not sure how this makes Christmas more cringey. They've explained how the change they've suggested has affected them and left the option to adopt that change to you. No force or judgment was passed by OP.

If your expectations of Christmas are different than theirs, you do not have to change how you celebrate it.

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timmyboyoyo t1_j1imo5k wrote

But you are wearing a bunch of scout badges... And have faces on your shoes...

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Noodeline t1_j1ikacn wrote

Two thumbs down. This is awful. doesn't even sound good. Boo!!!

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TheeVikings t1_j1lf5r2 wrote

We just do shots of jack and have a slap fight.

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