You don't need an $800 watch.. :)

Ok.. Not sure where this is going but this is how I am feeling this holiday..

I know I am "comparing" and I shouldn't - but I can't help to notice what's all around me, especially when it's more obvious around the holidays.

So I have seen 2 extremes for women and "getting" things over the holidays. It seems to be that the couple either makes a bunch more money combined than DH and I and therefore it makes financial sense that "she" would get an extravagant gift if that's what she wants and what "he" wants to give her.. Fine, I've accepted where DH and I are financially and what makes sense for our family..

THEN... There are the others.... Who make much less than DH and I, yet for some completely mind boggling reason "she" still wants it all and "he" still plans on gifting it.. Not because they have the money, just because "she" wants it etc.. I end up with all sorts of super nasty thoughts and angry, annoyed, piss off etc.. So I know I need to just mind my own business, but at this time of year having to hear all about it "I'm buying "her" xxx or "he is buying me xxx" type crap... Drives me insane!!!! I actually can't think of a single thing that I want DH to buy me..

i know the feeling.. i just shake my head at those who feel like they need to go into debt to have a big christmas... and me being the ever overly practical person i am i, like you, just don't get it and i don't htink i ever will

my hubby asks me what i want for christmas or my birthday and i donno... i've sorta conditioned myself not to want much because i don't need much.. we only have soo much space so i don't need anything that will clutter up the house more i have replaced all my practical things.. or else items are just too pricy for the use (sure i'd love a dyson but since we only really have carpet in 2 rooms and a few throw rugs.. $300+ for a vacuum just seems a bit excessive especially when we currently have one that does a decent enough job lol)

For my birthday last month I got DH to buy me boots (for winter) that I picked out from amazon and vaseline lotion.. Yes, vaseline cocoa butter lotion from SDM.. LOL.. Ds enjoyed gifting it to me and my pregnant belly appreciates it.. I was going to buy it anyway.. Funniest part of this story (boring I know) is that Amazon has refunded the boots because of a defect on the original pair they sent me - so to be nice or something they have just given them to me for free.. That's a whole other story.. But essentially I got free boots and vaseline lotion.. Man, am I boring!!

It's not that I don't like expensive things - I do.. But they aren't practical and we could do an RESP contribution or something for kids..Thanks for understanding, at least I'm not alone.. :)

I used to love buying Christmas gifts.
I bought Christmas gifts for other people in my family to give.
I enjoyed that then but it's a different story now.
My husband and I don't buy each other gifts.
I have simple taste and buy with care because I also don't have a lot of space and hate clutter.
Our children prefer cash to buy what they want and that's fine with me.
I buy a few toys for other children in our family and that's it.
I love that commercial with the annoying bill following the guy around who paid with credit card. It's an interac commercial encouraging you to pay with debit to lose that bill after the holiday. Nah, I prefer not to spend at all.

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Originally Posted by LisaLisaBoBisa

For my birthday last month I got DH to buy me boots (for winter) that I picked out from amazon and vaseline lotion.. Yes, vaseline cocoa butter lotion from SDM.. LOL.. Ds enjoyed gifting it to me and my pregnant belly appreciates it.. I was going to buy it anyway.. Funniest part of this story (boring I know) is that Amazon has refunded the boots because of a defect on the original pair they sent me - so to be nice or something they have just given them to me for free.. That's a whole other story.. But essentially I got free boots and vaseline lotion.. Man, am I boring!!

It's not that I don't like expensive things - I do.. But they aren't practical and we could do an RESP contribution or something for kids..Thanks for understanding, at least I'm not alone.. :)

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I got my DH to get me boots for xmas because I needed them and we like to have something to open with the kids. But..by no means to we spend a lot of money. We would rather spend out money on things we need for the house. We really want a new TV stand for example. I agree that people go overboard and its just ridiculous. I swear its just for show, so they can say "Oh look what my DH got me" blah blah blah

Lisa, proud of you for thinking of your kids. THEY are your priority, not an $800 watch. We are not jealous of these people, because we too understand the finers things in life, it's just that our needs are completely different than theirs. I have absolutely no time in my life to keep up with the Joneses. I know too many of those people and I KNOW FOR A FACT they are up to their eyeballs in debt.

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Originally Posted by lecale

Oh come on Lisa, think of how practical an $800 watch is:

- unlike your cell phone, it is guaranteed to have the wrong time
- as a total anachronism, will go well with your monocle
- ladies cannot wear it with formal wear as it is an etiquette faux pas, but will look smashing with track pants
- worth 10% at the pawn shop if you ever have a hard time later

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I'm dying.

However I still would want a $800 watch. Shame on me

that watch is more expensive than the most expensive thing I own. and has no practical use. (to me anyway my cell phone tells accurate time and cost a lot less than that watch too.)

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Originally Posted by Candini

I'm dying.

However I still would want a $800 watch. Shame on me

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Me too. Well actually it's a 2000.00 handbag....we can all dream right?

Remember the $800 watch if they ever ask to borrow money from you.

Our family does not exchange Christmas gifts. We stopped doing that when my youngest turned 20 (2.5 years ago) We all decided we did not need to spend copious amounts of money on each other just because society suggests we need to.

We spend time together and have the big Christmas meal but we skip the gift exchange. It makes things so much less stressful for everyone. I still buy stocking stuffers for everyone though because..................SANTA is real ;)

I don't really care what other people are receiving for Christmas, and I haven't heard anyone around me being silly enough to talk about it. If a couple is wealthy enough to buy expensive gifts, the people are probably wealthy enough to buy what they want whenever anyway. Christmas is mostly about the kids, anyway, and we're even trying to cut back on the number of toys being given to them this year.

I'm frequently told that Mr P doesn't love me because I don't wear expensive jewels..

Mr P would and has bought me expensive jewels.I don't judge his love by trinkets..

I judge it by ..oh..let's seee...when he looked after our kids when I was ill, when he brings me tea in bed..when he thanks me for the best meal he's eaten after a week of traveling..when he cleans my car before going to work..when he spent 2 years finding me a book I wanted. Those are far more precious to me than a piece of bling..

LisaLisaBoBisa, just think in a few years that couple may be on one of Gail Vaz Oxlade's Shows ( Till Debt Do us Part or Money Morons ) Getting caught up in giving material possessions to each other at Christmas might be more common than we think if you listen to the news reports about the debt load of Canadians. Try not to let the bragging get to you ( that person getting that silly watch ) because they need help.