my kids and grandkids are driving me nuts.

[barbtries]

But I have an idea, and maybe it will help me get into the spirit, of which i am lagging badly for whatever reason.
They haven't given me their christmas lists. I don't know what to get them.

But as I said I have an idea. I will give FOR them.

for my oldest son, a donation to NORML (he's in CA so he's okay, but I'm in NC and want him to visit)
for my DIL, who called me raging over TX, planned parenthood and/or NARAL
for my 14-year-old granddaughter, Human Rights Campaign
for my middle son, he's a toughie who won't cop to caring about much at all, but he has a JD degree, so SPLC
for my youngest son, ASPCA or another animal care organization

I will have to be satisfied with these gifts. I do know what to get for my grandsons and my son's fiancee has kindly provided a wish list so she's covered.

there. i'm almost done christmas shopping. what do you think?

[viva la]

1. And you didn't even have to battle the crowds at the stores!

My friend was just complaining how she hates people exchanging lists-- "I feel like I might as well just give them money and let them buy what they want!"
I told her I was just glad I am not expected to be creative and thoughtful and come up with just the right gift on my own.
Yours is a good environmentally responsible option also!

[barbtries]

10. my kids tell me just give them money

but i'm too old-fashioned i guess, i hate doing that. i want to get 'em something!

[OMGWTF]

13. We give our grandkids $50 cash and a $50 check for their savings account.

[barbtries]

15. I'm sure they appreciate that

mine probably wish I was more like you.

[msongs]

2. and what will they give u? after all it's better to give than receive so I hear nt

[barbtries]

8. well.

i sent them all my Amazon wishlist and hoping for a dashcam! lol

[blm]

3. 👍🏽

[tblue37]

4. When my kids were young I used to enlist them to "spy" on each their other siblings

to find out what they were interested in. I have 2 kids, but they have 2 half brothers & a stepsister. Their step mom never could figure out how I managed to always figure out the perfect gifts for her kids.

[LittleGirl]

5. For my 60th birthday

Hubby had 60 trees planted in my name. I cried happy tears.

[barbtries]

11. that was so sweet.

and creative!

[LittleGirl]

19. I didn't know you could do that.

30 sequoias and 30 redwoods were planted! They will surely outlive me.

[barbtries]

21. they may very well outlive

your great great grandchildren! that's a wonderful gift.

[LittleGirl]

27. Didn't have children

I guess that’s my legacy.

Couldn’t have them, oh well.

[barbtries]

29. I'm sorry

that was tone deaf of me.

[LittleGirl]

31. oh, it's okay. no worries! eom

[KT2000]

6. Great idea and

I bet they will be conversing with each other over their presents.

[SergeStorms]

7. Sounds wonderful.

The adults in our family stopped exchanging gifts years ago. The grandchildren, nieces and nephews, all make out like bandits though.

Your gifts to charities in their names is a great idea, and I know a few other people who do that as well.

[Raven123]

9. Well done.

[erronis]

12. One favor. When you fill out gift cards to charities, don't include recipients personal info!

So many charities are using mega-marketing companies which are harvesting both the donor's information as well as the recipient's.

If possible, for privacy's sake, either donate via phone or make sure the "DONATE NOW" button doesn't link through to another organization.

Or be prepared to receive lots of junk solicitations from every place under the sun from now on.

[barbtries]

14. the ship has sailed on that one.

i have 26,812 unread emails in my inbox. i get snail mail from organizations i never donated to. i never answer the phone if i can't tell that i know the person calling.
But, don't worry, I will not provide these places with their information, that would be wrong. I'll do it in their honor.

[erronis]

17. Yeah, I know. Try setting up some disposable email addresses using your provider.

Many credit-card companies also allow one-time or limited-use cards.

Of course, the CC companies and ISPs know way too much anyway.

For what it's worth:
My personal Inbox has 2-10 messages - ones that I should deal with in the next week
Many go to junk or archive (for later searches)

[barbtries]

20. For my professional email

I have 2 of them - I make sure my inbox is empty every day. my gmail is a lost cause. Every so often i go in and do mass deletions, but it would take hours to get rid of everything. I don't have that much time.

i do have an old yahoo email that i look at a few times a year. there's a hella lot of crap in there too

[WinstonSmith4740]

16. It's a great idea.

My sisters and I decided a few years ago that we all had enough "stuff", so I've done donations (or food) for the last few years with them and friends. My favorite is probably Heifer International. They donate farm animals & training on how to care for them all over the world...including here. https://www.heifer.org/

[barbtries]

18. I've donated to them as well for the holidays. might be good for youngest son.

Also the wildlife fund, etc. One year I made a powerpoint or publisher document for them showing them how all their christmas money had been donated, because i was short that year and didn't get presents to them! But I had donated to a whole bunch of good causes over the course of the year.

ETA: I will admit that with the exception of NORML, I have consistently donated to all the rest of the places mentioned.

[EarnestPutz]

22. Really nicely done, Barb. Great job about the kids too, who appreciate these kind of gifts.

[TNNurse]

23. Excellent choices

We did not have children, but we have great nieces and nephews. We do not see them often. Two live on Vancouver Island which makes mail cost astronomical. We do not know what they want. This year, all 6 are getting contributions to educational savings accounts. Three of the four parent units already had this kind of account, the fourth had not gotten around to it...her child is 4. They will get cards, they will have presents to open, but this seemed like the best plan. And the parents were enthusiastic about the plan.

Both my husband and I had financial help in our college studies...we are just continuing this as we can.

[calimary]

24. I think that's a TERRIFIC idea!

You’re honoring something relevant to each of them, something they likely care about. And doing it in their name!

You’re very likely doing what they might even do, themselves, but may have other needs for their money. NICE!

And maybe next time gift-giving comes around, I bet they’ll be more specific and more forthcoming when you ask them what they’d like!

[marble falls]

25. Ain't it grand, though, not wanting it to be any other way.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

26. And, if you're of a certain age, gran (over 70.5), gifts can have a tax benefit.

"Qualified Charitable Distribution" from an IRA gets taken off your adjusted income, so it's deductible without having to hit some threshold of itemized deductions.

A sweet deal, for us old farts.

If you're too young for that benefit, well, that can be its own reward

[3Hotdogs]

28. Grandson, 6 years.... Wha'd'yawant for Christmas? Him: "An artificial plant for my desk."

Me: (incredulous) "Why would you want that?"

"So's I don't have to water it."

[barbtries]

30. way to go grandson!

that's precious.