Reply #39: I either make a gift, or don't give one

[Flaxbee]

My family is very big and for a long time all our spare $$ went into caring for an aging, ill mother (who now, thank goodness, has full benefits)- the only thing we'd buy gifts for was an extraordinary event, like a graduation or wedding, something that doesn't necessarily come every year. So for Christmas, we just either make gifts, or call each other. We make the house festive with boughs, etc. (don't buy a tree - don't like the idea of cutting a tree just to toss it away) and always make really good food, but that's about it.

The entire capitalist frenzy at the holidays really pisses me off. I guess I'm just a Scrooge.