Christmas for the Poor

Hi, you can present some low cost but good looking things instead of bigger things :) I think only poor people enjoy Christmas well, with nice dishes, new dresses and celebrations. for rich people they always have such dishes, dresses and celebrations all the time, so it's not much a special thing for them. Merry Christmas!

We are also on a very tight budget. So this year there just isn't as many presents as other years. I would give up every gift I have ever received just to be able to go home to my Mom's for Christmas. This will be the first time in my 45 years of life that we haven't been together. It is really making it hard for me to et into the spirit of the season.My husband and I don't exchange gifts. We use whatever money we have for the kids.

Hi! Wishing you and your family a merry christmas.Hope you have all the fun and enjoy yourselves.Its not the costly presents that enrich one's life its the love you have for one another that counts.Being materialistic and being a warm lovable person are two entirely different things.So dont worry about the gifts,just enjoy yourselves and I am glad you like to be with each other.That means alot.God Bless.

It is not what gift you give or how big gift you give that counts. The spirit of Christmas comes from the heart. I do not believe the big gifts or costlier gifts needed to be given. All you need is to give lots of love. Love is another form of gift. I think you have a big heart can give lots of love and happiness to your family. Enjoy the Christmas in good spirit with lots of love, happiness, peace, and joy.

I believe the whole spirit of Christmas is spending time with your loved ones. The gifts are nice but at the end of the day, it is the memories of being together that you will treasure. Taking the family to Disney is a wonderful idea. I think it would be so much fun creating those memories that would last a lifetime unlike some of the material things that are received on Christmas. I hope you have a great time and a Merry Christmas.

I would certainly call a trip to Disney a material gift. Not only that,but it's one with benefits. it makes a lasting memory. Gifts do not have to be the central theme for Christmas. According to my mother, some of the best gifts she recieved we made. I would give over my gifts to be able to spend the day with her. We are 1300 miles apart.

In all honesty, I grew up upper middle class and recently have become pretty broke and it's a really hard adjustment. I'm aware it's not a good way to be, but I really can't help it. I really admire people who can find other things to do tomake do and enjoy themselves. I think a day at Disney is a great Christmas no matter what income you're used to. Also, I love your Gaia avi.

this is a good question, i ask this to my classmates, where even the poor ones end up with xbox's and ipod's for christmas. my father was creative this year, and got me 10 euros, (about 20 dollars, and i live in the US, that's what makes it unique), even tho most wouldn't consider that a gift, they would consider it weekly allowance. i dont believe i'm really poor, it's just that my mother is mentally ill, and doesn't want to get a job, and my father works his a$$ off 10-12 hours every day (except sundays), and lives paycheck to paycheck. i'm 14 and i had to quit my job (very busy fast food place) after 4 months, because of school and plus my dad saves lots of money, and just spent it all a week ago, when he bought plane tickets for my little 8 year old brother, and himself to go to Yugoslavia for the vacation. there is no christmas tree, i have no one to celebrate it with, except my mother, which is mentally ill, literally, and muslim (not a good combination lol) i sit here at my computer now ranting, because i'm really unhappy, and this is the worst christmas ever, and i'm greek orthodox, so this is supposed to be a very special time of the year, and i recieved 20 bucks, while i see my friends getting $200 worth of items, and they have their parents pay for their school lunches, and clothes. i live in the poor part of town where all the refugees, africans, gypsys, imigrants, and loonies live. i have no friends in this neighborhood, i'd have to walk 3 miles, which i would do in the summer, or i'd ride my bike, but now it's too cold. my mother won't drive me. so i'm gonna be spending my 1 and a half weeks of vacation alone, with no gifts, no fun, and no mercy. so basicly, it sucks.

It is possible to get someone a gift for free. You can even make something if you can't even afford a twenty five cent item.

I don't think that you have to have gifts to make Christmas a fun and special time of year. My favorite thing about Christmas is spending time with my family. Having a day at Disney for Christmas sounds really great. It's probably more memorable than any gift would be. Hope you have a great Christmas.

Your Christmas gift to your family is going to be awesome, Rag! I bet this will really be a Christmas to remember. No, you do not need gifts to enjoy Christmas. Several years ago my brother approached my family and said, "Now that we all have jobs and can buy the things we want, let's not exchange gifts. If we do have any money to contribute let's buy some extra food for our Christmas dinner". We have done Christmas like that for years now. There is so much less stress, and the holiday is so much more enjoyable. We hang out together, play board games, sing songs, cook, and eat all day long. Every once in awhile someone cheats and buys a gift, but only because they saw something they just couldn't resist buying for someone- not because they felt obligated. I would definitely trade in gifts for a family fun day. In fact, as my kids get older I plan to do just that. They are too young to understand right at this moment, but they will soon. Have an awesome family fun day!

I don't have very much money this year because of my health, I can't work anymore. My hubby has a good job but this year he has to help his daughter with her tuition and he needs to give her $1700.00 in January. This is her 8th year in univercity and she is maxed out in student loans. You wonder why after 8 years she is still in school. Because she can't make up her mind what she wants to do for a living. So she has changed her major so many times and hopefully now she will get her degree. She is taking nursing and has one more year to go. Anyways, so there are no gifts this year for the little ones. I feel this isn't fair, but I can't do anything about it but fight with my hubby and I don't want to do that. The little ones aren't that young that they don't understand. The youngest is 13 and very smart. They will be very understanding. They will be happy just to be with us and not even think about the non present. I'm talking about my nephews because my kids are grown adults.

I didn't have much sense about christmas before. But since i know much more about christmas, i begin to like this festival. i don't think that we would not have fun without gifts. In my mind ,being with family and friends is the happiest thing. And i will call my friends out this christmas eve and have fun. It's really a good job to work for Disney, and i hope you will enjoy yourself there . Marry Christmas :)

Well I understand where you are coming from. Every Christmas all my family gets together at my Grandmas house. Each year we buy for everyone. It has always been that way. It just seems that when my grandpa passed away. Every thing has started to change. Last year we bought gift cards for twenty dollars. And this year there drawing names. Yes I do admit I am upset. I am so used to the old tradition. I wish it could be the same. I guess I better be happy and just enjoy Christmas with my family. That would be the best gift. Have fun with your family at Disney. They are going to be so happy. Merry Christmas and don't forget about Jesus. Have fun and God Bless You!!!

The best Christmas I ever had was when I was an out of work, struggling single mom. It was 2001. I had very, very little money but sold some CDs, recycled aluminum cans, did some on line stuff, etc., so I could get my daughter some presents. I remember walking at night, and man! it was cold, about a mile and a half to get to Sav-On 'cause they had a little manicure set for sale and I had a coupon for a dollar or two off. Walking along and freezing my tail off and seeing the Christmas lights in my barrio neighborhood, where, heck, no one has any money. It meant so much to me to give her that silly manicure set; it meant so much to walk all that way to do so. No savings account, no car, no job. And to see the lights and feel the happiness of the surrounding families in these little homes, defiantly Christmas, in spite of the WTC disaster just three months prior. It was like in, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." Christmas is in your heart. It doesn't come from the mall, it doesn't come from Zales, and it doesn't die easily either. Your post says it best: "Happy just to celebrate with each other."

Absolutely, I receive things that I neither want or need. Going to Disney would produce many happy memories that would bring smiles for years to come. Another sweatshirt or sweater or pair of earrings would not do that. I think that is a wonderful idea for a Christmas gift that will b enjoyed for years.