At what age do you stop.......

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

...buying nieces and nephews?

When we were growing up our aunties and uncles bought us until we were 16 as did my parents to my cousins etc it was something I suppose they all agreed on between themselves.

So...I have 25 nieces and nephews and also have stopped buying for them when they turned 16 again something my brothers and sisters agreed on years ago and decided to do!

So....my problem is that DH sister silently insists on us still buying for everyone including adults up till last year, and her son and daughter who are now 18 and 21, and this isnt just for christmas, its still easter eggs, birthdays and christmas....both left home with partners, and they dont buy for anyone!

So me and DH decided this year that we werent buying for the over 16's for easter or christmas but that we would still buy them at birthdays! And last year I knocked buying for all the adults inlaws too and instead I arranged a meal out for us all which actually went down well and were doing it again this year so got through with that one!

So back to Easter....I spoke to my two SILs on his side and they both agreed we should stop now for the older kids with easter and christmas etc she said oh I never really gave it a second thought....but agreed it should stop!
So when we went over to hers on easter sunday for family brunch...what had they done....bought for ALL the over 16's!
They both had and we hadnt so I wasnt amused and said why have yous done that when we agreed we werent doing it anymore...they just said ahhh well they were buy one get one free!!

Dont get me wrong its not that Im tight Im anything but.....however if I still had to do this for all my 25 nieces and nephews Id be shelling out a small fortune as theres not a month without a birthday so think we had to draw the line at some point! Oh and theres a stipulated amount too its not get what your given and be thankfull!!!

So last week I told them I was making this the last year for the older kids...then had to say we would buy for all the rest of them till they are 21 as this is the age we are stopping buying for her son so to stop buying the rest at 16 wouldnt be fair!! Pathetic and I would happily stop now but there you go!

So was I wrong for saying were not buying them anymore or should I like my sis in law be buying them forever as they are still our nieces and nephews?

I dont buy for my side after 16 and me and DH arnt happy doing so for his side when their over 16! So do I have another talk and say look were just going to make 16 a cut off point or carry on till the rest are 21 as we have done for her son!!

xxxx

 

[LouiseB]

Wilma, just stop

Don't discuss it anymore.

It's not about you being tight, it's about you having 25 nephew and neices who are of the age where they don't even care who bought them something or didn't.

I know which aunty and uncles i like and don't like and whether they buy me an xmas/easter/whatever present or not - i have no idea.

I don't like the ones that do anymore than i did before and i don't like the ones that didn't any less

Birthdays are more than enough.

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

Thanks Louise I knew Id get a straight answer from you lol! Your right tho its crazy....

Well I know its going to cause some fall outs coz dh thinks they will say Im only stopping them now out of spite and they will think oh nice one when yous are having another baby!
But your right.....thanks Louise xxx

 

[Rosie's Mummy]

I think its totally reasonable to stop at 16 - this is something that we will be doing

 

[Princess81]

It all stopped for us when we all left school - so yeah round 16. At that age, if they want choc or whatever they can just go out and get it whenever they want to its not even a novelty anymore eh?

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

Thanks ladies I sometimes wondered if I was being unreasonable but I really do think 16 is old enough.....Hmmmm just going to have to upset some people then ehh!! lol xxx

 

[midnight]

haha i dont buy any of my neices or nephews we made a thing years back to not buy for each others as its an expensive time of year as it is, my brother buys my kids so i buy for him and is wife also my bil and sil buy for the kids so i buy for them but me and my sisters dont as we both have alot of children

 

[Sol]

I only have 2 so I buy a little something but I don't go mad

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

Well thats it if it was only a couple I wouldnt mind but when theres dozens of them and they stipulate how much we spend on each one its crazy! lol xx

 

[Elfs Mummy]

I've never been bought for by any of my aunts and uncles we just buy the whole family a box of something and if theres young kids they get a lidl chocolate santa xx

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

That seems more appropriate to me with there being so many of them. I would rather buy say a big tin of sweets per family just as a token gift that all this carry on....ahhh Im going to love telling them this is it!!! lol xx

 

[Princess81]

^^^^^ either that, or do like a family secret santa thing. I know a lot of people that do that where big families are involved. That way a budget is agreed and everyone gets something. Only thing is to get people to keep their mouths shut and not break the rules

 

[Pudds86]

I wont ever stop buying for my neices and nephews, BUT if one day I have 25 of them... I WILL RETHINK! XX

 

[WILMAFLINSTONE]

Like the secret santa idea Princess! Hmmmmm!

Yeah Puds when I only had a few I bough for them all but with 25 of them @ £20.00 a person that whacks another £500 onto our christmas!

Wouldnt mind if it was a buy a little token gift but nope! lol xx

 

[rbryan0205]

we only buy my ohs children and they are still young and we buy my sisters as they havnt got children xx