Mandana

A friend of mine recommended this site, and I've used them about 5 times for various birthday presents so far, and it was each time

http://www.smartgiftsolutions.co.uk/

sambapink

Another great site... i'm gonna be busy going through all the sites!!!

looselips

We do pound presents (except for the small kids) now as I have rellies all over the globe. Each year we try and find the silliest thing for a quid or thereabouts. Makes for a good laugh!

lisa67

Just heard from my SIL who wants to do "kids only" this year. I really think it's important to "give" something at Christmas time so I've written to all the rellies and said that apart from the kids we'll be giving money to charity in their names and they're free to do the same if they want. That way we can give what we can afford and they can do the same.....and it helps out other people.
We usually chose a local charity or someone like World Vision where you can "buy" a pig or a goat for a family that needs it. I get a lot of satisfaction in telling my MIL I've bought her shares in a cow

sambapink

Oh my god Lisa.. I am LOVING this idea!!!!

Jaxbar

For anyone still shopping for stuff to send to UK, Just used this to save a fiver off an order at buyagift.com

http://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/disc...buyagift.co.uk

The code was xmas2008

Janek66

For those that have everything (my MIL) we are gonna buy a goat.....Heifer International

mayhemuk

If you maintain a UK bank still is probably cheaper to pay it in to that and use it over there and give the children some money out of your US account. (Less a fee of course ;-)

Most of my family has reached an age where we neither expect or give a present. We'll exchange cards etc. I try to make a phonecall now and again to various close family members (Aunts, Uncles etc) and I think they appreciate that as much as a pair of 49ers socks or similar!

Octang Frye

I thought you meant Christmas trees.

I send gift cards from amazon.co.uk. Make sure you buy from .co.uk, not .com.

sambapink

Well I didn't cut back enough.. I thought I did well.. 6 packages sent back home $298 Definately next year

Kaffy Mintcake

I used to really like that idea - but the article about Heifer that someone posted on another site makes a lot of sense and makes me less keen on the idea.

elfman

congrats on your 4,000th post!!!!

Kaffy Mintcake

Oh crap - that's really sad.

Janek66

I saw that too, about Oxfam but mentioning Heifer....gotta consider the source though.

dbj1000

WTF Bob? That has never been what Amazon gift wrapping does.

How do I know with such certainty? Because I know many people who have worked for Amazon.co.uk since it first started, and every Xmas every employee, from the most senior manager to the most junior office clerk, has to spend a certain number of days in the warehouse, wrapping and packing gifts.

If you received the wrapping materials just included in the box, you probably got some skiving senior manager's box, where they just couldn't be arsed to pack your gift!