Hello!

I wanted some ideas regarding at what age people stop giving presents to children at Christmas, especially in families where presents are not given to adults. What happens when the nieces and nephews range in age from toddlers to late teenagers?


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  • My nieces and nephews are living oversees and I never gave them Christmas presents, however I do send a small BD present to the younger nieces & nephews of my side of the family and to my mum & dad and sisters.


  • We stop presents for nieces and nephews at 18 years old. As the majority of our family at now very close to this age we now do a Kris Kringle so that everyone gets at least one present.


  • I guess it depends on how close you are to your relatives and how much you can afford to give each Christmas.


  • I think children should receive gifts until they are 18.


  • I would discuss this with the families because it isn’t fair if someone decided to stop and then realised you were giving gifts and your kids got minimal or nothing . This year we had lucky dips . So if you want 2 presents for the family , then buy 2 presents back. So we just made it an agreeable value and then everyone who wanted a gift got one , and those that don’t , don’t get one . This was a lot of good surprises and some just swapped with each other if they found something was more suitable . So it was different and fun this year .


  • We stop giving to nieces and nephews when they turn 18. We do not give to adults ie inlaws, etc.


  • We just started doing a lucky dip ( hence just buy a present whoever wants one back ) and that gives people a choice and more economical. Its best to discuss it with the family as now buying gifts for every member is very expensive . Good luck .


  • My mum stopped buying for my kids when they turned 18. I don’t buy for anyone except my hubby, our kids and my grandson to be


  • It really does depend – my family concentrates most of the presents on the kids but still make sure everyone has something small under the tree if they are there for Christmas.
    If they will be at your house or you at theirs over Christmas I would have something for them even if it is just a little token but once they’re adults and maybe not spending the Christmas with family it may be ok to pass on the presents for everyone.


  • My family have just started doing a secret santa for the adults- anyone over 18 or that has a job is included- $50 limit and the website I use sends an email out to everyone telling you who you got so theres no drawing names from a hat.
    We still buy for the young ones, but if they want to be in secret santa they just get the one gift from their person :)


  • depends on you really as there is not set age to stop. i only buy for my immediate family as everyone is scattered all over aus and posting things sometimes costs as much or more than the present itself. Gift cards can be impersonal but will suit the need to give a gift especially for the electronic gift cards. If i was going to see the relo’s at christmas, i would get them a gift. Sending a card with money or a scratchie is acceptable though.

    But you know everyone sends electronic christmas cards to email or text each other and that is pretty common these days instead of gifts.


  • All of the nieces and nephews get presents in our family – it will stay that way until the youngest leave school I think. Ages range from 3 years to 22. The older ones get things to help when leave home, from cookbooks to car accessories.


  • Presents only stop when kiddies reach 18!


  • My niece is 23 years old and I still give her a Christmas present! :-)


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