Do You Buy Your Own Christmas Gifts?

It’s a well-known fact that women are the primary makers of holiday magic. We’re the ones who do the decorating, we’re the ones wrapping the gifts, we’re the ones making the cookies — we’ve got a vision, you know? But does being in charge of holiday magic mean we should also buy our own Christmas presents? One mom on the Reddit community Mommit took to the app to ask if she’s the only mom buying herself Christmas gifts, and the responses really ran the gamut.

The original poster wanted to be clear: Her spouse and her kids do get her presents for Christmas, “but sometimes I like to treat myself to a little something too,” she wrote. And it’s a sentiment that a lot of moms agreed upon.

“I buy myself some things, but usually just over December it’s me justifying buying items,” one user replied, sharing that they don’t wrap the gifts though. They simply purchase things they want while they’re shopping for others.

There were also moms who said they buy gifts for themselves because they’re just really particular about what they want — and if they see something they like while they’re out and about, they’re going to grab it.

“Same. I just bought a new purse during a Kate Spade Black Friday sale. 😬 I try to not buy stuff so close to Christmas, but honestly, I knew exactly which purse I wanted and it was half off, so it was easier just to get it myself,” another wrote.

Some moms even shared that they — and their spouses — buy their own gifts and simply open them together on Christmas Day. One Reddit user said this is so they can just focus on the festivities for the kids, while another said it was just easier than trying to figure out what the other person wanted.

And finally, there were quite a few moms who shared that they buy themselves things they really want for Christmas simply because they want to. It’s not about having a gift to open or about making sure their kids see them with a full stocking, but because they just want it. “I make Christmas happen for everyone else, so I deserve it,” one user wrote.

But, as always, you can’t bring a question like this to Reddit without suddenly starting a marriage therapy session. Several users shared that if they didn’t buy gifts for themselves — whether to go in their stocking, or under the tree — it would be weird. Their kids would notice Mom didn’t have anything, or Mom would have to sit there awkwardly while Dad opened up all his gifts and she had nothing in hand... or at the very least, nothing she wanted.

“If I don’t do my stocking, it’s not getting done,” one wrote.

“I have asked my partner for the past six years on every birthday and Christmas to get me my favorite luxury lip balm. He has never once gotten it for me. Make-up that I haven’t asked for, specifically said I didn’t want and wouldn’t wear — I got. So yeah. I’m getting myself stuff that I want and will use,” one user shared.

And finally, the most heartbreaking (and heartwarming, honestly) reason for a mom buying her own gifts? When she’s a single mom.

“I’m a single mom, and my daughter was 5 last Christmas. She realized that I wouldn’t get presents on Christmas morning except what she gave me. She was so upset, she cried. So I bought myself a few things I needed anyway and filled my stocking. She was so thrilled even though Santa brought me a new toaster,” one user wrote.

“I’m thinking of doing this. Mostly because I’m a single mom with just my one daughter, so otherwise it would be just her on Christmas opening gifts,” another replied.

Hopefully, if you’re buying your own Christmas gifts, it’s not because you don’t trust your spouse to get you something you really want (and, if so, you need to have a solid talk with them later because it’s not that hard to give someone a gift, really). As one Reddit user wrote, “Christmas is not the time to get ‘creative’ with gift-giving,” and I kind of agree. Whether you wrap them to go under the tree or just enjoy them all December long, I hope you know that you always deserve nice things and you always deserve to feel loved and appreciated.

And if you’re a spouse or partner reading this — go buy some stuff for her stocking, damn.