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How do missionaries do their Christmas shopping (or do they)?

They don't as far as I know.

Fence Sitter wrote:They don't as far as I know.

I saw two in Walmart on black Friday, and I thought maybe they were doing some Christmas shopping (like the rest of us), but I know they don't have much money (and I thought there might be some kind of special fund or something.)

inquiringmind wrote:

Fence Sitter wrote:They don't as far as I know.

I saw two in Walmart on black Friday, and I thought maybe they were doing some Christmas shopping (like the rest of us), but I know they don't have much money (and I thought there might be some kind of special fund or something.)

Its been ten years since I had a son on a mission. I suppose a missionary could purchase gifts and send them to people. I don't recall anyone doing that while I served or when my son was on a mission but we were both in South America where such a thing was a lot more difficult.

I don't know but my expectation would be that it would be discouraged. Perhaps it is a decision left up to each mission president.

I know some Christian missionaries and they celebrate Christmas like most others Christians --- with their families. Of course Our missionaries go to the field as a family --- usually as husband and wife and often with children. Please see : http://www.ebc.org/missionaries

I think it varies by mission and mission president, but I would venture to say most do not buy gifts and send them out. Some might pick up a trinket for their companion or something like that though. But largely, no decorations, trees or gifts (unless you get a care package from your parents). I spent two Christmases in Spain on my mission. For one of them, all of the missionaries on the main island went up to the mission president's home and we had a big sleep over (about 50 or 60 people) with food and fun (though no gifts). On the second one, I was off on another island and I think our district just got together at the local capilla, hung out and watched a movie, ate, and that was it.

This was back in the early 90's so things may be different now I guess.

No shopping. But everyone wants to have the missionaries over to eat. So to accommodate everyone, we scheduled three breakfast appointments, three lunch appointments and three dinner appointments and tried to eat as little as possible each time. Both Christmas and Thanksgiving.