Just stop all this crap buying?

The Mahonia smells gorgeous too!

I am a practising Christian with strong faith and I don't celebrate Christmas. All of the family have decided not to bother with Christmas this year because its too commercial and aimed at taking as much money as possible from people. Plus we lost a dear family member last Christmas so none of us can be bothered. I just want the cold weather to do one.

I don’t really but tat or follow trends. You often see something promoted on Instagram a Christmas tree crumpet, for example and suddenly it becomes something everyone feels they need to have as they have (FOMO)a fear of missing out. I will always avoid rushing out to buy something a “creator” has been paid to promote.

My aunt bought me a good-quality Christmas ornament every year, and I still carefully wrap them away and use all of them, including the first one she gave me over 20 years ago. I really enjoy getting them out each Christmas. I also have decorations that belonged to my mother-in-law, as well as ones my husband bought when we had our first Christmas with our child, who is now 18. He’s already asked if he can take some of them with him one day when he moves out.
Because of the memories attached to these decorations, I don’t feel the need to keep buying new ones or follow a different trend each year. I know some people have a new theme every year but my style is quite traditional, which suits me and avoids passing fads.

No tree-shaped crumpets were harmed in my post :) I'm not judging, were all being conned into thinking that buying and accumulating stuff will make us happy, or make any of the celebrations we would have had in any case more "magical" or meaningful. Me included. None of us can really push back completely against this level of social conditioning, unless we go and live in a hut in the forest. That being said, it's not forbidden to try and take a step back. If that makes me a sanctimonious prick, fine. To show penance and how truly ashamed I am, I'm off to buy a reindeer cushion, a gin advent calendar and a festive plum pudding onesie or two. That should appease the Christmas gods.

Who would buy tree-shaped crumpets and put them in the bin?
Most people would eat them in would have thought.
Still if it makes you feel superior, carry on judging people for things they don't do 😶

Yes that's exactly what people have said. Behave.

Yes, absolutely, buying Christmas tree shaped crumpets and such like -or any of the items that will be delicately placed in the overflowing post-Christmas bins-has always and always will mean that the buyer is a Christian who displays the true spirit of Christmas. Anyone who dares say anything about rampant consumerism is a puritan, a miser or an extreme atheist who is undermining the very principles of our civilisation.

No I don't know anyone who does this and suspect if they do exist, they are few and far between.
To pretend that everyone apart from the poster buys mounds of 'tat destined for landfill' every year gives the poster a nice warm fuzzy feeling that they are one of the good people, unlike everyone else.
Then they can judge and post on MN about tat destined for landfill, others can join in and air their competitive abstemiousness, feel superior and so the myth continues.

Do you know anyone who actually replaces all their decorations every year?

They're will always be people starting from scratch, first house, seperations etc but nobody is chucking decorations out every January and buying new every year for the sake of it.

I've decided to stop buying for people who don't need stuff and donate to my favourite charity. Not to look 'worthy' or 'great, but because genuinely I didn't see the point of constant choosing, buying, debating 'will they like it' and it became hard work.
One if my friends is exceptionally generous and I thought she'd be hurt or disappointed but she agreed with me! It almost strikes me that people are waiting for someone to suggest it. As for secret santa .... dont get me started...

Charities will benefit hugely - especially if they can claim gift-aid. It's a win-win.

Yes, that's what I would take to be 'tat' too - lightweight plastic toys that are designed for party bags etc.
I would not describe chocolates you don't like, toiletries that you would not buy yourself or Christmas-themed bedding etc brought out every year as 'tat' but I have seen all these things described as such on MN.
Rude, entitled and tone deaf imho

Nope by now they're busy rustling up a definition of a Christian.

I think most posters are currently distracted by a debate on the process of scriptural canonisation today, but I can try to answer.

For me "tat" isn't a useless word - it generally refers to poor-quality which have been designed to sell quickly, rather than to be genuinely useful and lasting. My PIL have curtains that I hate, for example, but I wouldn't call them "tat".

Has anyone come up with a definitive definition of 'tat' yet? Or is it just something the poster doesn't personally like?

Are those 27 million actually Christian? 🤔 Have they given up their lives to Christ Jesus in hope of salvation, accepting him as the one true lord and saviour? Do they live by his example as far as is possible? Probably not. There are 27 million who are culturally Christian who do not even know what's in the bible. They do not even know what the holy trinity is.

The books/scrolls that went into the current version of the bible were voted upon by a council of men in Rome in c 500 AD for political gain. Do you beleive those men were ordained by God? 🧐

No, I won't keep my beliefs about religion to myself. And yes I think all religion is bad and most of it misogynist to the core. It was a method of social control for centuries and in some parts of the world continues to be so. By the way this is a public forum to discuss issues around and about anything.

As for the buying tat around Christmas - it's hugely damaging to the environment and the sole purpose of Chinese companies around Christmas is to make as much money out of you that they can without a care for the long term consequences. A significant proportion of said tat is made by modern day slaves kept in horrendous conditions, including young children. So please don't come on here saying my views of Christianity might cause offense. Religion has caused more conflict and misery in history than everything else put together.

It is disrespectful to “call it out” and actually rather hurtful when Christians feel a huge sense of magic at this time of year.
It’s akin to “calling out” marriage as an outdated pointless institution on someone’s wedding day.
Yes we can ignore you, but I’m absolutely certain you wouldn’t be so openly disparaging about say Hinduism.
Keep those thoughts to yourself

As did I. There is a lot of nastiness on this thread.

I didnt read it like that, I think she was just challenging the kids that everything people buy is rubbish

Totally agree! She sounds like a total w*nker
My fave perfume is approx £55. I love it. I wouldn't thank you for spending 3 figures on any else, because I won't like it as much. I like what I like and that's that. If you want to indulge yourself and can afford, that's fine. Whatever makes you happy....but it's not all about money. You can all the money in the world and still be a miserable sod. It's about the meaning of it, not the price tag. She sounds very sad making it all about that

If the choice is between a lump of coal and... flexing online about your "£900" budget and "three figure" perfume bottle... then I'll choose the coal. At least I don't go about telling people how much it cost. God, how embarrassing.

The only things I bought on BF was cleaning materials like dishwasher tablets and Persil which generally go on offer

Sales were apparently disappointing on the UK high street for Black Friday. Maybe the economic outlook is going to limit the tat sales