A simple Christmas

[crochetmonkey74]

inspired by the brilliant thread recently about waste and being more thoughtful, I am determined to have a more thoughtful and also restful and restorative Christmas. I was browsing M and S yesterday and where normally I would feel excitement and a bit of that buying 'frenzy' I was reminded of that thread, and started to think carefully about how I want my Christmas to be.
So far I have :
make food from scratch where possible, rather than buy in
buy as little packaged food as possible
no gifts or gifts from lists to reduce token presents
I already only do about 5 cards to relatives who live away, I give out homemade sweets instead.

What will you be doing?

I’m scaling back this year. Not as many presents. My son is 15 so no tat in his stocking. I’m not doing cards also.

Looking forward to some good food. My sister coming. And I’m going to get some good movies to all sit and watch.

I’m not having any presents this year. I don’t really want anything ( we r Saving for a big holiday for myself and my husband next year ) and I’m buying something just so I can have something to open on Xmas day.

Boogle Asda do a cheese one? Or I find the posh garden centres tend to stock the traditional picture ones, and also the more unusual ‘treat’ ones- ours had a seed one (eg. Seeds to plant) and a pork scratchings one!

No excess food - everyone is allowed one seasonal treat, and we'll have a nice meal. Otherwise it's business as usual.

No tat, and presents should preferably come from charity shops or be experiences rather than actual stuff. Brown paper and string for wrapping, and although we do send a few cards, they have to be glitter-free.

No new decorations. We like getting the same ones out each year. Our oldest one was bought in 1959 and still has the price on the back - one shilling and threepence

We've always done a low-key Christmas so this will be quite easy. I hate the way it starts too early and drags on. Here it's Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. That's plenty, then back to work and normality.

Do you buy your husbands/partners a gift? Ive never bought mine one, and viceversa.

What a fkn waste buying for hubs or partners at Christmas.

To me it is just so ridiculous. Kindness and love happen all year round and it doesn't really need to be marked at some random day in Winter just because we are told it is necessary to do so!

Such is advertising and manipulation. And it works for many.

Boogle oxfam have some nice advent calendars - I’ve bought myself a nice Nutcracker one which just has pictures in it - I used to really enjoy these when I was a child.

I’m really craving a more simple, less expensive, less wasteful Christmas

Me too!!!!

We did the want, need, eat, read thing last year. I thought it was amazing, DH and DS moaned constantly about it and DM just ignored it
We only have a small cottage and have been on a serious de clutter spree over the past year, so the idea of willingly buying more unwanted shite is not a cheerful one. OTOH, DM is widowed and only has one DGC (our DS) However part of me feels that in some way I'm denying her the pleasure of spoiling him, in a way she was certainly unable to do with us when we were growing up.

However part of me feels that in some way I'm denying her the pleasure of spoiling him, in a way she was certainly unable to do with us when we were growing up

I feel the pull of this too, I haven't got children, but I regularly want to 'spoil' loved ones as I think ' you can't take it with you, they'd love the experience of having something expensive/ luxurious'

I'm not sure what the answer is

Crochet do you not think though that one, luxurious expensive item is better than multiple poor quality item? I don’t think there’s anything wrong with giving gifts per se, it’s the unnecessary ‘bits to open’ thing that we are trying to steer clear of.

I am buying presents for people but I am buying sensible stuff. All of my family drink and go through loads of straws so I am going to buy some metal straws with silicone tips. We did try the hard plastic ones but the kids chewed them. So metal straws it is.

I am buying a soda stream for my house as a family gift, to cut down on the amount of plastic cola/lemonade bottles. It also means I can have my rum and coke lightly carbonated instead of so fizzy it splashes out of my glass.

We are doing secret santa, so out of the 14 of us adults we are each buying just one gift. My eldest 2 want cash so just my youngest one to buy for. I do miss buying presents but I also appreciate the simpler stream lined idea.

Would also like to add that we as a family have always sat down in September and talked about the budget and set aside a charity portion. Then each of my kids chooses a charity to donate too. We have had air ambulance, donkey sanctuary, mcmillan, Ankoma outreach, sals shoes, operation christmas box etc. it was really lovely to see the kids thinking of other people and its paid off in spades. My kids are the ones that will stop to talk to a homeless person and give them a coffee and they have volunteered at local animal shelters too.

thenewaveragebear1983

Yes, that's a good way of thinking about it- I love giving and getting presents but especially when they are wanted and useful/ beautiful, it's the presents for their own sake that end up in a charity bag by January that I want to curtail

This year we are only buying presents for the youngest generation (age range 8 to 22). And only 1 gift each. Which will be practical (something to wear or read, probably).
No cards.
Home made crackers using small cosmetic/toiletry freebies we have accumulated as gifts.
Every year:
No wrapping paper - use stuff recycled from gifts we've received or have accumulated in packaging over the year.
Organic food & veg delivered direct from veg box scheme. And not over-ordering, hate having leftovers.
Always cook from scratch anyway.
Advent calendar with little drawers which get filled with small sweets each year.
Cash instead of Xmas stockings for teenage DS's (gave them a choice).
Locally grown Xmas tree which will be turned into mulch after Xmas.
Our decorations have mainly been in the family for many years.
We will not be stinting on the booze, but it will be organic & from Europe - no New World wines.

DM is in the process of moving house. She's spent the past couple of months disposing of birthday and Christmas presents I've given her over the years. All that thought and planning and money just given away or binned. It's been a late but welcome wake-up call to the fact that gift-giving for its own sake is such a desperate waste.

Crochet I decided on a recent visit to the national trust that I was going to do all my Christmas shopping there. Lovely gardening things, interesting books about railways, blankets made from recycled Yarns, candles, natural soaps. Expensive, good quality, real gifts (no one we buy for needs anything), tastefully packaged- 1 small shop, 45 minutes, job done.

Dh thinks I’m barmy, but honestly I reckon that’s the way to do it. We want to give to our parents and siblings, but I reckon this is the way to do it!

I want to do this and have my 8 year old on board, she's very worried about the state of our planet! But can't get anyone else on board. It's ridiculous. I want to make it about lovely food and drink and have g a nice time. Not endless shit I don't want and feeling I have to reciprocate! Rah humbug! Feel better after that!

We have just been through a bereavement so can only face a simple Christmas. I'm relieved to hear these ideas

I have three kids so nice stocking each and a few well thought out main gifts. DH and I will just buy each other one small thing.

I'm not doing cards this year and although I've started buying some of the kids' things to spread cost, I'll not be doing anything festive until December.

No new decs. Paper advent calendars (which we have done every year anyway). Amazon do nice traditional ones.

No extra shows, parties. The kids do loads through school. They do the panto and have a party and service. It's enough.

I just want us to chill together with nice home cooked food, wine and good films and the odd game and a woodland walk.

I will buy ordinary wrapping but perhaps ditch the bows and ribbons etc. They just get ripped off and binned.

Despite grieving I'm looking forward to it as I'm relieved.

you can buy 140 cracker snaps for £3. Easy peasy and no plastic tat.

@IdblowJonSnow I'm having the same problem. Can't get DH on board. He says I'm a "bah humbug!" Which is ridiculous. I've always loved Christmas far more than him. I'm just sick of the commercialism and I'm trying to be much more aware of waste. I doubt I could get any of our extended family on board either and it's incredibly frustrating! I love Christmas and want it to be an enjoyable time of year but just with less plastic crap and waste.

Home made crackers using small cosmetic/toiletry freebies we have accumulated as gifts

ooh I love this idea

DM is in the process of moving house. She's spent the past couple of months disposing of birthday and Christmas presents I've given her over the years. All that thought and planning and money just given away or binned. It's been a late but welcome wake-up call to the fact that gift-giving for its own sake is such a desperate waste

I feel like this- I have a lovely friend who buys me presents that are nice but unnecessary (think lovely stationery when i already have a stockpile) I have asked her many times could we go to no presents, or a handmade edible something but she says 'no I love buying gifts for you' What she gets me is great, but I literally open them thinking 'I'll regift/ donate" it's a really tricky one.

thenewaveragebear1983
Whenever I go somewhere lovely I always dream of this, I was at a craft fayre this weekend with beautiful candles from small producers, and knitted things that were beautiful- it probably feels so festive too.

I had a friend who did a similar approach in that she bought friends all the same- ie everyone is getting a clutch bag this year- and she bought them all one that suited their style in the same shop to cut down on time. Not sure that fits with the spirit of this thread though

*No extra shows, parties. The kids do loads through school. They do the panto and have a party and service. It's enough.

I just want us to chill together with nice home cooked food, wine and good films and the odd game and a woodland walk.

I will buy ordinary wrapping but perhaps ditch the bows and ribbons etc. They just get ripped off and binned*

This is how I remember my childhood christmasses

I seem to be managing cutting down the presents as can't afford it this year as no job.

I'm taking inspiration from others. We do like our crackers so will make these this year with recycled material. Jokes and maybe a few cheap toys not plastic tat.

I do still send about a dozen cards in the post though, but am stopping sending them to family/ those I will see.

I'm hoping to have it all wrapped and ready before we collect dd from cathedral on the 14th. Lots of concerts to attend but only one Carol Service.