Cracker Hoarding

[Artinsurance]

In my pre-New Year tidy up and declutter, I have counted we have 35 unused Christmas crackers that are going back into the loft. At our current rate of consumption, these will last at least 10 years.

For context, I have never bought a cracker in my adult life!

To be fair to DP, 24 are from clearing his parents bungalow (and made by Safeway so that gives an indication of how long this obsession has been manifesting in his family), however, he did buy a new pack this year when there were a mere 32 available to use but he "forgot" about them.

He also purchased 6 bottles of Baileys, two at a time, over the two months prior to Christmas as "they were on special offer" and he had "forgot" about the bottles he had already bought. I am less scathing about this as we will use it all (eventually 🥃😋)

I LOVE crackers. I collect vintage crackers. Can we have a photo of your Safeway ones? Or is it too late?

My oldest are from the 60s. I want older ones though.

We have four left in a box from previous years, didn’t use them this year so they will do next Xmas. So not too bad. But I have found enough unused Xmas cards scattered all over the house that I won’t need to be any more until 2030.

Fortunes: No you're not too late. It seems I have miscounted. There are only 22 crackers from Safeway. I hadn't gone into the bigger box properly 😀

The green box is from 1999 and the gold from 2003.

Halcyon: We had the Christmas card problem (and discussion about not buying any more) earlier in the month! 😊

One thing that we did to try to reduce the card mountain was to cut them up and use as present tags.

May I join you?

I have just tidied up the wrapping paper box. I seem to have several unused packets of tissue paper , enough bows to see me through to Christmas 2025, quantities of ribbon , tags and unused gift bags and Christmas wrapping paper sufficient for wrapping about three washing machines should I ever need to. Some will get used for birthday presents next year, but otherwise I need to write myself a note on my phone diary to pop up next November to remind myself to stop buying gift wrap.

We also have four crackers left in the box. I think I am going to pull them on NYE. At least the jokes will be cheerful.

For at least 15 years my OH has had a pack of Christmas cards which, apparently, are too cute to send. So they sit, unopened, unseen and unappreciated in a Christmas box.

Just bang then all at midnight tomorrow.
Live dangerously

Viques: Of course you may It's cathartic to get it off your chest. I will confess that I have a large gift wrap supply also but haven't bought any this year. I also appear to have a rather large collection of gift bags - very few of which I have bought. I know I donated a number to be used in a charity tombola just over a year ago but I could have given more, clearly.

Yellredder: There's something quite bittersweet about that. They are not fulfilling their purpose in life

Oxford: We would have to stay up till at least 1am to do that!

I know I tried to donate palm off the Christmas cards to a women's charity - perhaps I will manage to find one to donate to next year.

@Artinsurance it is very sad! I feel quite sorry for those cute little cards. Perhaps I should scan them and create my own cards from them next year!

I bought mini crackers to go on the Christmas tree. We also have full-sized ones. DCs kept asking when we can pull the mini ones. I made this face: .

DCs left home a few years ago. The same mini crackers are back on the tree this year. They are probably 20 years old.