aibu to want to throw the xmas tree across the room.

[gloomywinters2]

well i just did i am fed up of that f**king xmas tree staring at me with the silly angel on the tree grining at me. reminding me of all the things i can,t do because i have no money bills coming at me left right and centre i haven,t been able to put a couple of pounds away, when i do it,s taken for bills or somthing stupied like toilet roll i,m so peed of. dd will have some presents but not what i call fancy ones like tablets and mp3 extra . her birthdays on the 6th and i used some money what was suposed to go on a bill went on phone she always wanted. i just wish i could get partner presents we never buy each other presents it just takes the money what needs to go on bills I know i should be greatful for what i,ve got but i am so peed of of having no money partner and me being stressed not doing or seeing any thing no xmas partys just stuck in. i fell fustrated and and

It is a hard time of year to be struggling money wise. No harm in having a grinch like whinge at all. I'd be doing the same.
I know it's twee but your dd really won't miss a tablet or mp3 on the day. Throw cake, chocolate and tinsel at children at Christmas and they're generally happy.

I'm refusing to buy one yet. The ones round my way seem to start at about £30 (for real ones) and fake ones are even pricier! I'm so sorry you're feeling so fed up - it's bloody when there's no spare cash. I'd guess from your post, that you're doing the sensible thing, in terms of not getting into debt for presents, even if that doesn't really feel like the best choice right now On the other hand, your DD is young yet and hopefully you'll have Christmases in the future where things aren't so tight.

i guess i just have this image of loads of presents around the tree and lots of food and drink i know its 1day, but your always wondering if uou bought enough for them. when i was younger i wanted all the things my mates had but i never got them just chocolates smellys and socks i remember feeling disapointed. i use to say to my mum so and so,s getting this that and the other, my mum used to say maybe there divorced parents so there spoiling them. i know my dd,s pretty grateful for anything there,s not many these days who would you can never have too many smellys and socks i suppose im just going to have to stop dreaming and try to pull some sort of xmas together.

I think a lot of us are in the same boat, We can't do partner presents again this year and have had to cut right back on ds presents. But ds (age 6) said to me the other day the main thing he wants for xmas is for us to spend the whole day together playing and just being a family. I think he has got the right idea ! I'm going to forget about the bills for one day. So we wont have a massive feast for dinner but we will still have dinner which is more than some people. Then I'll get back to worrying about the bills in the new year

we are buying one small present each when we normally spoil each other as we can barely afford anything. the kids are getting a few presents but we had to really bargain hunt to afford to get those. it is rubbish when you cant do much at christmas.

There are loads of Christmas crafts you can do cheaply or free, like making snowflakes and sticking them in the Windows and making paper chains out of newspaper and hanging them from the cealing or on the tree. How about baking Christmas goodies rather than buying them, those things your dc will remember forever :)

Id forgotten about paper chains, might do some with the kids later.

Grinchaninch i think your ds got it right and Honeytree the baking idea,s lovely although i,m not a good baker.

Make a ginger bread house. Google a recipe stick it together with icing, add some (cheap) sweets and taadaa!

Did this last year with dcs they want to make one again...they loved it. I bet they would struggle to remember their pressies though.

It wasn't hard i promise x

Oh forgot to say Christmas is about the memories... Not the gifts!

You can buy a gingerbread house ready made (well flat pack) at IKEA for about 2 pounds, it might work out cheaper than buying the ingredients and the cookie cutters for the walls.

This is the link to the snowflake craft, all you need is white paper, you can print it out if you have a printer or make your own up :)

It's the tiny little things kids remeber, carol concerts and christingle concerts are another lovely free thing to do.

Want to know something?

When I was a kid I got every present I asked for. My parents weren't rich, they were seperated and mum got into bad debt to make sure we got everything we wanted and my dad worked his butt off. Anyway despite this my Christmases were shite. I can remember about three gifts I got and where are they now anyway? Every single one is on a landfill somewhere, I truly have not one left. I don't have any good memories of Christmas. There was no Christmas spirit, no atmosphere and it was always actually pretty damn miserable and a big let down.

Would I have preffered to not get the presents and instead have really fond memories of Christmas? Of course. It isn't about the gifts, or even what food you eat. It truly is about being together and happy, creating a wonderful atmosphere etc.

Me and dp haven't had christmas presents since becoming parents, this is our 6th christmas as parents. It really doesn't matter, sure I'd love some, but when I look back at the past 5yrs do I think, well I've still not got that bloody kindle I'd kill for, NO, I remember dds face when she first saw our tree, ds saying wow mummy I love it, making biscuits, walking in the woods and finding pine cones and logs to decorate. And neither child remembers the presents either, ds is looking forward to pigs in blankets on his christmas dinner, and dd just loves going out when its dark to see all the neighbours lights.

Its only grim if you let it be, I started christmas in june, facebook selling pages and ebay have helped me do it, but honestly we have better christmas' now its about memories not money.