I have: 1 DH, two DParents, 2 DPILs, 1 DGmaIL, 5 sets of DUandAs, 2 DNephews, 1 DNeice, 3 DSibs and their OHs, 1 DSBIL whom we are on present terms with, plus a team of five. I am dearly lucky to have them all and a job and colleagues I really like, plus 10 cousins who I adore (and am grateful we don't present exchange with!!)
Even if I limit £10 gifts to children, in-laws and colleagues (which will be seen as slightly Grinch-y), £20 to siblings, parents and partners and £50 for DH my present bill this year is £420. I am also hosting Christmas (totally my turn and happy to do it) with a food bill of circa £250 including drink. Posting (including homemade cakes to very close relatives overseas, and cards) probably about £70.
£740 so far... without counting in drinks at work dos and any home decs (minimal as I'll reuse last years with the possible exception of a tree).
This is ludicrous and I can't afford it - and DH and I are extremely lucky to have good, well paying jobs. Our family has always had what we think is a reasonably low limit on ££ value of gifts and I don't think our per person levels are very high, particularly when hearing friends and colleagues talking about spending £100+ on partner/DCs (and this is before we even have any).
It seems such an extravagant and unnecessary waste of resources we'd be better off saving.
So... was Oliver Cromwell right to ban Christmas? Or is there a way to make it cheaper (before I get completely flamed I also work on average 60 hours a week and so can't make homemade presents as I'm usually shattered at the end of the working day and we're househunting on weekends). First world problem or something others would like to fix too?
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to think Oliver Cromwell might have had a point in banning Christmas?
35 replies
lessonsintightropes · 06/12/2013 00:46
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