Scrooge-like I know but all this lark is getting a bit much...

[Jacobandcara]

Are we ruining Christmas? I remember only 30 years ago Christmas was mentioned a few times the weeks before, I got a quick visit to Santa at the garden centre, wrote a letter and sent it up that chimney and wore an angel costume made out of a pillow case. Magical times.
Nowadays it's all gone crazy. Mums on our local facebook 'what's on' page are clamouring over booking several 'experience' events which cost 20-30 pounds a ticket. So Santa on a train...or visit Santa cove or lights all over the local zoo and we will charge you an arm and a leg. And from the reviews on Facebook people are splashing nearly 100 quid and often these events are badly managed with hours of queing and disappointment.
Christmas eve boxes. And now today I'm a grinch for not doing a 1st of Dec box. Wtf.
The bloody elf on the shelf....yawn.
It used to be just the occassional oddball that put their decorations up in November and now it's ten a penny.
Supermarkets selling ready made nativity costumes for 15quid.
A friend of mine has just paid 20quid for a personalised Santa letter reply. Honestly.
Wheres the charm and magic when it's all drawn out over weeks and weeks?
Bah humbug

The only targeted moaning has been directed at the big retailers, this is not a sneery thread at all!
It isn't anti-Christmas, just anti-pressure to go all out and then show it all over social media. No-one has been sneered at.

The point is not about class, and I'm not sneering. If it escalates and escalates, which it is, then there is more pressure on everyone to spend more and get their kids more hyped up. The result of that is just more stress and debt.

Yes I did say I laugh, I laugh at shops wheeling out the christmas tat before Halloween. I'm not laughing at other people, but I do think resisting the pressure to do and buy more and more and more, is possible, and sensible for most of us.

It's sneery.

There's definitely a sneeriness that somehow the presents you buy are the right sort of presents and are carefully chosen quality items to show family and friends how much you love them whilst others buy cheap crap and not because they want to show someone they care but just so they can Facebook or instagram it and show off/keep up with the Jones'.

I wish I'd realised that the Christmas jumpers were going to become an annual thing, as I would have bought a nice one the first year.

Instead I bought a Christmas t shirt from Primark that shed glitter everywhere and turned into a dishrag after one wash. Total waste of money.

The second year I got one that's not too bad from Matalan, that's now lasted two or three years, but I should have got a nicer one really.

For DCs, I don't know if they do already, but the schools could help by having a Christmas jumper swap event where people donate outgrown ones and buy the donated jumpers for a pound or two in aid of school funds, rather than spending much more on a new one.

My DTs are nearly 10. They (esp DT1) love christmassy shite.

I did do Elf on the shelf about 5 years ago (we re-dressed a charity shop rag doll and she became a he). The first year the elf was very naughty and they loved it. Next year he slowed up. I was kinda hoping he'd stay at the North pole this year but he ahs been mentioned.

My birthday is 10th Dec. No tree or lights before then. No xmas cards up until my birthday cards have been up for a week.

I feel a bit sad that it is so intensely xmassy in the shops. I think any retailer selling xmas stuff in November should have to pay 1% to homeless charities.

Next year we are having a 1970's xmas. I've decided. Just need to get a dog chocolate flavoured tool set and I'm all done.

I haven't read all the thread but I find Christmas stressful now. As a single working Mum with one income and an exh who doesn't contribute there is only my wage.

My kids friends all get these beauty advent calendars now at £20 to £40 a pop, none of this chocolate stuff.

Then there is the Christmas Eve box with a dvd, new Pjs, toiletries, a book, hot chocolate and mug etc.

I've bought the dc four things each this year all that they wanted and spent around £80 each but I'm aware that they have no main present and all their mates will have.

The dc are already going on about Christmas Eve boxes and I've no plans or money to get one!

I bought dc Christmas jumpers from Primark two years a go, an advent calendar door type one and a Disney one. Both still going.

Not all the traditions being complained about here are particularly consumerist. Elf on the shelf isn't if you get a cheap elf (mine was 5 euro). The rest is entirely your own ingenuity/efforts.

Sneery = "I really want to call you all bah humbags and scrooges but that's been done so I have to come up with something else".

Nobody's sneering. Several of us are questioning the race to the bottom in terms of stuff and expense, the not living in the moment, the fact it all starts in AUGUST and thinking that really, it's made it all a lot LESS special.

The excesses have reached my office. Our boss has bought us each an advent calendar. I will miss the gentle rowing of a morning over whose turn it is for the chocolate.

Our shopping centre is having two Sundays where you can bring your dogs to meet Santa.

Alas my aged Jack Russell won't be wearing her best Christmas jumper to queue up for a shit sit on Santa's knee and a doggy stocking.

She'll be at home, being a dog.

SacharissaCripslock

By "carefully chosen", what I mean is, just because I do like to minimise Christmas turning into a massive thing, doesn't mean I give my kids a lump of coal, or don't care about what they want. I listen to what they want, and get them what they want (within budget) and it makes them happy. I was pointing out that my grinchiness doesn't mean my kids have to suffer a dull empty Christmas, it's just a bit more low key.

By "carefully chosen" I did not mean "high quality and better than everyone else's tat". That's all coming from you. If my DC fall in love with trashy tat and want trashy tat they can have it for Christmas. DD definitely does as it happens.

And no I don't instagram it, I can't be arsed, don't have time and am not interested. I'm such a snob!

I do give my DD now aged 10 new pjs on Christmas Eve. DH gets them out on her bed for when we get in from church. This started before Christmas Eve boxes etc were a thing, mainly so I knew she'd have a decent pair of pjs on, rather than some too small, holey ones she'd dug up from the depths of her drawer!

I ventured out to TKMax this afternoon to get a wallet for ds1. Everyone looked so miserable

Nobody really likes all this stuff we feel pressurised into doing. It’s all down to peer pressure.

The only targeted moaning has been directed at the big retailers, this is not a sneery thread at all!

Of course its sneery. You wouldnt see it because you agree with the majority of like minded people on the thread thats all. The sneery tones are there.

Nobody really likes all this stuff we feel pressurised into doing. It’s all down to peer pressure

Well speak for yourself - why make a claim that you think this applies to everyone? I love doing and spending everything I do, very excited to get home from work as my DH (who thankfully feels as excited about Christmas as me) has bought a giant inflatable Santa for the garden and sent me a pic. Never felt pressurised into anything personally.

You’re just in denial Laguna

Having a debate about consumerism and it's effects is one thing. Comments about people buying other people cheap tat all the whist instagramming just to show off is definitely sneery. I honestly can't believe you don't see the difference and that there's both types of posts on this thread.

There's definitely a feeling that how you do Christmas is the right way. But just remember that every one of you buys stuff too, you're consumers too. I bet every one of you buys tat sometimes and you've all gone on days out.

So have your debate about it but don't pretend that YOU aren't part of it too. It's the whole attitude that it's these other types of people that are the ones making the problems. Not you, you're doing it right of course.

Just remember that 99% of people buying things or doing days out are doing it to try to make their children happy. Same as you. There's 1% doing it only to brag.

Yeah I know, they don't need stuff to be happy blah blah blah, but we ALL do it.

People do look bloody miserable when they shop. Early November I was in Argos and they were blaring I Wish it Could Be Christmas Everyday over the speakers. Everyone in the very long queue looked like they were seconds away from murder.

Our shopping centre is having two Sundays where you can bring your dogs to meet Santa.

Where's that? I want to take my dog.

Dingdong, that made me laugh. People shopping always look peed off.
I hate that 'simply having a wonderful christmas time' song by mccartney. We're not. Its all aggro. Shut tfu.

i think its each to their own tbh, it does get a bit braggy on fb but as long as my family enjoy how we do Christmas thats all that matters. growing up we put our decorations up on the 1st dec, we saw santa at our school or if my mum and dad had spare cash we went to lewis' department store , we went the school Christmas fair, we always had new pjs on Christmas eve and what seemed like a mountain of presents on Christmas day. much the same as what we do withour children now.

I don't think how I do Christmas is the RIGHT way. It's the right way for me, and potentially for people like the OP who feel overwhelmed by the pressure and the escalation of consumerism. Which is why I described it, as a positive description of having a nice time without feeling you have to overspend etc., basically agreeing with OP.

I don't think anyone has claimed not to be a consumer at all. That would be bonkers.

You do sound very defensive Sacharissa, in fact it's who who's attacking other people's christmas choices, not the other way round.

Ptumbi "I think we should maybe enjoy it while we can. In 5-10 years when we are all at war, the earth is grey and dead"

this is a joke yes? The things you'd miss in that scenario would be plastic Tatmas shite?!