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Original poster

To think consumerism is spiralling out of control??

184 replies

Notcontent · 31/10/2018 19:43

Just thinking about this tonight, as it’s Halloween and it seems bigger than ever before, with more decorations and more people buying sweets and stuff in general. The same at Easter this year - there was so much Easter related stuff for sale. People are also buying huge quantities of what is literally disposable fashion - clothes that are only worn once and then thrown out.

How did this happen?

OP posts:
BMW6 · 31/10/2018 22:26

The answer is simple.

Don't buy the plastic shite. If your kids whinge tell them that you are not going to help choke a seal.

RedTriangle · 31/10/2018 22:26

What about long haul holidays? There was a thread the other day with someome asking if Bali was a good destination for a family holiday. Imagine the impact of flying a family all the way there for a holiday when the world is essentially dying according to the WWF.

Isleepinahedgefund · 31/10/2018 22:27

Yep I agree OP. Been bombarded with stupid Asda Halloween adverts on YouTube every day lately, it's been driving me mad.

My DD wore the same costume she had last year (lovingly designed and sewn by me) and took her £1 trick or treat bucket she's had since she was old enough to know what it's all about. She was really excited to get it out of the cupboard this morning.

BMW6 · 31/10/2018 22:29

I remember when advent calendars had a holy picture behind each door.

I remember that. Weird - it's like Christmas was somehow something to do with Jesus!

BadLad · 31/10/2018 22:32

Yep! My favourite example of this is Christmas Eve boxes...presents before a day of presents

December the 1st boxes are now a thing too.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/3097952-Anyone-doing-a-1st-December-box

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 31/10/2018 22:33

@BadLad I think I’ve just Peak-Christmased thanks to that!

Knittink · 31/10/2018 22:37

I totally agree about the proliferation of 'stuff'. However, I do think it's very easy for the aspirational middle class to sneer at plastic tat because they can afford to buy individual, worthy presents or authentic, life-ehancing experiences. If you can only just afford to feed your family and pay your bills, it's not surprising you might be tempted by a few pence worth of plastic tat to cheer your children up.

madeyemoodysmum · 31/10/2018 22:40

We have a Halloween box that we use same stuff every year. I add to it from sales

But I do not throw things away after one use ever!

Hedgehogblues · 31/10/2018 22:41

Traditional Christian advent calendarso still exist. No one is stopping you from buying them.

ProfessorMoody · 31/10/2018 22:44

We have a beautiful wooden advent calendar which builds the nativity scene every day. I've had it since DS was born 10 years ago and we use it every year. We're also a house full of atheists, so it doesn't really mean anything to us other than its gorgeous and we love the final baby Jesus piece on Christmas Eve.

I tend to reuse everything, every year if I can. Decorations, calendar, china, Christmas clothes. Part of the magic for me is the memories that attach themselves to each thing. I wouldn't have that if I bought new every year.

NameChanger22 · 31/10/2018 22:46

I've spent £4 on Halloween. I bought 1 pumpkin, 1 Halloween costume and 1 bag of sweets. The Halloween costume was worn to a party and then immediately given away to someone else who needed a costume. I turned the pumpkin into a lantern and then it fed four of us for dinner tonight. We went to an organised haunted house attended by hundreds of people in our neighbourhood and cost nothing. We also went trick or treating and handed out the bag of sweets to everyone. I've spent very little, wasted very little and had a lot of fun.

I don't feel guilty about any of this, our carbon footprint is very low. I'm vegan, don't drive, fly on planes etc.

I think we are in danger of squeezing the last bit of fun out of everyone's lives until everyone just thinks "fuck it, life is too crap to care anymore, I'm not bothered if the planet dies".

goingonabearhunt1 · 31/10/2018 22:48

I agree moody never understood ppl that buy all new Xmas decorations every yr.i love getting the box out and seeing them again every year.

Nousernameforme · 31/10/2018 22:49

It does seem a bit hypocritical to bemoan plastic crap and throwaway fashion as it's damaging to the environment but then jet off on holiday each summer.

We are not ones for the hordes of tat but each to their own. I'm sure we could all do lots more to reduce our carbon footprint. Perhaps we could start there before we judge others.

RebelWitchFace · 31/10/2018 22:49

The thing is people do this stuff because they want to. Yes it's easy,cheap and convenient but people buy it because the want to.
DD went out tonight in a costume we've had for 2 years in her dress up box from a charity shop. Her bucket was a little reusable Harry Potter bag. I used my makeup to do her face. Didn't see the point in buying something especially for this. I can afford new stuff,we just didn't need it.

We don't do xmas eve boxes but we do new pjs ,hot chocolate and same book every year(The night before Christmas).

It's all about what people want to do and how they want to do it.

seventhgonickname · 31/10/2018 22:51

I have ignored Halloween this year.
I have noticed more chocolate free advent calenders around now and the rest of the tat I just let pass me buy.
Until the shops start playing Christmas music,that really grates and I expect will start soon.

HopeGarden · 31/10/2018 22:58

Agree OP.

We’ve not made a huge deal out of Hallowe’en, but my FB feed this evening has been full of photos of FB friends who’ve gone all out for Hallowe’en.

And there’s a ton of Hallowe’en stuff all over the shops. People are clearly buying it or there wouldn’t be more and more of it year after year.

ProfessorMoody · 31/10/2018 22:58

This just came up on my Facebook. It's shit like this I don't understand. Each to their own, but really?

To think consumerism is spiralling out of control??
Valanice1989 · 31/10/2018 22:58

I remember that. Weird - it's like Christmas was somehow something to do with Jesus!

I'm being very pedantic here, but the origins of Christmas have nothing to do with Jesus. There's nothing in the Bible that says Jesus was born in December - in fact, it's unlikely shepherds would be out watching their flock in winter. Christmas is based on a pagan holiday called Yule, which centres around the waning of the Holly King (as far I know - I'm not an expert on paganism!). Christians appropriated it and started claiming it was a celebration of Jesus' birthday.

I always find it odd that modern Christians celebrate Christmas in December - surely they're directly contradicting, or at least ignoring, what the Bible says about Jesus' birth? I don't judge them - it's not my place to tell someone how to practise their religion - but I do find it confusing.

Openup41 · 31/10/2018 23:00

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

TheSunflower · 31/10/2018 23:01

Cake smashing pictorials.

buckingfrolicks · 31/10/2018 23:03

I can't stand the attitude of "well don't buy it then it shouldn't bother you what other people do". It does fucking bother me what other people do. It's the fuckers buying this shit that are feeding the consumerism horror show which is freely available to scare the bejesus out of you any night you like if you care to look at the data.

It does affect me when people buy plastic tat. It affects all of us. We are sharing this world and what you do, affects me

And the people who buy just a boom pair of pjs and some hot chocolate and think that is okay - well were none of those things wrapped in plastic?

Disquieted1 · 31/10/2018 23:10

People spend their lives doing jobs they hate so that they can buy shit they don't need.

PennyMordauntsLadyBrain · 31/10/2018 23:12

It does affect me when people buy plastic tat. It affects all of us. We are sharing this world and what you do, affects me

I want Primark to knit this into a Christmas Jumper

JheronimusBosch · 31/10/2018 23:12

1st December boxes. My God.

Ad execs must have such an easy job. How can we sell more shit? Let's add another day of presents! Done!

RebelWitchFace · 31/10/2018 23:13

And the people who buy just a boom pair of pjs and some hot chocolate and think that is okay - well were none of those things wrapped in plastic?

Nope(ish) .The pj's aren't wrapped, the hot chocolate is in a big (plastic) pot that lasts ages though and like i said we reuse the same book every year.

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