To think consumerism is spiralling out of control??

[Notcontent]

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?

The Government announced the other day that austerity is over.

Again, I agree about the stuff, but can't help thinking that a lot of people conflate tackiness or poor taste with disposability. A plastic, cheap but more tasteful-looking tasteful Christmas toy would not generate the horrified reaction that the santakini does, even though it may be just as likely to end up in landfill. Destroying the planet isn't solely the preserve of people with less classy taste than you.

I like the idea of the Christmas Eve boxes if the presents in them are in lieu of being given them in Christmas Day rather than in addition. I think it's better to spread out Christmas Day presents eg over 12 days of Christmas rather than receiving a massive pile on one day where a lot of them get passed over in favour of the one favourite gift.

I find it amazing that Jesus was born bang on Christmas Day. Now what are the odds of that?

He will have a real birthday that no-one knows and the Christmas Day one which is the official one.

Like the Queen, really!

I'm watching QVC.

They're selling a plastic led skeleton Christmas tree. To go with the "natural" option - think brown plastic twigs - they recommend buying clear baubles with a bit of plastic pine tree cutting on the inside (the plastic means it doesn't lose its colour we are helpfully being told) which gives it a natural theme.

There's something really wonderfully ridiculous about creepy skeleton tree with bits of pretend tree captured in a bauble that is just wonderful while reading this thread.

Sounds gloriously kitschy, coconut

My 2 year old had a "new" costume this year. It was a new one for him but I bought it for £1 on eBay. I do the same with any and all fancy dress. It's either homemade or 2nd hand. Same with Halloween decorations which are usually just all my candles grouped together with LED flamed and a couple of pumpkins.
We don't do Xmas Eve boxes, DS gets some new winter PJs at the end of November. You can go overboard with this sort of thing or you can enjoy it for what it is

A plastic, cheap but more tasteful-looking tasteful Christmas toy would not generate the horrified reaction that the santakini does, even though it may be just as likely to end up in landfill. Destroying the planet isn't solely the preserve of people with less classy taste than you.
I can't stand any plastic themed tat.
One place had some lovely wooly Christmas throws in and I considered getting one. On the same shelf were plastic flower arrangements, silvery plastic ornaments (antlers?), letters to spell out XMAS with lights in them, plastic reindeer statues.
They may be middle class plastic tat, but it's still plastic tat.

Don't even get me started on people who have to change their Christmas theme each year (E.g last year was modern purples and solvers but this year it's creams and rustic reds).

It's vile OP, Christmas and all other occasions are so overhyped and kids want more and more to keep up with their friends.
I'm so glad my son is grown up. If I had young kids now I'd be tempted to go and live somewhere remote and home school to get them away from it and I really mean that.

I think this is an ideal time to sit down with family and make a plan about Christmas - do a budget, set a limit on the amount you want/can spend and actually see what extras are not needed.

My heart sinks when there is a post asking what a poster can buy for the elderly aunt/miserable BIL, fussy mother .... answer? DON’T

There is a lot to be said for non gifts - I got a whole lot of mum vouchers for my present one year from my kids - everything from a back rub, making a cup of tea without complaining, an hour of helping in the house, walking the dog ..

Things don’t always have to involve cash and plastic ....

As long as we have economic growth as the underpinning of Western society we will have consumerism.

That's the problem.
We have finite resources and a diminishing capacity for the planet to suck up the garbage.

The whole economic model is at fault.

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

^ This. And I’ve realised I’ve fallen into this category too. It’s a vicious cycle but a lot of it is habit I think. I definitely need to reassess.

MaisyPops we're disagreeing vehemently on another thread but on this one at least we're on the same page!

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

...to impress people they don't like. ;)

LaDaronne
I think that's the beauty of mumsnet.

Christmas eve box has a screwdriver for the tree lights and some spare bulbs, sellotape for still unwrapped parcels, re-cycled bows that might come in handy, some chocolates to help with the wrapping, and a nice bottle of wine (ditto).

I think one massive culture shift that has shocked me, as a change from when I was young, is the trend to buy cheap disposable costumes rather than make them.

I remember my witch's outfit consisted of a black plastic hat (yes, ok), a black shawl that belonged to my mum, a homemade wand made out of a wooden chopstick, a big book with BOOK OF SPELLS pasted on the front, some basic green facepaint, and a couple of soft toys from the family collection (cat, rat, frog or similar). What strikes me is that almost all of it was highly reusable and versatile, and very little trouble to do. The witch's hat would have lived in the dressing up box for years and been brought out again and again, not just at Halloween, and nothing was really the kind of thing you could easily grow out of. I've seen lots of (very cute!) babies dressed in Halloween babygros, but realistically most of them will be sweatshop products that will never be reworn. Equally, the Pinterest/Instagram culture means that there's just so much more pressure if you're trying to make something homemade - I am not very crafty and can't sew at all, so where I feel that my limited costume-making skills would have cut the mustard 30 years ago without too much hassle, now I feel that my kids would be in danger of feeling stupid and left out if they're the only ones dressed in mum's old tablecloth and a paper crown rather than a full character costume from Asda or whatever. We used to be able to celebrate Christmas, Halloween etc with loads of fun and costumes, decorations etc, but I think things were just a bit simpler.

But I think the whole emphasis is wrong .... the amount of overkill in this country kills me!

I agree with Ladame in that make do and mend has disappeared - the strain of getting costumes for primary school kids (usually about 5 a year!) on top of everything else is crippling.

Another example is this stupid idea to have a primary school leaver’s fest - now, not just a disco, but a huge catered party with leaver hoodies, year books and parties ....

It is so hard to say no especially when your children are included and invited to large events and parties that are so over the top and know that you can’t/won’t reciprocate and see as being the mean, mad parents ...

We passed that point a decade ago

I think one massive culture shift that has shocked me, as a change from when I was young, is the trend to buy cheap disposable costumes rather than make them

True, but again lifestyle factors underpin this. I'm on mat leave now, but last year when DH and I were both working 60+ hour weeks, there was no way in hell I was making DS's costume, so Tesco it was.

In fairness, it's still in his dressing up box.

Agree totally OP.Overconsumption for every occasion now -if you buy into it.I can't go near the shops from this time of year without feeling sickened by it all.Ban cotton buds,straws and charge more for carrier bags and then create a market where only more plastic stuff will do for some consumers.I couldn't even find a comic for my little DGC the other day that didnt have some plastic crap attached to it.I bought her a colouring pad and some traditional crayons instead and I swear between us we had more fun and far longer entertainment.
And don't get me started on the garden centre I went to the 2nd week in October to buy a metal trellis for climber I was planting out - because it's the time of year to do so.After being forced to walk Ikea style through corridors of glittery reindeer,trees and Xmas tat I finally found an assistant who answered my bemused question where are the trellises ?with 'we only have that small choice as were concentrating on Xmas stock.More will be back in spring' was the answer.
I was so bloody enraged they lost my custom that day,plus the coffee I was going to treat myself to in their cafe.
And if that makes me a Xmas grinch so be it.I would like some sort of healthy planet left for my grandchildren to enjoy ,not just at Xmas but all year round.

Laurie I totally agree that the pace of life has become more frenetic, with way more 2 parent households working full time with long hours etc, which is a whole other (important) conversation.

But that was also the point I was making about expectations being lower. Kids really did routinely rock up in a tablecloth, a paper crown and a bit of tinfoil round a stick as a king, or a Santa hat and a bit of tinsel for the Christmas party. And nobody thought that that wasn't a proper costume. (Obviously there have always been some parents who are naturally a whizz at crafting, and that's not new!) But if all your peers are dressed in Spiderman pyjamas or a full Elsa outfit from the Disney Store then that doesn't really cut it any more.

I also think that Theknacktoflying is right that there were fewer of these occasions as well as lower expectations. Leaving primary school involved a party dress, games, food and some dancing but no merchandise. World Book Day either didn't exist or involved bringing your favourite book - no costumes iirc. Christmas parties involved aforementioned Santa hat or some tinsel (or a party dress), not a "Christmas jumper". Mother's Day was something like breakfast in bed, a homemade card and cake and/or a daffodil from church, not a big shop-bought present. Etc etc. I don't it was just that we (or mothers...) had more time to spend hours slaving over this stuff. I think there was genuinely less pressure to ramp up the standards everywhere.

I'd agree that lifestyles has made a difference to costumes, remember making your own has a cost, buying bits to stick on it, that "free" table cover or sheet thats been chopped up needs replaced.
Parents and kids find it easier just to choose from the selection in the shops.

Toddler and baby outfits are a cute bit of fun. Many will be passed in to other kids next year. Nurseries and toddler groups encourage hold parties what are you going to do acquire and outfit or send your kid without? The other thing to remember is a bin bags ok to walk the streets for an hour you can't exactly expect a toddler to be in one all day.

AvoidingDM

I think you missed the point!

Nurseries don't need to hold a Christmas party or dress up day for toddlers

Or They can throw a party without the added pressure on parents to buy stuff!

They'll have just as much fun without nylon outfits.