Not having the money for a Christmas tree or decorations I decided to make some things from paper with the children. I have paid £25 for white and metallic card, crepe paper, ribbon, twine and strong tape.
It reminds me of old- fashioned novels I’ve read set in a time when poor people made their own clothes and things, and could barely afford the material.
I’m drinking raspberry gin right now, so it’s a funny type of privileged poverty people in the UK face today (in my defense I have COVID and bought the alcohol for medicinal purposes).
I’ve made ‘fairy lights’ out of tea light candles in glasses, and I felt very satisfied when I lit them to realise for the first time in my life that I can just make a lantern of the lights get shut off, and that I don’t actually need to depend on the electric company as much as I thought I did.
I don’t have a dining table, or an oven come to that, so I’ve thought well I can get a takeaway for Christmas dinner. I think with modern poverty it’s really hard, for anyone to take you very seriously.
Because everyone that manages their finances right spends on what’s important to them.
So my children usually are always in good shoes, even if their uniforms are going months into getting replaced because their torn. To be honest I think it’s character building for them to have less.
I wouldn’t say my kids or most kids today are spoiled. But they are, we’ve spoiled them to the point they take basics for granted.
I had nothing when I was a child. I would put it down to a lack of care more than anything else. I remember things like noticing when my friends had a sandwich their bread looked better. It still makes me genuinely happy to have enough socks, on the other hand, I’m only taking one painkiller at a time for my fever because they’re about to run out and I can’t replace them.
If I started buying more meat and fruit, I think my kids would just say well we’re supposed to have a decent diet, it’s about time you did that.
I don’t think they’re going to be damaged at all from this, apart from maybe the unstable tenancies and possibly a little stunted growth.
In conclusion, I’m finding this 21st century- vintage experience pretty novel, and I think the experience keeps our values in check.
Anyone else ?