To think we should probably buy our children less this Christmas if we care about their future?

[verdantverdure]

What do you think? Where are you on the spectrum between an all out Christmas as usual with all the consumption of the earth's resources that involves and a Christmas that prioritises the planet we leave our children over a lot of things we could probably cheerfully do without?

YABU Christmas as usual in our house.

YANBU We have thought about it and reined things in a bit.

@Ramble0n a stick AND a satsuma? Should be one or the other 🤨

OP, worry about what you can control - your own Christmas. I will worry about what I can control - my Christmas. And our Christmas will be the same as previous years, no changes here. Plenty of good food and booze, plenty of presents for the dc (although they’ve never had mountains), we will have a lovely day. As I’m sure you will, however you decide to celebrate. It’s one day.

It can't just be limited to Christmas as people's approaches do differ. There's no difference between buying many new plastic toys (the kind that don't last) through the year or the same amount yearly but only given at Christmas/birthdays.

And assuming "You don't care about the planet!" smacks of judgement and self-righteousness when you have no way of knowing that.

That's the problem with this site. "If you don't do what I do exactly how I do it, you're wrong, a bad person, and you deserve to be shamed!"

It'll make no difference until the massive companies change their ways. Don't forget that BP invented the idea of a carbon footprint and they're one of the worst polluters out there!

Plus the more we slow it down the more scope there is to find new solutions

But it's just an assumption. You don't have any evidence to each individual's approach to any of their consumption habits. Which is why blanket statements can at times be ineffective

OP I care about climate change very much.
But I find people who tend to take your approach have kids who already have lots. So they do not suffer at all if you give them less at Christmas. My children would suffer.

You sound like a couple I know who bang on about climate change all the time, but also have 4 kids.

Best thing people can do for climate change is to have fewer children.

P.S. I'm not saying that people should have less children, but people who get preachy about climate change and also have multiple kids wind me up tbh.

What assumption? Some people don't buy a lot year round, many just don't have the money like us, many make a conscious decision not to. Some don't buy a lot at Christmas but buy all year. Some buy a lot at Christmas but nothing all year. Many different approaches, I was agreeing while saying it's the yearly consumption that matters.

Me and DH have cut back with one another. I haven't really cut back on the kids however I do buy second hand plastic toys, I refuse to pay for new plastic that gets wasted so always buy second hand. I've also bought second hand clothes due to DS1 liking brands. I try and only buy what I know will get used lots and I like to buy a lot of edibles cause I know they'll be eaten.
Food wise - I'm cutting back. I always buy far too much and I'm not doing it this year.
We've cut back (agreed by all parties) who we buy for.

No change here, but then because the kids are pretty much past the age that they want toys, presents are much more practical- football stuff ect so I wouldn’t see much of it as frivolous.

@wa At 4 years old you can get your DD one doll and she would be happy. I have teenagers, it is very different as they get older.

You literally said:

"Well, I think it's fair to assume that anyone who is still massively over consuming doesn't care about the future of the planet?"

All I meant to say that saying "If you don't cut back on Xmas, you don't* *care about the planet" isn't fair to people who may not be overconsuming at all but will not question themselves. It kind of seems like it'd bring up unwarranted feelings of guilt from an unfair judgement call.

Or maybe I'm just too sensitive lol. Which is weird 'cos none of this actually applies to me. 🤷🏿‍♀️

But we're kind of in agreement already anyhow, as there definitely are different approaches. 🙂

We never go OTT anyway, 2 or 3 presents from us for DD, 1 from santa and 1 each from various family members. So we'll carry on as we usually do.

What about buying experiences? Things of practical use? Or money? There's a lot of Christmas tat but Christmas can also be a time to get really useful presents.

Also I think a lot of people buy all year round but if people held out for birthdays and Christmas there would be less year long consumption.

@Youcancallmeirrelevant How many family members out of interest?

We all have a budget - then spend within that. Could be 1 present - could be 50 for that money. Fwiw - my husband has 2 gifts based on the Budget.

YANBU
I am trying to buy less and also buy more planet friendly gifts (recycled/recyclable/eco products). We're veggie so no meat for christmas dinner anyway. And less visiting/running around the country so less petrol used too.
And also if you're worried about this, you should also be worried about the rampant spread of multiple viruses being allowed to spread through schools and society in general. Especially (but not only) covid. There is evidence to suggest that infections are having long term effects on our bodies that might not be immediately obvious (including for children) and that each repeat infection is more dangerous than the last. So wear a mask (you can get decent reusable ones) and limit your indoor mixing to protect them.
I think there are many parallels between the ways that the climate crisis and the pandemic are being approached by society, and a lot of it involves putting our fingers in our ears and shouting lalalala which doesn't really help much.

No, that was another poster.

If everyone cuts their spending the economy tanks. I'm cutting back on heating but I'll still be spending the same amount, just that more of it goes to the food bank these days and less to the family (who dont need it). Family gifts now tend to be meals out or experiences. I feel conflicted about the waste from restaurants but a lot of people in Britain rely on the hospitality trade.

We have never been wasteful - a lot is passed on to other families, either directly, by donation to the local school, or through charity shops. But I'm aware we all need to do more. I've never thought my home suitable for a heat pump but next year we will be getting quotes. It will not be economic but we can afford it so we need to try and make it work. We've done the easy things, we need to do the more difficult.

Anything we do buys time for change. A lot of businesses are trying to change and I sometimes pester ones who are not trying hard enough. Maybe if you have no cash you can spend time to make it clear to companies that change = good PR and is going to be necessary to stay in business.

Well this is a depressing thread!

We try to reduce the use of plastic and any plastic toys we buy are preloved.

Hopefully we can enjoy ourselves a little bit before the world goes up in flames. Since it’s apparently happening anyway!

I forgot to reinforce the covid message - young friend of the family now has long covid. The first infection went easily enough, the latest has forced them to give up work. Hopefully they are recovering but it's slow.