To think there’s too much ‘stuff’

[autumnnightsaredrawingin]

This time of year is always bad for it, and I know one can ignore the endless marketing emails, the Christmas markets, the shops full of ‘stuff’, the Instagram ‘must haves’ and on and on it goes.

We are having a big declutter at the moment, and it really brings home home much stuff there is that we’ve accumulated, but also just generally how consumerism has really got crazy. I am myself guilty of buying too much stuff.

Eg: Christmas decorations. Why do some people buy a whole new set/colour scheme every year? Same for decorations for the house, there are piles and piles of different things in shops, so much. It surely can’t all be needed/bought.

Black Friday, yes it’s a good deal if you actually need the stuff, but often it’s not things you actually ‘need’.

I just find it all quite sad and obviously from an environmental aspect it’s terrible. I am really, really going to try to cut back on this stuff. Anyone else? Or are you already pretty good? I have added things to online baskets over the last few days and then cleared them and not bought them which is a start.

For children's Christmas jumpers, I tend to buy them a size too big. Fine for jumpers! That way, they get 2 season's wear out of them. They wear them for school Xmas jumper day, but also if we go out for a meal during the season, to the pantomime, to an Xmas market, to cosy up in the evening. They get worn a lot! Then pack them away and bring them out for next year.

We walked around our local town yesterday (went for the Christmas lights switch on) and tbh there was nothing we wanted/needed to buy. There's plenty of shops selling decent stuff as well as tat but in spite of just slipping into the 'boomer' category that someone up thread said were responsible for tat buying in their family, it's something I've never taken part in.
My artificial Christmas tree is about 25 years old - a good quality one I bought in a sale in a local shop. The same decorations go on it every year. I still use the same felt Christmas stockings I bought years ago. DS (now 27) still likes a stocking at Christmas so I fill it with consumables that I know he uses.
My last sofa was also 25 years old and although it was in good condition I did fancy an upgrade and something a little more modern. I figured after 25 years it owed me nothing but I donated it to a charity shop so hopefully it got a bit more use.

I've never understood how people afford to buy all the stuff they buy. We've never been poor but not rich either.

I was shocked, however at the amount of tat in places like homebargains and B&M. Do people really have special Christmas bed sets and door mats?! Crazy!

Yeah, I do. Mat will come out every year, as do the towels and tea towels. We also have Christmas bedding, two of the singles came from a charity shop and the third from a free page. I have a new one as we have a new SK bed, but it will be used every year.

In the grand scheme of things, these are just items that get used a few weeks a year whilst our main ones have a little break.

My tree is 20+ years old though, I would like a new bigger one, but then I see the price of them and don't bother.

We all have Christmas bedding. Which is used for the whole of December (taken off washed and dried in day) We've had the same sets for years. Same with Chistmas towels.
I also have a thick Christmas rug I bought in Costco about 10 years ago, which comes out every year.
They are all like new, so will last for years to come. It's they're used for years, I don't see the problem.

Yanbu.

I hate the Christmas themed stuff - towels, rugs, pyjamas, bedding, plates eetc.Why the fuck would you buy something you can only use for a few weeks? People who give their kids Christmas pyjamas on Christmas Eve that are then too small for them the following year?

I hate it with a passion. I’m very much influenced by my mother and the fact we were quite poor growing up so had to make do and mend. Her own mother kept things for decades like pots, pans, furniture etc as they were still in good condition. I follow the same way of living in that we buy quite good quality larger items that have so far lasted us nearly 20 years. I buy second hand nice clothes. Same plastic tree for the last ten years, same decorations, we don’t do silly gimmicks for the kids. They are very grounded and appreciate what they have. Don’t get me started on the likes of Temu and Shein.

I wear my Christmas themed PJ's all winter, and my socks I wear all year. Both to the annoyance of my teenage daughter. Not everyone only wears the items for one day / night.

With you all the way to what you have said, what is the actual point? senseless beyond belief.

Also, this thread was not meant to be judgy. In my OP I said I actually like shopping and buying things. It’s just the amount that seems to be out there as PP have said. I think actually part of it is as ridiculous as it sounds, the mental load of having so much choice and ‘stuff’, have I bought x enough, is it ok to get x niece a present of higher value than y, where can I keep it all so the DC don’t find it etc etc. I also know that this a hugely privileged position to be in. As I also said, I am actively cutting down on stuff compounded by realising the amount of stuff we have accumulated during a clear out.

I also read something interesting which was that things that are marketed as ‘limited edition’ or very unique or whatever create an impression that they are a must have and more people try and buy them than otherwise would have.

To be honest, I do a lot of ‘shopping small’ ie supporting small businesses and brands (again, fortunate position to be able to do this). I am happy to do this and support people’s businesses. But even that has got a bit ‘manic’ recently with ‘drops’ and ‘countdowns’ and ‘limited edition.’ At the end of the day, although a lot of it is beautiful and lovely quality, if you don’t really need, say, another hand knitted jumper for your child, it’s still just stuff.

I think the point I’m trying to make, not very well, is that there is just too much. And it doesn’t matter if it’s too much in The Range, or too much in John Lewis or Selfridges, it’s just too much.

2024 I am really going to be taking a long hard look at my spending and shopping.

They often end up in charity shops. In a local one, for the hospice, I’ve seen sofas that must have cost many hundreds of £££ new, if not £2k ish, for say around £150. In good condition, too.

My winter PJ's are long trousers and long sleeved top, it can be a struggle to get anything other than a Christmas style that fits the bill. I wear them for half the year. My towels come out every year, there's lots of things that I only use a few times a year, especially the summer beach stuff, but I still have them. I'm not sure why the Christmas items gets people so wound up.

Replacing them every year is a different issue.

I used to know someone who did. Blue, purple, gold, silver…. She used to complain a lot about being skint, too!

The worst I've seen was a Christmas themed loo brush holder......

Well yes it's called capitalism op. And we are now drowning in plastic. It's sad.

Black Friday is nothing more than a sale at a certain time of year. Most of the items have been on sale before & the money they knock off is not a huge amount, the question is if they can afford to reduce the items, how come they do not sell at the price they reduce them to as the normal price? Profit to cover losses

Yeah I agree with this. My DC do get matching ‘Christmas pyjamas’ that I buy in maybe November time. They wear them (in rotation with their other nightwear!) from then until it gets too hot in the summer for winter pyjamas. I do try to get them to wear them on Christmas Eve though!

Also, some of the biggest displays of excess and consumerism and general OTT comes from the very wealthy. As I’ve said, it’s not just the cheap shit. All those ridiculous ‘Christmas doors’ with balloon arches, plastic Christmas stuff… it might look beautiful in some cases, and I admit to think oh that looks lovely. Necessary? No. But then I guess so much of what we buy/have isn’t strictly necessary.

@ItsRainingTacos79 I think a Christmas jumper swap rather than a sale works better. At our school you bring in your jumper the day before, receive a ticket, and change your ticket for a different jumper the following day. The same approach is done for Halloween costumes, and wellington boots.

What they do is increase the price at least 28 days before the day, and then "reduce".

Exactly this but po still fall for it.

I got some Christmas pyjamas in the Next sale last year, I just wear them as normal pyjamas in the winter, it doesn't really matter they are Christmas themed, I can still wear them, they were a good price.

My kids can wear their Christmas jumper throughout December in school, so they get lots of wear. I buy a bigger size, they get at least two years wear - DDs is in her third year and still going strong. I think if you buy carefully you can do some Christmas stuff without the excess waste.

My Christmas tree has decorations that are 30+ years old, we buy a new bauble each year so the tree has grown with is and is full of memories.

YNBU but countries don't seem to be allowed any alternative economic system other than the consumerist growth one.

I feel the same, as I'm in the same boat regarding Christmas traditions abroad. Less waste, less pushing for countless presents that aren't necessary.