Just stop all this crap buying?

[PassingStranger]

Woman in front of me today at shop buying a load of secret santa stuff this morning. I heard her telling the assistant. She also mentioned some of it was for a lucky dip. It was all sweets and chocolate too.

Can people not make a stand now and refuse to get sucked into all this crap.

Just because of a fairytale about a virgin birth sometime in December possibly the whole countries been brainwashed for years,into thinking people have got to have presents and secret santas and lucky díps etc?

Does anyone actually need any of this stuff anyway and more chocolate?
Will the world end if we start to push back?

Its so heavily entrenched into people's minds, they feel its Just something they must do.

I look forward to the day more people start to reject these things and think for themselves?

Is this really want I want to do or am im doing it because its something I have always done?

Do people really need what i am buying?
Martin Lewis seems to be on track with it.
Its ugly.

I buy very few presents, and certainly don't buy tat, and I hate that Christmas is rammed down our throats from October. However, other people can do whatever they please and I don't judge them for that. Also, what is wrong with people buying chocolate? I agree that your attitude towards other people's Christian beliefs is unpleasant - worse than people buying tat.

Maybe just get on with your own life and stop trying to lecture everyone.

I'm not huge on Christmas, but I buy people presents and join in the secret Santa because it makes people happy, not because I feel obligated to.

It's nice to spend a day with the family and spoil eachother once a year. We avoid 'buying crap' by buying nice things.

I'm happily brainwashed and I like buying and giving presents

This! “I look forward to the day more people start to reject these things and think for themselves?”
so stop doing what you want, think for yourself and do what I tell you!!” @PassingStranger ?

Agree!! I think loads of these occasions and traditions are hyped up by big businesses and sugar manufacturers to sell more. What’s religious about chocolate advent calendars? They’ve stolen the point of advent and create a blood sugar high / dip every day which is mega unhealthy for kids.
Christmas jumper day is wasteful, expensive and not inclusive for people who can’t afford to waste money on a new jumper each year for each child that gets hardly worn, yet these expectations are drilled into everyone to conform and spend more money. All the toy crazes each year just driven by profit seeking companies- really feels like we’re being manipulated to spend more on crap we don’t need!
Makes it hard to push back and not go broke buying useless crap just to have more things to open but it obviously is possible, just needs more thought. Which is why it’s such a stressful time and so many people just grab any old stuff to wrap and be able to surprise their overexcited overhyped over expectant kids!
Which is why I love January for the calm and reset after all the fuss.

Hello green one!

Why can’t you sit down with some chocolate throughout the year? That doesn’t make sense. I love Christmas and appreciate time with family and friends, but it’s far from the only time I get to rest and relax with loved ones.

It has nothing to do with the alleged “son of God” btw (who appears to have been born in March/ April anyway per historical records). Long before Christianity existed there has always been a midwinter festival of feasting and lights/ fires and celebrations because the winter months are dark and depressing and this helps people (who aren’t green and furry) to get through this period and cement family and friend relationships and cheers everybody up during a cold, dark period when many people get depressed and miserable and exhausted because they are expected to keep their same routine when naturally they would sleep until there is daylight.

The tradition of gift giving during the midwinter festival is also an ancient one pre-dating Christianity (in fact the Christians tried to ban much of our traditional celebrations that are now labelled “Christmas” including singing, feasting, gift giving, dancing, and decorations/ lights at various points, once they tried to impose their celebration over the top of it and pretend it was about their religion, when none of these traditions have anything to do with their religion in their origin).

If you don’t like it then don’t participate.

Such a miserable post, presume you also ask this of other religions who also buy things for each other often sweets to celebrate?

Just make it clear to those people around you that you don't want to be involved, it really isn't that hard.

I agree 100% wirh you OP. The excess shite bought in society in general is obscene at times. For children, yes, grown adults, just no.

Can I join this game??

I’ve just seen a facebook advert for Christmas Eve boxes for pets - seriously, I can’t get my head around that at all. I love my pets but what the actual fuck.

i agree we need growth, but not from mindless consumption… Such activity might technically increase GDP but it doesn’t make anyone’s lives better in any meaningful way, quite the opposite in fact. GDP is a very blunt instrument for assessing economic wellbeing.

We need the type of growth that adds value and increases productivity, allowing people to live happier, healthier lives, not the type of growth that is a result of pointless and futile activity that simply moves cash around the economy but achieves nothing other than artificially increasing a GDP figure, deluding ourselves that we are getting richer the process!

Don't buy if you don't want to simple! But leave others to do what they like. 🤷🏻‍♀️

nah I'll pass thanks! Tree is going up today the elf is bringing all manner of tat for the kids for the 1st, I'm talking slime, pj's, advent calendars, a HUGE 1kg bag of xmas themed jelly sweets & crafts! Then tomorrow we are taking them to see the lights and get a grinch McDonalds! Then on xmas eve they get another box of shit to keep them busy for the day and a big old pile of presents on the day! And I have a pile of sweets, crisps, nuts, chocolate and 'fancy' drinks that is quite frankly obscene, which we will thoroughly enjoy over the 2 weeks we actually get to spend together as a family for the only time all year!

I do like to get my cat a wee Christmas treat though, always a good time to bring in a new catnip toy.

This is why I only buy for close family.
Dnieces and nephews get vouchers so they can buy what they need.

Jellycatspyjamas

Why can’t you sit down with some chocolate throughout the year? That doesn’t make sense. I love Christmas and appreciate time with family and friends, but it’s far from the only time I get to rest and relax with loved ones.

I’ve 4 kids and a 30 plus hour retail job where I work Saturdays,and Sundays every second week or one the other week. Mum lives an hour and a half away rest of family far away . Dh and i pretty much work opposite each other. Generally when I get to sit down I fall asleep. I know my life has to change but at the moment nothing’s budging (applying for jobs and asked manage to lower hours but she isn’t).

The pressure on folk to spend beyond thier limit, to buy presents for family/friend simply because it's the correct thing to do, to fill your lounge to grotesque proportions to show how much you love your children, cram as much food and treats into every space available for literally one day,then gorge to use it. Its been blown totally out of proportion. Myself and hubby book a static near the sea,enjoy our beach walks with our two dogs and eat lasagne or similar for Christmas day.....no stress,no standing over a cooker all day,no over stimulated children......and no decs to take down and replace into dusty boxes to place back into the loft for another year
Happy days....enjoy☺️☺️🐶🐶 falaa lalaaa laaa 🎄

People enjoy it. You do you.

I love Christmas but I fucking hate Secret Santa. What exactly is the point? You get a crap gift from someone you hardly know, having bought an equally crap gift for someone you can't stand. It's banned at my current workplace. My being the boss has nothing to do with this. Instead, we all put a tenner in a kitty every month and then go out in December and get rat-arsed have a really nice meal.

Since when are sweets and chocolates considered tat? It’s not like she was buying cheap plastic shite that’ll either break in 2 mins, be used once or not even have a use…

While I agree with what you are saying maybe leave out Martin Lewis as he is of a religion which does not celebrate Christmas anyway!

My family were one of the first ones to say no to Christmas presents.
There is no need to waste time, money and stress on buying presents for your DD’s fiancé ‘s gran. You are not related to her.

Also many presents smack imho didn’t think - toiletries sets - esp Lynx for men and Dove for ladies. Then you wonder did you get lumbered to receive the ‘free’ one in the 3 for 2.

There is no need to buy unnecessary decor or accessories. I saw a Christmas wall clock the other week and thought - why? I believe it was The Range or H&M Home.

Also the big food shop before Christmas, think with meal plans. Do you really need to buy 32 pints of milk and 14 loaves of bread? I worked in a supermarket for years. Saw customers who had 24 pints of milk and 13 loaves of bread unloaded onto the checkout belt . Then the customer’s OH comes with an extra 2 4 pint bottles of milk and another loaf. The first customer (usually male) asks their OH they already have enough milk and bread. OH says it’s for just in case. In case of what? If you can’t answer the question, don’t buy it.

I wonder how much of the excess milk and bread gets consumed?

Are you ok?