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’m sure the shops are happy to sell all of this crap. Imagine how high prices would be, and how many people would be out of work, if they didn’t get an annual boost.

And that's why I said no to secret santa.

While you do seem a tad puritanical about Xmas I do agree about the consumerism, there are so many threads:
'what can I buy dh who has everything?'
'what can I buy my nan who's 90, has expressed that she doesn't need or want anything but I insist on buying something?'
How about nothing, or a small box of chocolates so it can be consumed, or a trip away, just not more stuff for the sake of it?

Id hardly call chocolate crap. One of the best things ever made in my opinion.

I agree with you, chocolate is something edible and not tat.
I’ve read an article recently that 70 % or so plastic crap for Christmas ends up in landfill.
My children are now teens so I can avoid buying them loads of pointless things that noone needs, everybody has a list we can choose items from.

The thing that my DF used to like in his older age was a ‘hamper’ of goodies that he couldn’t get himself. I used to go to M&S and get nibbles, chocolate, wine and jars of curry sauce/soups/ fruit in alcohol. He looked forward to it. Consumables are best IMO if you don’t know what to get.

The thing I hate is ‘novelty’ presents. Things that you are supposed to open, laugh at and then put in bin or charity bag.
My house is full of decorations but they at least 20 years old. Even the tree. I exchange a gift with my bf but the rule is it MUST come from the charity shop. Our work secret Santa allows charity shop stuff too.

Yes, totally agree with you. We are being brainwashed and buying loads of crap from China and eating loads of ultra processed food because of the Christmas adverts telling us to do so. We need to stop this nonsense.

Yeah, but this is not a simple issue is it? Every piece of tat is made by someone who takes a wage for making it. They use that wage to feed their children etc.
Im not saying I agree with buying plastic rubbish, but if we all stop, people will starve. The whole world economy needs resetting and there may just be too many of us.

They cancelled the work Christmas party this year. So instead couple of co worker are arranging secret santa maximum £10 spend and no one is allowed to buy chocolate. But I wanted chocolate :(

I bet it’s fun in your house on Christmas morning! Seriously though it is only one day 🎄🎄

Ffs everyone likes to eat a bit of chocolate at xmas *except you it seems

I think you sound a bit grinchy there . People should have the type of Christmas they want .
We personally have a scaled back Christmas and don't do presents except for children ( and not many of those in the family ) In all honesty it's been years since I've had a Christmas present , which might sound horrifying for some , but it's not .
As an adult I just get items when I need them and don't need to wait until 25th December to get .

Do you celebrate Christmas at all?

We don’t buy a lot of stuff. I am happy with Christmas dinner, Christmas tree, decorations, spending some time together. But DH and DC like some presents under the tree so we do it; and I also respect people who does it, each to their own; it helps the economy and provide work for some people

Millions of us don't buy the tat and cheap sweets. Never have, never will.

I agree, especially re all the plastic tat. Same goes for Halloween.

@washinwashoutrepeat
"(as a teacher, I get a double load, most of which ends up in a charity shop!)"

Ironically we get all the 'stuff' FOR the teachers FROM a charity shop!

No one wants to respond to this point?

This

😆👏

This must be this year's 'thing' on MN because there seems to be a lot of virtue-signalling around 'tat' this year, even more than last year.
'Tat' is clearly anything the poster doesn't like. On another post, my Christmas bedding (all at least 10 years old, all bought at M&S or JL) was described as 'tat' which is breathtakingly rude imo.
New into the tat charts this year seems to be chocolate with palm oil, as i have seen quite a few posts mentioning this, which will probably accelerate as we get closer to Christmas.
I am expecting lots of Boxing day posts about Lindor this year as a new entry to bin, but i doubt they will knock Bayliss&Harding off the top spot.
Nasty snobbery and virtue signalling wrapped up as environmental concern - the perfect MN thread really.

Presumably you just saw the tiny snapshot of the woman in the shop's life?
So you wont see-

• the enjoyment she gets from wrapping the presents or organising the Christmas gift exchange
• the exchange / event itself whereby she and her colleagues take a bit of time out to relax together (or maybe its a family SS)
• the feeling of being seen or appreciated the recipients have
• the memories associated with Christmas

I had lovely Christmasses growing up, lovely memories and as soon as I see Christmas things about they all flood back. I'm hoping my children feel the same when older. I dont need someone judging me for enjoying the season.

That said that doesn't mean I have a house full of 'tat' that I purchase and throw away each year. Many of my bits n bobs belonged to relatives and are older than me. I'll buy the odd thing each year if the DC see something (love my tinsel robot from a few years ago) and keep them for future years.
My DC dont get that many presents really but we see family, attend events etc

Mumsnet can be a thoroughly miserable place, heaven forbid you enjoy Christmas (or your birthday!).

That is why I would not ever buy anything for a teacher unless I was spending a decent amount like a good pen or afternoon tea voucher etc etc...... have you heard of that old adage "it is the thought that counts" though when you are sending all your crap to the charity shop

Yes, it’s been pretty clear for a long time now that people who wouldn’t think twice about rubbishing or slagging off the Church of England or the Catholic Church, wouldn’t dream of saying the same about Islam or e,g Hinduism, since that would be - shock horror! - seen as racist. (Even though the more correct word would be ‘religionist’)

@ Wheech -
“realistically children expect things like chocolate advent calendars”

I’m 68 and I’ve never bought a chocolate advent calendar in my life, either for my own DC or my DGC. What grieves me no end is that chocolate advent calendars are often considerably cheaper than those with just pictures. (And I’m not bah humbug - I have been known to offer chocolate treats after breakfast during Advent. But as one who follows the “fairytale about the virgin birth”, I prefer an Advent calendar with at least a nod to the season.)