To be Overwhelmed with the Christmas Tat…

[TheBeaTgoeson1]

Does anyone else get overwhelmed by the sheer level of tat at Christmas, in the shops, and also, being discussed. The absolutely enormous amount of stuff, stuff, stuff! Most of which won’t have any longevity. Not meaning to be a grinch, but just interested to hear if anybody else just finds it completely overwhelming!

I think we were interested in what the OP was defining as tat. That's usually amusing & a MN cliche in its own right.

I do, a friend of mine literally bins last years presents in her dust bin to make room for new presents. Doesn’t even bother to donate them. 4 kids as well!

Very well summarised, that’s the kind of thing, the statistics are really shocking about how much stuff is thrown out.

The things that aren’t tat at all are things that just aren’t your taste. Which is an assumption people make when you talk about tat.

For example a lot of people on MN go on about Baby Bliss and Harding bath kits, as of they literally the worst thing in the world, I have absolutely no issues with them, that is not tat.

They are vegan, made in the UK (I believe) and the packaging is often recycled or recyclable. They will be used up and enjoyed. That is not tat. It also isn’t the stuff you get out every year.

You’ve summarise tat really well! It’s the reindeer antlers for example that you inflate which did the rounds in last year‘s Secret Christmas Santa, which weren’t working by the end of the day and were chucked.

According to the government website £42 million worth of unwanted Christmas presents are thrown away each year. Most of which end up in landfill, I really hope that statistic is not correct!

Someone needs to make a TAAT about this.

Some of these things are crap, but others aren't disposable. Don't most people buy toys for their dog? I don't know anyone who buys Chirstmas cushions (or other decor) and then throws them away come Jan 1st - they're used every year.

Also, what's the problem with light trails? I don't see any problem with places that struggle to attract visitors in winter doing something to get people in and make money. Nobody is forcing you to do it.

So much bah humbug dressed up as environmentalism on this thread. Is the real problem that the people don't 'get it' feel they need a valid reason to not like it? It"s fine not to like it or partake in it, but no need to be a misery guts and try to spoil other people's enjoyment.

Yes 🤣🤣

Any gifts from the MIL’s…..

An overpriced light trail isn't tat, they will bring in loads of money for places like National Trust and most of the lights are probably used year on year.

Handwash isn't tat, just use it instead of the stuff that you probably buy on the weekly shop like Carex. I generally just put it in the kitchen or downstairs loo soap dispenser, saves buying Carex

Just don’t buy it. If others want to and get enjoyment from it, let them. Really couldn’t get worked up about this.

Do you realise how many cookery books end up in charity shops in January every year because like everything else, the book you bought will be somebody else’s idea of waste.

Artificial trees are bad for the environment and the ones bought 20 years ago do not look like real trees. I’m not sure the current artificial ones do either but artificial trees are much cheaper than buying real trees every year so I can see why you bought it but I can see why others do not want to look at an ugly tree year after year too.

Kids toys are plastic because it appeals to their senses, and are cheaper. While I agree that many can be packaged in cardboard, it would be better to enforce this with the manufacturers instead of waiting for it to appear in shops. Things are changing though. I’ve noticed less cellophane around boxes for example.

FWIW some people use ‘sustainability’
as an excuse for frugality imo.

That all said I still think Shein, Temu should all be banned. I read Ireland are imposing an additional €3 fees to deliver all fast fashion post in an effort to stop people ordering it. I’m not sure €3 is enough but it might make people pause for thought.

Ultimately we can reuse and recycle but while other countries are mass producing fast fashion, our efforts will be minuscule against the tide.

I agree, when I tell people I only buy 2 or 3 carefully selected gifts for my children and stick to a modest budget, people are horrified. I have been told its a shame for them, I am taking away the Christmas magic, or worse " just because Christmas was miserable when you were a child doesn't mean it need s to be for your kids!"

I try to put the focus on spending time together as a family and I dont want my children to be materialistic adults. Each to their own but I dont judge others for doing what they want!

Some children get nothing or little for Christmas, it is not about the gifts really.

Every foster kitten from our local rescue has arrived with a Quality Street tub of kitten kibble. Those tubs last for ages.

The tubs do last for ages and it's brilliant if they are reused but there are just so many of them that a lot must end up in landfill. I don't have a use for them so I have made a choice to buy different chocolates in cardboard.

And it's why i get so annoyed at reusable linens such as cushions, bedding etc are being described as 'tat destined for landfill' by others who have no real interest in environental issues other than shouting loudly about them where others can hear them

I doubt a lot of these items would be linen though, more like polyester, hence why they are cheap, and so replaceable to some people. Just like the crappy cheap 'chrimbo' jumpers.

Independents also contain tat tbf…

But everyone I know who owns Xmas jumpers or bed linen etc uses it year on year… even if it’s cheap! Most people aren’t whirling dervishes buying and chucking things at a whim.

Agreed. Even if you consciously decide not to buy it, it's everywhere. Mostly shite which will be in the bin first week of January.

Many people are buying new things for every occasion though. Christmas bedding, Halloween bedding, Halloween costumes, Christmas PJ's, Easter this, Easter that, the list could go on forever!

My son’s class do a collection. A tenner each and she gets a voucher. 28 kids in the class so that’s a decent amount. I’d prefer to get that rather than 28 mugs, candles, hand creams and personalised baubles!

The Range,B&M, Home Bargains and the seasonal aisles at most Supermarkets are just full of tomorrows landfill.
Its sickening. I don't understand the need to buy endless new Easter, Halloween and Christmas decorations. Valentines day now seems to fill an aisle of landfill shite in the Supermarkets as well!

Christmas tat, Christmas music droning on, odd ‘special’ Christmas food..

I have a friend and a relative who FILL their houses with the sort of oversized, monstrous decorations (eg 3’ snowmen dolls) that you see in garden centres and The Range. Makes me want to run away, screaming.

But each to their own.

I have a wreath on the door, some white lights and baubles on the mantelpiece and a 5’ real tree with white lights and some decorations.

We have the foods that are special to us - homemade and done well. We all have 3-5 things each to open on Christmas morning.

That’s it. Christmas, for us, is about being together, just doing nice things - a walk, a lovely meal, a game, a good film.

I don't think food can be tat. Overpackaged definitely and if too much is bought and then has to be thrown away, that's clearly wasteful. But things designed to be used up and consumed are not tat. I'd also argue that toiletries aren't tat either - again, possibly overpackaged and not to your taste but can be used up.

I don't know anyone who would chuck out these items which are entirely reusable, just to buy a new set each year. My dcs Christmas bedding is about 8 years old and still going strong, Halloween and Easter decorations are stored for each year, costumes/jumpers are passed on when outgrown. Any i have come out year and year again. Some people on here have very strange ideas - or more likely are trying to work themselves and others up over something

I agree, it's a MN myth to make posters feel smug that they are not one of Those People.
Of course, you will always get the odd person who swims against the tide and does throw everything out, but i would think they are very few and far between. The 'tat' brigade always seem to know someone who does this though ... I don't believe them tbh.
I note we are now getting the competitive humble Christmas brigade too, with their sparse 'carefully chosen' gifts from local shops and whose children value time rather than material things.
Shall I start a MN Christmas bingo card?

We have a lot of Christmas decor, but it’s all years old. Our tree is older than our eldest DC. The new decorations we get are the handmade ones from school!

Overconsumption worries me though. She world doesn’t need so much stuff. We’ve stopped using Shein (never used Temu) and come off social media. I’ve found a correlation between the two.

I am so over chasing the labels and the ‘perfect’. It feel very freeing. I would far, far rather have fewer screens, fewer things, fewer financial ties and more time with people I love.

Something needs to change.