Downsizing Christmas Decorations ...

[lookoveryourshouldernow]

...anybody else struggling with the fact that the 8 plastic crates of Christmas decorations that have been accumulated over the years will probably never see the light of day or even Christmas again..

Once the children have grown up - do you still decorate in the same way ??

I am struggling - I used to decorate every year and have loads and loads and loads of "stuff" - but it seems fairly pointless now that the kids have left home and only come to visit..

Last year I had a "semi-Christmas" - and used probably only one box or two .... some of the bits and bobs have just great sentimental value that I would be hard pressed to let them go - but I am going to have to - aren't I...

There is no way in the future that I could use them all - and it probably doesn't help that I live with the Grinch that hates Christmas anyway....

Saying that I could leave all the original decorations up in the loft and just survive with the new decorations that I have just bought from E-Bay !!!

I'm still in the accumulation phase as my dcs are still smallish

Would your grownup dcs like any of the decorations they remember from childhood? My dcs now have their own tree and some of their decorations are old ones my mum gave us - it's rather sweet I think.

If not your dcs then I'm wondering if there might be a local charity (eg women's refuge?) that might be able to make use of them? Might make parting with them easier if you know they are going to do good for a new generation of children?

Yes, have a big sort out of what you want to keep and then let your DC take anything that they want from what's left. Then donate the remaining good condition decs.

With a women's refuge a representative will come to your home to collect the decs as they need to keep the location of the refuge secret.

Alternatively, what about a playgroup, or a hospice or old peoples home?

I was looking for something to do with a box of random decs that I haven't used in years, will have a look online for a local refuge that might make use of them or maybe my local Surestart centre, thanks for the idea

(I am still in the accumulation phase btw, my girls are only little & I can't help myself when it comes to shiny new decs )

As long as I'm able to get I to the loft, the Christmas decorations will be used regardless of who is here.

We have now started loaning decorations to adult DD., I dare say that at some point she will get to keep them.