What things are you NOT doing this year?!

[ahunf]

I'm not so fussed this year.

I won't be doing the elf.

Going to Markets.

Buying lots of chocolate / snacks they just get left.

Getting lots of novelty crap from bnm. I spent £200 on sweets, choc, chocolate stirrers, marshmallow sets etc which weren't eaten I can't afford it this year anyway.

We are -
Not buying a turkey, a Christmas pudding, chutney, mince pies, crackers ,wrapping paper,cards,gift bags .
We had a covid ridden Christmas for the second year running last year so have all the above still in freezer and cupboards so that will save lots.

No big meals out with family , we will get together at homes for buffet bring and share meals

No filler presents to make up the pile/stockings-just a few lovely gifts that will be appreciated

3 of us are working on Christmas Day (hospitality) so that's got me neatly out of hosting the whole family this year - will do our Christmas dinner on Boxing Day instead and just nibbles on the actual day.

Not having our usual Christmas party either - it's been cancelled due to covid for the last 3 years so not reinstating it which will save me a lot of cash!

That sounds amazing and so lovely. Can I have your DC though please? Mine would eye roll and sigh if I tried this 😒

Not curling up on Christmas Eve in front of the tree with my beloved cat Mollie. She passed away peacefully aged 20yrs 2mths in June.
Every Christmas Eve at some point during the past 20yrs I have cuddled her and thought that I couldn’t want for anything that badly than to have my family including my furry girl. I don’t wish she was still here because she was very elderly and her quality of life was getting worse but I won’t have that feeling of having everything I could possibly want this year.

No lights outside, no real tree, less food/booze. And no heating unless it’s actually freezing!

Cooking a starter - I did a soup last year and it just meant more washing up and, although it was nice, nobody really needed it.

Buying lots - kids are adults and will just be getting a couple of things - scent/aftershave; something to read or do; something to drink; something to eat; something useful

Buying loads of biscuits/chocolates - we only eat them! :)

Not doing posh cheese shop cheese. Partly as I'm away just before Xmas so have less time to shop. Partly as my sister can't have the blue cheese she loves due to chemo. And partly as it's so expensive. Nicer end supermarket will suffice.

Just spending less overall - it was getting to the ridiculous stage with stockings filled with stuff that in years gone by would have been our under the tree presents, so this year it will be a smaller, quieter affair.

It is our first empty nest Christmas. I'm not doing crackers. Had thought it'd just be the two of us but may have to host the in laws after all ( unless I'm working).

Whatever we do for food it will be simple and not complicated. I am not doing faff!

Getting drunk 😂

Christmas Day had always been a big drinking day for me, but this year I've practically quit the booze.

Can't wait to cook a nice dinner and really enjoy the day to the end instead of needing a nap mid way .

We're eating out on Christmas Day, more because I'll be having medical treatment around then and I thought it would be easier than planning to cook, buying/ordering lots of food and then finding I'm not feeling up to it at the last minute.

I'm not going to do a buffet on Christmas Eve this year, I'll still cook a ham and do sandwiches, cheeseboard etc. but I'm not putting out the usual full buffet. I'll probably get into trouble for this one but it just didn't go down that well last year and it's a lot of effort.

I'm also not ordering a cheeseboard, I'll take dd (the main cheese obsessive) to the cheese shop and let her loose instead. I'm going to make more of a statement with the cheeseboard this year, I'm going big on chutneys and other accompaniments.

Presents will be similar to previous years, I always try to buy mostly useful or consumable things anyway, I don't think anyone wants things that just take up space. I've also cut back on the number of people I buy for over the years, nieces and nephews get vouchers or I've got an agreement with their parents that we don't exchange gifts we just label a gift from the other family.

Not getting a real tree. We have a good artificial one but I prefer real. Just too much money now though.
I never buy sweets etc anyway as that’s not Christmas to me. So no change there.

Not having loads of decorations just a lovely centrepiece tree. I did this last Christmas and it was just as Christmassy and the house didn't feel all bear and empty when it came down. I can't stand tinsel and tat anyway.

Not just buying shitloads of chocolate and booze.

Quality not quantity should be my guide.

I don't really like normal mince pies. I just buy mini mince pies.

Christmas cake - I can take it or leave it.

Christmas pudding - same as Christmas cake.

It's taken me a very long time to leave the traditions of the past behind. However, I've only got one template for family Christmas so that explains why I find change so hard.

@Malariahilaria I buy a bag of chocolates and put one in each drawer.

We have one with pockets and little scrolls of paper that have Christmas preparation or jollies on. Sometimes it's watch a film, or do Christmas cards, buy presents for others, Christmas craft, panto etc.

I have a block and a ring of Oasis that I dig out .When we walk the dog on Christmas Eve we take our secateurs and a bag and gather some Holly and greenery to stick in and DD will make a table decoration with the cones we already have. Candles too. Love natural decorations. Cheap too.

I'm not ordering a turkey. If there's a turkey or crown etc in the supermarket a few days before I might get one but I'm not spending £70 on a turkey for 4 people from the farmshop again!

Have never ordered a turkey in my life. Supermarket are full of them.

I posted this exact comment about a few years ago. I had 10 years of stress trying to find things to fit in the stupidly uneven sized but small drawers. Added to which it was a top heavy Father Christmas with a lamp design that would fall over at regular intervals over the period spilling assorted chocolates over the floor nd spoiling any surprise.
We both enjoyed his Lego/chocolate shop ones better.

Less extravagant presents for people in general and especially 'friends' who I barely hear from these days.

Xmas eve boxes are nonsense too. As are the fill yourself advent calendars.

Not buying gifts for those we won't see on Xmas day. Ie. Nieces, nephews, parents (they all live overseas)
Will buy something in the sales, once we've had our next payday in the new year. Have previously spent a fortune buying them shipping over so they can have on Xmas day but it's rarely appreciated and we will hopefully see them in January anyway.

No filler gifts, DS just wants clothes anyway so that works. No gifts between DH and I.

No Xmas dinners out. I have a bday party to attend late December so will make that my excuse to dress up.

It's going to be pretty shit this year as DH going through chemo so just a quiet meal of our fave foods and Christmas movies just the three of us.

We're not hosting!
Have hosted my parents, in-laws, plus sister and her family, for last 6 years (COVID aside).
This year, we're away for a few days just before xmas so taking up my parents offer to go to their house on Christmas day.
Mixed feelings as I love hosting Christmas at our house, but will be nice to sit back and relax a bit more (I will still help out with some cooking/ cleating up!).

Not buying new design Christmas cards - sending unused ones from sets bought previous years.

Not going for Christmas themed afternoon teas.

Sorry to hear about your DH @mileaminute and hoping his treatment goes well.