Is anyone else trying to have a less wasteful Christmas this year?

[GrinchWithAConscience]

Every year there’s a new Christmas craze, this time it’s Labubu toys and White Fox, last year it was Stanleys and skincare.

It just makes me sad seeing how much of it ends up as waste or forgotten tat. Wouldn’t it be better if kids got things they genuinely like and will use, instead of whatever’s trending for five minutes?

I really wish more people would pause and think about what all this buying actually means, for the planet and for the kids themselves.

No, I'm trying to be more wasteful. I'm buying an 8 foot artificial tree and I will be burning it in my garden in Boxing Day. None of this woke nonsense here.

Stanley cups should last for years though, and a jumper should get a lot of wear through winter before being grown out of.

Yes! My kids are going to my ex and my DH can go and see his narky miserable parents and I am going to be alone spending probably less than 100 quid on booze and freezer pizzas and icecream. I’m excited just typing that!!

We’re generally trying to buy less, because what’s the difference between a handful of presents and a mountain of them when you’re 4, but we tend to spend on convenience food rather than “things”.

I wish I could convince my husband’s family to buy us less. We do appreciate it (honestly) but they spend so much and half of it is things we don’t need and won’t use. I found a bag in the wardrobe the other day full of mugs and recipe books etc that obviously got put there last year. I have convinced my daughter in law that the only thing we would like is a photo of the grandchildren. Every year we get one which we display with pride.
I know I sound like an ungrateful cow but I’d much rather they spent the money on the kids.

Wasn’t White Fox two Christmas’ ago?

None of the things you mention are throwaway items. They can, and probably will, continue to be used. Toys always have a limted life, as kids don't stay kids. I love Christmas and am not a big spender. I'll buy people things they like and want, as usual. Things like a Stanley cup aren't 'tat' just because they are having a popular phase. They are perfectly sturdy, serviceable items. Fashionable doesn't necessarily equal tat.

Yes. Waste is a huge irk for me. My MIL hates it as I'll choose a present I really need and want eg some new skincare products. She declares this 'boring' so rather than get what i would like she ends up buying me something random that sits there gathering dust or I resell.
Finally after many years and a huge rant about waste she is better now.

Christmas pyjamas every year seem like the biggest waste to me! Ok for small kids who need new every year anyway but such a waste for adults. My nightwear lasts for years.

yes!

having work done on house, nice holiday booked for Feb - you can’t have everything so Xmas has been downgraded to just meal at home on Xmas day as usual and less spent on presents, no meals out or pantomimes during the Xmas month

Sorry, op @didntlikeanyofthesuggestions is my Christmas spirit animal.

We have ditched crackers as total waste.

I Save and reuse gift bags, ribbons, good big pieces of wrapping paper.

Have never used disposable roasting trays etc.

And we re-cycle the big pile of empty bottles…

We do a secret Santa but for the extended family for all generations with a budget that suits everyone. We all prefer 1 or 2 nicer gifts than stuff we don't need and gets forgotten or remains unused. Also much cheaper and everyone's happy!

I wouldn't be buying DC and more presents if they toss aside last year's gifts because there's a new craze in town this year.

Funny how young people's concern for the environment that they blame their parents generation for destroying the planet doesn't extend to reining in their tastes for fast fashion and consumer goods.

I don't drink alcohol and sometimes stare at the price of it and wonder why on earth people shell out on something that makes them ill, means they forget half of what they did and end up pissing it down the drain.

Then I remember that not everyone has my reaction to alcohol and enjoys having a few crafty drinks in the same way as I enjoy a nice pudding, and I cop on.

I love and hate you in equal festive measures!

We've never been wasteful and don't intend to start anytime now

I don’t disagree, but I wear my PJs all year round. In fact, I think all of my PJs are now Christmas ones!

I was going to say this! My tweens say that White Fox is ‘over’ now.

Surely most adults don’t buy new ones every year though? I don’t know anyone who does this. I have a couple of pairs of Christmas PJs, I’ve had them both for years.

I don't think that's a good example. It might be "over" but I've just spent a few days in a theme park and I'm pretty sure that literally every single tween girl was wearing a white fox hoody.

The biggest waste in terms of gifts, is the one that the recipient doesn't want.

Thanks to a relative who is very eco-aware, aside from parents I would say our Christmas is already quite low on waste, so that takes a bit of the pressure off.

I know what you mean about presents though - I'm really getting fed up of wasted/funny/pointless gifts.

I've become a little crazy about it though, each year now I have a spreadsheet of my son's presents, and then before the following Christmas, I'll look back and rate each item based on how much he actually played with it during the year. Quite good at actually elimintaing the stuff that just accumilates and doesn't actually get used. Good reflective process for then avoiding buying more stuff that he might 'like' but would eventually just become waste (and wasted money).

Wrapping paper is one thing I'm struggling to get rid of though. I've got a few relatives who have gone to paper, and no tape, and I appreciate its the right thing to do.. but I still can't quite drop shinny wrapping paper for children.

I get les and less every year. I love to see the grandchildren in the morning, but appreciate my DIL wants to spend the day with her parents I have no immediate extended family and hate waste. I always dread Christmas. We have an invite for Christmas lunch but for me it is about watching another family’s chriasmas. Roll on the day after Boxing Day.

About 10 years ago I bought a large length each of 6 different cotton Christmas fabrics. Each person in the family has their own print. At christmas we get out the Christmas fabric (cut into various size squares) and use it to wrap the gifts under the tree. We even added 'guest fabric' at some point. To be honest the main reason we do it now is because it's tradition and we love it, but I also like that it's less wasteful.

(We also have birthday fabric - an absolute hotchpotch of various offcuts and leftover patterns. It wouldn't be a birthday without it! For my eldest's first birthday away from home, I posted her presents wrapped in the birthday fabric.)

This reusable Chistmas fabric wrap is great idea. Thanks!