i LOVE christmas but .........

Legacy_user

after a horrendus year we are re evaluating everything and have decided to cut out some of the tat that usually surround christmas . [ie christmas crackers, too many lights + general over indulgence]. for us the addage "less is more" is the way ahead. its quite liberating to not feel the need to buy EVERYTHING !:T :T :T :T

MRS_TO_BE_2

Good on you....i'm sure a lot of people will be doing the same. The main thing is that everyone is together and relaxed not stressed out and attending to every detail!

mary43

We've cut out the Crackers ..........had them for so many years and the age of the kids we look after, they're not fussed. We've also cut down on food a lot........we used to end up with loads to throw away...........too much fruit to it went off.........nuts that no-body bothered with and this year I shan't bother with Christmas pudding or cake.............I'm the only one who eats it and I'm usually too stuffed with everything else to want any.
Its easy to go a bit over the top..............fine if there's a houseful but if not its becomes waste.

Fifer73

good for you, I have cut back for years ( typical Fifer watching the pennies)

For many years I had to work on christmas day, and all through december to the run up to and including xmas day, so it has never been a very " festive time" for me.

I normally get a joint of meat in november along with all the veg i need, stuffing etc as it is in overflow in november and cook of what i need then
and freeze it down,

On xmas eve I take out how many portions of meat and veg etc out the freezer so on xmas day i only need to reheat the meal, also saving on any food waste as it has been cooked and portioned up the month before. :j

All xmas paper and cards are always in supermarkets after boxing day and are reduced as they want rid, buy what you need and store them for next year

Softstuff

Over here it's seems it's naturally toned down to what it is in England. Being as how it's steaming hot summer at xmas, it never feels quite right. The year before last I bought a tree and decs in the sales, they'll go up until they can't anymore, and after last year I bought crackers, cards and wrap in the late sales (with final reductions I think I got 12 crackers for about 2 quid!). Other than that it's home made gifts all the way!

Krystaltips

We're cutting right back this year, we've had to pay for a wedding and now there's a new baby on the way... I think it will just be presents for children (I already bought them from the argos bargain clearance shop) and sock monkeys for everyone else... There will be just the 3 of us for christmas dinner so a chicken will do... No need to go anymore overboard than we do on a Sunday...

SuziQ

Agree totally with all of you.
I have over the years totally cut down on the foods I buy for Christmas and am much happier with far less waste.
I am on benefit for the first time in my life and am already on the grocery challenge.Like Krystaltips I took advantage of the Argos sale and have some fantastic pressies already wrapped and hidden for my youngest-he will get 1or2 things off his Christmas list to go with (if I haven't already got it!) and then I can concentrate on the older 2. Our family has cut right back on presents for adults now as we are all feeling the pinch-the best present for me is seeing the children open theirs,however they have been spoilt in previous years and I just hope they are not too dissapointed this year! I still have 50 handmade (by me) cards left from last year and I will soon sit down and help my 2 boys make cards for their friends,grandparents etc,using all my left over crafty bits and pieces.

Ooh I love Christmas!

Buttercup.x

i usually start doing my xmas shopping with my december pay packet lol! but this year i have started early! (well early for me!) i bought one of my Dd's a a present the other day

The problem with me is i get more excited than the kids sometimes and want to given them everything early!
I dont atcually go through with it though i just get excited for xmas day

sad innit? Lol

kippers

We have a massive family to buy for at xmas. I have tried to suggest not buying presents for over 18's but this went down like a lead balloon and it was suggested that family would then not buy for my DD1 & DD2 (aged 8 & 10) and so i didn't want them to miss out (after all they still believe in santa and would wonder why santa had not bought so many presents this year). I do think somewhere along the way my family have forgot about the meaning of xmas.

I carry a xmas list and birthday list around with me all year. Each present has a budget and i start on boxing day with the on-line sales. We save each month towards presents so on boxing day i will have enough money to buy all the birthday presents for the following year. I search all the sales and when all my birthday presents have been bought i start on xmas presents. So up to date i nearly have all my xmas presents.

I buy things for xmas day though out the year from my grocery budget. I have all my xmas cake ingredients and some mincemeat for mincepies. I also have 1 xmas pud left from last year. I have to do two xmas meals...one on xmas day for my mum & stepdad and one the week before for my dad and stepmum. Last year i bought an aldi turkey and it was lovely so i'll be doing that again if i can.

I bought crackers, xmas cards and wrapping paper in the sales last year, so i think i'm just about set up.

We always have a lovely xmas as i don't get into debt and i don't have any last minute shopping. My only regret is that me and my DH miss out on a pressy as we do run out of money, i just wish i could sort out the problem we have buying all these presents for our hugh family (i'm almost sure they don't appriciate the presents anyway and they end up at charity shops or being thrown away).....but is this just me now forgetting the meaning of xmas?

MRS_TO_BE_2

Just tell them that you can't afford it this year.....maybe do a secret santa?

I'm cutting back by both limiting the amount of people buying for and also the amount of each present.

Racklen

I too love christmas and i love all the decoration and sparkley things that make our house look cosy, however money is the problem.

So im trying to bring back old traditions and add new ones to carry forward that make xmas better and ive gone to making xmas ifts for most people now something small simple but thoughtful, as myself id rather have a thoughtful gift or no gift at all.

just tell people you are going back to basics of what xmas used to be like when we all had less money but it all seemed to mean alot more and was very family oriented in the time spent together not the money