Is Anyone Else Going to have a No Presents Christmas?

tesuhoha

hula-hoops wrote: »

I wouldn't buy a frozen turkey on Christmas Eve - you won't be able to eat it until about 27 December!

Actually, after I posted I thought that myself and had a little laugh. I haven't even looked at the price of turkeys. Someone has just said they are charging £15. There used to be a time when turkeys were relatively cheap. I'll just have to see whats on offer and what we can afford.

Burlesque_Babe

Apparently turkeys are half price in Tesco at the moment tesuhoha, and there is an advert for a 3 bird roast in Aldi with stuffing for 9.99 which I think is an excellent buy.

skintandscared_2

My OH has been laid off work too so we are also having a budget Christmas!! Luckily we have a little artificial tree and baubles in the cupboard (never did like tinsel anyway!) and some white lights that luckily still work.... I had a DS lite that I won in a competition but never used so I gave it to my friend who is paying for it by buying our Christmas meat for us. I have 4 bottles of champagne which I was given on my 40th birthday over a year ago which I've recently discovered in the spare room, so we only really need to get a few foodie bits and we're done. We're going to our friend's house on boxing day and my contribution to the buffet will be some of our cold meat plus a few jars of different chutneys I've made and which are stored away.

I'm actually REALLY looking forward to Christmas for the first time in ages, knowing I haven't got all that mad shopping to do. It's going to be lovely!!

Burlesque_Babe

skintandscared wrote: »

I have 4 bottles of champagne which I was given on my 40th birthday over a year ago which I've recently discovered in the spare room,

Now yours is a Christmas I'd like to be invited to

happy_chick_3

I'm doing this too - having and giving 'stuff' is so much less important than spending time with your loved ones. Lets all enjoy getting back to the better things in life!

iluvfreebies

We Arent Doing No Presents But Have Managed To Cut It Down To Just One Present By Doing A Secret Santa With My Side Of The Family So Just Hubbys Side To Buy For - God Damn Those Large Families Totally Agree That So Much Time Is Spent Worrying About What To Buy People The True Meaning Of Christmas Is All Too Often Forgotten - I Hope Yous Have A Wonderful Christmas Op.

Dizzeepixie

Dizzeepixie wrote: »

I use decorations from years ago - they all have nice memories for the children as they chose one new one each every year when they were little. I also use the little paper decorations they made in Nursery and Reception - the children are 15 & 16 years old now!!! :rotfl:We pack them carefully away each year and out they come the following year....and cost nothing!

Just realised what I'd put here - I did mean we pack away the decorations .... not the children!!!!:eek:

irishwexford

Sorry to hear such sad stories of job losses. My grandson may be out of work after Christmas, he is just 17 and enjoys earning. We have a large Woolworths which is closing down in a few weeks and MFI has just closed here so not much chance of jobs at present. As we are older our house is paid for and we manage our bills ok but its sad to see our children struggling. I think Christmas is far overrated and we tell our children, his and mine not to spend on us but they still do but this year may be different. OH and I never spend more than £25 on each other( and I know this is more than many of you can afford). When my three children were small their late father and I never bought each other presents, just could not afford it but we always had a nice family Christmas playing with them all day. As he died when he was 50 I am so glad they have nice memories. I wish we could all go back to basics and start again with just one present per child, church in the morning, a good dinner and a walk in the afternoon.

Poppymoo

tesuhoha wrote: »

Because my husband has just lost his job and our priority is the mortgage and all the bills, we have agreed as a family not to buy any presents at all. Neither will we have decorations, a tree or anything else. We will have a Christmas dinner but that's all. It seems ridiculous to me to spend money that we have not got just because of a winter festival.

I think that we can still have a good time.

So excuse me for being Scrooge, but does anyone else feel this way?

I'm sorry to hear about your husband but I'd like to say I think your idea is an excellent one - we are doing a similar thing as I think that so much money is wasted at Christmas and that happiness shouldn't be linked to the latest toy for example as there are so many other ways to celebrate life!!
I hope you have a fantastic Christmas, I really think you will......
You are not Scrooge I find it refreshing to hear from someone who doesn't feel the need to conform to the obsession with tinsle etc!

mrs_miser

IRISHWEXFORD, LOVE YOUR IDEA OF CHRISTMAS...my mum proudly rang me earlier to tell me she had 40 presents each for my 3 daughters aged 10,11 and 13 i have been telling her for months not to go mad... but we cant do the same for her, again like so many oh is self employed, ok at the moment but you dont know whats round the corner x