4 all those bit down right now

CAFCGirl

Oh I wish I had your positivity!!!!

Have a top class Christmas! xx

fairydiamond

I think we all get so wrapped up in money and presents that we forget we should be so grateful to have our family and health.

I was very obsessed with money and presemts until 2 weeks ago when I found out my fiance had cancer. It really smacked me in the face to stop moaning about money and what I do or don't have.

I get very irritated now at people moaning about silly things like they can't have this or that, but I realise that is what we are all like!

I know it doesn't help, but we need to realise what is really important in life.

Merry Christmas all.

fedupandskint

Thanks Gaily,

:grouphug: A big hug to you for decribing how I feel about Christmas this year. I am fed up of all the adverts describing products we can't live without etc

This year it is my 2nd Christmas living in my own home, last year was dismal sat on a deck chair with no furniture. This year, no room for the tree and last year's sale decorations!

Anyway, I have made up the fun pressies with help from here; the pots of gold for pressies and a big jar of nothing for my brother who is a 'mare to buy for! I have set a strict budget for pressies and food and am determined not to waste money on food rubbish only to be wasted later on. I have managed to shop for the first time without visiting a shopping centre and not using my CC for a change!

I have cards left over from last year for work and friends and I'm making them for family.

This time next week I'll have finished my dismal job for a few days and will have a couple of friends over for tea.

I'm looking forward to using my cookie cutters bought in the sale 18mths ago for gingerbread and making truffles:j and then preparing all the things I can in advance on Christmas Eve, eg stuffing,bread sauce,trifle and make at home as much as I can this weekend and next week - eeekk!!!!:snow_laug

I'm looking forward to using left over wrapping paper, bows and ribbons
This makes me feels more :xmassign: christmassy than much else at present and looking forward to spending time with my family and watching Christmas telly films and specials with hot choccy or alcohol and choccies for company!:santa2:

Really good to hear other people feel the same, can we stop the wave of extreme consumerism that sweeps the country!?

At work I spent a long time dealing with a phonecall of a person who considered a crime to fund more money to spend on Christmas and didn't listen anything I said about no giving in to the tricks of shops...anyway that's another story I can't go into anymore.... but it made me feel why do you want to spend all this money on items you can't afford and don't need?

I am far from perfect by the way but trying very hard this year to be better and getting there for Christmas:xmastree:

gailey_2

ahh I started thread as its hard so much pressure but I will not give into temptation!

I think what everyone has to remeber on here is this consumerism battle takes some consumerism battle of dcemebr takes some strength and we are winning.
Its like retailers make us feel bad we not spending as much so therefore our xmas be less perfect without as much trimmings.

Fairy diamond sorry to hear about finace hope he recovers soon.

Sunshine well done on first credit free xmas and you can still enjoy the cheaper traditiosn of xmas that I mentioned in original post yopur grich comment made me chuckle as reminds me of oh this year.
Im the positive dillusional one thinking very small touch counts like how presnts are wrapped.
Also he thinks things like quidco,surveys,mystery shops and ebay are waste of time but they brought all my xmas presents this year and paid my bills!
Every little counts.

Not bsure how old kids are I have nearly 3year old whos very exited about xmas so exited for her,hubby thinks i gone ott but xmas is time to induldge within my means this year!
Also got 10year old step son whos quite ungrateful.
I guess the older they get teh harder it its as they more materialistic and sucked into brand power.
But just think what you can buy when your debt free will be worth the wait!

CAFC girl hope you have great xmas I guess U sound like some mad pollyanna but trying to stay postive does help be glad for what we got.

Fed up skint gorl big hugs too have a gret xmas what you done so far sounds fabs.

Sarah147

What a lovely thread!

When you break the link between happiness and "things" you feel so much more free and don't even notice the people with bags. The important things aren't the items you have but things like friends and family. My beautiful nephew who is nearly three drew me a picture the other day, I would rather have that than a bag of shopping anyday

gailey_2

fun4uoc u big softie merry xmas.

Sarah yes toddlers give xmas a new meaning!

Cant wait too see her little face open presents and see my cousin not seen in months.

My mams more exited than toddler i guess having kids makes it magical again how i felt about xmas b4 i grew up.
It was always about experience not specfic presents.

I read article latly about things u had at xmas as a kid and someone said her parents had not much money but her mam stayed up late cutting up old clothes making new clothes for dollies for xmas such a lovley thourght!

I miss the christingle and midnight mass too but oh non religious.

dolly_day_dream

Sorry this is long but just had to add my twopennethworth

I had to bring up three children by myself on a very limited budget. So that you can appreciate the context I could only afford to give my eldest son £1 a week pocket money (1995) but he managed to go out and enjoy himself and never asked for more because he knew that if I had it I would have given it to him.

I made Christmas special each year by the traditions that we set in place.
I make the christmas cake and christmas puddings during half term and everyone has to have a stir of the pudding to wish themselves good luck for the following year- this year my 1 day old grandson even took part. Extra puddings are given as presents and have been favourably compared with one from Harrods! We have used a homemade advent callendar for over 23years. I fill the pockets within my budget each year. Their friends used to be so jealous because no one else had an advent like theirs.
Our decorations are homemade from the garden - ivy and holly - which are bound into garlands and hung over windows etc. I fill the house with greenery from the garden and add in some baubles to give extra bling! We always get compliments on this - which costs very very little to achieve.

Even now I set out a treasure hunt instead of a stocking - this started the year that I realised I had so little to put in their stocking so made a game of it to spread out the fun. In fact that is the secret to enjoying Christmas - make a game and interact with each other. Everyone is welcome it only takes a few more veg for extra mouths to be fed. We try to turn the TV off on Christmas day and spend the time talking with all the generations and playing games.

Over the past few years we have established a new tradition of having a group of my DD's huge male friends over to make gingerbread just before Christmas. There is a lot of fun and laughter and it all started because I was happy to have the mess just before Christmas because people are far more important than having the perfect house.

I am grateful that ;
I have my family around me,
we have plenty of food to eat - without going to excess - none of it will be thrown away I promise you,
We are at peace - so many parts of the world are not
The stress and arguments are in the past - ever since I divorced my abusive ex!
In short I am grateful that we can enjoy the day peacefully and happily and we live like royalty compared to so many parts of the world.

So the shops can continue to advertise - it makes no difference to me- I just don't have the money - but I do have so much more than money could ever buy and I am HAPPY:j

Happy Holidays to one and all:xmastree::rudolf::xmastree::rudolf::xmastree::rudolf::xmastree:


BTW my children have loved these traditions so much that there is no way I am allowed to even consider not doing them for them Christmas depends on the tradition not on the money spent.

HannaB

What a lovely thread...

I'm sure the jokes in expensive crackers are the exact same as the poundland crackers!!

x

taplady

Thankyou for a lovely thread!

We started a sealed pot last christmas(having bought the tins for next to nothing in the sales) and managed to save nearly £300 which is our budget and apart from a few little extras we've stuck to it - no credit at all:j I'm already planning to do the same next year and possibly save some Tesco stamps too.

This year is a sad christmas for me as my best friend passed away last week so its hard to get in the spirit but I'll try for everyone elses sake - she wouldn't want me to be sad.

dolly day dream - you've got the right idea - your christmas sounds wonderful!:T they will always remember the traditions long after they've forgotten the presents!;)

Merry Christmas all:xmastree:

fedupandskint

taplady wrote: »

Thankyou for a lovely thread!

We started a sealed pot last christmas(having bought the tins for next to nothing in the sales) and managed to save nearly £300 which is our budget and apart from a few little extras we've stuck to it - no credit at all:j I'm already planning to do the same next year and possibly save some Tesco stamps too.

This year is a sad christmas for me as my best friend passed away last week so its hard to get in the spirit but I'll try for everyone elses sake - she wouldn't want me to be sad.

My heartfelt wishes to you over your sad loss of your best friend. I never realised how sad this time of year could be until my dad died 2 yrs ago. It is sad for many each year, remember your friend and if you cry that's ok and you're right she would want you to carry on and not be sad about her.

Big hugs, zoe