Anyone not doing christmas?

loveasale

It's not really about the money for me, as I do my own little sealed jar (well 3 of them - one with notes in - one with £1 coins - and one with 20p's in ) I open just before Xmas and go out shopping!
Really only have my 2 kids to buy for, and I already have their stockings sorted ( all hail the Boots sale!)
I know if I go round shops now ill be tempted to buy a load of rubbish that I or indeed anyone else really doesn't need!
So I'm keeping away from the shops until I open the tins and then what ever is in them will be spent on Xmas , my kids presents being first priority !

robpw2

Brighton_belle wrote: »

And happy debts and stress to you Not that I have other in regard to Christmas...for the aforementioned reasons:D

no debts no streess , i belive in buy what you can afford , i also get all my freebies and bargains and me and matt will have an amazing christmas

trolleyrun

I have one Christmas decoration: a tea towel I was given last year. No tree or any other decorations. It's only me (and now the dog) here, so there's no point. On Christmas Day I'll drink champagne and port and have a roast chicken with a friend, same as last year. We chat, watch some rubbish telly, get a bit tiddly and then I'll go to bed. I'm buying very few presents as my friends nor I believe in the commercialism of it all.

Happy Bah humbug from a stress free home

Brighton_belle

robpw2 wrote: »

no debts no streess , i belive in buy what you can afford , i also get all my freebies and bargains and me and matt will have an amazing christmas

Exactly, you and me are having the happy, stressfree Christmas we want, not feeling obliged to buy stuff for others we can't afford.
Gotta laugh about the space hopper..:D (sorry cross threading now)

Strumminalong

I am on my own and only have a few relatives (cousins) who live miles away. I will cook a turkey dinner, but that is it. I dont do decorations.

Although I dont particularly enjoy Christmas Day, I prefer to think of it as just one day out of the year, and the world will still be the same place the day after. I think I am really quite grateful that I dont have the expense of buying lots of presents. My closest family will get everything when I'm gone.

Will probably spend most of the day browsing the web.

bugslet

I'm not doing presents apart from one to my god-daughter, which is the same as it has been for years.

I don't have any family and friends know that I don't do presents - I justdon't like the whole obligation thing.

The last few years we have been out on Xmas day for Christmas dinner - this year my OH will be in a nursing home (unless he's still in hospital), so I think I will be there. Party on dude!:p The home with the mutts:)

Unless you are particularly religious or have children yourself, I don't really get the point of all the stress and buying stuff.

zzzLazyDaisy

I'm not doing christmas this year. It is partly about the money (i can't see the point in everyone spending money they don't really have on things that the recipient doesn't really want/need). My family is all over the world, so its not a big family occasion; and I'm not a christian so the religious aspect doesn't do anything for me either (though I respect the importance of this for others).

My son will come over to my place on christmas day, we'll have a nice meal, pull a couple of crackers (the last two out of a box of 12 that I bought years ago and have been using up) and make a toast to our friends and family who are not with us. I'll also send Yule messages to everyone on my facebook, and a christmas card to my elderly next door neighbours with a bottle of wine and some chocs.

That's it, job done

SuzieSue

I haven't bought or received any Christmas presents for over 20 years and love Christmas because it is stress free. The only thing I have to do is send cards to 4 friends that I don't see very often and that's it.

marisco_2

I am doing Xmas but on a much smaller scale than usual. I have a big family and circle of friends that I usually buy for. Most of us are in the same boat and really cant afford to go crazy on gifts. I am not buying any gifts for the adults and just small gifts for nieces and nephews. My parents are ridiculously generous, especially with their grandchildren but I have asked them to tone it down a bit this year. I simply cant afford to match what they can afford to buy for my two kids.

I set myself a budget for my two boys and have stuck to it. I have been pleasantly surprised about the lovely things I have managed to get for them. A bit of imaginative thinking, using Amazon and buying stuff from supermarkets have all helped.

To me Xmas is about the things that money cant buy. Making it magical for the kids with lovely decorations, stuff I have had for years but pack away carefully each year, so it still looks beautiful. Leaving a carrot, mince pie and glass of milk out for Santa. Xmas stocking filled with cheap bits and pieces from Poundland. Spending time together and having fun doing simple things.

ciderwithrosie_2

We just haven't got the money this year, same as many other people it's a monthly struggle to 'balance the books' I'm lucky in that there is enough to pay the bills and keep food on the table however, not a lot left over for anything extra.

We've told our parents there won't be anything and not to buy for us. The 'boys' are just getting a couple of small presents - e.g. item of clothing and a book. We don't buy for nephews and nieces anyway.

We will have a nice lunch and a few drinks - we'll all be together, we're all hale and hearty and that's all that matters really.

Next year, we'll have paid off our IVA (in June) so we should have a bit more disposable income. I won't be going mad though, I have no wish to get in debt ever again.