What's the biggest Christmas waste of money?

Rosa_Damascena

Secret Santa and unwanted gifts have got to be at the top of the list!!

kimwp

Rosa_Damascena said:

Secret Santa and unwanted gifts have got to be at the top of the list!!

I think it depends on how you run the secret Santa. I always specify what I want and have mostly received things I've used many times.

Van_Girl

Gifts for people who don't want any... I've asked all of my friends and family not to exchange gifts this year. My home is maxed out with things, I have everything I could possibly need, and my own attempts at buying gifts are often not really appreciated and my anxiety goes through the roof at Christmas.

I'd much rather have lovely one on one time with the people I love after silly season is over. And I'm tired of feeling guilty for taking expensive gifts to the charity shop.

But I still have family members insisting that gifts must be exchanged, so I'm hiding out this year and drinking baileys with the cat

HotDog2020

spudxjnr said:

Sprouts! Just.....sprouts! You start boiling them in November, yet what do they taste of? Sprouts!!!!!!!!!!!!

The trick to good tasting sprouts is to steam them, personally I wouldn't eat boiled brussels!

sarah1972

HotDog2020 said:

spudxjnr said:

Sprouts! Just.....sprouts! You start boiling them in November, yet what do they taste of? Sprouts!!!!!!!!!!!!

The trick to good tasting sprouts is to steam them, personally I wouldn't eat boiled brussels!

Never steam them in my opinion. I finely slice and lightly fry with lardons and chestnuts x 

Pollycat

kimwp said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

Secret Santa and unwanted gifts have got to be at the top of the list!!

I think it depends on how you run the secret Santa. I always specify what I want and have mostly received things I've used many times.

Well, I specified what I didn't want - make-up - and my secret Santa gift was a cheap palette of eye shadows.
I declined to participate the following year.
A big waste of money imho.

Nelliegrace

Garish, flashing, Christmas house lights. Inflatable Santas and dinosaurs. 

Pollycat

Nelliegrace said:

Garish, flashing, Christmas house lights. Inflatable Santas and dinosaurs. 

Funnily enough, we were saying the same thing last night as we came home on the bus.
Who are they doing it for?

Dizzycap

wild666 said:

The Xmas and new year TV schedule. Well you pay the BBC for it and it's 75% repeats of repeats.
I haven't had a licence for 36 years and don't miss it.

Absolutely & 100% that's when the TV channels are available without interruption. Every year at Christmas it's the same outages and faults.....an absolute waste of money.

Plus, silly useless Christmas gifts i.e cute soft toys, joke gifts etc. If you really do need to buy a gift, buy something practical that the recipent actually needs. This would of course involve communication, which seems to be often limited these days! Taking the time to pick up the phone and call & chat with someone is often one of the most wonderful memorable gifts you can give xxxx

strawb_shortcake

Stocking fillers! We were clearing out before christmas and found so many stocking fillers unused, unopened. Now they are older it's all toiletries, socks and chocolate.