2022 Frugal Living Challenge

ladyholly

I make mince pies for friends not just as gifts but I always have some in the house from the 1st December. When we had more friends calling in I used to make 5 dozen at a time but these days I am down to a dozen except when doing them just before Christmas. (One of the hazards of getting older is that friends pass away, move away or become less able to visit.

Bluegreen143

I’ve done homemade hampers of jams, marmalades etc in the past but I struggle to find time now. Plus I’ve cut back on who I give presents too and hampers wouldn’t suit many of my remaining list. 

I buy for my husband and the children, my parents and sister, my elderly papa and one friend in a secret santa. Of those, my parents like the hampers but my sister does hampers too with the same things so no point in them getting two! My husband does buy for some family members and friends but sorts the presents himself. 

I will make limoncello though, I do that every year. I give little bottles of it when I visit people over the festive period. 

Soontobeoap

Yes. Christmas has started big time in this house. I have started 21 santa boots to fill with sweets for Grandchildrens teachers christmas gifts. Lots of lemonade bottles amd papier mache going on here! Hoping to quilt some fabric covers for note books and need to make time to create a couple of decorated sharing plates if i can find some reasonably priced white plates. Had hoped to make 2 family recipe books but that might have to be next year.

Also hoping to make some red onion chutney for myself. 

Jellytotts

Not doing gifts for anyone this year.  Neither set of parents want for anything and fripperies aren’t wanted either.  Food and drink treats are hard due to food allergies.  So we stopped doing gifts a few years ago. Works for us.  Both DDs are in a similar position of not needing or wanting “stuff”.  So this year we’re just not doing gifts. We’re treating ourselves to 3 new windows, need over want.  

over the years I’ve made so many gifts, all well received but there’s only so many crochet blankets people need.

YoungBlueEyes

@QueenJess make those things for yourself!

We're winding down the presents here too. I've never been a crafter (though I sometimes wish I was), so I would just buy little nice things so people have something to unwrap. Himself has 2 sisters they have 4 girls between them, and they always just ask for money. I'm giving up on the 'nice little things to unwrap' because they really only want the money. 

Me and himself specify an amount, then buy each other one nice thing each, and a couple of little jokey bits if we see something.

For me the whole thing could pass without presents etc. I'd much prefer to have family and friends round for dinner/drinks and go to theirs for the same. None of us are religious and it's just all so pressured and consumerist now.

Primrose

I know the retail industry have to make a living but in recent years they've all become so competitive so early to kick off with their Christmas advertising  (why as early as September for heavens sake) that I suspect they've now had the opposite effect of turning many people off Christmas altogether. 
We haven't done Christmas presents amongst close and wider family for many years and everybody seems to be thoroughly relieved of no longer having that particular stress any more.

annieb64

I always make something for DDs stockings which I still give them even though they are both in their late 30s. When they were small it was usually dolls clothes but this year one is getting fingerless gloves and the other socks.

YoungBlueEyes

We moved in here middle of August. It took a couple of weeks to get straightened up and sorted out, then I started thinking about the garden. The last weekend in Aug we went to a local (but large, chain) garden centre for compost and bulbs etc. The whole ground floor was set up as a winter wonderland with a kids grotto, fully decorated Christmas trees, huge displays of baubles and decs, festive stuff for pets even! It was still August for god sake! Really puts you off. You get sick of seeing the stuff I think. Big tubs of chocs and tins of shortbread and wee satsumas etc were exciting cos it used to mean that Christmas was nearly here. Now you can get everything all the time.... they've spoiled it for themselves with their greed.

Soontobeoap

I love christmas. The lead up has always been long for me as i usually try to make something personal. Last year i had to start in early october to make one king size and one even bigger bed quilt. They are permenant features on my DS and DDs beds. More were requested for gds, beds this year but it was too late to get them finished in time. 😒. The year before was fingerless gloves and ponytail hats with a hole where the bobble would be for the ponytail to come through. . It is such a lovely time of giving and sharing and if thought through well in advance you can put so much love into a gift. Of course i have the advantage of being retired so have more time  than most. I ignore the commercialism in shops and keep my purse tucked away whilst i  enjoy walking around the garden centre displays and listening to the christmas songs. Always play christmas songs whilst wrapping pressies and make it special by having a glass of rose on hand. I dont drink often but this has become a tradition. 

Primrose

Bluegreen143 said:

I’ve done homemade hampers of jams, marmalades etc in the past but I struggle to find time now. Plus I’ve cut back on who I give presents too 

I think the issue here is to alert everybody in the present giving and receiving process of your intentions to cut back early before their own present purchasing process is compromised.  I would think this year many people struggling with rising costs would be only too glad to have a chance to opt out without any perceived  loss of face.

i imagine a lot of office based "Secret Santa" victims would be delighted for somebody to take leadership on this and save them money and hassle. Nobody really knows the financial details of others and so many people feel obliged to participate in these traditions to avoid loss of face.