From Frugal Foundations to Fortified Family Future

greenbee

Go to the carol concert. If MrGP and LP don't come with you it's their loss. The fact that you're prepared to go without them may make them think again too. 

themadvix

What greenbee said! 

I couldn’t agree more - Christmas in this country does sadly seem to be increasingly commercial without any of the actual origins (of the religious festival or wider season of renewal). It’s very hard to find 😕
Go, enjoy the carols and the peace and food for the soul doing something like that provides.

teapot2

Having read your post I was also going to suggest going along on your own if it is something that you would really like to do.  I get that you would prefer to do things as a family but if the others aren't interested and it would give you some joy then why not?

Greying_Pilgrim

Thank you for your support!

I have explained - tried not to rant - to DH and LG why I feel it is important for us to go to the service (and I realise this may be a one-time gig), and they have agreed to go.  LG has at least said that they don't mind going, as it's the church where the tree festival is held, so they're comfortable going.  It's going to be what, an hour of our lives?

But yes, I dang well would have stomped there my blooming self if they'd have still said no 😁👍

DH and LG managed to pick up the burgers and meat-free balls in MrT - apparently they were in a tiny sliver of one-end of the freezer section.  But they felt quite pleased with themselves that they have 'hunted down' food 🤣  I will put the vouchers (now spent) into my December budget equation, as the earliest we would eat any of the food is December - and the intention is not to eat it all in one month anyway.  

We were watching a programme on TV last night - Devon & Cornwall at Christmas.  I'm sure it's a repeat/quite old, as they were talking about events bouncing back after c'vid.  But it set off in my mind how we'd gone to Cothele to see the Christmas garland, and there were carol singers there etc etc.  LG was so wee, and they were wearing a little elf hat that I'd (badly) crocheted for them, and I've got a picture of them darting past a lit Christmas tree (outside) at full pelt.  Happy memories.  

Anyhoo.  Onwards and upwards.

Greying X

Cheery_Daff

Are there any festive lights switch on events near you Greying? Maybe not quite what you're looking for but cheerful and seasonal and a sense of occasion. Our band played at one (in a library, of all places!), lovely festive music and a countdown to the tree switch on. And there was one in our local village, a brass band playing carols and people handing out mince pies and another countdown. 

Nicely scratched the itch for me of having a communal cheerful gathering with some twinkly lights 😊

Hope your carol service is lovely. I'm not remotely religious, and neither is Mr C, but we do both like singing carols (although it's always spoiled for me by them being in a ridiculous key 🙄). We'll hopefully get to the one in the tiny local church this year, it was super cheerful last year, packed and boiling despite the freezing weather.

Greying_Pilgrim

Cheery - there are various light switching on events, this past fornight seems to have been 'key time' for the switching on.  I did find a list, but (naturally) all of them have now pretty much happened, as many of the towns link it with Chrimbo shopping, which of course starts in September November..... I think 'village' size would be a better option for me, but I'm unsure of any nearby that do it.

I shall sound a right hypocrite and say that it's not overtly the religious angle of an advent carol service for me either.  But it's the start of something/a season, whatever you want to call it and there is something about singing in a gathering, regardless of talent, and regardless of subject, that can be joyous and a good thing to be part of.  Heck, you get a version of it at a football ground or a rugger stadium - it doesn't have to be religious - although I'm sure some Welsh rugger fans would disagree 🤭.  LG isn't getting any exposure at school to this sort of thing really, so I just want them to gain experience of it.  Even if they hate it, never want to go again, aren't the least bit religious, or wouldn't swing their pants at any of Ms Swift's upcoming concerts, it's an activity that otherwise is getting lost.  Replaced by fixation with  computer games or Utoob shorts ☹️  Those things have their place - but not to the exclusion of all and any other activities. I'm getting quite irritated at how small the world is becoming for young people - seemingly aided and abetted by the 'education system.

Greying X

Greying_Pilgrim

I have updated my siggie figgies for December, as the shops are shutting in just under 1 hr, and I've not more expenditure planned for today/November.  I did bust my budget - although it would have been less if the c0nfus3d system hadn't gone down for 'update' on my shopping day 🙄and if I hadn't forgotten to take my phone into the store with me on Thursday 🙄🙄

In total, I have/had £29 of supermarket vouchers to spend in December, and have counted that as part of my £200 budget.  DH used the £9.00 of MrT vouchers we had today, and I put £1.71 towards the rest of the bill.  Thinking about it - I suppose if things become very tight, I could 'repay' the grocery budget out of the bulk fund, as I did purchase several of the same things, and they hopefully will last us longer than one month.  We'll see how that goes.  It's an option if I don't spot any other bulk buy bargains in December.

The Caribbean stew has been made.  I'm pondering whether to boil up a bit of rice - we're all still a bit full from lunch.  

Greying X

Sunshine_girl2

I hope you enjoy the carol concert GP. My DGC go to a R.C. school so they are well versed in the advent meaning . I am looking forward to early years nativity this week and then the older one in church reading next week . There is a school carol concert the week after . I’m glad they get to know the Christmas story as well
as all the commercialism . We do a light show at the local RHS which is good value compared to some places . Hope your tea was yum . 

beanielou

Enjoy the service.

Greying_Pilgrim

Thank you Sunshine_girl2 - we did enjoy ourselves.  I even remembered 2 of the carols - as you all know the Advent Carols are cut from a slightly different cloth to the 9 lessons and Carols hymn sheet.  But the choir were superb - and the accoustics in that church are just amazing, so it sounded amazing from the start of the service to the end.  At times the choir sounded..... do I mean polyphonic?  It wouldn't have mattered if they were singing ABBA, they were great.  Plus there was someone from LG's school year there too, so that helped.  People have started putting their lights and trees up too, so there was a bit of 'spotting' - along with oohing and ahhing as we walked to and from.  

The vicar did allude to advent being a time for reflection, stillness and waiting - made incredibly difficult in the modern world of busyness in the 21st century.  I personally feel that is a requirement (for me - you do you boo), needed in the Greying Household, and I don't want to get bundled up in busyness and attendant stress.  Mind, you can't market stillness, reflection and patient waiting, can you, so I doubt it'll ever catch on.  But I'm afraid it confirmed my feelings that I'm fed up of being pushed to banal commercialism, and away from nature, seasons, lights, simplicity, hearth, home and chosen 'family'.  And yes, I know I'm incredibly blessed to have those things in my life, but no amount of plastic tat can improve on what we have - we know the value of what we have. 

Edit:  I forgot to add, the first pillar candle for advent had been lit in the church - and I did have a chuckle to myself - I couldn't remember if it was Cheery or tmv who was encouraging me to make a 'Blue Peter' advent candle stick (out of metal coat hangers and elfin safety nightmare tinsel 🤣).  This arrangement was much more tasteful - and I was able to point it out to LG and try and explain the meaning - along with the colour of the cloth on the altar.  All stuff I've clearly retained from my primary school experience XX years ago!  😱  

Tea was good, and I decided to put it in soup bowls - the more 'bowl' shaped ones, not flat saucers - and it was just the right amount - clean bowls all round.  Pud of yoghurt and banana is being dished up as I type.  There was enough stew left over for another meal (as well as 3 sweet potatoes), plus a punnet of rice.  Whilst i was waiting for the rice to cook, I remembered to grate some cheese for DH's snap tomorrow.  If I grate it, he's very good at being frugal with portioning it out, but if he cuts it from the block, he's not intentionally greedy, he's just not very adept at cutting beautifully thin slices, so the block gets used up quicker.  For wont of me taking 5 minutes to grate a block, it helps portion control.  And given that I have been listened to; with portioning out yoghurt, I should strike whilst the iron is hot, and do my bit to help my crew do their bit.  

I got the washing in off the line just after 2pm.  It hadn't dried as well as I hoped.  The breeze wasn't quite as consistently strong as I hoped, and the air temperature wasn't quite where it needed to be either.  But I got it in, and it's had 4 hrs total, in front of the dehu, so it's pretty dry now.  I'm going to leave it on the airer and certainly the couple of things needed for the morning should be dry by then.  

I can't think of anything else MSE that I've achieved today, so I'll push orf.  Ta for popping by.  Greying X