In my friend’s office, one man said he wasn’t writing Christmas cards for everyone (group of 20) but would leave an orange on everyone’s desk instead. Someone else said they’d do the same and leave an apple. The whole office joined in with grapes, bananas, kiwis etc. They agreed a day and all went home with a lovely little fruit hamper! What a wonderful idea I thought.😊
I am 78. When I was a little girl, my father always gave me money to buy my mom a present. A religious store in my town was having a sale. I bought my mom St. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, all Hummels which my mom loved.She added to the set each year and even bought the stable. When she died, it was given to me. It holds so many good memories.
In 1987 my mom bought a fabric Advent calendar from Avon with a little mouse you moved into little pockets that made up the days on the calendar. When she passed away I got it. I gave it to my son. He puts it up every year and now my grandson moves the little mouse. Not quite 40 years old and still very much a part of our Christmas.
My sister sent that same advent calendar to us from Indiana to Ft.Sill to my son who was about 5.He turns 38 and his children now have used it 10 years!
I'm 57 and my Christmas jumper was bought for me as a gift from my boyfriend's mum when I was 21. Therefore its 36 years old this year... and I've worn it every Christmas since it was given to me.
I’ve had mine for so many years. But I don’t think it will fit me this year. 😢. Oh well. I might try and squeeze in to it just for me when I put my little tree up in my office.
Same! I have a beautiful Red & Black beaded sweater vest from the early 80's, back when they made quality clothing. It has never gone out of style. I look forward to wearing it every year.
You’re a lone voice in a feed full of people buying, styling, showing, influencing, encouraging, previewing and endorsing. Thank you for your sensible words, they are much needed in such a pressured environment.
I have a friend that I grew up with since we were single digits. Our families all knew the other families in the neighborhood back then in the 60s and 70s. Last year she gave me her mom's set of beautiful Christmas dishes. Our parents are all gone now. My friend said you host things and I don't so I want you to have these. I am honored to have something that belonged to someone I adored growing up. I am 62 now, so if I didn't buy Christmas China by then I doubt I would have. But I enjoyed them last year and will again this Christmas season. They are priceless to me. ❤
That is what we keep telling my parents, but they are more money>time. We're trying to gift experiences or things families can do together like board games or state park passes (US).
My goodness, I couldn't agree more. The amount of videos on UA-cam of people buying more and more decor each year (not just for Christmas either) I can't imagine how much STUFF they have - and how much of their home is used for storage instead of living. I still love my 30 year old trees and vintage family decorations. The nostalgia of Christmas is everything I need. Excellent video
Husband and I made a no gift pact this year, and it includes our holiday adjacent birthdays. Instead, we decided to be silly. For our birthdays, we've each planned a movie at home and food that compliments it. It has been super fun as we've been picking favorite movies and food from our childhoods.
I have mum and dad's tree decorations from the 50s. I have photos of them on our childhood trees and not having my parents now they bring me to tears and smiles when I take them out.... Live on my own, but always have family with me through the decs. They are still in the original boxes with our childhood writing on it. 😊😢😂 Janice 👵 xxx
One year I rented a house in a city fairly central for my scattered family. They all came, which was all the gift I asked for. I bought everyone the matching pjs, which my husband, sons, and son-in-law hated but wore for my sake. I bought everyone the Christmas Eve box. Yes, yes, I know I've ticked two boxes you mentioned, but it was wonderful. The Christmas Eve boxes contained the pjs, a Santa hat, a pair of warm socks, and a book to read to the grandkids. Each box had a different book, and the children moved from chair to chair to hear the stories. It was worth every penny. The rest of the holiday was pretty low key (and frugal!), but those Christmas Eve boxes are coming out again this year. I think what Vicky Smith is really saying is, choose what you value and ignore the silliness.
Yes thank you so much Deborah, you have summed up my point exactly here! Do what you love and enjoy, without tipping over into debt, and ignore the excess you don't need ❤️
The thing about Christmas PJ’s for me is when I was growing up my mom would buy them as a Christmas gift and I would wear them all year to sleep in till they didn’t fit or fell apart. I don’t understand when society decided that they were only meant to be worn that season and not all year around? I mean we sleep in pjs who is gunna know they have snow flakes or the grinch on them?
@spiritedsamantha I dont recall the matching PJ thing when I was a child, and think it's totally pointless. As you said, PJs were a present and worn all year!
I have a couple of Christmas pj's and a Halloween pair of pj pants. They're both nice and warm and I wear them long out of their season, as long as it's cold, I'll wear them and I love them. Even after several years, they're still warm and soft...though my Halloween pants are starting to show their ages at the seems. But that's something I can easily fix with the sewing machine.
I just buy one new special bauble for my tree. My children are 43 and 41 but each year I still hang up the “baubles” they made in preschool (woollen balls). My grandson has now added to my special stash
Of course you can, and I am sure some people do. I think the point I was trying to make is what it represents when we have clothes that are specifically for a season. Then you'll get to Jan and there will be another must-have design, then comes spring and there's a new trend. It's all good if you have something you love and happily wear all the time, but it's when it becomes a habit of seeking out fresh trends and clothing with every new season or holiday where I think we can overspend.
@@TheMummyBubble Yeah, I wasn't arguing with your overall point here. Just saying that there's no reason you can't get as much use out of Christmas pajamas as regular pajamas.
We have “winter” tea towels and mugs and plates. They get used from November 1 until April 1st. And we use them every year. My kids who are now adults, say that the little touches like that make it FEEL like Christmas at mom and dad’s. There is a way to do these things without spending a ton of money. I think it is the replacing every year, that would be crazy and wasteful. Love the video. ❤
As someone whose worked in education and have 3 adult children who are teachers, i can honestly say that teachers love a handwritten note and card, if you want to give a gift pens, pencils or white board markers are great 😊
I am at the point where we have our decorations, we dont need a fridge overflowing with food, we don't need lots of presents, I need the things money cant buy, my family, my friends 💖✨
Love this! Yes totally agree, it's the people and that feeling of contentment of having all the main things you really need that make Christmas so special ❤️
We do a real tree when all our kids come home. If it’s quiet, we use our little 24” artificial which is so cute. Changing up decor every year is ridiculous. I love my vintage, full of memories from childhood. My children will get some gift cards and smalls in a stocking. Gifting is not done. I bake a lot and give SO much away to neighbours, friends even my sons workplace. I try to reuse everything, just like my home full of antique or thrifted pieces I love. For me it’s all about family and friends and time together, we all know life is short and changes very quickly.
I used to go crazy at Christmas time when my kids were little. Now that they're adults, they each get $100 and a stocking. I use my points from a local grocery store to buy items like chocolates, teas, lip balm, gift card etc for their stockings. We moved to an artificial/pre-lit tree a few years ago. I also gave up wrapping!! I use reusable cloth Christmas bags for my husband's gifts or anything for the stockings that I want to "wrap". They give me back the bags after opening :) After spending so much effort on the kids for YEARS, I like to do things for me to enjoy the season. Each year I take a craft workshop or two on a weekend. This year I'll be creating stained glass ornaments at a winery. I also purchased an advent calendar for myself to make embroidered ornaments. We'll go to see the lights in a historic town nearby. Enjoy some outdoor activities. I love making Christmas dinner for everyone and NYE dinner so I'll put a lot of effort into that. I don't want the hustle and expense of shopping, wrapping or going to a mall. It sucks the joy out of the season.
I love your idea of going to a craft workshop of some kind, as an enjoyable activity just for you. I've just been to a rag bag weaving workshop at Cold harbour working mill museum and not only was it great fun but it's given me ideas of making some bags to give as gifts. I love the idea of an advent calendar where you embroider little decorations. Thanks for sharing.
Admittedly, I still have a pair of pajamas my mother got me for Christmas when I was 15. I've had them and worn them for 12 years now 😅 They weren't a family matching pair. They're just a cute pink pair of pajamas with little peppermint swirl candies and hearts on them.
I love the old, a bit worn out, a bit ugly christmas decor I have had for years, some of which my kids or even me as a child have made. Those make a meaningful and warm atmosphere that new, on-trend decor could never do!
I'm fantastic. I bought all of the presents in January. I bought all the reduced Decorations and Wrapping and Cards in January in the reductions and sales.
I also buy cards etc in January sale and usually from my local charity shop. I’ve also stopped named cards like mum son etc. only one card per household. Most friends have stopped cards so I don’t have many to send.
I loved this and I agree (although we do have a real Christmas tree!) A thought on the party outfit: NO ONE remembers what you wore before! I asked all the girls in the office once if they remembered what anyone wore the year before at the Christmas party the previous year and no one could! Just some new accessories to change the look of a current outfit - no one will know!
I am a new homeowner within the past few years. I bought a garland , a pillow and a fake tree. I told myself I am allowed to buy one ornament per year and one decor item per year. It’s fun choosing it because I really have to think about it 😋
As a mom to young kids I’m in my big Christmas era. I do all the things. I love making memories for my kids. But I also only buy a couple of new decor items every year and I keep within the same colour scheme year after year so I can always reuse old decor. My kids love seeing nostalgic Christmas pieces come out of the basement year after year. If you keep your Christmas classic and traditional it will always look great and in style ❤.
We're doing a secret Santa present for one adult (names have already been chosen!) with a £10 limit this year - grandchildren get premium bonds and a small gift to open when we swap ours. Both my adult daughters have become really disillusioned with Xmas, and really just like the traditions of getting together with family, same old decorations. a few drinks, good food and a few games together. We did it last year too, and it took so much pressure off! We even make our own crackers with loo rolls and newspaper hats (a la The Good Life) devorated with holly, with a chocolate inside! We all decided we'd rather spend our money on a holiday or something we really wanted. We feel no need to spend for the sake of it any more - it's truly liberating!
What a great video! I started paring down my Christmas expenses many years ago with cards. I found the whole Christmas card thing time-consuming and stressful, not to mention expensive. As a family we would send out over 150 cards and, whilst it's true that one does not give in order to receive, the amount of cards that were received by us was a tiny fraction of what went out. Add to that, each year the worry that someone's name had been left off the list, and I took the decision to stop that particular decision, and it was the best decision I ever made. Other traditions that have been dropped or amended over the years include Christmas dinner. The first thing dropped was brussel sprouts, in favour of broccoli (other veg is available), and eventually we had a different meat instead of turkey. Several years ago, my younger son suggested we not do a roast dinner at all, that year we had a Scandinavian style Julbord. Christmas dinners since has included home made curry, lasagne, pulled chicken, to name a few, and desserts have included slow cooker rice pudding, and tiramisu. Another tradition we have adopted is having our main Christmas meal on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas Day. This idea (that is common in other countries) ensures that no one has to cook on the main day unless they want to, and this is especially a good thing if you have family that you want to spend time with. Regarding gifting for adults. Since our "boys" have become men, we tend to buy them a bottle of booze each for Christmas, it saves a great deal of time and head scratching. This year we intend to have a Chinese takeaway on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day, well if it's not raining I might suggest a picnic. I hope that, whatever everyone does, however they celebrate, they have a lovely time.
I love sprouts. I would have fought that decision. And a roast. But we haven’t always done that. We’ve cooked up a storm of Thai food, Chinese food, mutton roast cooked on the BBQ. There’s so much choice.
One year when funds were really tight, my husband and I gave ourselves a spending limit. Now, he tended to be very extravagant - one year he bought me a car (that had car payments attached)- so we chose $100 for each other. It was amazing how much fun it was to shop with that limit. And how carefully chosen the gifts were! And another year, we made gifts for our families. He did the woodworking thing, and I sew and knit, so that was fun too!
When I was a kid, if we asked my Mum what she wanted for any occasion, she always replied ' a box of Black Magic and a Des O'Connor LP'. One year she really threw us, she wanted Move Closer by Phyllis Nelson ❤❤
I'll freely admit I've gone a bit ham (pun not intended) with Christmas this year, as it's my first Christmas in my own house (!!!) and I didn't actually own any decorations myself until now! But I also know I'm "setting up" for future Christmases with special things I will happily use again and again. A lot of them are in Christmas DIY craft packs because homemade decorations are just so cozy ❤️
In my "old age" I'm considering buying family gifts rather than individual gifts...so much easier on my budget and time. And if I don't receive at least an acknowledgement that the gift arrived... next year I will be sending a card...and that is all!
I'm only 46 but I am doing this same thing this year. I find I am a Christmas "stresser" but this year I made some very thoughtful gifts. a bottle of homemade but excellent quality vanilla, 2 homemade beeswax pillar candles and I ordered for less than 10.00 an embroidered corner bookmark for the women and a embossed suede magnet bookmark for the men. It is like 2 homemade things for everyone and 1 small personalized thing each. I am very excited and a lot of time was put into making the things. If I hear nothing, like you, next year will be cards.
I bought a "real" christmas tree. It's a Norfolk pine. I keep it as an outdoor plant when it's not winter and it becomes our Christmas tree in Winter. I get to have the beauty of a real tree without consumerism every year or buying more plastic.
Last year we skipped the “advent calender” but I did buy some bulk chocolate candies my kids like and put them in a vintage candy dish. We all have a piece while we do that days Advent reading. My youngest gets a lego advent calendar as a birthday gift (Dec 1st) because its one of the BIG things he asks for and actually loves and uses. He likes having a birthday present to open every day of the month. (shhh I want something like that for my birthday month too😂)
I would like something like that for my B-day in Jan. so I bought a watercolor art advent calendar and will save it till then. It won't matter to me if the outside will look Christmas-y.....It's the idea behind it. However, my B-day is Jan. 31st. Oh well, I'll just start a week later LOL.
I get my Christmas cups, plates, bedding etc out on 6th November, so feel I get my money’s worth. Same with handwash in a Christmas-themed dispenser. It’s just a bit of fun and I store it all away on the top shelf of my wardrobe come January. 😊
Re the beauty advent calendar, you mentioned reading through the list pf products to see how many you would use. I always thought that point of opening of the doors of advent calendars was to get some kind of surprise. When I was a girl, it was just picture and I was happy with that. Don’t get me started on calendars with miniature bottles of gin!
Elf on the shelf and Christmas Eve boxes are my real pet hate. As for no adult gifts I totally agree. We have had that pact in our family for many years
So many of these "traditions" come over from America (like Elf on a Shelf and Christmas Eve Boxes). They have overshadowed our own older traditions. Same with some of the more extreme Halloween stuff. We have our own history and (imho) should work on keeping those alive.
I have my mom’s Christmas dinnerware set from the 80s Corelle Holly Days and I use it all the holiday season. It is so nostalgic that I don’t mind allowing a tote for my seasonal dishes.
I had a wonderful set of Christmas dishes that I used for yrs and yrs. But over time life changes, so I gave them to my niece. I only miss them a tiny bit. It’s not unusual for me to be alone at this time of year, so I buy and use disposable plates and napkins. The pattern is different each year and I enjoy this. I know it sounds silly…but I enjoy this new tradition late in my life.
I don't buy chocolate selection boxes. I make up my own by buying multi packs. It works out cheaper and you usually get more chocolate for your money. I put them in reusable gift bags, mugs etc
I do this too, this way I can make sure the Grand children get only the chocolate they like too. The teens get a large chocolate bar instead. I have reusable boxes for each child that I made from card and decorated.
I used to be a real tree fan but a few years ago I invested in a good quality artificial tree in January! (Thats when to buy them!) It a scrawny spruce but is so beautiful because it shows off all the my memeory ornaments. The same year I bought a real christmas tree sapling it is now 4ft and gets decorated year after year in my front garden. Food budget has been cut and this not only saves the pennies but cuts down on the waste. Make my own christmas cookies and decorate them with my grown up kids.. They still love it 😆 Great video Vicky. Thank you xx
@@sallyb4699 making Xmas cookies is a lovely tradition! Love that idea to have a garden Xmas tree. Someone near us used to put giant baubles on a tree in their garden and I always thought it looked fab! 🎄
I never buy any of that xmas jumpers tea towels etc rubbish. I have some lovely decorations that I have collected over the years. I did see a nice plate in a pound shop with a winter scene of trees and a reindeer so I bought 4 at £1 each when I put the mince pies on it my daughter and sister in law said what a lovely plate I said yes it is isn't it left the room came back and gave them one each they were delighted with this cheap spontaneous present . Now every year the plate comes out.
Xmas treats aren’t just for Xmas day. I enjoy them well into the New Year. Same with PJ’s, it’s not just a Xmas eve/day thing. I also burn Xmas candles throughout November & December on these dark early evenings, and into January. I like the soy ones. A little candlelight is heavenly this time of year.
Same here 🎉 January is miserable enough cosy days treats candles fairy lights all the way into March 😂 obviously I've reluctantly taken my trees down 😂
@@mw56-u6q I’ve seen people in America who leave their trees up until after Easter. The take the Christmas specific decorations off at some point in January and decorate it for Valentines or neutral winter. And then decorate it for Easter. I quite like that idea and would be tempted except my tree is visible in my sitting room to anyone driving down the lane or walking past. I’m too embarrassed.
Me and my partner buy 1-2 new Christmas ornaments a year, which represent the year that we've had. Sometimes there are things we have brought from trips and traveling that aren't necessarily Christmasy :) Though we do something pick up an ornament that we just really love and find joy in!
I think the yankee candle 'the night before christmas' isnt to be taken literally and just is using part of the christmas rhyme🤣 good vid tho and totally makes sense.
Every year, my lovely MIL used to buy all her kids/in laws one of those 'your horoscope' books for the year to come ($5 or $6 I think) and a box of seashell chocolates. Those chocolates happened to be my favourites so I loved them but astrology was a 'meh' for me - she passed away a few years ago, but I always associate those little gifts with Christmas and my MIL, and anytime I get those chocolates (or buy them for myself) I immediately think of her. And that's what Christmas should be!
LOL, I have Christmas pyjamas that I pretty much wear all year round, except for the summer cause they’re thicker ones but still 😂 you can very much still wear Christmas pyjamas outside of Christmas
Love this. We encouraged our family to do secret santa last year for all the reasons you've described, and they did it.. but also bought me, my husband and son extra presents! They couldn't stick to just one!
With you on the pjs, bought my children a matching set for their Christmas eve box, but I realised it was for one photo. My young son will wear Christmas pjs all year round, my teen daughter will not. So exchanged hers for red check button ups, my son won't wear them..... So they won't be matching but it won't be such a waste. And you are spot on with the theme for decorations, our tree is mainly silver and light blue, every year I buy 2 or 3 quality glass baubles to add interest and replace damaged ones, and I love our tree as much now as when I first got the silver decs nearly 20 years ago
Every Christmas I get a large cardboard box filled with old crumpled newspaper and create a lucky dip. Throughout the day everyone takes turns grabbing a gift. Some of them are named others just random. It’ll include tasks like do a rolly polly,draw a picture of Santa ,they’ll be some paper scissors and a pen and the instructions to create a snowflake, solve this maths problem, they’ll be a wrapped banana, a potato, a toilet roll, little joke toys and sweets,a jam jar with ingredients to make a magic potion. It’s family fun and keeps the kids and grandparents entertained while waiting for food and tbh the kids enjoy that as much as their toys
Great advice, I would like to suggest, when you have done some baking to take it to work. Pop in your normal ordinary tin/container or the tupperware box and make a small purchase of christmas serviette. Choose a design that pops christmas . Normal a few pounds from any store. A quick easy way to be festive without the christmas theme tin you will use once maybe twice a year. Left over serviette I use all year when packing a packed lunch , they are only a paper product that has a job and they will.make you smile or pop them in the christmas box for next year.
Excellent video and I agree with your list completely. The advent calendars with tiny cosmetics add so much waste to landfills. I have not done cards for years now, with the exception of 2 people for whom cards are super important. Our tree is hung with 50+ years worth of memories in the form of assorted, not matching or themed ornaments. As I unwrap each one to hang up, I travel back in time for a moment or two.
Hi just found your channel...i was definitely with you on everything you mentioned ( especially the matching family pajamas....like you said, my husband would rather poke his eyes out with a burnt stick...than wear maching pajamas 😄🤷🏼♀️)
I so agree with everything you said! The world has gone mad. Christmas has been atound since August and the shops are full of Christmas tat! My personal bete noir is also Christmas Eve boxes. What is that about.? Again influencers touting nonsense. I was a teacher and parents used to be in turmoil about how much they needed to spend on their children! It has got out of hand. I am boycotting all Christmas vlogs on youtube. I warched yours because you are talking sense. Well done!
The Xmas consumerism push is intense isn't it? We did Xmas Boxes one year and honestly it was basically like doing a whole other stocking, and I felt it took the glow off Xmas morning a little bit.
From what I've seen on tv Christmas eve boxes should contain (and I quote)festive pyjamas, slippers fluffy dressing gown or "oodie"" type thing, a DVD some hot chocolate and a can't cane or chocolate Santa.*candy. Shock, if that's in there, what on earth are those lucky children getting yo open the next morning.?
Why not do what works for you? If minimalist approach makes you happy go for it. Our family has loved decorating with lights and ornaments passed down, we make handmade decorations, and we feel the joy Christmas decorating inspires ❤
In our house the gift doesn't matter, it's the fun of gift-giving. So you may end up with a pair of socks, a handkerchief, a pen etc., but it's the gathering, the sharing of food and that joy that matters to us. As long as there is a wrapped token under the tree, everyone is happy. We spend our time talking together, eating together, playing silly board games that we only pull out, only during the Christmas season.
A few years ago I made myself a deal that I wouldn't buy ANY Christmas decor in the days leading up to Christmas but if I found I was truly lamenting not having something I would allow myself to purchase it for the next Christmas immediately after Christmas on sale. This helps with delay of gratification and if I still really want it for a full year away then I probably do really want it. I would NEVER follow any sort of Christmas trend like the special themed trees. Another way to cut down on cost is asking family members to bring their own drinks to share or that coffee, tea or water will be provided.
So much of our Christmas decor is actually 23 to 55 years old. I haven’t bought anything lately. It’s the newer stuff I tend to declutter. Do yourself a favour, buy 2 long, strong storage boxes for your tree. I wanted one person to be able to manage them. As we get older it is harder to realize or concede one day you may need help. I enjoy setting up the tree now. I take time to label and place it in the box just so. 👍🏻🇨🇦
@@michellestmarentette.antoi5904 that is such a good idea, our cardboard box is about to give up! I’ll show you guys in December when I get the tree down, it has survived a long time.
Be extra kind to yourself. Aging is a process and it is okay to ask for help! You truly know who your friends are when you ask, and they come to your aid happily.
I was amazed at the stuff you mentioned that people actually buy. Who would buy plates, towels & clothes that are used for 1-2 weeks. Incredible. As for decorations, the whole point is to bring out the old favourites year after year. That is what I liked as a child. The meal with family is the best thing.
I have a collection of Christmas novelty tea towels and 2 hand towels. I didn’t buy them. I also have some pretty Christmas mugs I didn’t buy. They all come out on 1 December and go away on 1st February so I get to use them. I class Christmas time as the same period. January is so gloomy. I leave my lights up. Sometimes my tree too.
I am the candle burner. I have a different Yankee Candle scent for each month: September (Harvest), October (Autumn Leaves), November (Spiced pumpkin) and December(Christmas Wreath). And yes, I do burn them through by the end of the month. This has been a tradition of mine for over 20 years. 😊
I do like a Xmas mug, have had the 2 same Emma Bridgewater holly mugs for over 30 years. Come out end of Nov use till Jan, not a bad innings! Don’t understand the new decorations every year, I like the memories and nostalgia old favourites bring 😊 The shops are Americanising us with matching pjs, Xmas Eve boxes, excess presents. Not for me, see a friend for a drink or meal. Good company is the best gift for me!
I agree it is great to look forward to unpack a few of those special decorations you know you have and only see at this season. I have 4-5 favorite ones that hold a special place in my heart and make me smile when I see them around or on the tree. As a tip, if you do family or friends parties with dinner / lunch, ask around if everyone has a few items that can be used to level up your Xmas decor. My mother hosts Xmas lunch this year and I will bring Xmas napkins I've had for 12 years or so, a decorated serving tray, and red placemats (not Xmas-theme but right colors). If you have more persons coming, everyone can try to bring one thing and make the table and decor special. I love candles and burn them all year long but usually stay away from glass jar ones. Normal candles in various colours and style work perfectly and once they're done, nothing to stock or store away till next year.
I love your suggestions I do most already but I'm also not doing a starter this year as you suggested to make lunch a bit easier for me. I truly believe that what makes Christmas special is having your own traditions what ever they are be it watching the same movie every year or going to a carol service or walk on Christmas day they are not about what some influencer or the media tells you they should be. Have a very happy holiday with your family .
Yes 100%, it's all about those little routine things that make Christmas feel like Christmas to you, whether it's hanging up the decorations together or going for a Boxing Day walk. It's rarely about the stuff.
when I was at school I'm glad we didnot have the pressure of having to give gifts to teachers not that we werent thankful. Would a handmade thankyou card suffice made by the child rather than buying a gift that puts pressure on the child and parent/s especially with cost of living. Enjoying your tips especially I can easily get carried away with decorations and food that gets wasted and although I like the tins tell myself I dont need them.
My sister was a teacher in a really deprived area. The families didn't have 2 pennies to rub together. At Xmas and Easter my sister would get so much chocolate, much of it would end up going out of date, and getting thrown out. It used to really annoy me.
My first Christmas jumper was a ordinary jumper that I crotchet and knitted a snowman which I stitched onto the front. Last year I did buy (and Mum bought me one) Christmas jumpers. I dont think I will be buying anymore until these wear out... maybe when Im 100.
7 grandchildren so adults get a token present. Set myself a budget of around £10 and was so pleased everything I wanted was reduced to half price before Christmas! So most I spent was £6 per adult. My friend and I are avid readers and we always buy from charity shops so this year she has a £1 charity shop book I bought and read, knew she would love it and wrapped with a bar of chocolate! Either of us would be overjoyed with that. Bought myself a bottle of wine and a nice dessert with my savings. Lol. Cards and wrapping paper January sale and same decorations come out every year. I like candles but they aren’t Xmas ones. Mostly silver pots with tea lights in.
We get a real Christmas tree that we cut down every year from a local farm that's 10 mins down the road, we save the money we get from bottle returns all year to pay for it. It's a tradition and supporting a local business so worth it for us. As for decorations though we use the same thing for years. Old ornaments from childhood and things that the kids made over the years are really special. Food is smart buys or cheap. We get a free turkey with points etc. We're in Canada but this video popped up so not sure how things are different there.
Thanks! For the last decade or so I’ve reduced the pre-dinner “nibbles” to Chex Mix (Nuts & Bolts) and/or cheese with crackers. It’s plenty enough to keep people from starving until dinner is ready without going overboard. 😉
Thanks! I haven't purchased sny Christmas gift bags this year as i had saved quite avfew ftom last Christmas. I was short of a few though but just put the gifts into brown paper bags i already had and tarted them up with ribbons and a nice gift tag 🎀
Me and my daughter (5) have made saltdough decorations that we are giving as part of the gift its something nice that she has made and it is a decoration for our loved ones tree.
Each year I reuse one or more of the Advent calendars from my childhood (paper calendars with only an illustration behind the window. I am in my 80's. My decorations are from the 1930s through 2022. Yes, it's all about nostalgia - the same decorations, cookies, etc. each year with a few new additions.
My partner and I didnt buy real gifts for each other, we bought big theatre tickets (£128 each) to combine Christmas, V day and our anniversary in one. We bought some chocolates for each other, just to have something to unwrap, but no proper gifts. I do love Christmas cards, but I try to get just the right amount and make sure they are recyclable! I've also only had one Christmas jumper since maybe 2017. Santa is holding a beer and looking festive! No phrases to go out of fashion, no complicated stuff to fall off over the years. Just simple, good quality and classic - and I bought it secknd hand!!
Great video! 🙂 I’m looking at surgery sometime over Christmas, so we’re getting ready early. I’m making my own gift baskets for a select few adults in the family. We have some special needs adults. I buy high quality items on sale, and baskets and wrap at the local thrift store. If the basket looks a bit ratty, I spray paint it. One couple and we donate to a charity in the other’s name. Our limit is $50/person for Christmas. So far we’ve prepared 8 gifts for $265 CAD. I prefer giving to charity for the holiday season (and year round).
My kids get brand new pajamas on Christmas Eve and wear them all year 😊 they are usually just winter themed and not overtly Christmas so it’s still festive but reusable. Then they grow out of them but they were well used the whole year.
Most of the time I did use everything I got in beauty advent calendars but that’s only because I have a full on skincare obsession and I always check what’s in there and don’t buy it if I’m not going to use it all. I’ve also repurchased quite a few things from them too. Great video, thank you!
I grew up having a real tree each Christmas, but no longer have one every year. I love the smell of a “live” tree, but still have precious memories of the ones Daddy brought home. 🥰. I’m old now with not much family, and I have downsized to an apt so had to consciously think about what I really wanted to use and have…this included all of my Christmas stuff. I had so much it was ridiculous. I like my aesthetic now. It’s totally different from what I did when my sons were young and at home and that’s ok. It’s a calmer, more muted, neutral atmosphere.
Hiya, you are just spot on! I think we try to “buy” the feels and nostalgia, when really, it’s just remembering and focusing on what’s important to you. I remember, barely coz I’m as old as dirt now 😂, we were very poor as kids, we got some massive red balloons as a gift, sounds really sad, but I can honestly say, we had the best time with those flipping balloons! I’ve no idea what kind they were, not normal ones. ❤🎈🎈🎈🖐🏻✨🎄 ps, I did buy a beautiful stoneware mug, with a hand drawn Christmas tree on……50p! 😂😂😂
Using things beyond the Christmas period, if I buy Christmas pajamas then the family just carry on using them beyond Christmas. Also extra cards, wrapping paper, candles, anything Christmas that can be boxed up for next year I do
Agree with so many of these points! This year Im making a commitment to buy from small buisness' - practical things that peope want! And Im dedicated to finding at least the stocking fillers in charity shops!
very sensible ..having said that when you said you got a rocking horse my envy level when up to maximum! At 69 I still wish I had got a rocking horse g horse one christmas…there were 4 of us so totally impractical and fat to expensive but I could dream! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas ❤
When we were first married instead of exchanging gifts we got a present for the house, something we needed or needed replacing. Later on we went on weekend trips to places we both wanted to see.
4:31 I so agree to the decor bit. I mean, one or two new pieces per year may be fine, that way you can remember each year in a bauble, but not a whole new set of everything just because you want to do a different theme that year. I have the problem that I am never prepared for the extra expenditure that starts every November, because every year I forget to save up for it. So I am having to budget hard, but hopefully I can stick to the budget this and next month. 🤞🏻
Great video!!! I agree with most of your ideas. Adults and kids make a wishlist in August so that everyone gets something they want or need. My family also saves all year for Christmas. Here in America, gift cards don't expire, so we get those in advance. We get gift cards for restaurants and grocery stores in advance, so our Christmas dinner is already paid for. Christmas decorations, Christmas trees, wreaths, Christmas ornaments, Christmas plates, etc., are reused every year. We do a Christmas kickoff box that we all get when we put up our artificial Christmas tree. It's contains a Christmas decoration, a Christmas ornament, a Christmas movie, a Christmas book, and an advent calendar. Then, when my kids move out, they have their own Christmas stuff to start off with. We don't buy or bake a lot of goodies either. My kids get overwhelmed with too much food and won't eat any of the treats then. We do buy some snacks/treats and bake a little bit, though.
I bought my first beauty advent calendar last year, and can honestly say I used (and am still using) everything, except for one fake tan spray thing - I’ll probably never use that… but to be fair I never buy high-end beauty products (except my normal moisturiser & spf), so it was a super treat for myself. I got another one this year, let’s see if I use it all again or if it will be product overload :D
We stopped buying Christmas cards two years ago and have gifted money to either Crisis or The Salvation Army so that a homeless person has a bed for the night, a Christmas dinner and a doctor and dentist check up. Cards just get chucked after December but at least we’ve helped someone to have a bit of comfort for Christmas. On a note about the candles, I don’t get it. To me they are for when there is a power cut, 😅
In my friend’s office, one man said he wasn’t writing Christmas cards for everyone (group of 20) but would leave an orange on everyone’s desk instead. Someone else said they’d do the same and leave an apple. The whole office joined in with grapes, bananas, kiwis etc. They agreed a day and all went home with a lovely little fruit hamper! What a wonderful idea I thought.😊
I absolutely love this!
This is a brilliant idea
Fantastic idea
❤
Brilliant idea, pleased it caught on. Lovely xmas memory
I am 78. When I was a little girl, my father always gave me money to buy my mom a present. A religious store in my town was having a sale. I bought my mom St. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus, all Hummels which my mom loved.She added to the set each year and even bought the stable. When she died, it was given to me. It holds so many good memories.
That is so lovely. X
Amazing
In 1987 my mom bought a fabric Advent calendar from Avon with a little mouse you moved into little pockets that made up the days on the calendar. When she passed away I got it. I gave it to my son. He puts it up every year and now my grandson moves the little mouse. Not quite 40 years old and still very much a part of our Christmas.
We have the same one.
My mom sold Avon and still has hers!
@@pattibennett8774 I have that same advent calendar. I use it every year!!!!
My sister sent that same advent calendar to us from Indiana to Ft.Sill to my son who was about 5.He turns 38 and his children now have used it 10 years!
I found a fabric one and sewed it up for my family in the 80s . Used it for many years,
I remember when advent calendars did not include chocolates, let alone make up and it was just a picture and it was still really fun and exciting ❤
@@lemonteapot1061 me too!! Isn’t it funny how things change?
Me too! I still have a couple 😊
Me too and I always insisted on opening 9 December for Donny Osmond's birthday!!
I gasped at the prices of advent calendars this year!...nope!
You can find them in speciality book shops!!
I'm 57 and my Christmas jumper was bought for me as a gift from my boyfriend's mum when I was 21. Therefore its 36 years old this year... and I've worn it every Christmas since it was given to me.
I’ve had mine for so many years. But I don’t think it will fit me this year. 😢. Oh well. I might try and squeeze in to it just for me when I put my little tree up in my office.
Same! I have a beautiful Red & Black beaded sweater vest from the early 80's, back when they made quality clothing. It has never gone out of style. I look forward to wearing it every year.
You’re a lone voice in a feed full of people buying, styling, showing, influencing, encouraging, previewing and endorsing. Thank you for your sensible words, they are much needed in such a pressured environment.
I think like here and I'm sure there is more of us like that
💯👏👏👏 Christmas is for loved ones making beautiful memories. Not over spending, over scheduling, over working, etc. 😢
@@louisechainey2940 thank you so much for watching ❤️
I have a friend that I grew up with since we were single digits. Our families all knew the other families in the neighborhood back then in the 60s and 70s. Last year she gave me her mom's set of beautiful Christmas dishes. Our parents are all gone now. My friend said you host things and I don't so I want you to have these. I am honored to have something that belonged to someone I adored growing up. I am 62 now, so if I didn't buy Christmas China by then I doubt I would have. But I enjoyed them last year and will again this Christmas season. They are priceless to me. ❤
That is so so lovely. What a special thing to own ❤️
Thats so sweet
That is so sweet! I love that you get to enjoy such a special part of your past for the Christmas holiday.
@leticiaarballo9923 awh thank you 😊 💓
Don't give gifts, give presence.
@@ArtJourneyUK love this ❤️
That is what we keep telling my parents, but they are more money>time. We're trying to gift experiences or things families can do together like board games or state park passes (US).
My goodness, I couldn't agree more. The amount of videos on UA-cam of people buying more and more decor each year (not just for Christmas either) I can't imagine how much STUFF they have - and how much of their home is used for storage instead of living. I still love my 30 year old trees and vintage family decorations. The nostalgia of Christmas is everything I need. Excellent video
It's not only the stuff we all have, but the stuff we throw away polluting the planet! Buy less, enjoy more!
Husband and I made a no gift pact this year, and it includes our holiday adjacent birthdays. Instead, we decided to be silly. For our birthdays, we've each planned a movie at home and food that compliments it. It has been super fun as we've been picking favorite movies and food from our childhoods.
I buy my 2 children( 22 and 26), their gym membership for the year( which I know they appreciate).
That is such an amazing idea! A gift that they will really value and appreciate ❤️
Great idea. Would you like to adopt me?😂
Love that..practical gifts❤
That’s so thoughtful & useful!
Brilliant!!! 🎉
Yes Christmas tree decorations are like family heirlooms. I still have a few that are now over 60 years old now, and they are very precious.
Wow 60 years old, that is so special!
@@TheMummyBubbleI’ve got some from 70 years ago , they look so dated but they go on my tree every year
I still keep my mum's fairy which she bought when I was a baby in 1960. Also a few things my own children made when they were at school.
I have mum and dad's tree decorations from the 50s.
I have photos of them on our childhood trees and not having my parents now they bring me to tears and smiles when I take them out....
Live on my own, but always have family with me through the decs. They are still in the original boxes with our childhood writing on it.
😊😢😂
Janice 👵 xxx
I have some from the very early 1930's from my Granny, but her cat destroyed most of them.
One year I rented a house in a city fairly central for my scattered family. They all came, which was all the gift I asked for. I bought everyone the matching pjs, which my husband, sons, and son-in-law hated but wore for my sake. I bought everyone the Christmas Eve box. Yes, yes, I know I've ticked two boxes you mentioned, but it was wonderful. The Christmas Eve boxes contained the pjs, a Santa hat, a pair of warm socks, and a book to read to the grandkids. Each box had a different book, and the children moved from chair to chair to hear the stories. It was worth every penny. The rest of the holiday was pretty low key (and frugal!), but those Christmas Eve boxes are coming out again this year. I think what Vicky Smith is really saying is, choose what you value and ignore the silliness.
Yes thank you so much Deborah, you have summed up my point exactly here! Do what you love and enjoy, without tipping over into debt, and ignore the excess you don't need ❤️
❤
I have a Christmas dress I bought 8 years ago and still wear it every Christmas and I love it. X
Fab! That's so fun and I bet you feel so happy when it's time to wear it ❤️
Your special Christmas dress, perfect!! xx ❤
@ I love it and my family love it too. X
Wow, that's amazing and actually a great idea!
The thing about Christmas PJ’s for me is when I was growing up my mom would buy them as a Christmas gift and I would wear them all year to sleep in till they didn’t fit or fell apart. I don’t understand when society decided that they were only meant to be worn that season and not all year around? I mean we sleep in pjs who is gunna know they have snow flakes or the grinch on them?
You raise such a good point here! Bedtime is not a fashion parade!
@spiritedsamantha I dont recall the matching PJ thing when I was a child, and think it's totally pointless. As you said, PJs were a present and worn all year!
@@coraclouden2506 agreed. I like looking at old photos to tell the fashion of the year, or our individual choices.
I have a couple of Christmas pj's and a Halloween pair of pj pants. They're both nice and warm and I wear them long out of their season, as long as it's cold, I'll wear them and I love them. Even after several years, they're still warm and soft...though my Halloween pants are starting to show their ages at the seems. But that's something I can easily fix with the sewing machine.
My son only gets new PJs at Christmas, so it’s reindeer all year for him 🙃
I just buy one new special bauble for my tree. My children are 43 and 41 but each year I still hang up the “baubles” they made in preschool (woollen balls). My grandson has now added to my special stash
This may sound crazy but you can actually wear Christmas pajamas even after Christmas is over. It's legal.
Of course you can, and I am sure some people do. I think the point I was trying to make is what it represents when we have clothes that are specifically for a season. Then you'll get to Jan and there will be another must-have design, then comes spring and there's a new trend. It's all good if you have something you love and happily wear all the time, but it's when it becomes a habit of seeking out fresh trends and clothing with every new season or holiday where I think we can overspend.
@@TheMummyBubble Yeah, I wasn't arguing with your overall point here. Just saying that there's no reason you can't get as much use out of Christmas pajamas as regular pajamas.
@@angela-ti1np Believe it or not some people make it a law, a rule if you will, that Christmas pj's are only allowed until Dec. 31st! Cracks me up.
@@KathyTinclerThat rule is ridiculous if they're not coming out again the next year. In that case wear them until they don't fit/fall apart.
😆
We have “winter” tea towels and mugs and plates. They get used from November 1 until April 1st. And we use them every year. My kids who are now adults, say that the little touches like that make it FEEL like Christmas at mom and dad’s. There is a way to do these things without spending a ton of money. I think it is the replacing every year, that would be crazy and wasteful. Love the video. ❤
Sounds like you get your money's worth ❤️ And so lovely these things give your family those festive vibes.
People really underestimate the value in a homely home. Good for you. ❤
As someone whose worked in education and have 3 adult children who are teachers, i can honestly say that teachers love a handwritten note and card, if you want to give a gift pens, pencils or white board markers are great 😊
I am at the point where we have our decorations, we dont need a fridge overflowing with food, we don't need lots of presents, I need the things money cant buy, my family, my friends 💖✨
Love this! Yes totally agree, it's the people and that feeling of contentment of having all the main things you really need that make Christmas so special ❤️
We do a real tree when all our kids come home. If it’s quiet, we use our little 24” artificial which is so cute. Changing up decor every year is ridiculous. I love my vintage, full of memories from childhood. My children will get some gift cards and smalls in a stocking. Gifting is not done. I bake a lot and give SO much away to neighbours, friends even my sons workplace. I try to reuse everything, just like my home full of antique or thrifted pieces I love. For me it’s all about family and friends and time together, we all know life is short and changes very quickly.
I used to go crazy at Christmas time when my kids were little. Now that they're adults, they each get $100 and a stocking. I use my points from a local grocery store to buy items like chocolates, teas, lip balm, gift card etc for their stockings. We moved to an artificial/pre-lit tree a few years ago. I also gave up wrapping!! I use reusable cloth Christmas bags for my husband's gifts or anything for the stockings that I want to "wrap". They give me back the bags after opening :) After spending so much effort on the kids for YEARS, I like to do things for me to enjoy the season. Each year I take a craft workshop or two on a weekend. This year I'll be creating stained glass ornaments at a winery. I also purchased an advent calendar for myself to make embroidered ornaments. We'll go to see the lights in a historic town nearby. Enjoy some outdoor activities. I love making Christmas dinner for everyone and NYE dinner so I'll put a lot of effort into that. I don't want the hustle and expense of shopping, wrapping or going to a mall. It sucks the joy out of the season.
Love all these, the cloth Christmas bags are a great idea!
All sounds perfect!
I love your idea of going to a craft workshop of some kind, as an enjoyable activity just for you. I've just been to a rag bag weaving workshop at Cold harbour working mill museum and not only was it great fun but it's given me ideas of making some bags to give as gifts.
I love the idea of an advent calendar where you embroider little decorations. Thanks for sharing.
Admittedly, I still have a pair of pajamas my mother got me for Christmas when I was 15. I've had them and worn them for 12 years now 😅 They weren't a family matching pair. They're just a cute pink pair of pajamas with little peppermint swirl candies and hearts on them.
That's so lovely!
I love the old, a bit worn out, a bit ugly christmas decor I have had for years, some of which my kids or even me as a child have made. Those make a meaningful and warm atmosphere that new, on-trend decor could never do!
I'm fantastic.
I bought all of the presents in January.
I bought all the reduced Decorations and Wrapping and Cards in January in the reductions and sales.
@@misslanapaulford you are all over this!! 🫶🏻
Apart from gifts, I did the same for cards, gift tags and wrapping paper. The majority of gifts will come from Vinted this year x
Great for the decos.
I also buy cards etc in January sale and usually from my local charity shop. I’ve also stopped named cards like mum son etc. only one card per household. Most friends have stopped cards so I don’t have many to send.
I am buying my son and not-quite-DIL a fridge freezer. Nothing fancy, but their old one is knackered and they really need a new one.
Amazing gift, I bet they will be delighted!
That's an excellent present!
I loved this and I agree (although we do have a real Christmas tree!) A thought on the party outfit: NO ONE remembers what you wore before! I asked all the girls in the office once if they remembered what anyone wore the year before at the Christmas party the previous year and no one could! Just some new accessories to change the look of a current outfit - no one will know!
Most people would be jealous you fit into last year's outfit 😉
Same with christmas cards.
I am a new homeowner within the past few years. I bought a garland , a pillow and a fake tree. I told myself I am allowed to buy one ornament per year and one decor item per year. It’s fun choosing it because I really have to think about it 😋
As a mom to young kids I’m in my big Christmas era. I do all the things. I love making memories for my kids. But I also only buy a couple of new decor items every year and I keep within the same colour scheme year after year so I can always reuse old decor. My kids love seeing nostalgic Christmas pieces come out of the basement year after year. If you keep your Christmas classic and traditional it will always look great and in style ❤.
We're doing a secret Santa present for one adult (names have already been chosen!) with a £10 limit this year - grandchildren get premium bonds and a small gift to open when we swap ours. Both my adult daughters have become really disillusioned with Xmas, and really just like the traditions of getting together with family, same old decorations. a few drinks, good food and a few games together. We did it last year too, and it took so much pressure off! We even make our own crackers with loo rolls and newspaper hats (a la The Good Life) devorated with holly, with a chocolate inside! We all decided we'd rather spend our money on a holiday or something we really wanted. We feel no need to spend for the sake of it any more - it's truly liberating!
What a great video!
I started paring down my Christmas expenses many years ago with cards. I found the whole Christmas card thing time-consuming and stressful, not to mention expensive. As a family we would send out over 150 cards and, whilst it's true that one does not give in order to receive, the amount of cards that were received by us was a tiny fraction of what went out. Add to that, each year the worry that someone's name had been left off the list, and I took the decision to stop that particular decision, and it was the best decision I ever made.
Other traditions that have been dropped or amended over the years include Christmas dinner. The first thing dropped was brussel sprouts, in favour of broccoli (other veg is available), and eventually we had a different meat instead of turkey. Several years ago, my younger son suggested we not do a roast dinner at all, that year we had a Scandinavian style Julbord. Christmas dinners since has included home made curry, lasagne, pulled chicken, to name a few, and desserts have included slow cooker rice pudding, and tiramisu.
Another tradition we have adopted is having our main Christmas meal on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas Day. This idea (that is common in other countries) ensures that no one has to cook on the main day unless they want to, and this is especially a good thing if you have family that you want to spend time with.
Regarding gifting for adults. Since our "boys" have become men, we tend to buy them a bottle of booze each for Christmas, it saves a great deal of time and head scratching.
This year we intend to have a Chinese takeaway on Christmas Eve, and on Christmas Day, well if it's not raining I might suggest a picnic.
I hope that, whatever everyone does, however they celebrate, they have a lovely time.
I love sprouts. I would have fought that decision. And a roast. But we haven’t always done that. We’ve cooked up a storm of Thai food, Chinese food, mutton roast cooked on the BBQ. There’s so much choice.
One year when funds were really tight, my husband and I gave ourselves a spending limit. Now, he tended to be very extravagant - one year he bought me a car (that had car payments attached)- so we chose $100 for each other. It was amazing how much fun it was to shop with that limit. And how carefully chosen the gifts were! And another year, we made gifts for our families. He did the woodworking thing, and I sew and knit, so that was fun too!
When I was a kid, if we asked my Mum what she wanted for any occasion, she always replied ' a box of Black Magic and a Des O'Connor LP'. One year she really threw us, she wanted Move Closer by Phyllis Nelson ❤❤
That is brilliant!
Des O'Connor, now that's a flashback!
I'll freely admit I've gone a bit ham (pun not intended) with Christmas this year, as it's my first Christmas in my own house (!!!) and I didn't actually own any decorations myself until now! But I also know I'm "setting up" for future Christmases with special things I will happily use again and again. A lot of them are in Christmas DIY craft packs because homemade decorations are just so cozy ❤️
Aww enjoy your first Christmas!xx
In my "old age" I'm considering buying family gifts rather than individual gifts...so much easier on my budget and time. And if I don't receive at least an acknowledgement that the gift arrived... next year I will be sending a card...and that is all!
I'm only 46 but I am doing this same thing this year. I find I am a Christmas "stresser" but this year I made some very thoughtful gifts. a bottle of homemade but excellent quality vanilla, 2 homemade beeswax pillar candles and I ordered for less than 10.00 an embroidered corner bookmark for the women and a embossed suede magnet bookmark for the men. It is like 2 homemade things for everyone and 1 small personalized thing each. I am very excited and a lot of time was put into making the things. If I hear nothing, like you, next year will be cards.
I bought a "real" christmas tree. It's a Norfolk pine. I keep it as an outdoor plant when it's not winter and it becomes our Christmas tree in Winter. I get to have the beauty of a real tree without consumerism every year or buying more plastic.
Last year we skipped the “advent calender” but I did buy some bulk chocolate candies my kids like and put them in a vintage candy dish. We all have a piece while we do that days Advent reading.
My youngest gets a lego advent calendar as a birthday gift (Dec 1st) because its one of the BIG things he asks for and actually loves and uses. He likes having a birthday present to open every day of the month. (shhh I want something like that for my birthday month too😂)
I would like something like that for my B-day in Jan. so I bought a watercolor art advent calendar and will save it till then. It won't matter to me if the outside will look Christmas-y.....It's the idea behind it. However, my B-day is Jan. 31st. Oh well, I'll just start a week later LOL.
I taught for over a decade, I can confirm your child’s teacher wants gift vouchers. S/he is exhausted and wants to rest and indulge during the break.
My daughter's teacher used to ask for gc to the wine shop LOL. Everyone bought them for her.
Fab, thank you so much! Vouchers all the way then ❤️
I get an ornament every time we go on a family vacation. Our tree is now full of fun memories and trend proof. ❤
I do the same and I also ask family when they travel to pick me up a decoration 😁
@laurawhitten love that idea! 😊
Same!
I get my Christmas cups, plates, bedding etc out on 6th November, so feel I get my money’s worth. Same with handwash in a Christmas-themed dispenser. It’s just a bit of fun and I store it all away on the top shelf of my wardrobe come January. 😊
That's a great plan ❤️👌
Re the beauty advent calendar, you mentioned reading through the list pf products to see how many you would use. I always thought that point of opening of the doors of advent calendars was to get some kind of surprise. When I was a girl, it was just picture and I was happy with that. Don’t get me started on calendars with miniature bottles of gin!
We wear our Christmas pjs all winter. They make us happy. And my Christmas Eve candle gets lit all winter as well.❤️🎄
Elf on the shelf and Christmas Eve boxes are my real pet hate. As for no adult gifts I totally agree. We have had that pact in our family for many years
I just find it ends up feeling forced when you buy for the sake of it.
So many of these "traditions" come over from America (like Elf on a Shelf and Christmas Eve Boxes). They have overshadowed our own older traditions. Same with some of the more extreme Halloween stuff. We have our own history and (imho) should work on keeping those alive.
@@RebeccaNaylor-s1q we never did the elf. So nice when the kids aren’t ( adults )
anymore 👍🏻🇨🇦
I buy my Christmas jumper and party dress from a Charity Shop. I get something from a “better shop” and a Charity benefits. Win win.
I buy my Christmas jumper and party dress from a Charity Shop. I get something from a “better shop” and a Charity benefits. Win win.
I have my mom’s Christmas dinnerware set from the 80s Corelle Holly Days and I use it all the holiday season. It is so nostalgic that I don’t mind allowing a tote for my seasonal dishes.
I had a wonderful set of Christmas dishes that I used for yrs and yrs. But over time life changes, so I gave them to my niece. I only miss them a tiny bit. It’s not unusual for me to be alone at this time of year, so I buy and use disposable plates and napkins. The pattern is different each year and I enjoy this. I know it sounds silly…but I enjoy this new tradition late in my life.
Thank you for doing this video. I totally agree. What you have said makes a lot of sense. I am going to write a list, within my budget.
Best of luck to you! Thanks so much for watching ❤️
I don't buy chocolate selection boxes. I make up my own by buying multi packs.
It works out cheaper and you usually get more chocolate for your money. I put them in reusable gift bags, mugs etc
That's such a great tip, thank you for sharing that!
I do this too, this way I can make sure the Grand children get only the chocolate they like too. The teens get a large chocolate bar instead. I have reusable boxes for each child that I made from card and decorated.
I used to be a real tree fan but a few years ago I invested in a good quality artificial tree in January! (Thats when to buy them!) It a scrawny spruce but is so beautiful because it shows off all the my memeory ornaments. The same year I bought a real christmas tree sapling it is now 4ft and gets decorated year after year in my front garden. Food budget has been cut and this not only saves the pennies but cuts down on the waste. Make my own christmas cookies and decorate them with my grown up kids.. They still love it 😆 Great video Vicky. Thank you xx
@@sallyb4699 making Xmas cookies is a lovely tradition! Love that idea to have a garden Xmas tree. Someone near us used to put giant baubles on a tree in their garden and I always thought it looked fab! 🎄
I never buy any of that xmas jumpers tea towels etc rubbish. I have some lovely decorations that I have collected over the years. I did see a nice plate in a pound shop with a winter scene of trees and a reindeer so I bought 4 at £1 each when I put the mince pies on it my daughter and sister in law said what a lovely plate I said yes it is isn't it left the room came back and gave them one each they were delighted with this cheap spontaneous present . Now every year the plate comes out.
I agree with every single thing you have said. Unfortunately Christmas has become so commercialised now so much pressure to be perfect
You have made me feel better , it is easy to feel pressure to buy all these things in order to have the 'perfect' Xmas x
Xmas treats aren’t just for Xmas day. I enjoy them well into the New Year. Same with PJ’s, it’s not just a Xmas eve/day thing. I also burn Xmas candles throughout November & December on these dark early evenings, and into January. I like the soy ones. A little candlelight is heavenly this time of year.
Same here 🎉 January is miserable enough cosy days treats candles fairy lights all the way into March 😂 obviously I've reluctantly taken my trees down 😂
There are definitely some things you can keep using, which is great if you can get more use out of them!
@@mw56-u6q I’ve seen people in America who leave their trees up until after Easter. The take the Christmas specific decorations off at some point in January and decorate it for Valentines or neutral winter. And then decorate it for Easter. I quite like that idea and would be tempted except my tree is visible in my sitting room to anyone driving down the lane or walking past. I’m too embarrassed.
Me and my partner buy 1-2 new Christmas ornaments a year, which represent the year that we've had. Sometimes there are things we have brought from trips and traveling that aren't necessarily Christmasy :) Though we do something pick up an ornament that we just really love and find joy in!
That's a lovely tradition, then every year you remember where you got them from:)
I bought a fake 4 ft tree and got it on sale for 3.75 .
Its good enough in my room for r ent
Both my parents,are in their late 80s, they don't really need for anything so the last few yrs I've put money on their electric meter
Fabulous idea.
I think the yankee candle 'the night before christmas' isnt to be taken literally and just is using part of the christmas rhyme🤣 good vid tho and totally makes sense.
Yes can burn it from end of Nov until the new year. X
Every year, my lovely MIL used to buy all her kids/in laws one of those 'your horoscope' books for the year to come ($5 or $6 I think) and a box of seashell chocolates. Those chocolates happened to be my favourites so I loved them but astrology was a 'meh' for me - she passed away a few years ago, but I always associate those little gifts with Christmas and my MIL, and anytime I get those chocolates (or buy them for myself) I immediately think of her. And that's what Christmas should be!
LOL, I have Christmas pyjamas that I pretty much wear all year round, except for the summer cause they’re thicker ones but still 😂 you can very much still wear Christmas pyjamas outside of Christmas
Thanks for the tips………..it’s true less is more!
Love this. We encouraged our family to do secret santa last year for all the reasons you've described, and they did it.. but also bought me, my husband and son extra presents! They couldn't stick to just one!
With you on the pjs, bought my children a matching set for their Christmas eve box, but I realised it was for one photo. My young son will wear Christmas pjs all year round, my teen daughter will not. So exchanged hers for red check button ups, my son won't wear them.....
So they won't be matching but it won't be such a waste. And you are spot on with the theme for decorations, our tree is mainly silver and light blue, every year I buy 2 or 3 quality glass baubles to add interest and replace damaged ones, and I love our tree as much now as when I first got the silver decs nearly 20 years ago
Every Christmas I get a large cardboard box filled with old crumpled newspaper and create a lucky dip. Throughout the day everyone takes turns grabbing a gift. Some of them are named others just random. It’ll include tasks like do a rolly polly,draw a picture of Santa ,they’ll be some paper scissors and a pen and the instructions to create a snowflake, solve this maths problem, they’ll be a wrapped banana, a potato, a toilet roll, little joke toys and sweets,a jam jar with ingredients to make a magic potion. It’s family fun and keeps the kids and grandparents entertained while waiting for food and tbh the kids enjoy that as much as their toys
As I get older spending time with family and friends is the best gift. It’s great to say remember when then have a good laugh about it.
Great advice, I would like to suggest, when you have done some baking to take it to work. Pop in your normal ordinary tin/container or the tupperware box and make a small purchase of christmas serviette. Choose a design that pops christmas . Normal a few pounds from any store. A quick easy way to be festive without the christmas theme tin you will use once maybe twice a year. Left over serviette I use all year when packing a packed lunch , they are only a paper product that has a job and they will.make you smile or pop them in the christmas box for next year.
Excellent video and I agree with your list completely. The advent calendars with tiny cosmetics add so much waste to landfills. I have not done cards for years now, with the exception of 2 people for whom cards are super important. Our tree is hung with 50+ years worth of memories in the form of assorted, not matching or themed ornaments. As I unwrap each one to hang up, I travel back in time for a moment or two.
Hi just found your channel...i was definitely with you on everything you mentioned ( especially the matching family pajamas....like you said, my husband would rather poke his eyes out with a burnt stick...than wear maching pajamas 😄🤷🏼♀️)
I so agree with everything you said! The world has gone mad. Christmas has been atound since August and the shops are full of Christmas tat! My personal bete noir is also Christmas Eve boxes. What is that about.? Again influencers touting nonsense. I was a teacher and parents used to be in turmoil about how much they needed to spend on their children! It has got out of hand. I am boycotting all Christmas vlogs on youtube. I warched yours because you are talking sense. Well done!
Agree, what on earth are these Christmas Eve boxes for!? Daft.
The Xmas consumerism push is intense isn't it? We did Xmas Boxes one year and honestly it was basically like doing a whole other stocking, and I felt it took the glow off Xmas morning a little bit.
From what I've seen on tv Christmas eve boxes should contain (and I quote)festive pyjamas, slippers fluffy dressing gown or "oodie"" type thing, a DVD some hot chocolate and a can't cane or chocolate Santa.*candy. Shock, if that's in there, what on earth are those lucky children getting yo open the next morning.?
Why not do what works for you? If minimalist approach makes you happy go for it. Our family has loved decorating with lights and ornaments passed down, we make handmade decorations, and we feel the joy Christmas decorating inspires ❤
In our house the gift doesn't matter, it's the fun of gift-giving. So you may end up with a pair of socks, a handkerchief, a pen etc., but it's the gathering, the sharing of food and that joy that matters to us. As long as there is a wrapped token under the tree, everyone is happy. We spend our time talking together, eating together, playing silly board games that we only pull out, only during the Christmas season.
A few years ago I made myself a deal that I wouldn't buy ANY Christmas decor in the days leading up to Christmas but if I found I was truly lamenting not having something I would allow myself to purchase it for the next Christmas immediately after Christmas on sale. This helps with delay of gratification and if I still really want it for a full year away then I probably do really want it. I would NEVER follow any sort of Christmas trend like the special themed trees. Another way to cut down on cost is asking family members to bring their own drinks to share or that coffee, tea or water will be provided.
So much of our Christmas decor is actually 23 to 55 years old. I haven’t bought anything lately. It’s the newer stuff I tend to declutter.
Do yourself a favour, buy 2 long, strong storage boxes for your tree. I wanted one person to be able to manage them. As we get older it is harder to realize or concede one day you may need help. I enjoy setting up the tree now. I take time to label and place it in the box just so.
👍🏻🇨🇦
@@michellestmarentette.antoi5904 that is such a good idea, our cardboard box is about to give up! I’ll show you guys in December when I get the tree down, it has survived a long time.
Be extra kind to yourself. Aging is a process and it is okay to ask for help! You truly know who your friends are when you ask, and they come to your aid happily.
I was amazed at the stuff you mentioned that people actually buy. Who would buy plates, towels & clothes that are used for 1-2 weeks. Incredible. As for decorations, the whole
point is to bring out the old favourites year after year. That is what I liked as a child. The meal with family is the best thing.
Honestly the amount of stuff in the shops that is Xmas specific, they must be confident they will sell.
I have a collection of Christmas novelty tea towels and 2 hand towels. I didn’t buy them. I also have some pretty Christmas mugs I didn’t buy. They all come out on 1 December and go away on 1st February so I get to use them. I class Christmas time as the same period. January is so gloomy. I leave my lights up. Sometimes my tree too.
I am the candle burner. I have a different Yankee Candle scent for each month: September (Harvest), October (Autumn Leaves), November (Spiced pumpkin) and December(Christmas Wreath). And yes, I do burn them through by the end of the month. This has been a tradition of mine for over 20 years. 😊
It's not the presents under the tree that are important, it's the people round it.
I do like a Xmas mug, have had the 2 same Emma Bridgewater holly mugs for over 30 years.
Come out end of Nov use till Jan, not a bad innings!
Don’t understand the new decorations every year, I like the memories and nostalgia old favourites bring 😊
The shops are Americanising us with matching pjs, Xmas Eve boxes, excess presents.
Not for me, see a friend for a drink or meal. Good company is the best gift for me!
I agree it is great to look forward to unpack a few of those special decorations you know you have and only see at this season. I have 4-5 favorite ones that hold a special place in my heart and make me smile when I see them around or on the tree. As a tip, if you do family or friends parties with dinner / lunch, ask around if everyone has a few items that can be used to level up your Xmas decor. My mother hosts Xmas lunch this year and I will bring Xmas napkins I've had for 12 years or so, a decorated serving tray, and red placemats (not Xmas-theme but right colors). If you have more persons coming, everyone can try to bring one thing and make the table and decor special. I love candles and burn them all year long but usually stay away from glass jar ones. Normal candles in various colours and style work perfectly and once they're done, nothing to stock or store away till next year.
I love your suggestions I do most already but I'm also not doing a starter this year as you suggested to make lunch a bit easier for me. I truly believe that what makes Christmas special is having your own traditions what ever they are be it watching the same movie every year or going to a carol service or walk on Christmas day they are not about what some influencer or the media tells you they should be. Have a very happy holiday with your family .
Yes 100%, it's all about those little routine things that make Christmas feel like Christmas to you, whether it's hanging up the decorations together or going for a Boxing Day walk. It's rarely about the stuff.
when I was at school I'm glad we didnot have the pressure of having to give gifts to teachers not that we werent thankful. Would a handmade thankyou card suffice made by the child rather than buying a gift that puts pressure on the child and parent/s especially with cost of living. Enjoying your tips especially I can easily get carried away with decorations and food that gets wasted and although I like the tins tell myself I dont need them.
@@rachelraw144 yes it really wasn’t a thing when I was at school to buy a gift. Just give a card. I think a handmade card is a really lovely idea 🎄❤️
My sister was a teacher in a really deprived area. The families didn't have 2 pennies to rub together. At Xmas and Easter my sister would get so much chocolate, much of it would end up going out of date, and getting thrown out. It used to really annoy me.
Christmas candles I agree with, to a point. However, an Advent Candle IS something I purchase each year! 🕯 ✨️
My first Christmas jumper was a ordinary jumper that I crotchet and knitted a snowman which I stitched onto the front. Last year I did buy (and Mum bought me one) Christmas jumpers. I dont think I will be buying anymore until these wear out... maybe when Im 100.
7 grandchildren so adults get a token present. Set myself a budget of around £10 and was so pleased everything I wanted was reduced to half price before Christmas! So most I spent was £6 per adult. My friend and I are avid readers and we always buy from charity shops so this year she has a £1 charity shop book I bought and read, knew she would love it and wrapped with a bar of chocolate! Either of us would be overjoyed with that. Bought myself a bottle of wine and a nice dessert with my savings. Lol. Cards and wrapping paper January sale and same decorations come out every year. I like candles but they aren’t Xmas ones. Mostly silver pots with tea lights in.
I have a adult gift budget, 50 euro per person. We are with 10 people so that is a large amount in total and that is more than enough
We get a real Christmas tree that we cut down every year from a local farm that's 10 mins down the road, we save the money we get from bottle returns all year to pay for it. It's a tradition and supporting a local business so worth it for us. As for decorations though we use the same thing for years. Old ornaments from childhood and things that the kids made over the years are really special. Food is smart buys or cheap. We get a free turkey with points etc. We're in Canada but this video popped up so not sure how things are different there.
Thanks! For the last decade or so I’ve reduced the pre-dinner “nibbles” to Chex Mix (Nuts & Bolts) and/or cheese with crackers. It’s plenty enough to keep people from starving until dinner is ready without going overboard. 😉
Yes it's so easy to go overboard on the pre-dinner nibbles, they all look so good! But it spoils the main meal.
Thanks! I haven't purchased sny Christmas gift bags this year as i had saved quite avfew ftom last Christmas. I was short of a few though but just put the gifts into brown paper bags i already had and tarted them up with ribbons and a nice gift tag 🎀
Me and my daughter (5) have made saltdough decorations that we are giving as part of the gift its something nice that she has made and it is a decoration for our loved ones tree.
Each year I reuse one or more of the Advent calendars from my childhood (paper calendars with only an illustration behind the window. I am in my 80's. My decorations are from the 1930s through 2022. Yes, it's all about nostalgia - the same decorations, cookies, etc. each year with a few new additions.
Love your videos...all sensible and logical.
@@clairekadesh8088 thank you so much for watching Claire 💕
My partner and I didnt buy real gifts for each other, we bought big theatre tickets (£128 each) to combine Christmas, V day and our anniversary in one. We bought some chocolates for each other, just to have something to unwrap, but no proper gifts.
I do love Christmas cards, but I try to get just the right amount and make sure they are recyclable!
I've also only had one Christmas jumper since maybe 2017. Santa is holding a beer and looking festive! No phrases to go out of fashion, no complicated stuff to fall off over the years. Just simple, good quality and classic - and I bought it secknd hand!!
Great video! 🙂 I’m looking at surgery sometime over Christmas, so we’re getting ready early. I’m making my own gift baskets for a select few adults in the family. We have some special needs adults. I buy high quality items on sale, and baskets and wrap at the local thrift store. If the basket looks a bit ratty, I spray paint it. One couple and we donate to a charity in the other’s name. Our limit is $50/person for Christmas. So far we’ve prepared 8 gifts for $265 CAD. I prefer giving to charity for the holiday season (and year round).
My kids get brand new pajamas on Christmas Eve and wear them all year 😊 they are usually just winter themed and not overtly Christmas so it’s still festive but reusable. Then they grow out of them but they were well used the whole year.
Most of the time I did use everything I got in beauty advent calendars but that’s only because I have a full on skincare obsession and I always check what’s in there and don’t buy it if I’m not going to use it all. I’ve also repurchased quite a few things from them too. Great video, thank you!
I grew up having a real tree each Christmas, but no longer have one every year. I love the smell of a “live” tree, but still have precious memories of the ones Daddy brought home. 🥰. I’m old now with not much family, and I have downsized to an apt so had to consciously think about what I really wanted to use and have…this included all of my Christmas stuff. I had so much it was ridiculous. I like my aesthetic now. It’s totally different from what I did when my sons were young and at home and that’s ok. It’s a calmer, more muted, neutral atmosphere.
Hiya, you are just spot on! I think we try to “buy” the feels and nostalgia, when really, it’s just remembering and focusing on what’s important to you. I remember, barely coz I’m as old as dirt now 😂, we were very poor as kids, we got some massive red balloons as a gift, sounds really sad, but I can honestly say, we had the best time with those flipping balloons! I’ve no idea what kind they were, not normal ones. ❤🎈🎈🎈🖐🏻✨🎄 ps, I did buy a beautiful stoneware mug, with a hand drawn Christmas tree on……50p! 😂😂😂
I love that image of kids going crazy with their Christmas balloons. 😄
@@sheilaenglish9738 😘
Using things beyond the Christmas period, if I buy Christmas pajamas then the family just carry on using them beyond Christmas. Also extra cards, wrapping paper, candles, anything Christmas that can be boxed up for next year I do
Agree with so many of these points! This year Im making a commitment to buy from small buisness' - practical things that peope want! And Im dedicated to finding at least the stocking fillers in charity shops!
@@hmg191 yes that’s so lovely! I’ve found some gorgeous things for the kids from small biz, they are so creative ❤️
very sensible ..having said that when you said you got a rocking horse my envy level when up to maximum! At 69 I still wish I had got a rocking horse g horse one christmas…there were 4 of us so totally impractical and fat to expensive but I could dream! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas ❤
When we were first married instead of exchanging gifts we got a present for the house, something we needed or needed replacing. Later on we went on weekend trips to places we both wanted to see.
4:31 I so agree to the decor bit. I mean, one or two new pieces per year may be fine, that way you can remember each year in a bauble, but not a whole new set of everything just because you want to do a different theme that year.
I have the problem that I am never prepared for the extra expenditure that starts every November, because every year I forget to save up for it. So I am having to budget hard, but hopefully I can stick to the budget this and next month. 🤞🏻
Great video!!! I agree with most of your ideas. Adults and kids make a wishlist in August so that everyone gets something they want or need. My family also saves all year for Christmas. Here in America, gift cards don't expire, so we get those in advance. We get gift cards for restaurants and grocery stores in advance, so our Christmas dinner is already paid for. Christmas decorations, Christmas trees, wreaths, Christmas ornaments, Christmas plates, etc., are reused every year. We do a Christmas kickoff box that we all get when we put up our artificial Christmas tree. It's contains a Christmas decoration, a Christmas ornament, a Christmas movie, a Christmas book, and an advent calendar. Then, when my kids move out, they have their own Christmas stuff to start off with. We don't buy or bake a lot of goodies either. My kids get overwhelmed with too much food and won't eat any of the treats then. We do buy some snacks/treats and bake a little bit, though.
I love the idea of a Christmas Kickoff box.
I bought my first beauty advent calendar last year, and can honestly say I used (and am still using) everything, except for one fake tan spray thing - I’ll probably never use that… but to be fair I never buy high-end beauty products (except my normal moisturiser & spf), so it was a super treat for myself. I got another one this year, let’s see if I use it all again or if it will be product overload :D
We stopped buying Christmas cards two years ago and have gifted money to either Crisis or The Salvation Army so that a homeless person has a bed for the night, a Christmas dinner and a doctor and dentist check up. Cards just get chucked after December but at least we’ve helped someone to have a bit of comfort for Christmas. On a note about the candles, I don’t get it. To me they are for when there is a power cut, 😅