13 Holiday Purchases That Are Literally Never Worth The Money
Вставка
- Опубліковано 6 сер 2024
- Click here to join the Society at TFD at the $4.99 tier to get access to our members-only bonus videos, monthly office hours with Chelsea, book club meetings, and more! ua-cam.com/users/thefinanciald...
Chelsea breaks down the worst holiday spending we all engage in, from the wasteful (disposable decorations) to the downright irresponsible (gifting a pet with no input!).
Source links:
mint.intuit.com/blog/money-et...
www.news10.com/holidays/study...
www.psychologytoday.com/us/bl...
nymag.com/strategist/article/...
mashable.com/article/how-to-s...
thekrazycouponlady.com/tips/m...
www.lamag.com/culturefiles/fa...
hpforbiddenforestexperience.c...
www.humanesociety.org/sites/d...
couponfollow.com/research/roi...
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @thefinancialdiet
The Financial Diet site:
www.thefinancialdiet.com
Facebook: / thefinancialdiet
Twitter: / tfdiet
Instagram: thefinancia... - Навчання та стиль
Forget what Chelsea says, I give anyone full permission to buy me a house for Christmas.
..with a new car in the garage! 🚙
Same here
😂😂😂 best comment
@@wesleywalker4709 don't forget to ask for the taxes to be covered!!!!
I'd agree, property taxes, home insurance, and mortgage aside.....
“Don’t buy someone a car or house for Christmas”
If I had gift a house money I never would have found TFD in the first place.
I didn't even know people gave these types of things away as "gifts." 😳
@@TomikaKelly Me neither! I thoughts were just socks and candles lol.
I was like where are these people and how do I become friends with them XD (provided everything is fully paid).
Exactly! If someone had the money to buy me a house - or even gave me money to pay my rent for a few years or for life - I wouldn't occasionally watch this channel!
Using cranberries to decorate? Girl. GIRL. Have you priced those recently?! Also, we reuse that sparkly plastic garland for years until it falls apart. “One time use” stuff is almost always reusable if you don’t treat it like you’re getting ready to toss it.
Yeah! I even reuse wrapping paper and gift bags. Some look better than other, but I explain to the ppl i give them to that I am trying to reuse and be more enviormentally friendly!
I sometimes pack it in with tote bags and clothing too. Oh and newspapers!
🤣😂🤣
Not the cranberries 🤣😂🤣
Was thinking of this - in school especially we had sparkly garland and those accordion-type paper decorations that you'd see year after year. They were cheap but definitely were forced to have mileage! And my parents definitely reused christmas ribbons and bows both for wrapping *and* decor. Fun stuff to have if you're not budgeted to buy new every year (to long as you have the reasonable storage space to keep it!)
I grew up with the same box of decorations being used year after year after year, and the only reason we no longer have it is because we moved across the ocean and weren't sure that delicate glass would survive the trip. I've used the same k-mart tree we bought for almost 20 years now and same with a lot of my ornaments and stuff. sometimes unfortunately I break them, so we did buy a bunch of new one here and there and replaced lights once, but like.... these things do not need to be disposable. Even tinsel is reusable, I just pluck it off and store it in sandwich bags.
@@drodlaren We have some gift bags that have been in the family for years. They are almost their own Christmas decoration and we all wonder/look forward to who's going to get the pink Victoria's Secret bag this year, lol.
Also decorations made from food could be a nightmare for anyone with pets and/or a pest problem. Hell, someone renting could get in trouble with their landlord if a problem develops and people know who strung up real popcorn for Christmas.
Paper chains might be a better option, use scrap paper and let the kids decorate them. And/or shop thrift stores, garage sales, etc. for used Christmas decorations. It's rare I see a yard sale without a table of holiday stuff.
The special hell is reserved for people who take animals to shelters after Xmas.
100% And for those that "breed" them especially for the holidays, knowing they will be discarded like garbage.
Yeah I live in the country and I know in about 6-8 months the "got too big" dogs will be getting dropped off to wander 😭
Who does that???
@Jazzie Red terrible people who get their 4 year old a puppy or kitten completely forgetting these animals are living beings that need care, attention, and generally some level of training. These parents think it's a cute idea, but when the reality sets in and they realize they can't actually care properly for the animal (or they deem the animal "inconvenient") they drop the animal off at a shelter or have the animal killed. These people all deserve to go to the special hell (the parents/adults doing this, not the children)
The pressure to spend money on people is insane
So true. My mom legit texted me that I could get her new husband (not my stepdad) a gift card to Lowe's "if I want" for Christmas. I don't really feel like I need there be reciprocity in gift giving but I'm like...this is a 60 year old man who's never given me a gift, is retired, and just renovated his home. He doesn't need $30 from me to go to Lowe's. I need that $30 to buy dog food or pay for gas. Just bc I got my mom something for Xmas, she thinks I should also do the same for him, as if me not giving him anything is not okay. Lol.
@@jampsonn1826 i feel you so much. i just stopped shopping. period. it sucks and ppl look at you weird. and it helps i have a small family but still eventually one day i'll re-introduce gifts slowly, intentionally and in my own way, *if i want* i get so resentful of the idea that you are EXPECTED to spend money. sorry Chelsea, gift giving is not my love language.
Not me 🙃
@Rocio Iribe so true! I did the same and really only buy gifts for my mom, bf, and occasionally a close friend And even then, it's with intention and thought. I can be into gift giving if I find something I know someone will actually appreciate and use, but I'm not here for giving gifts just bc of a holiday
God forbid you derive joy from anything aside doing things for yourself and think of others..
DO NOT SLEEP ON THRIFTING FOR HOLIDAY DECOR ITEMS. I saved so much money this year by thrifting holiday decor. A lot of people get rid of really good quality pieces.
I hate that people think cash is too impersonal, I don't need more crap I need to pay my rent!
Totally, one of the best gifts I ever got was a crisp $100 bill in a nice envelope. A boss of mine did that for all his employees at Christmas. A wonderful gift and I rarely see $100 bills so it felt really special.
My family makes sure to tell each other exactely what we want for Christmas (down to sharing webshop-links).
None of us are mindreaders, and we don't want to waste money (or pollute the environment) on unwanted gifts.
One of my friends has taken on a cute idea for matching Christmas PJs for her family: She gets everyone just a plain gray sweatshirt, and buys patches for significant events from that year to iron on (like ones for places they've travelled, sports the kids played, etc). Its so personalized, like a little time capsule for the year, and she plans on making them into a t-shirt quilt for everyone once they outgrow them and have accumulated enough.
My personal favorite holiday money saver and waste reducer is to get a set of holiday stamps. I save all my brown paper over the year that accumulates from shipped items (which can be ironed with a regular iron if its gotten wrinkled btw) and just stamp it for the appropriate holiday. A great way to still decorate it if you have no drawing or painting skills like I do!
Oh that's clever!
I love your wrapping idea! We’re getting through the two rolls of wrapping paper my boyfriend has had over the past few years, but I’m excited to get to the “brown paper packages” stage (and then we can ensure it’s recycled!). In a few years!
Brilliant!
@@kierafinneke5828 I still have some super pretty wrapping paper (I used to work at a print shop that made gorgeous designs) that I get extra milage out of by only using it as an accent on brown paper packages, like a band of it or part of the pattern cut out and glued on. It adds a bit of color without needing those plastic bows or anything.
If you get a newspaper with comics they make good wrapping paper too.
Y'all. The secret to decorating your house for Christmas is thrifting old decorations. Many times vintage decorations are cute and if they've made it to a thrift store shelf they've usually proven their durability. The sheer amount of decorations that end up in the bins at goodwill retail would shake you. Hell just drive around a well off neighborhood after Christmas and you'll find 15 perfectly good trees on the curb
Wait, people are curb-trashing artificial trees?? Wtaf
I get so much of my Christmas decor from the goodwill bins!
Same for Christmas pajamas. My kids get thrifted every year for under $10. Sometimes I can even get matching ones, but if not I can still get similar ones that look nice together. I also don’t understand why people wouldn’t wear Christmas pajamas year round. Coming from someone who grew up and still is lower middle class, pajamas are pajamas. 🤷🏼♀️
Yeah, key word well off. Well off people just don't care
I gave a gift recently I thought was a good idea but, then I started to feel worried it was dumb. My daughter moved into her own apartment recently and life is expensive, so I built her 2 care packages. 1 basket full of personal items, like her favorite shampoo, condition, body wash, razors, etc… the other full of house items like detergent, softener sheets, cleaning products, etc. My daughter was very happy to receive these because, she could use all the stuff in the baskets. Turned out being a good idea. 😅
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆
I've done much the same when friends move. Basket or bin for reuse filled with first days needs like various paper products, cleaning supplies, hand soap, night light, note pads and pens, etc.
I love putting together baskets like that and people love them as gifts! People should not underestimate giving functional gifts versus the expensive perfume that stinks, the expensive coffee machine that never gets used, etc.
That's a really great gift, especially coming from a mother. Makes you feel taken care of:). My mother lives in another city and I don't see her that often but when I visit her she always packs me detergent/cleaning supplies/body wash and things like chocolate. Makes me think of her every time I use it!
I wish my family would just stop all the gift-giving, personally. Ever since I moved out and got a 700 square foot apartment on my own, I’ve been acutely aware of STUFF. Doesn’t help that my father is remarrying and his fiancée is trying to move out of her house and give all her stuff to me. Can’t say how many times I’ve rolled my eyes (in my head) and said, “I don’t need that flower pot/heated mattress pad/old chair,” etc. I feel like I’m constantly at war with clutter, and now Christmas is coming around, meaning the clutter will compound and a lot of stuff I’m getting for Christmas is inevitably heading for the Goodwill because I simply don’t have space for it. Gift cards to restaurants, spa days, and electronic entertainment are all fine. That sweater that doesn’t fit, alcohol when I don’t drink, or umpteenth pair of socks or hand-knitted scarf? NO! But seriously, if all the gifting just stopped and we sat down and had a nice meal together, and watched a cool film…why can’t that just be enough? Then you can spend your holiday money on something YOU know you really want and need, instead of crap that you feel obliged to give others, and they feel obliged to give you.
Preach! My husband and I share a 700 sq ft apt. I can’t with the holiday presents. I’d much rather talk to loved ones on the phone, share a meal, watch a movie, go for a walk. Those are true gifts. We got flak from our moms for not putting up Christmas decor, but where are we going to store it for 10 months?
@@blancaaaestela Exactly. And it’s kind of what’s nice about a small place - you feel less inclined to buy things, because you’re always thinking, “Okay, where am I gonna put this?” Not to mention cleaning takes an hour and a half max. But sometimes my father will tell me, “Store this,” or “Just put this away - you might need it one day!” And I’m like, “if I need something like this in the future” - usually something cheap - “I’ll just buy it again. Don’t have the space to store it.” Most of that stuff, by the way, I’ve never needed again. My dad is a Boomer, and I don’t think he really understands Millennial/Gen Z aversion to clutter. But yeah - Christmas is a nightmare for a budding minimalist like myself!
Less eye rolling, more bluntly but politely informing her you don't want her stuff. Maybe not so subtly gift her a copy of the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up or The Gentle Art of Swedish Death cleaning 😂
I hate gift giving. Both my family and in laws live in our hometown so we have a 7 hour drive every holiday. It would be a much better experience if we didn’t have to worry about and lug over a bunch of gifts and also take back a bunch of random gifts. I feel so old saying this, but I really just want to enjoy the time with family rather than take my time and emotional labor hunting down and preparing gifts.
And 2 years ago, my mom bought 3 air fryers in hopes to give one to me and one to my aunt, but neither of us want one to add to kitchen clutter. She still keeps trying to talk us into it like an infomercial.
I only give gifts to the kids in my life. Makes the holidays much less stressful.
I got a tea advent calendar several years ago, loved it, and I now reuse the box as a way to get through some of my large tea stash through the holiday season. I make tags for the different teas I have, distribute them between the 24 days, and have tea every day from my existing stash. Absolutely worth the initial investment.
I also got a second box the second year for my sister and when she finished it I took the box back and now use it for my cats advent calendar snacks. XD
Some advent calendars really are the gifts that keep on giving.
‘Do not buy an animal’ 👏🏻 thanks for advocating on this too 💗
I'm a teacher at a high-priced private school, and our parents are very generous with the gifts every year, but they're usually more generic ones. If you're looking for gifts for teachers, postal workers, other people you don't know very well, luxury socks are actually pretty great, imo. Most people need socks, but won't splurge on themselves to get cashmere or something like that, but they do feel so much nicer than polyester acrylic shit. Cookies or candy is nice, and even if it's a kind I don't like I get the enjoyment of sharing it with others. And this might just be a me thing, but little notebooks or journals are always handy to have around.
So, I agree with you in general about the "fuzzy things and candles", but I did literally ask any extended relative that wanted to get me a gift this year to just do candles or chocolate because it's easy, disposable and I don't feel bad about not wearing the very cute hat they got me that just looks awful on me because I am not that kind of trendy
In Europe, a wine bottle is very good because it's a fongible item. You can drink it, you can bring it to another party, and it can stay in your pentry for ages. Noboby drinks only a certain type of wine, plus if you find it cheap, just put it in the food next time you make a coq au vin or a risotto (depanding on the color).
For me truly one of the best gift possible.
Point number 6 brings up something that I’ve come to really dislike about western sustainability culture. Who said that cheap plastic garlands are a one time use item? Pack them into a box along with the rest of your decorations and use them again next year. They’ll look just as good. The same goes for things like fast fashion, these things are only disposable if we treat them as such. Our purchases are only as sustainable as our mindset and manner of using are. Buy things you actually want, and take good care of them.
Not that I disagree with what Chelsea is saying here though! Just wanted to add this to the conversation regarding cheap decor and clothes.
I agree completely. I've had clothes from fast fashion stores that have lasted me over a decade now just because I try to take good care of them. Of course some cheaper made clothing falls apart over time, but a lot of it will last a while. Also, I've had a pair of Christmas jammies that I've worn throughout the years for over 6 years now. I'll rock flannel in July!
right? I can see a 20 something throwing it all out because they may not even live in the same place next Christmas but in general, who is throwing it all out immediately?
I'm pretty sure we have some shiny plastic garland from the 90's, still going strong. I also have a shirt from Forever 21 that I still wear that I'm almost sure I bought in 2009 for $10
I once made the mistake on gifting a nice craft beer to someone who was unknowingly an alcoholic. He downed the 16 oz bottle in less than 3 minutes on my back porch and then attempted to drive his truck home (Obviously we didn't let that happen) and I pledged to never gift alcohol again.
Alcohol was always in my familys white elephant. They let us kids play which was weird. If a kid was stuck with it, we would by defalut have to give it to a parent and be left with nothing. Now that all us kids are of drinking age, almost all the white elephant gifts are alcohol or a sex toy. Not fun or original. Call me boring, but a nice box of chocolates, earbuds, and a hydroflask were some of the best white elephant gifts I ever got.
@@borkbork4124 we have the same problem in our family. Three gifts of alcohol and my husband doesn't drink it (by choice, not by problem). I don't understand including a gift that somebody couldn't enjoy. It's basically like including a box of peanuts when somebody is deathly allergic. They will have no use for it!
My grandfather gave me a kitten for my 9th birthday. He did not ask my parents first and gave her to me when they were away for the weekend (and we were in his care) and nobody could take her away from me. They were ready to kill him.
I hope you were able to properly care for her after that
My elderly neighbor gave me a puppy...one of my worst childhood experiences. I hope cats are easier somehow. Consider me traumatized. And how dare my dad let me keep it!
I love cats but that's a really inappropriate gift for a kid. What was he thinking?
Great content. You took a position on holiday consumption, you supported that position with reason, logic and your personal sense of morality. And you listed concrete, actionable alternatives to problematic behaviors. This is so refreshing after watching the interview with "The Minimalists".
I'm lucky to have moved to Norway where second hand stores are crammed with creepy, pretty, old-school decorations that I buy a little of every year. This is the land of Christmas! Perhaps I have one too many disturbing Christmas trolls and dolls now dotted around my house that I will find in unexpected places in the middle of the night next year, but it definitely feels magical to have second-hand ornaments with all its history and charm :)
Our late dog was the result of a careless puppy purchase!
A long time ago, my spouse’s brother’s friend bought a puppy for a crush. Yep, that was his move lol.
It turns out someone in the friend’s crush’s family was allergic & the friend’s family didn’t want the puppy. So he dropped off the puppy with my spouse’s brother “temporarily” & said he’d figure out another home situation. But he never came back for the puppy!!
So my spouse ended up raising him for 12 years (& I got to live with him for the last 3 years before he passed 🐾🌈).
Worked out for us because we loved that dog so much, but can you imagine buying & abandoning a puppy? Who does that?
Do people not just where their Christmas pj's all year round? It's all the same when you're asleep
I wear mine all winter. Where I live the temperature changes are extreme, so they wouldn’t do for summer, but I wear them all winter along.
I wear mine fall, winter, spring. I like the Old Navy flannel because the tall size are long enough for me. Most others fit me until the first wash lol. But the Old Navy patterns are usually holiday themed. I don’t care. They cover my ankles and that is all I care about!
Add the toys for kids that they didn't want or cheap, plastic toys that break immediately.
If you are stuck at a white elephant or secret Santa for someone you dont know, like at work, where you would give the fuzzy socks/bad candles, I recommend a big pack of 2 plty toilet paper. You get points for a bit of humor but something that is actually going to be used
Damn I wish you'd posted this a few days ago!
I would personally get slightly disappointed at how impersonal it is, but all for giving something that’ll be used!! Love the sentiment
@@drodlaren I like it for white elephant, but I'd be annoyed if it was given for secret Santa 😂
This is a fabulous idea for a white elephant gift, but definitely not for a secret Santa.
I love white elephant gift swaps! I always find some mildly useful junk in my house that someone else might like
I absolutely believe some people spend over $200 on decor. My husband works for our local dump and he says people tossing their entire Christmas tree away, including lights and ornaments, is very common.
Every once in awhile I get reminded some people have a much more disposable mindset than I do
It's shockingly common. I encourage people to check their local dump site at the begging of December and after Christmas. I could decorate 15 houses with the stuff Ive seen left in parking lots and on the curb with the trash can. I often joke with my friends that I live a scavenger lifestyle and haven't bought a new appliance in 3 years because I just get them at the dumpsite.
😮
Thrift stores are packed with this stuff, especially right after Christmas.
+
I zero problem wearing my Christmas Jammies year 'round
sam. I don't actualy have any non christmas jammies, mostly cause christmas ones were on REALLY deep sale so I bought a few pairs and have been wearing them year round for the last 5 or so years and will continue to do so for as long as they remain wearable /shrug
A few years ago, we got our daughter a puppy for Christmas. By that, I mean a family puppy. Because we wanted another dog and had talked about it months ahead of time. The big box she was in is now a yearly decoration.
Don’t worry, she was in it all of about three seconds since we had the kiddo distracted long enough for me to put a bitty 4-pound pup in a box with a lid, which pup almost immediately knocked off in front of the kiddo. We thought about how long she’d be in it, and her comfort even if just for a few seconds. So it’s a really big box.
I think for a family that already has a pet and knows they want and can handle a second pet or who has recently lost one due to illness or old age, it's completely acceptable to introduce the new furry friend as part of the festivities. Since a pet was going to be brought into the family anyway, it's just a matter of the timing and making the introduction more festive. However! A brand new puppy will add TONS of chaos to an already chaotic day so that should be considered and if the family doesn't enjoy high stress situations, perhaps a "gift certificate" to go to the shelter and pick the new family member after the new year is the way to go.
@@heatherkaye6362 I love the gift certificate for a shelter animal idea.
(With the emphasis that it was something the people would have done anyway, just adding an extra fun flavour by taking advantage of the holiday timing)
@@OdinsSage Also a certificate allows to decline the offer!
Don't listen to her! Someone please buy me a Fort Greene brownstone for Christmas!
Nope. Grow up.
@@CordeliaWagner you've inspired me to perform a random, anonymous act of kindness for someone in my town. Whatever you believe, I hope your holiday season is filled with positivity and love.
Right hahah I dream of a home too
Love candles as gifts myself. Because I regularly use and burn them. I love a candle, diffuser, or a luxurious hand soap because I know it'll get used.
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆.
Buying someone a house or car is like when Willoughby gave Marianne a horse in Sense and Sensibility
Love the reference, well done! 👏
Chelsea's still rocking some of the best hair on UA-cam.
Hard agree.
And that blouse is awesome! Sorry, Chelsea, I really was listening to what you were saying, but I was admiring your blouse the whole time!
Agree, it kinda reminds me of the fifties. It looks great on her
Yess
I'd add a new phone to the list unless you know exactly what the person wants.
Good one! Electronics in general can be a person gift. Same for makeup, skin/hair care, clothes, purses, some jewelry.
A tip for wrapping paper… I use it to pack up delicate items like glass ornaments and the like.
So many good points here.
I love giving gifts (and am really good at it) but I actually hate receiving them from people who just feel obligated to buy me something so I've opted out of all of my family gathering gift exchanges because I don't want to receive useless plastic garbage, or worse, alcohol. I don't drink because I think it's gross and when I receive alcohol it only makes it clearer that the person gifting to me doesn't know me at all.
I spend $200-300 a year on sugar, flour, chocolate and butter and make everyone treat boxes instead. IMO that's far more personal than something Bezos dropped off at my door.
My sister has piles of her children's art from daycare that she uses as wrapping paper. She obviously keeps and puts up the nicest art, but otherwise, it's really colourful art that can be really nice as wrapping paper (especially paintings from the 1 and 2 year olds that look very abstract)
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆.
That’s SUCH a great idea!!!
Are there really people that won’t wear holiday pajamas throughout the course of the year? I’m definitely still wearing my Hanukkah pajamas in March lol
Exactly! They’re pajamas and can be worn all year, no matter what theme they are!
Yes, especially if they're good quality. I like Lands' End pajamas, and the holiday ones are usually the least expensive when they're on sale, so 🤷🏾♀
Right? Who's gonna see and judge you for wearing reindeer-covered pajamas in june?
@@yltraviole i honestly feel like by the time winter rolls around again I’ve completely worn out my old jammies lol
Almost at 1M subs! I remember I subbed when y'all were at 300K. Congrats on the growth!
I haaaaaaaaaaaaate receiving Filler Gifts. Can we stop that practice forever?
These past two years I've actually told my whole family on no uncertain terms that I don't want anything for Christmas and the quiet reason behind it is that I don't want filler gifts
I tell people that unless you see something you'd just HAVE to get me even if it wasn't the holidays, please don't. My house is too small. I only have one friend that respects it because she feels the same so some years we exchange gifts, some years we don't, this is a year that I got her something perfect but I know she's not adding to my clutter.
I get fuzzy socks and candles and soap every year but that's because my people know me and they gift me awesome wax candles and handmade socks and amazingly scented soap because they know I love these kind of luxuries but I am in no position right now to buy them frequently
Me too
I think this is a very good idea. You will always need socks and soap, and candles can be helpful someday (in case you don’t use it as a scent).
I live in the Midwest where we have long winter and dress for comfort. I'll be wearing my snowman pj bottoms in March/April.
One way you can avoid getting caught to fake holiday markdowns is if you got the extension honey, you can look at the price history of the item for up to the last 120 days
Gas gift cards are always a slam dunk!
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆
Your checky little sarcastic comments are exactly the thoughtful (and free!) gift I didn't even I know from you this year. Thanks Chelsea and TFD team- happy holidays and a prosperous new year to all you fabulous ladies!
I've started using gift bags more for Christmas, they're beautiful and you can keep them for next year
I love socks as gifts!
I do too! When I buy socks for myself I tend to just buy super functional running socks that are pretty exepensive. If someone wanted to buy me running socks or even floofy fuzzy glittery socks with swans on them I would LOVE that.
Exactly, the east coast socks are useful!
I love socks with a cute or funny pattern, definitely the best stocking filler. Everything that’s deemed stocking fillers is actually really nice; socks, candles, soap etc. Little things that make your everyday life a little bit happier.
Chelsea be quiet I want someone to buy me a car (fully paid) 😂😂😂😂😂
There is no way I believe that the average person has two subscription boxes.
does netflix, spotify etc also count as a subscription box or not? bc if not, that would indeed be unlikely (i think) to have an average of 2 subscription boxes pp
I think people who are into subscription boxes are REALLY into them and skew the averages…
I used to. Cancelled all of em.
Meal subscription boxes seem very popular and common, then add in one more for fun and you’re at two. It’s wild how many types there are, I can see some people getting really carried away.
I know 1 person who has 2. One for clothes and 1 for the dog
Or have quality decor that you can reuse for years. Don't let these UA-cam decorators convince you that you need completely brand new christmas decor every year.
I love gift cards and practical gifts.
I think the most wasteful thing is not listening to give the type of gifts that people like because people may think it's uncouth. Well, all those jewelry sets I usually get and you give to me because you guys find that thoughtful are oftentimes sold or given away because that's not what's needed but that step that I requested and received like 8 years ago, still going strong and I still think about her when I used it up until it broke.
Buying someone a pet as a gift is really bad; same thought process of giving someone a car as a gift; “heres something that requires a bunch of time, care, maintenance, and excess money from YOU in order to keep, Merry Christmas!” Lmaoo
In college, a friend knew I was thinking about adopting a cat. And he invited me to his room one night to “surprise” me with a rescue from another student. Lucy was a Maine Coon cat and spent the next 18 years with me. That friend fell by the wayside, but Lucy was the love of my life - moved to many apartments in many states, took care of me through kidney failure, dialysis, a kidney transplant and later graduate school. Pets shouldn’t be presents, but in my case she was the greatest gift - next to my kidney. ❤
@@emiliabolsas glad it worked out for you ❤️ I definitely wanna get a cat sometime next year but I gotta prepare and get all the supplies first
Doing a no gifts Christmas this year (with consent lol) and feeling so relieved 😂
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆.
Awesome advice as always. Thanks tfd
I saw the pajamas in the icon and was ready to get my feelings hurt ‘cause my mom gets me a new set of pajamas every year for Christmas and while its way too many pajamas I TREASURE them. When you said family matching pajamas I let out a sigh of relief that my pajamas made it out without a scratch.
I do like the beauty advent calendars. It's a great way to try a product without having committing to a full size version. I can decide if I like it, and if I do then I buy a bigger one, and if I don't, I'm not wasting as much. It's also a great way to try something that I might only want for a short time like seasonal colors. Sometimes the makeup I get is enough and a full size could be more than I will use.I really like the Bare Minerals Count Down. I find them to be quite practical for me.
i love using fabric to gift wrap, i got scarves from the 1€ bin at the thrift store and use the furoshiki japanese wrapping techniques. the giftee can keep it to wear or wrap other gifts or give it back to me :) i think it's cute
I think the baby boomers were the first to Amp up the Christmas spending. I remember small handmade and thoughtful gifts from my grandma and great aunts. My parent boomers however really expect something that is large store-bought and is accompanied by a store bought card. If they don't get what they want they get upset. I'm sure the younger generations who grew up with these newer standards can imagine nothing else. Luckily my great aunts and uncles were long lived.
My grandparents freaked out over getting an orange during the depression. One orange. Things are out of control. I know the after WW2 boom changed things. People became bigger consumers.
Aww I remember my grandma would knit socks or mittens each year, a $20 bill when we were older and a tin of chocolates for the family to share. I always looked forward to those chocolates and would even make stained glass style crafts with the wrappers. I never felt deprived.
Yes!
My boomer parents bought me a lot of stuff for Christmas because they each had a bunch of siblings, mostly wore hand me downs, and didn't get a lot on Christmas or birthdays. It's cyclical. Clearly there's a swing towards less among younger generations who did receive a lot of things.
That makes sense, at least for people in the USA because people in that generation, people on average were more wealthy than peoppe before. It was a more optimistic time. The US christmas culture became a bigger deal during that time. That's why most of the Christmas music we hear now is either from the 50s or remakes of songs from the 50s. (The christmas music thing also has to do with the fact that a lot of christmas traditions in the USA are german and the USA is was no longer at war with germany)
I think candles, bath salts, pretty socks, fancy food items etc can make very nice Christmas presents, both to give and to receive. Any kind of non-essential consumables are great for people who already own enough stuff and none of these things cost a lot of money. (I know socks are not consumables, but they do always wear out after a few years.) It’s a way of getting people a little treat they might not normally buy themselves and keeping up the gift giving tradition. Just don’t buy the cheapest version of that item, make sure you’re not giving a scented candle to someone who gets headaches from them, and don’t buy cheap hand cream for its pretty packaging - the ingredients matter more. And mix it up, so that’s not the only thing anyone is ever receiving from you.
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆.
Yup these are exactly the kinds of things I ask for every year from my family because I don't need more stuff. I'd rather get something inexpensive and consumable that will just add a nice touch to the things I'm already doing
The alcohol alternative example got me. Great video as always. Thanks!
THANK YOU for speaking on pets and the holidays! As you mentioned, adopt, don’t shop! ❤
That blouse is divine on you! I like to give cookies to neighbors and such. For teens in the family it’s cash they want! A gift card to an upscale gourmet food shop is an idea.
Ok but seriously that line at 10:20
I hit the jackpot this year and found a beauty advent calendar that was only made up of brands and items that I already liked and used - and in at least four instances, had used up multiple times in the past. For me it was an unbelievably good deal, but it is down to sheer dumb luck and had the math literally not added up the way it did, I wouldn't have purchased.
Was it the target one? That one was pretty great and only $20 but it sold out SO quickly
@@daniellaperez3846 No it was a SpaceNK one (I'm UK based)
Its my son's 1st. Christmas and we bought holiday PJs 😅, BUT I don't expect the rest of the family to purchase matching PJs either.
Yesss thank you for mentioning the pets! It's a problem every single year and it's so tragic.
I have wrapping tips. Reuse everything. Reuse the bows if theyre still nice, giftbags. Or... If you wanna make it super custom to the person, brown lunch bags are great to reuse (it takes significantly more time than other wrapping), but I like to print out a cute custom thing to each person, I paste that on both sides, fill it with some tissue paper (that I secretly reuse all the time) and reused bows get stapled on the outside (you cant see the staples), and it comes out pretty cute
Love the content and your blouse! 💕🎄✨
I love matching Jammies with the kids. Ain't gonna stop
Good advice, especially the no candles. They just get dusty - we have flashlights for emergencies. Also, we’re switching to reusable fabric gift bags-easy to sew, easy to store and beautiful under the tree. The holiday print fabric will be 50% off after Christmas.
The good thing about remote and hybrid work is that everyone dropped the impersonal gift exchanges.
Merry Christmas!
I constantly lose socks no matter what (probably because I live in Florida and only wear them one week a year), so I actually do like fuzzy socks as a gift now
I need to have someone in my life of the kind that gives houses and cars as gifts. Like who does that? What kind of parallel amazing universe do you guys live in?! 😬
I have been collecting brown paper from Amazon and other packages for years and wrap with it for every occasion. Add some jute twine and some foraged pine cones and holly berries and you’re good to go, and it’s all compostable.
The holiday discount is not always accurate. I've noticed that the sales can be better two-three weeks before the holiday. By the time boxing day rolls around most of the good decorations are gone and the sales are pretty similar to what was available beforehand. Your local shops may vary.
Hi Chelsea, I just came upon your video. I admire and value everything you say about useless purchases. I wonder to this day why people buy new decor year after year after year..
I've given up on giving gifts to adults entirely. It's so stress inducing and no one in my family needs any junk. My 2 nephews get a gift and that's it.
My boss gave me a Mary Kay advent calendar and I gave her fuzzy socks and lotion 🤣 I think these quick and easy gifts are fine for the office personally.
My favorite gift to give and get is perfumed soap. It’s beautiful and practical. I like to use gift bags because they can be reused.
One of our Christmas traditions is to watch Gremlins on Christmas Eve. I always comment that it is the best "never gift a pet!" story.
Pro tip wrap your gift in a tea towel (if the receiver of the gift is an adult).
And if you know what colours they like in their kitchen, even the wrapping could make them happy!
This year, I’ve started giving donations to charities in people’s names. I pick a cause that person cares about to donate to rather than buying them a “thing”.
Everyone in my family has more than enough and this is a way to spend money during the holidays that creates zero waste and that I actually feel good about.
10/10 would recommend
This sounds so pointless or very selfish of you nobody cares about that but you
One of your best videos. Hi from Australia 🇦🇺
@10:20 🤣 love the sprinkled in humor
My grandmother got me 3 matching PJ sets before she died. 10 years later, they are still wearable. I use them as thermal underwear in winter.
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆.
FINALLY someone who shares my disdain for getting endless fuzzy socks and “filler” gifts. I’ve basically been saying this since my junior year of college and I’m still with a mountain of socks I barely get through on a yearly basis because they’re not practical to wear day to day. I feel the same way about blankets -- I had more than enough a decade ago!
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆
I wear my Christmas pyjamas all year, Santas face on the t-shirt won't stop me from sleeping in it in June. It's Christmas every day!
For the last few years we would get the gift bag option from Amazon with gifts, and now I have so many I don't need to buy any more gift bags or wrapping paper. It's a wasteless Christmas!
My mom buys matching PJs for all the grandkids for Thanksgiving pictures. This is actually a welcome thing for us. They're usually not Christmas specific (one year they had a present on them, but it was fine), and it works because these are young kids. They need a new set of winter PJs in their size because they outgrew last year's. When they stop growing, it won't be a thing. I think the cultural trend is families who started doing it out of necessity, and then kept going past what is reasonable. My siblings and I don't need new PJs. But yeah, our kids (largely ages 4-8) definitely do. And we as parents don't have to spend that extra money because we know new PJs are coming.
I agree. I have been the one to make/buy my sister's family matching pjs in the past. But only because I knew they would use them. Like you said, I purposefully chose non-festive fabric so they could wear them after the holidays. I'm currently wearing the trousers from 3 years ago and I know my sister and her husband use theirs for painting in now. I'm not making them this year because I don't feel the children will use them much any more.
This makes sense. It worked for me and my sister as kids (my mom caught on to the fact that we were wearing them all year and started getting less christmassy ones) but as an adult, I had WAY too many pairs of pajama pants because of this. I actually wouldnt mind it so much if she did it now because my weight has been fluctuating so much over the past coupple years but I hate having to match everyone else.
I don’t mind the occasional fuzzy sock as a gift and I do at least use them in my boots, but if people wanna give me socks as a gift I’d prefer they give me non-holiday ones or they can give me themed socks that relate to what I like (ex. Sailor Moon socks). Candles though, my husband & I love candles for our home and they’re expensive so unless they happen to be a scent I really hate they are a welcome gift for me that’ll always be used :) but points if it’s somewhat thoughtful (like the zodiac candles a friend got my husband & I one year)
Thanks for watching, send a Dm to the number above let's talk on WhatsApp .
Endeavour to reach out! 📩👆
Shout out to the box of gift bags under my bed I go to every holiday season. Just keep adding to that bad boy as I get gifts myself.
i never decorated my house for 16 years and i didnt kill the festive vibe
Very sensible advice. The only exception to the subscriptions rule is if you can find something very well reviewed that has near-universal appeal. I gave an accountant a luxury fruit basket subscription once and he was raving about it every month. It was a couple hundred dollars but he had saved me so much money that I felt he deserved it.
Give me the socks and candles in the pretty paper. But being in the middle of nowhere north means that it is just the time of year to use that paper to burn. Though there are many gift bags we have that make several rounds before beginning to become unglued.
Cookies are not a "just" gift for us though, people keep talking about them more than they mention homemade wine or the appliances. Perhaps because once you have one tv there's no need to hint for another.
Please gift me fuzzy socks and candles, they will get used all year.
It’s not for people who like to go all-out with decorations, but I like to get a seasonal plant and a seasonal candle. The plant can be composted and a candle doesn’t take up much space but it’s fragrance can fill a room.
I wholeheartedly agree with this list. The amount of one -size-fits-all (it doesn't) novelty christmas socks I have donated over the years is just sad. The only item from the list I have had a positive experience with and didn't think was a waste was a coffee bean subscription. My partner and I make coffee at home and trying out a small bag of coffee from various roasters was super fun for us.
What are these average consumers doing? Who pays for 2 subscription boxes they are not using
so hypothetically, if you were buying a present for someone you dont like, I buy all 13 of these?
yes, absolutely
Just no pet, the rest yes!
Monthly gift wrapped subscription boxes of alcohol soaked wish moisturiser let's go
I agree except subscriptions. I received two that I love one is Spotify and the other Book of the month club.
This was the first year that I bought matching Christmas pyjamas for my family. Instead of Christmas Eve, I did the beginning of December to get more use and let me tell you, the look of joy and delight on my daughter's face when she saw we were all wearing the same thing made it worth it! I'll see how many Decembers I can get out of them!
It creates beautiful memories. Don't forget the hot coco