Minimalist Christmas anyone?

Yes TerriBull, I think Christmas cards will die out in the future.

I’m so excited about this Christmas though, my daughter and three children are coming over from New Zealand for four weeks. It will be the first Christmas we’ve all spent together (with her brothers and families) since pre Covid. The sad thing is though, first Christmas altogether but my mum and dad won’t be here any longer. Writing that just made me cry.

Surely it really does not matter, whetther OTT or could not give a s.it.

I might put up a tree and send a few cards, only buy for the great grandchildren now. I don't enjoy Christmas as I'm alone now. I will enjoy spending Christmas day with a lot of my family but otherwise its just another week.

We've been minimalist for some years, although admit to spending more now our 2 GC are here. There will be no cards sent this year, as simply can't afford stamps nowadays. Lucky for me I can still keep in touch with (most) friends through social media or emails. Will by my DS and DD and their partners a small gift, and that's about it. We will meet with our children and GC for a meal on Boxing Day. Simple and enjoyable.

Great to hear how you all celebrate Christmas in your different ways.
I LOVE Christmas. Carol services, Carols sung by choristers, Christmas choral music like Messiah. Decorating the house ( now a flat ), candles, special food, cold mornings when I wake and then the warm cosy feel of the house. I write and send sixty Christmas cards, lots with catch-up messages written inside. All sent with love and a celebration of lasting friendships.
Time with my sons and little grandson. Exchanging modest presents. Sharing love.
My birthday is on December 23rd and was always eclipsed by too much to do. Now my son does the catering and I can relax and better enjoy it all.
Wishing aHappy Christmas to all the Gransnet grans!

Christmas is a huge thing in our family.

Gardens as well as homes are decorated. We have two large trees, my colour coordinated one in the living room and the tacky one, full of the children's decorations from over the years. Each year my granddaughters get a new decoration to add to it.
I also have a collection of Nativity themed snow globes, collected over the years.

Christmas starts with Midnight Mass and Christmas Ddinner is a family occasion, with turkey and my Irish Granny's stuffing.

GG you've reminded me of the Christmas bedding, brushed cotton plaid from M&S, for us and our guests. I like looking at the beds nicely made up then the family arrive and ruin all my painstaking styling, piles of bags and what knot strewn everywhere. Damn!

So many interesting posts thank you! I’m enjoying reading about your Christmas Decs (or none). 😊

terribull I think it’s “life’s too short to stuff a mushroom”! At least, that’s how I’ve always remembered it. 😁
Totally agree about Christmas cards. I think we’ll be the last generation to bother.

madelene that’s brilliant news about your daughter and grandchildren coming over! I bet you’re all counting the days down already.

Nice to see photos too. I’m a ‘visual’ person (you may have guessed by the threads I start!).

This chap 🔼 always comes out each year at ours! Bought him when we had a house, 20 years ago now. Press his palm and he ‘plays’ that saxophone - a pretty decent recording too of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” 🎵 🎶. Drives Himself nuts after a while but I love it as it reminds me of my darling mum at Christmas parties we used to host - we called them “Butties & Bubblies” - trays of M&S Christmas sandwiches and bottles of my favourite Veuve Cliquot champagne - we were both earning back then! (Ha, I was still #lazy just not a gran at the time).

I’m not a Christmas fan at all - never was, never shall be. I’ve reduced my decorations to a bare minimum, buying pop up trees for a couple of rooms, although I drag out the garland for the fireplace, wreath on the front door and the usually table settings in the dining room.
I’ve DD2 and family coming for the day, so I’ll find my festive face and at 11am, we’ll enjoy a glass of fizz in the cul de sac with neighbours. I do buy the family gifts - whatever they want, within reason, but once Boxing Day is over, I’ll pack it all away.

We're sort of halfway too. No outside lights except two strings of twinkly tiny lights strung through the hedge - when it's dark it looks like stars twinkling.

Tree in the living room bay window with lots of baubles and lights and mantelpiece covered in candles and greenery. Cads and presents under the tree.

Windowsill covered in greenery, red berries, mistletoe, cones and candles. All the candles are battery operated, not real, and have timers so automatically come on in the middle of the afternoon and go off about 11 pm.

A green garland that goes over the front door covered in cones, gold stars and red baubles and a wreath beneath. The hallway may or may not get decorated, depending on time and inclination each year. Nothing goes up until about the second weekend of December and it stays up until 5th January.

All the decorations are quite old, some were gifts,

I don't do anything for Christmas. It has become a consumerism holiday for so many. I don't like it nor do I participate. On Boxing Day we have a family dinner and each guest brings food to donate to our local foodbank.

When I was teaching no decorating happened before the end of term- too busy. Then later nothing before DH’s birthday on the 10th, but this year I shall put my tree up in early December
( when I find where I put the box of decorations ). Other than that, a nativity scene, display of cards if I get any, candles lit on cosy evenings.
In December I have a plethora of concerts and services, being in three choirs, so many carols will be sung.
It is the days after Christmas I find hard, with nothing much happening.

Depends on who is coming for The Day, but this year just the tree and outside lights - the latter because if we didn't we'd be the only ones in our street who don't and I don't want the neighbours thinking we're a pair of old Scrooges! Actually the outside lights are already up, though not switched on, because MrRLW is having a minor op soon and may not be able to climb ladders.

Afraid I ll join the BAH HUMBUGS I no longer like Christmas it starts too soon it’s a rat race Nit sure I ve liked it for a LONG time
I will put a 5ft plus tree up ( had it for years and years) and decorated it the last weekend before Christmas and it will come down a week or less after Christmas so it ll be up a fortnight at most less sometimes
I ll have Christmas and Boxing Day dinner and evening with my daughter All my grandkids are adults now so most of the excitement gone out it

Just a period to get through

Minimalist Christmas? Oh gosh - I wish! DH went absolutely bonkers with decorations and a huge tree. He did so love Christmas. I will do what I can get away with but it won’t be nothing because GS has already said he is coming over to help me get the decorations out of the loft and put them up. “Grandad would be so disappointed if you didn’t.” Well yes, he would😊.

I forgot carols! I LOVE traditional carols, sung by proper choirs, but won’t play any until 1st Dec, or the first day of Advent. I usually put a CD of carols on when making the first mince pies (usually also 1st Dec) and will probably be swigging the first mulled wine, too.

Really looking fwd to a carol concert on 21st - Gdd1’s primary school choir plus other choirs, inc. the Oxford adult Bach choir - in the magnificent Sheldonian Theatre. Last year’s was brilliant, nearly all trad. carols, but Gdd1’s choir sang a new one for me - ‘Christmas on Waikiki Beach’ - very catchy and fun. I don’t usually like very modern ones, but it was brilliant.

Haven't really enjoyed it since we got cut off from the grandchildren, with no little ones there doesn't seem much point. I only have my youngest son to buy for these days (he's just bought a house so will probably want something for that) as myself and OH don't give to each other. All the tree decs long gone, and I never used much else. Don't see the point of outside lights.
The last couple of years it's only been us two for grub so I no longer bother with much more than a roast dinner, a piece of ham and a trifle for OH.

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Minalmist tree slapdash wrapped presents!

Minalmist tree, slapdash wrapped presents in the life's too short mode!

I love Christmas, all of it, the true meaning, and especially being with the family. Being thankful for what we have. Not so keen on the early starting the shops, but realise some need to spread the cost out .

My phone is playing up, it's a positive echo chamber. Mushrooms, smushrooms! I'm sure you're right FGT clearly Shirley didn't mean stuffed with garlic butter though, surely not!

The 'big' Christmas does not appeal to either of us. DH was brought up too poor to stomach the sheer waste of today, and I was brought up (also poor) and Methodist. So to me it was (and is) a festival to mark the birth of Our Lord, and also the turning of the year. It is remarkable how little these aspects are mentioned in the rush to sell us tat that will be in the bin before January is over. We will gather with family, church service, a lovely meal and some games/puzzles will be enjoyed and a walk if the weather allows. We will not be ill with infections or over indulgence, nor will we diet in January.

Ha! Actually I did use a recipe (once only mind) for stuffed mushrooms! The big flat ones. I seem to remember faffing about Terribull frying bits of mushroom stalks, tiny bits chopped onion, snipping bacon & adding breadcrumbs before baking in the oven. No wonder I never bothered again …. 🤭

2016

Tat. Yes indeed = so much of it. I suppose China will be rubbing its hands. Then there’s landfill to worry about. Oh heck. Pass me that sherry bottle ….