More, Less....Or the same ?

Some interesting viewpoints.Just this week I have contacted several friends and at my suggestion and by I hope, mutual agreement, we aren't going to buy for each other this year.
Circumstances have made me be a bit more sensible about what I buy .
I agree, it's nice to have Christmas celebrations etc but the angst does tend to spoil things for people.Wish we could get back to traditional values, Christmas gifts mainly for children and just small token gifts for adults and not think we are missing out when we don't manage to buy everything in the adverts !!!

When I saw the title of this post I thought it was going to be about a trip to the optician where they change lenses very quickly and ask pretty much the same question.
No idea what I'll be spending this year, since DH passed away I no longer have any hosting 'duties' so that's a cost I don't have to bear. As for gifts I tend to find something for one relative and then try to spend similar on everybody else. For last few years I've tried asking nearest and dearest not to buy me anything and then I wouldn't buy for them either but they don't agree so for me it becomes a real hassle trying to think of something different to buy as a gift each year. It also sounds very ungrateful but I end up with things I don't really want or need and have gained a lot of 'ornaments' of late which seems to be my default gift nowadays. I've also suggested making a donation to charity but again family want presents.

I love Christmas and everything that comes with it. I don’t see it as ‘just one day’. Seeing family who live so far away, decorating our home, entertaining friends, Christmas services. All of this and more makes Christmas a special time for my family.
I do sympathise with those who are alone or bereaved and can find little joy in the season.

We all try to buy less as a family, we do a secret Santa for close family and buy our GCs toys on vinted. What friends I have just do cards not gifts. But we do enjoy having good food and plenty of it over the Christmas period so that can be expensive.

Interesting to see how many of the "less" families have swapped shopping for walks and cooking together, like keepcalmandcavachon's. One present that costs next to nothing for the grown-up children: the family's own Christmas recipes, written out for each household. Gran's stuffing, the pudding, the sprouts trick, in the words you'd use in the kitchen, with the bits nobody ever measures. And for the wish list families like Jaxjacky's, one list everyone can see, where whoever buys something ticks it off, saves two identical jumpers turning up on the day. A shared note on the phone does it, so does a sheet on the fridge at whoever's hosting.

MartavTaurus

I've no idea what I spent last year.
I shall just spend again this year until I have acquired everything I want for the festivities.

Me too.

I used to ask my children, More, less or the same? everytime we saw a very overweight woman. Was she more fat than me, less fat than me or about the same? I would hope they would say More!
Irrelevant to the poster’s question, I know.