More, Less....Or the same ?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 !!!

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.

Can I come?😁

I’m all for pretty lights and seasonal music and some foody treats, and you can have that without spending a fortune.

They want to know whether you will spend more or less on your Christmas binge this year. They don’t care WHY.

I'm with the Christmas lovers. In the Northern Hemisphere, the dark days can seem very dreary. Wisely, Northern European Christians hijacked pagan midwinter festivals as Christmas.
Decorating our homes with lights and enjoying seasonal music comforts us as we await the return of longer, brighter days.
Present giving is but a very small part of this.

I meant to add, too, that the religious side of Christmas, celebrating the birth of Christ, is very important to me.

If we buy the same sort of things this year that we bought last year, then yes, we will be spending more simply because just about everything has increased in price.

I’m another who doesn’t buy presents for adults any more and have asked that they don’t buy for us - too much stress and angst for everyone wondering what to buy and if it will be liked/needed.

Having said that, I love Christmas itself, it is a special time, and it is good to have a bit of indulgence (I’m certainly no Scrooge), but I am trying very hard not to be dragged into all the commercialised hype which, in my opinion, is nothing to do with the celebration of Christmas proper, but everything to do with making businesses lots of profit and is responsible for getting some people deep into debt as they try to create the “perfect” Christmas, which just doesn’t exist.

I think Doodledog has summed it all up pretty well and she mirrors my thoughts about Christmas.

We as a family stopped doing presents for adults a while ago, its amazing how much headspace this has freed up!
We all love to plan the walks, making recipes & decorations and visits to Christmassy NT houses & the music events of course but not the shopping
Christmas here lasts for a good 6 weeks now instead of the focus being on 'one day'
Cutting out the shopping malls, online ordering & just the thinking of it all, makes Christmas magical again for me and I'm very excited about it all.

Doodledog I totally agree, I adore Christmas, including the run up to the day.

I m also mindful that for some it is difficult.

It’s sad that people don’t enjoy Christmas, I think. Not sad that they don’t want (or are not able) to spend a lot, but that a festival that breaks up what can be a long dreary winter isn’t something to look forward to and enjoy.

I love Christmas - seeing the family, planning meals, treats such as stollen that we don’t get all year round, decorating the house and so on.

I think the winter would be very dull without it. I do understand that for those on their own the festivities might make things feel worse though

It depends what’s on the wish lists from the children and grandchildren!
I’d imagine it will be about the same with some judicious shopping.

The same ..I allow the same amount of money for my three children and seven grandchildren and as I rarely go anywhere apart from dinner with my daughter whose children have left home …so not a lot
Can’t wait to get over with

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.

Interesting thread.

Very even so far, in the more or less, categories.

Far less, this year is about self-preservation, my AC get help when I see a need, they never ask and we don`t give expensive presents anyway. I already have one-off presents for them, stylish tactile and not expensive. I will just need the bags of nuts to go with them

We are about to go into very hard times and we will just enjoy the week without all the expensive fuss

I’m giving more. Getting to that age when my DC and DGcs need it more than I do.

DC and GC (all grown up now) are given money.

DH and I stopped giving each other gifts years ago, pointless. We just buy as and when we need things.

Apart from giving chocs to an elderly friend in a nursing home, and one close relative, I buy for no one else.

Food wise, make simple Christmas cake and puds, and whatever main meal we want on the day and next day.

Far too much fuss made over one day.

Rocketstop2

Oh and by the way, I intend to spend LESS !

As do I 😃

Christmas to me is a silly and outdated custom that causes so much stress.

So this year is going to be a lot, lot less.