Christmas

susie123 · 27-12-2012, 11:32

Despite all the stories about people being hard up and tightening their belts, there still seems to be plenty of spending going on in the sales

BBC News - Sales shoppers set online 'Boxing Day record'

Have you cut back on spending this Christmas? I wonder whether all the spending in the sales is going on plastic or whether folks really do have the cash to splash.

This year we got noticeably fewer cards than usual, don't know if folks are not sending because of the hike in postal prices or we have dropped off a lot of Christmas card lists! It's a shame because I use Christmas cards as a way of keeping in touch with friends we have made as we have moved round the country, but this year we haven't heard from quite a few of them.

Margaret Pilkington · 27-12-2012, 12:24

I didn't buy as much food, and I didn't buy any of the special foods......Trifle, puds mince pies.......though I cut back over the last few years.
We ate well (as in previous years) but we were not stuffed to the gunnels......I never really liked that over full feeling anyway.
I didn't post as many Christmas cards...some of the people I used to post cards to have fallen off the perch.

davemac · 27-12-2012, 12:26

I did attempt to let Christmas pass me by, it wasn't a total success. However my wife said there was nothing she wouldn't buy for me and as I thought the same, we bought nothing for each other.

I haven't sent a Christmas card in over 10 years, I leave that to "she who must be obeyed" and as a consequence people say I am getting miserable, thats not the case,.................... I've been miserable for years.

cashman · 27-12-2012, 12:34

as far as i'm concerned, all those who queue all night fer the Boxing Day Sales are complete knob heads. but if it makes em happy, i don't really give a monkeys what they do.

Margaret Pilkington · 27-12-2012, 12:36

I wonder if this is a 'Dave' thing...my other half is called David...he bought me nothing.
He said it saves on the cost of wrapping paper......and anyway he has told me I can buy anything I want. Where is the nearest Rolls Royce showroom around here?

He doesn't buy or write any cards, in fact in no way participates in the preparation for Christmas.
One year I am going to do nothing....I will buy no presents, no cards, no food...I will put a lock on the fridge door and then wish him a Merry Christmas.

At least with him not buying me anything, I don't have to bag things up and search his wallet for receipts to take unsuitable stuff back...it was Cashy who taught me to always look for the positive, in what appears to be a negative situation. Thanks Cashy

Margaret Pilkington · 27-12-2012, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

as far as i'm concerned, all those who queue all night fer the Boxing Day Sales are complete knob heads. but if it makes em happy, i don't really give a monkeys what they do.

I don't do 'Sales'......you buy stuff you don't really want because you think you are getting a bargain.
When you get it home, it doesn't fit and the colour makes you look like a parboiled spud...you tell yourself you will slim into it....that's a laugh, you have half a christmas cake left, 2 christmas puddings and 3 dozen mince pies.

For all those off to the sales.......I would say this. It is only a bargain if you really need it, if you can't do without it'

cashman · 27-12-2012, 12:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

For all those off to the sales.......I would say this. It is only a bargain if you really need it, if you can't do without it'

Bingo spot on n mostly people are too dumb to click, Most of stuff in the sales, is stuff they couldn't sell at normal prices anyway.

those were my instructions back in the 60s anyway.

susie123 · 27-12-2012, 12:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

I didn't post as many Christmas cards...some of the people I used to post cards to have fallen off the perch.

Sadly there are always a few people you have to cross off the list for that reason, I still sent to everyone else on my list though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by davemac

I did attempt to let Christmas pass me by, it wasn't a total success. However my wife said there was nothing she wouldn't buy for me and as I thought the same, we bought nothing for each other.

I haven't sent a Christmas card in over 10 years, I leave that to "she who must be obeyed" and as a consequence people say I am getting miserable, thats not the case,.................... I've been miserable for years.

I'm quite happy doing all the cards, food etc doesn't bother me at all. And we've never bought gifts for each other - saves making mistakes as I'm very fussy. Much rather get something for myself that I really want and Richard does the same. This year I got myself a slow cooker and cooked our Christmas dinner in it. It was a great success.

And then you see all the articles about what to do with unwanted gifts - well my answer would be don't buy them in the first place - but then I've posted along these lines before...

Forget the Boxing Day sales, hundreds flock to sell unwanted presents on eBay | This is Money

Margaret Pilkington · 27-12-2012, 13:06

He says that I am hard to buy for...there are ways round that, but he won't search for them.....and I'm not telling him what they are.
It is nice to get a gift...it means that someone has taken the time to think about you and what you might like...and the unexpected ones are the nicest.

cashman · 27-12-2012, 13:07

Slow Cookers are great, first discovered em in 90s when lived in Spain, went to some friends n they made a lovely meal wi it, so i asked were yeh bought such a thing, They said England, they don't sell em here.

susie123 · 27-12-2012, 13:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

the unexpected ones are the nicest.

I agree... we didn't get gifts but my lovely Polish next door neighbour came round twice with yummy Polish food she and her mum had cooked - and I had already sent a gift for her little baby - so I did my bit as well...

susie123 · 27-12-2012, 13:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

Slow Cookers are great, first discovered em in 90s when lived in Spain, went to some friends n they made a lovely meal wi it, so i asked were yeh bought such a thing, They said England, they don't sell em here.

Cheers Cashy - a lot of people would say that's a very prosaic Christmas gift, even to yourself - but I'd rather have that than any amount of smellies and scarves etc, it's what I wanted.

Best gifts are those you can eat and drink!

mobertol · 27-12-2012, 13:19

Was watching Sky news earlier and they were interviewing people at the sales and they all seemed to be intent on buying non/essential luxury goods like the latest designer handbag or model of I/phone which really scuppers the idea of people feeling austerity. I find there is something faintly distasteful in the idea of people trampling all over each other to get the lastest "bargains" in a frenzy of spending and I suspect that as has been said many purchases will not have been saved for but will be paid on the never/never.
As to presents this year, I left some hidden for my boys and husband back home /mostly useful things they needed /clothes, belts and a new wallet for my youngest as his got stolen recently. The only luxuries were some chocs for the boys. With my "English" family we had decided to exchange no gifts as it was already costing a lot for us all to travel and meet up and spend time together at mum-s in Tenerife / it-s a great present just to be all together again /the last Xmas when that happened was nearly 20 years ago!
Like you Margaret my husband doesn-t buy me presents and hasn-t done for many years /may change his name to David too!

My only present was from a friend / a book about Tripe which he actually hinted he was going to send quite a while back on an Accyweb thread /it was a nice surprise and I-m enjoying reading it!

maxthecollie · 27-12-2012, 13:20

Me and the missus don't buy Christmas pressies for each other. We buy each other pressies during the year,thgings that we need.

mobertol · 27-12-2012, 13:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Margaret Pilkington

He says that I am hard to buy for...there are ways round that, but he won't search for them.....and I'm not telling him what they are.
It is nice to get a gift...it means that someone has taken the time to think about you and what you might like...and the unexpected ones are the nicest.

I agree Margaret - often little things which someone has thought about can be the nicest - not necessarily something expensive or flashy but something they know you would appreciate.

Hope you got that one thing you were really hoping for by the way!