Sunday 2 December 2012

A Pause in Advent 2012 - No 1

Hello

I was reading back on old blog posts the other day - seeing what we'd be up to 12, 24 & 36 months ago - yep I've been blogging for that long! One thing I noticed was the Pause posts and I wondered if this would be happening for a 4th year. As I was wondering, Floss posted -as if like magic!


I've read my old posts and tried to think of 4 themes for 2012 - I make no apology for repeating myself slightly on some themes - I am after all a creature of habit.

My first theme is inspired by a newspaper article I read in the week - Time to ban Christmas presents??

No not those for our nearest and dearest but those for Uncle Tom Cobley & all.

Even within my family we've cut down on our buying rather dramatically over the past few years. Bear in mind I'm one of seven siblings - 6 of us live with partners, 3 of us have children and some have pets too. If we bought for every adult & child, that would mean for me - 14 presents plus those I buy for my parents, MrVV and the boys. Plus of course there's MrVV's family, much smaller but still 4 additional pressies.

Instead we have a Not-So-Secret-Santa between us siblings - one person to buy for instead of 6. We don't buy for the partners only the children. We came to an agreement with MrVV's brother that we just buy for children only - not the adults.

Therefore my Christmas shopping list looks lovely and small - my parents, my SS sibling, 3 nieces, 1 nephew, my MIL and my 2 Grandma's.

Much easier to manage and far less stressful than trying to remember what sizes each of my sisters are or what their taste in music/smellies etc is.

We have a get together as siblings one evening just before Christmas - we have music, food, drink and loud chat and pressies are exchanged and opened. This reminds us all of Christmas when we were small and we'd come downstairs on Christmas morning to open pressies from our aunts & uncles. OMG there were loads - my Dad is from a big family and the look of panic on my Mum's face each December when my Grandad would struggle up the path with 2 or 3 black sacks of pressies - the look - OMG where am I going to put this all? Come December 26th - the bathroom shelf would be groaning with bottle of bubbles and we'd enough soap-on-a-rope to last the next 12 months!! Rather these the pants that didn't fit or a schoolgirls diary for an 18 year old!!

Anyhow back to the main theme - do you really need to exchange boxes of biscuits with the neighbours each year? or buy every adult your child has contact with at school a pressie too?

Its never too late to jump off the over-consumerism bandwagon - perhaps 2012 could be your year??

Oh and if you get something you don't like - please donate to your local charity shop - even if you don't like it, someone else will!!

See you soon

xxx Vicki xxx

6 comments:

Pom Pom said...

Hi Vicki!
I agree. We give a check to the post man because he is such a nice man, so faithful. We give money to our kids and I try to give my parents something they can eat or smell as they are trying to reduce clutter. I must think of something sweet and meaningful for my hubby and our unmarried son needs a present or two. I like the idea of freedom from all the "stuff" of Christmas. The music, the candles, the smells: GOOD THINGS!
It's fun to be a pauser with you!

BadPenny said...

It can get overwhelming. I'm cutting down Dhristmas cards this year ( can remember when I wrote 40 - 60 ) Simple gift giving - mum doesn't need "things" & the in laws just want a calendar. You can still give things... but with thought it can be a very useful gift !

Floss said...

Yes, the economic crisis has done us this favour, I think. I like what you've written and, like everyone else, we're scaling down too. Our boys seem to have lost interest in 'stuff' - they would love some video games but that's it! Freedom (virtually)! Thanks so much for joining in with the Pause - I always really enjoy your posts. I love your family memories this time!

Kezzie said...

We're doing the same with my fiance's siblings and other halves! Thought it would be nice just to choose one!
I hear hear the don't worry about buying your teacher a present, I just wish the children feel the same way. They seem to expect a present from us their teacher and then they are really rude and unappreciative when you do give them something! Even in my choir, orchestra etc, they always ask if we've got them something, which considering I have about 90 children all in all in my clubs, is a bit much! I have bought something sweetie in the past but somehow I feel that they really shouldn't be so demanding!

Elderberry-Rob said...

I just buy for my sons and my brothers two children as they are little. One friend gets something hand made and one blogging friend who has become a pen pal gets one hand made - it's so nice not to be consumed by consumerism isn't it.

Elderberry-Rob said...

I just buy for my sons and my brothers two children as they are little. One friend gets something hand made and one blogging friend who has become a pen pal gets one hand made - it's so nice not to be consumed by consumerism isn't it.