Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ok, has anyone ever just cancelled Christmas? Perhaps that sounds a little drastic, but we're just getting on our feet financially after 3 years of unemployment & underemployment, and are just rounding the bend into being in the black. we're not there, but on our way. Now there's Christmas staring us in the face.
We really don't need anything, anything we'd buy would just be a bunch of stuff for the sake of buying something. I'm trying to get rid of stuff, because we want to put our house for sale and hope to move within the first part of next year. We really don't need extra stuff.
Also, we have 20 boxes of Christmas stuff in the attic. That tree is a monster that demands to be the center of attention each year. I feel I've become a slave to it. Half the holiday is spent putting it up, half spent taking it down. This year I found a cute little table top tree, that's it. Really, nothing else. No, I mean it, that's it, no wreaths on every door, no bows on the mailbox, no special santa towels in the bathroom, no cutsie decorations in the kitchen, really, that tree is it!
Also, no gifts! Ok, the kids are getting a gift certificate, amount to be determined (depends on how they behave between now and then). Christmas Eve we go out to dinner, no shopping, cooking, cleaning, who needs it? Then a church service, then perhaps we exchange one gift (ok I'm relenting a little) then Christmas morning, I get to sleep in. Yippie! We just wake up when we do, no free-for-all under the tree, no big mess to clean up, we give the kids their gift card, I have a store-bought prepared dinner, we eat, then perhaps see a movie, then, well, the day's over, we had a nice time, and while the rest of the world is exhausted, cleaning up wrapping paper, cleaning dishes, etc, and wondering how in heck they will pay for all that stuff, we just go off to sweet dreams until next year.
I think that if that is your idea of a satisfying holiday, then you should go for it. Don't make yourself crazy over Christmas. Do what makes you and yours happy.
Our holiday will include gifts, although there will be no Christmas tree, since we will be traveling to see my parents, and I have no desire to come home to a dead spruce littering the living room carpet with needles. As with every year, we have limited our giving to family only (e.g., our two kids, our parents, my brother, and each other), and we are attending only one party hosted by my in-laws. I'm looking forward to a peaceful few weeks and the blessing of time with those I love most.
Last edited by formercalifornian; 12-07-2009 at 12:33 AM..
I think you have to do what you feel comfortable with. My kids are still young so for me, this would not be an option UNLESS we were of course without work or in some other very serious financial situation. I would still have to go out and buy my kids a few things, but I would obviously not spend the kind of money on them like we do currently. Rather than spending say $100 on an item, maybe I would buy them each a few items that totaled $50 a piece or something. But I would still want some things under the tree for them and from Santa!
Ok, has anyone ever just cancelled Christmas? Perhaps that sounds a little drastic, but we're just getting on our feet financially after 3 years of unemployment & underemployment, and are just rounding the bend into being in the black. we're not there, but on our way. Now there's Christmas staring us in the face.
We really don't need anything, anything we'd buy would just be a bunch of stuff for the sake of buying something. I'm trying to get rid of stuff, because we want to put our house for sale and hope to move within the first part of next year. We really don't need extra stuff.
Also, we have 20 boxes of Christmas stuff in the attic. That tree is a monster that demands to be the center of attention each year. I feel I've become a slave to it. Half the holiday is spent putting it up, half spent taking it down. This year I found a cute little table top tree, that's it. Really, nothing else. No, I mean it, that's it, no wreaths on every door, no bows on the mailbox, no special santa towels in the bathroom, no cutsie decorations in the kitchen, really, that tree is it!
Also, no gifts! Ok, the kids are getting a gift certificate, amount to be determined (depends on how they behave between now and then). Christmas Eve we go out to dinner, no shopping, cooking, cleaning, who needs it? Then a church service, then perhaps we exchange one gift (ok I'm relenting a little) then Christmas morning, I get to sleep in. Yippie! We just wake up when we do, no free-for-all under the tree, no big mess to clean up, we give the kids their gift card, I have a store-bought prepared dinner, we eat, then perhaps see a movie, then, well, the day's over, we had a nice time, and while the rest of the world is exhausted, cleaning up wrapping paper, cleaning dishes, etc, and wondering how in heck they will pay for all that stuff, we just go off to sweet dreams until next year.
Sound like a plan? So, whadda ya think?
Where I grew up, Christmas is nothing like you describe. I think for us Christmas was more like your Thanksgiving where family gets together and have a "feast" with food not normally consumed during the year.
Presents were done on the 6th of January because that is the day Jesus received presents from the Wise Men. And then only the parents bought toys for their children. Children never bought anything for parents or other relatives.
Children did get some money from relatives which when pool together was a nice amount. This only happened when the child took the time to go visit the relative and converse for a few minutes.
Back to your question, when I first came to the US I thought that all buying of presents was pretty cool. Then I realized that people felt obligated and sometimes would just buy junk. For the first few years of marriage we did presents but later I convinced my dh that we could each just buy our own present. He likes to get up early during black Friday, I love after Christmas sales. Up to last year we got away with just buying toys for the kids but this Christmas my 4yo expects everyone at home to get presents. I bought a $10 item for my dh and he is going to buy me an appliance I specifically requested. He loves researching stuff online.
Works for us.
We used to have a 6ft tree that need to have all the lights strung. After a couple of years, we gave up on it and stopped putting it up. On the after Christmas sales one year I bought a small outdoor pre-lit tree which I used indoors on a planter. When our dd was two we upgraded to a big pre-lit tree. This year is the first year we actually put the tree up right after Thanksgiving. It was just to keep her from asking. Of course now she asks us about outdoor decorations because our neighbors go all the way out. We have told her we will put the little Christmas tree later and she keeps asking when.
Edit to add: My kids(2yo and 4yo) decorated the tree and enjoyed it. I sat on the couch and handed them each piece. I only put a couple of decorations up high. I did not rearrange a single ornament. Some areas have five together and some none but my kids did it so its perfect.
Your plan sounds awesome and more than weve done in some years!
We celebrate each year depending on our circumstances and mood - some take more time for decorating and cooking, other years we spend alot of time shopping; and others are very low key. This year its somewhere in the middle. We will decorate modestly, we will get a tree (some years we havent); and get a few gifts. Dinner will be small but cozy. Every year we enjoy not stressing ourselves out and doing exactly what we want without added stress.
I agree with the others....do what feels right....for everyone.
The only wrong way to do Christmas is to preach to other's on how to do theirs. So enjoy!
I'm taking this one off from decorating but that's because I had surgery on my foot and won't be up and around until a few days before. And we're going to my Mother's for Christmas day.
No little ones in the house this year so it's all good.
This doesn't sound like cancelling Christmas, but a sane Chrismas!
I never do a lot of changing around the house (no special towels, no bows on mailboxes, no wreaths.... Sounds like a lot of work! ) We hang a string of lights on a spruce outside - so WE can see it, nothing on the house so we CAN'T see them. 20 boxes of decorations We have one only, enough for a small-med indoor tree. There will be a present for each person. Gift certificates sound good for bigger kids! Meal from a store- why not? I still have turkey because I like the smell of stuffing -- but we don't have any extended family, so no careful table setting/centerpieces brrrr
I think everyone should do what works best for them. I personally love Christmas but will not be at home this Christmas so we only put up a small tree. Normally I decorate top to bottom, but I also realize not everyone likes Christmas like I do.
Where I grew up, Christmas is nothing like you describe. I think for us Christmas was more like your Thanksgiving where family gets together and have a "feast" with food not normally consumed during the year.
Presents were done on the 6th of January because that is the day Jesus received presents from the Wise Men. And then only the parents bought toys for their children. Children never bought anything for parents or other relatives.
Children did get some money from relatives which when pool together was a nice amount. This only happened when the child took the time to go visit the relative and converse for a few minutes.
Back to your question, when I first came to the US I thought that all buying of presents was pretty cool. Then I realized that people felt obligated and sometimes would just buy junk. For the first few years of marriage we did presents but later I convinced my dh that we could each just buy our own present. He likes to get up early during black Friday, I love after Christmas sales. Up to last year we got away with just buying toys for the kids but this Christmas my 4yo expects everyone at home to get presents. I bought a $10 item for my dh and he is going to buy me an appliance I specifically requested. He loves researching stuff online.
Works for us.
We used to have a 6ft tree that need to have all the lights strung. After a couple of years, we gave up on it and stopped putting it up. On the after Christmas sales one year I bought a small outdoor pre-lit tree which I used indoors on a planter. When our dd was two we upgraded to a big pre-lit tree. This year is the first year we actually put the tree up right after Thanksgiving. It was just to keep her from asking. Of course now she asks us about outdoor decorations because our neighbors go all the way out. We have told her we will put the little Christmas tree later and she keeps asking when.
Edit to add: My kids(2yo and 4yo) decorated the tree and enjoyed it. I sat on the couch and handed them each piece. I only put a couple of decorations up high. I did not rearrange a single ornament. Some areas have five together and some none but my kids did it so its perfect.
I think this is why so many people in the USA now prefer Thanksgiving over Christmas. Christmas has lost it's real meaning and has become a stress. It's all about materialism, going into debt, expensive toys that are broken in 3 days and even greed.
I don't see it as a bad thing if Christmas begins to change back into being a day the family gets together, has a nice meal together and many fewer gifts are given.
You can't cancel Christmas. Christmas is the celebration of Christ's birth, which comes around every year despite our financial situations. All of the other stuff (trees, presents, expensive meals, etc.) are just extras.
It sounds like you are very stressed and I see no problem with downsizing. Maybe you can buy a table top tree and decorate it with some of your favorite ornaments. Maybe instead of having a fancy dinner you can volunteer at a shelter/church that provides meals for the poor and homeless. Instead of buying presents you can't afford, maybe you can buy a family gift that can be shared by everyone in your household.
If you don't normally go to church on Christmas you could consider going as a family to better understand the true meaning of the season, which always gets distorted by the rampant consumerism that has overtaken the holiday season.
I'm sure you can find a way to celebrate that will be joyful for you and your kids without being stressful. Good luck!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We have one only, enough for a small-med indoor tree. There will be a present for each person. Gift certificates sound good for bigger kids! Meal from a store- why not? I still have turkey because I like the smell of stuffing 
-- but we don't have any extended family, so no careful table setting/centerpieces brrrr
