Having Christmas without presents.

[cheesefest]

My parents and family don't do Christmas presents. We buy gifts for birthdays which are more personal.

For Christmas, I buy the food and some of the drinks - thanks to the discount I get at my work. My parents contribute with the rest of the drinks and cooking what needs cooking.

I get mixed comments from people - most say its a great idea as that way, the food and drinks are used. Others say Christmas is about giving.

There's no need to buy presents for everyone as some get put in a cupboard and forgotten about. Some get listed on eBay almost straight away - 40k+ results for "unwanted Christmas present" on eBay last BD and similar to unwanted Xmas gift too. Then some presents, such as the tubs of the inferior chocolate, toiletries gift sets etc scream to me 'Not thought much'.

I remember a lady who bought about 40 tubs of these inferior chocolates (the same one) and said to my colleague "That's all my Christmas presents shopping done in one shop". I despaired her friends and family - as for example - a family of four related to her would got 4 of these.

There's no point getting skint over buying presents for those who won't use them.

Anyone else like me who don't do Christmas presents?

 

[cheesefest]

Me and my wife don't get anything for each other, we just put the money towards holidays.

I buy for my immediate family, and that is about it.

Plus there is this:

This is what I’m talking about! People need to watch and implement.

Plus working at a supermarket, we get customers trying to refund branded stuff - booze, toiletries, books, toys etc without a receipt after Christmas as either they don’t drink that booze, already read the book etc.

We and many retailers don’t refund anything like that without a receipt!

They try to refund as it’s the nearest supermarket to them.

No receipt, no refunds!

Or just ask nicely what they want or don’t drink

 

[cheesefest]

So how do you gift the **** presents your Auntie Val bought you back to her the following year if you don't do Christmas presents?

My late grandmother used to get Readers Digest and other things on subscription and got free gifts and she gifted them. My dad got a RD year plate. Off to the charity shop it went. On display in the window. Don’t worry my grandmother lived 100 miles from us!

 

[cheesefest]

Many shops sell pointless gifts. Such as the miniature jars of jam which don’t do a slice of toast.

Some toiletries gift sets are more expensive than buying the things separately- as the latter are on offer. Lynx body spray and shower gel in a box - £8. Separately- £5.

 

[cheesefest]

A few years ago I remember a colleague panicking about not bought anything for her sister’s fiancé’s stepmother. I asked does she buy anything. No. I said she doesn’t buy for you and more importantly you aren’t related!

 

[cheesefest]

Ah decent food!
No Christmas dinner should grace anything from Aunt Bessie’s!

 

[cheesefest]

with the price of stamps now, it's not a bad idea - post office should have a christmas offer.

I mentioned this in another thread. If the cost of postage was halved or even a third off - RM will get more revenue as they will get more than a third - half more post.

In my family. I write cards which I pass onto my parents who then pass them onto my aunt who passes them to more relatives.

If you have 2-3 members of your family who live close and in regular contact- it’s cheaper to send the cards in one envelope.

 

[cheesefest]

10 Days off work, awesome food, booze flowing and the sheer joy in my kids on Christmas day morning. Me and the wife don't do gifts anymore though.

Want to swap?
Couldn’t book BD as I changed my department and only code checker in! Not sure of my hours yet. Hopefully not finishing after 5/5:30pm. Doesn’t matter as the BDs in ‘24 and ‘25 fall on my days off. If anyone comes up to me on BD saying it’s a disgrace or it’s a shame that you are working today. Well WTBF are you doing in a supermarket on day you should think they should be closed??

Those who shop on Boxing Day are either- never worked in retail, have zero respect for retail staff or both!

Got NYD off which is good. One NYD, we took just 9% of a typical day of what we take on an average of whatever day it falls on. What’s the bloody point??

I probably be asked to start earlier on Xmas Eve as want as much delivery in chillers and shelves before we open. Remember as it falls on Sunday - supermarkets in England and Wales can’t serve customers before 10am. Customers shop because of the date, not the day.

Seeing my Nanan on 21/12 and on the day after - doing sod all, bar a visit to the gym.

My two days off between Christmas and NY - again doing sod all.

I worked full time for 21 years and the only time I didn’t go into work between Christmas and New Year was ‘06/‘07 as working in a call centre. Had severe laryngitis which lasted 10 days. No other work to do.

 

[cheesefest]

What is your line of work?

Supermarket - trained in most things.

 

[cheesefest]

I'm the opposite to cheesefest I ignore my birthday and birthdays in general but Christmas is a time for the family to be together and not worry about work.

My birthday is 3 weeks after Christmas and have no issue booking off time work that time of year. If my birthday wasn't in Jan, I would booked a few days off anyway.

Plus in Jan, its very quiet and managers ask would any of us want the odd day off unpaid. A few other colleagues have followed my idea of booking 2-3 days off doing sod all in Jan.

 

[cheesefest]

I thought I was in the minority with not buying presents.

There's no need to waste time, money and stress for this.

 

[cheesefest]

Think social media is making some saddos feel the need to do - the family matching PJs, the Christmas Eve box, Christmas cushions, Christmas bedding. There's a bedding/curtain/home decor shop in the shopping area of my work that sells the latter two. I don't change my cushions and bedding.

 

[cheesefest]

I absolutely despise seeing the stocking filler aisles of absolute garbage in supermarkets that people will use for all of 30 seconds!

Nobody needs a phone powered fan or a mini pancake making set.

They're bought purely by people who have no imagination and most of this tatt will end up in the landfill within a year.

You see some unopened tat in charity shops

 

[cheesefest]

This stuff is fine tbh.

How often do you change your bedding? It should be weekly, so you're going to change it any way, might as well make it an Xmas one.

I change mine for Xmas as it's also a thicker one which keeps me warmer, and I change to a light summer one too. Spring and autumn is my "normal" bedding.

Decorating something, especially for a month or so, really is fine as it has more than just 1 quick use

I change bedding every week. Change the duvet fortnightly as have duvets with two different sides.

 

[cheesefest]

And whats with the christmas eve gift box? i just dont get it!

Card Factory and B&M have empty boxes for people to fill stuff in. From what I understand it’s has Xmas PJs, snacks for a Xmas film, hot chocolate sachet, a plate (which is usually personalised), Santa’s food and drink plus a copy of the letter you sent Santa.

Before streaming, the box contained a DVD of a film

Just another bs social media thing. They never happened before social media