I was just wondering if any of you are scaling back your holiday celebrations due to the economy and financial strains?
The older I get, I'm getting to the point that less is more. There doesn't have to be a huge feast for Thanksgiving with way more food than we all need to eat. I know for myself, if it's there, I'm tempted to eat it.
With Christmas, I really don't need a gift. The best "gift" I could receive would be help around the house. Do the dishes, vacuum, dust, clean the bathrooms, let me sleep in on Saturday morning without waking me up. That's what I would really like.
Or I would be thrilled with "coupons" that I could redeem at my will for the above mentioned items.
To me, it just seems that there is too much commercialism in the holidays and people get away from the true, intended reason for the celebrations.
I understand if we, as consumers, spend less, the stores lose money and employees lose their jobs and some times businesses close. Yet, people tend to spend way more than is necessary or that they have funds to pay for when the bills come. There's got to be a balance in there. We live in a "got to have more, more, more" society.
If we would all scale back and if possible, donate food or money to organizations that collect around the holidays so those less fortunate have food to eat, etc. that would be a better way to ring in the holidays. It only takes a spark to get a fire going . . . a spark that encourages another soul that mankind for the most part, is kind and caring.
Bucky
The holidays are a cooperative effort arranged by my daughter. Jan cooks some thing here. Sarah and her MIL cook some things at Sarah's house and we eat at Sarah's.
My family and I (about 25 people) have the traditional Christmas dinner. We spend the day enjoying family.
As for the gift giving we don't do the expensive giving. We play a game called "Dirty Santa" and we have so much fun. It is a lot of fun and we laugh a lot.
This time of year can be very stressful. We have to know what we can and can't do as far as the spending goes and overworking ourselves.
Hi :)
I have yet to be told whether any of my kids are coming home this year or not. If any come home - I guess we will 'do' Christmas. If they don't - like last year - we won't do anything.
Hubby and I have never liked Christmas but went through with it for the kids. Last year was great. No tree - no decorations - no dinner - no hypocrisy. Thoroughly enjoyed a really chilled out day.
If any of the kids come home I guess there will be a tree and a meal.
Happy holidays everyone - however you do it.
Take care - Scottie :)
We don't get to "het up" over the Thanksgiving meal at our house. We started having order in pizza last year for Christmas which was wonderful. No stress and everyone enjoyed the day so much more.
Sooo, for Thanksgiving I am going to fix the turkey (while I still can) and fix the mashed potatoes and gravy. Our boys love the turkey, potatoes, gravy, stuffing and cranberries and I am the only one who fixes this so I don't feel like I can quit yet.
I try to fix the gluten free pie crust and a couple of pumpkin pies. Also, always do custard pie and regular pumpkin pie. A couple of years I did a cheese cake that was to die for. So easy and really rich without being overly spendy.
Hope you all have a good holiday---just being with family and sharing time together it wonderful. Irish ;D
I wouldn't mind if our Thanksgiving meal was rather simple, but my MIL loves the whole big traditional thing so we do it for her and our family here in Ky. It's fun to get most everyone pitching in together.
We've "scaled back" for Christmas regarding gifts for several years. I make a few homemade things and my husband and I get one rather nice gift for one another. We give our 3 kids gift cards; I know that sounds cheesy (and impersonal to me) but they like it.
I love to decorate for Christmas; the tree, wreaths, you name it. Nothing huge and expensive but things I enjoy.
Speaking of giving to others, I was in a store today that had an "Angel Tree" for children who are in need. I was looking at the tags with a child's name, age, and what they needed and wanted. I was getting in line and thought, well...maybe I'll do that later, I'm not sure.
When I turned around a tag I hadn't seen fell right at my feet; a tag/gift bag for a boy named Dusty. At that moment, I knew I couldn't hang it back up. His tag fell at me, so I had to take it home! ;) He needs socks and underwear, and wants movies and games. Guess I'll be filling the bag!
I've been slowing things down for the last couple of years...I have a small tree that is ready to go up on the tv stand and that's about it for decorations....and thats ok becasue we are hardly even home for the holidays. If I don't get any cards out I don't stress about it...I used to ALWAYS get cards out except for the last couple of years I haven't had the time to get it done....will try again this year and see what happens...lol!
I usually make the rounds for Christmas..starting out with 2 stops in the Chicago area with family on Christmas Eve, then I spend the night at my brothers house in the Joliet area, then a big Christmas morning breakfast and gifts with my mom and my brothers family. Then home for one more Christmas dinner and gifts with local family. Of course we have to fit the animals Christmas and gifts in there somewhere too... ;).
I used to really dislike traveling around everywhere for those two days but since losing my grandparents, great aunt, step dad and my dad...I like to see and spend some time with my family now...you never know what the following year will bring. We do a lot of the stuff we do for the kids in the family and my mom as she has always LOVED Christmas and buying gifts and doing the family visits.
This year will be different for me as my dad's wife has moved out of the house and further away since my dad has passed and my brothers family has GROWN again as my nephew and his family moved back in to the house....guess we will wait and see what this Holiday season brings!
I know I will be scaling back on at least the decorating due to all these lovely Sjogren's symptoms. It's all so pretty & I enjoy the creative aspect of the decorating. But, I am not looking forward to stringing lights, dealing with needle-y evergreens & pretty packaging with the way my hands feel. Much less the taking down & packing away of ornaments.
Irish - are you going to share your cheesecake recipe with us? I love cheesecake.
Meld - it sounds like Dusty was meant to be your little "angel".
GeorgiaGirl - I hear ya on the "taking down & packing away of ornaments".
For several years I have opted to put up my retro, silver pom pom Christmas tree. You can't hang real heavy ornaments on it, and you can't use lights. So, I just get out my color wheel and some light weight ball ornaments. It's real easy to set it up and then to disassemble it when the holidays are over.
This year, I have asked the quaint little antique shop on the square in town if she wants to borrow my retro tree for her shop. Her eyes lit up when I offered it. She said she wasn't looking forward to lugging this big, heavy tree up from the store basement and decorating it. I told her . . . my tree and color wheel ARE NOT FOR SALE . . but, you can borrow them. ;) This way, everyone in town can enjoy my tree too! ;D
So, that means I'll have to bring a different tree up from the basement and use string lights and ornaments - ugh - (I have three trees - kinda like Goldilocks and the Three Bears . . . a small one, a medium size one, and a large one). Maybe, I can get our son to help bring it up and decorate it. (Years ago, he wanted a tree in his bedroom - so we put this tree in there and decorated it with his Hot Wheels hung from ribbon. It looked pretty cool! ;) ).
Has anyone cut back on your Christmas cards you mail out? That can add up to quite an expense - I'm still debating on that one.
Bucky
I started to simplify Christmas a few years ago. The tree is the only decoration, and honestly I wouldn't bother with that if it weren't for the children and grandchildren. The meal is way, way scaled down too. No turkey because none of us care for it.
I was concerned that the family would be upset when I started changing things, but none of them seemed to notice. We are together because we love each other and want to spend time together. The things my kids have taught me, eh? :D
As far as the decorating I just put up a slim pre-lit tree.
My house is getting to small for all the kids and adults, so I lucked out there. We have it at my daughter's house which my house could fit inside. It is kid friendly with toys and the such. We have about 25-30 people. But on Thanksgiving we have it at my cousin's house with the same gang, so not her or I get stuck with both holidays.
But I do not get away free and clear as I have to do all the cooking: roast pork and gravy, home made dumplings [ in order to make enough it takes me about 4 days] sauerkraut and dessert [ just a few, then everyone brings one].
The best about holidays are my family, I love getting together with my cousins and their familys, and my children and grandchildren are always a blessing, we all get along great no arguments!
Yummmm Cricket...pork and gravy, home made dumplings, and sauerkraut??? I would love to come to your house for dinner...lol...this was some of the good food I was raised on! Yummmmmy!
Irish yum...cheesecake. ;) Cricket, you may need to set a place for Lynn and myself, too! I'd be fine with a paper plate!
Yes, I think Dusty is meant to be my Christmas Angel. I told my husband how his tag popped off at me and he said, yep, gotta do it! I've decided to buy for him rather than over-extend myself on many great nieces and nephews. I'll explain before I sound like a real Scrooge...
For the last several years, my husband's aunt and uncle have hosted a big family potluck dinner the week of Christmas, and a cousin has dressed up as Santa for the 10 or 11 kids there. It's very cute and he does a great job! We all have a good time together.
My problem is that all the kids there have everything "under the sun." It's become apparent that all the adults are expected to buy gifts for "Santa" to hand out incognito. With the amount of adults, it turns out that each child receives about 8-10 items. This is in addition to all the stuff their parents and grandparents get them. And we're talking about flat-screen TVs, real mini over-the-road vehicles, etc! The oldest child is 8!
Please forgive the rant...I haven't meant to offend anyone who wants to give their kids these things. I'm not trying to preach on childrearing. It's just for me, personally, I feel since I have limited resources and these children have so much, I will prefer to spend a bit on "Dusty" and maybe a few of his friends on the Angel Tree. ;)
Meld, I guess we are cut out of the same cloth cause 8-10 presents from Santa is really a lot and the kids.
My one DIL has gained my respect in this area. She and our son had some Christmas' that were tight financially and she would get presents at the thrift shops for the kids. Well, the kids are a lot older now and the they now get one new gift from "Santa" and the rest of the gifts are things she picks up at garage sales and thrift shops.
She shops all year and watches for things in good condition. She buys clothes, etc toys, and the kids seem to be happy with them. She is the DIL who makes the kids go through their toys and possessions periodically and pick things they don't use anymore which they then donate to needy kids, etc. These 2 kids still have way too many toys---a sign of the times I am afraid, but at least she is placing the notion in their heads that others aren't as forunate.
We have cut way down on Christmas around here and we never did go overboards. The adults buy one gift for each child so being we have a small family that means 3 gifts to open from aunts and uncles and grandparents. We keep the cost down to around 20-25$ for each kid. The adults used to draw names and we quit that and don't even buy for each other.
I finally got them talked into not buying a gift for us as we don't need for anything. So, we have very little paper to dispose of and very little hollering and fighting at Christmas and that I like. Haven't exchanged gifts with my sister/hubby's brother for probably 35 years. The economy doesn't get much out of our family that is for sure. Irish ;D
Good question!
My first response is I will go anywhere for a holiday! Let someone else clean and cook!!!
I'll bring something and arrive with a big smile.
I've been scaling back more or less since I realized I was baking cookies at 2 am that no one really wanted that much, because it was 'tradition'.....my mother's tradition. That was about 40 years ago.
When the kids were little I went all out for doing home made stuff, like trimming the tree with popcorn strings,, and having kids friends in to bake gingerbread men to put on the tree. And driving for hours to be with extended family on Christmas day.
We had a family tradition of Chinese food for Christmas eve, a Christmas eve service at church, and then dropping in our friends with an ornament for their tree on the way home. People looked forward to our small sharing of their family time. It was nice.
These are all things that didn't cost a lot of money.
I've already done my shopping, by the way. On line, things with special meaning, books and weird toys (build a rocket car that uses a bottle and water or air power), Christmas DVDs, tub toys for the littlest one who loves her bath in grandma's big tub.
I'm currently printing out envelopes for our Christmas letter. Our family lives all over and we've moved a lot....hence lots of letters.
We'll probably put up our 'fake' tree, which I finally agreed to. It really does save us money. With the grandkids so close, they'll want a tree at our house, I'm sure.
We've never had the sort of money 'some people' have, and I've always had a limited budget. The best part now is that we don't have to spend a fortune travelling for the holidays. For six years we flew to Hawaii. Cause our family was there, and it sounds glamorous, but when money is tight, it isn't. Now they are 15 minutes away!
We all did spend one Christmas together in Paris, since our eldest son and family live there, and our younger son loves for everyone to get together. But airfare to France is absurd now. And we saw that family last summer in Cuba.
I just have to be on the alert for my Christmas depression. I always forget that it hits.
My father was killed in WWII, so I grew up feeling sad about the celebration of the family that is the center of Christmas, I think. I don't think it is so bad now, or maybe I'm more ready for it, and on guard.
I think it is a hard time for lots of people. Overdone in so many ways.
Hugs.
Elaine
Carolina,
I like your attitude. Go somewhere and let them cook and clean! I like the traditions you've subscribed to over the years. And I love giving a child a book or learning tool-type of toy.
I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers through this season. It can be a sad time for so many, for many reasons.
Irish,
Yep, I think we may be a lot alike. ;) Your DIL also has my respect for the way she handles the Christmas season. I commend her for having the kids clean out and give things away.
One of the best learning experiences was when I was a Girl-Scout leader for my daughter's troup. Every year, 1/2 the money we made from cookie sales went to short trips the girls enjoyed. The other 1/2 went to children less fortunate.
We took baskets of toiletries, socks and blankets to our local homeless shelter. We took food to the pantry. We visited and took books, clothes and toys to children living at a home for abused children.
The girls in our group really saw how other children live. The children's home was wonderfully run, and yet broke my heart. One year, a little girl who was 9 gave me a little Bible she owned because she wanted to thank us. I cried all the way home. That was 14 years ago, and I still have it; probably the best gift I've ever received. :'( ;)
Makes me realize I haven't done a lot of this kind of giving lately. I really need to get back at it, starting this year and make it year-long, not just for the Christmas season.
We scaled back on Christmas when our son left to be on his own. Now he, his wife and daughter spend Christmas with her family. The five of us get together and watch our Grandaughter open our presents to her later around New Year's. As for the day, my husband and I just enjoy be together since he's a truck driver and is gone allot. This Thanksgiving his sister wants us to come to her new house that day. It will be fun since all that I have to cook is a green salad and a pumpkin pie. My mother is waiting to have hers until her birthday the end of January.
Quote from: Carolina on November 13, 2011, 10:31:46 AMI've been scaling back more or less since I realized I was baking cookies at 2 am that no one really wanted that much, because it was 'tradition'.....my mother's tradition.
I had read a story once about a gal that always cut off the end of her meatloaf when cooking it. She never knew why she did that - that's what her mother did - as did her grandmother. She finally asked her grandmother why she did that. Come to find out, the meatloaf wouldn't fit into her grandmothers pan, so she cut the ends off so it would fit. A tradition that was passed down from generation to generation. ;)
It's nice to have family traditions - but, some through the years, are dropped or replaced with something more relevant to current times. Back in our grandparents or gt. grandparents times, they didn't have a lot of the things we do today - modes of transportation (cars,planes, buses, etc.), modern conveniences (electric refrigerators, electric or gas stoves, furnaces, air conditioning, electricity, etc.). They made do with the things they had at the time - they survived - they were fed, had housing, and didn't have as many "material" belongings that we do today.
They would get together with neighbors and have quite a spread of food. Sacrificing a cow, pig, or chicken for a meal was a big deal back then. Maybe, if you were a guest you would bring a loaf of homemade bread, or a jar of homemade jelly, or a homemade pie. You didn't go out and "buy" a gift - you made it.
Homemade gifts are my favorite to receive. :D (I have an afghan that was given to me for my high school graduation from a neighbor lady. I have used that afghan daily for the last 35+ years!!). If you go into my bedroom right now, you will see it folded at the end of my bed - it will be used tonight. :)
Toys for children through the years have changed and gotten so expensive. Look at any store sales ad for toys - most run $25 and higher. It's hard as a parent not to be able to give your child the "latest and greatest" gadget that is current trend at the moment. We have always told our son that we wished we could afford to give them _________ (fill in the blank) like Tommy got - he understands.
I have always shopped yearlong - watching for sales - and squirreling away gift items for my family (
IF I could only remember where they were in hiding when I needed them!! ;) ). As our son has gotten older - it's not as easy to do. I don't think a board game and some Hotwheels and underwear and socks would suffice an almost 16 yr. old!!
You know, I had heard from my SIL, that the "family" was all going to be eating out for Thanksgiving this year. I was disappointed - I really didn't want to eat out. (I know, some of you are saying . . . "what? Are you crazy?!"). The place they were going to eat at has a buffet - it would cost $427.46 for the 16 of us to eat (including tip). Ridiculous!! Do you know how much food we could buy for $427.46?? Plus, if there is a huge display of food - we'll eat waaaay more than we need to. After all, you would want to eat your moneys worth at $24.95 per person! ::)
Since then, I have heard we are
NOT going out to eat, but one of the nieces is having family Thanksgiving at her house. Yay!! She's got a huge house, so we can all easily fit in. I'll bring several dishes to share and go over to help get things ready. Even though the "other" way would be a whole lot simpler - I like the more family oriented, at home, kind of celebration. That's how I roll. ;)
Here's a "tradition" I read about in a magazine you might want to try. Whenever you have a family (or friends) get-together, but especially at the holidays - buy a white or light colored fabric tablecloth for the dining table. Get a pen that will write on fabric and have each person present sign their name and date it (and they could leave a little note if they wanted to). It could become a family heirloom that is passed down from generation to generation. Just a thought.
Cricket - I hope you get some help in the kitchen - that's a lot of work!
Bucky
Meld, I sooooo agree with you. Buy for Dusty and fuhgit about iiittttttt! :). That's supposed to be my new joisey mobster imitation.
Significant other and I are doing Cornish hens for thanksgiving probably one of those huge roasting hens for Christmas. Lots of new recipes for side dishes and desserts.
Just me and him. A few presents for each other. If he wants to go back home and see his mom, he usually takes his son.
Alls quiet on my front. What he decides to do on his sideline is his call. :)
Scaling back here too! Mother Hubbard's cupboard is bare! And her wallet is looking pretty similar. I have a bad habit of buying ornaments. Every year I say I'm not buying any more, but somehow end up doing so. Not this time. I'm even seriously considering getting a fake tree and avoid tree shopping and especially putting on the lights. UGH! I really hate that. I have no idea what I'll put under it since money is so tight. I may just buy for my two grandchildren.
Cricket, I feel for you. I've had the same problem. I've been trying as of last year to scale back the cooking. I'm going to ask others to bring some food this year if I even do the dinner thing. It's just too much. I just got through the agony of doing the wedding cake for my daughter's wedding. I was popping the hydracodone on that one!
Bloodless, I have an ornament addiction, too. :o
We have scaled back more & more every year & it makes the holidays much more enjoyable! We only buy for the children & spend very little. Most of them want gift cards which are easy & they get what they want.
We spend the most on my only child but buy a lot of necessities like clothes. She has her list of must haves & it is reasonable.
For the first year I am not doing Christmas dinner & I'm so relieved!! However I am doing all of Thanksgiving (& all gluten free).
I feel good about cutting back ;D. Carie
Here's an idea I posted a couple years ago that you might find "unique" in reference to some "homemade" ornaments.
Take the mason regular jar lids (the flat ones) and find pictures to either glue or decoupage onto them, punch a hole in the top with a hole punch and put some pretty ribbon through it. Turn it over and say who is in the picture and the date.
You can use pictures of pets, children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, parents, grandparents, friends . . . pictures of anything. It could be a fun project for the little ones to help with. It might become a family tradition. ;D
You could make a "family tree" using all these pictures.
Bucky
Well, wouldn't it be great if we all could get together for the holidays and meet one another!!
You are all invited for Christmas dinner - nothing to throwing in another roast or two!!!! lol
What a nice idea, Cricket! ;D I'll bring the gluten free biscuits and gravy!
With the ever rising utility costs - have any of you scaled back and NOT put up Christmas lights on the outside of your home?
I've gone to the trouble of putting lights up a couple of times - then we hardly turned them on - so now I feel, "why bother?" - so we don't. Nobody wants to go outside to plug in/unplug the lights. We could get a timer, but I don't want to spend money on that. Bah humbug! ;)
Bucky
I put up LED lights two years ago and left them up.
I told my daughter (age 31) that I wasn't putting up a tree this year and she got very upset with me. I told her, if you want a tree, you'll have to come home and put it up for me. (She's a three hour drive away)
So she's coming home the first weekend of December!
Who knew it was that easy to get her home for a weekend?!? 8)
I think I will be scaling back as I will be having my 1st infusions of Rituximab on 7/12 and 21/12. I will definitely need some help for Christmas! xx Ailsa
harrigan,
I'll be thinking of you with your infusions. Yes, go ahead and do some delegating for the help you need. ;)
A66ey,
That was and easy way to get her home! Hey, that gives me a thought...our daughter is coming for a long weekend Thanksgiving visit. My husband doesn't get into putting up the tree, soooo maybe she and I can do it. :D Hmmnn....maybe between my aches and her morning sickness we can eventually get it done; what a pair!
Ours is always the same, small and simple. There is my hubby and I and we have an adult daughter who is single, no kids. She does have a new puppy we can buy a present for. OMG. Mostly we go out to a buffet to eat at both Thanksgiving and christmas. My sister and her family have been snowbirds for about 4 or 5 years and we miss them for Christmas.
We buy each other a couple of durable presents< pjs, sox, underwear. If my hubby decides to cook, that's ok too and we enjoy that. I hate to say it, but we have a bunch of Indian casinos around here and they are always open (for dining of course) and we have visited some of them in recent holidays. The grand-pup will have to stay home if we go away and our daughter decides to join us. I will celebrate my new knee also.
We have a slim, artificial tree we've had for 25 years at least. I told hubby I might buy something bright and sparkly like white with lights already attached. He suggested no tree, but I think he doesnt mean it.
Lucy,
Gifts for the puppy could be fun! I just got a catalog from Drs Foster and Smith and they have all kinds of things.
Your simple celebration sounds good; and yes, you have a new knee. Maybe by the end of Dec. it will be healing a bit more.
If your hubby isn't looking forward to putting up the tree you have, a new one might be a good option. The new ones that are pre-light are sooo easy; put 2-3 pieces together and it's done.
Take care,
Melinda
One could always opt for a Charlie Brown tree. ;D
Bucky
Thanksgiving is a noon meal for 10 this year. Some years it can be as many as 18. It's at brother and sister-in-laws this year. I'm taking a pie and dinner rolls (homemade that morning.)
Christmas will be all the family for Christmas Eve, starting at the church with a live nativity; then light dinner, followed by exchanging gifts. For the last 2 years the adults drew names.This year we are taking the $$ we would spend on a gift and pool it , and donate it to Samaritans Purse. We will decide as a group, what to give. We really don't need more stuff. The 4 grandchildren will still get gifts from everyone. Most gifts are under $25.00. We are still considering a "white elephant" exchange just for fun.
We still will exchange with immediate family. This year, I made personalized pillow cases for everyone (that's 12 of them). And the adults will get gift cards for Lowes or Home Depot, so they can get something for their home. 2 of them are doing a lot of remodeling and we would rather let them get what they really need. Grandchildren will get some type of game or toy.
Christmas Day --dinner--probably at my house. I'll do the meat, gravy,potato, rolls part; everyone pitches in with the extras. The afternoon is spent playing games and enjoying the kids. My oldest 2 sons and family go to the other family for dinner. The youngest may end up working (he's a security guard at a state prison.) Then a leftover sandwich dinner.
I put of one of those ceramic trees for Christmas. I got mine at a garage sale for $2.50. The kitties can't climb it and I don't have to worry about seeing greenery or tinsel sticking out of an unlikely place. ;D ::) I also have a nice Jim Shore statue of Santa w/a kitty.
Some years I put light around the front door and some I do not. I've been wanting to find a cheap outdoor timer so they will not be on all night and I don't have to go out and unplug.
They put a wish tree up at work so we can pick a card and buy for I usually do a couple of those every year as there is just me and the "kitty crew" here anymore.
It is nice just being able to just spend time with friends or loved ones period. We are all so rushed around with jobs, kid stuff, volunteering, etc. that we never just take the time and relax and sit and talk to family. We tie up our lives too much.
Oh I heard Christmas music on the radio station today. Still think it is too early!
It really is early for Christmas music, but I think it sounds so good. I feel like I need the Christmas music so much this year.
I hope that the radio stations will play more than they used to. Years ago when married the first 20 years or so it seems like we had so much music and I loved to lay in the dark when I first went to bed and listen to the radio and Christmas music.
Nowdays they just want to skip it--at least those darn radio stations seem to. Irish ;D
We have cut down on holiday spending for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is usually my sister and I sharing cooking responsibilities (we both love to cook). We have both tried to cut back on how much we cook and try to find lighter versions of the things we make, less casserole type dishes and desserts, and more freshly prepared veggies.
As far as spending for Christmas, we have a $ upper limit of $40-50 at the most, but we all understand everyone is in different financial situations and it really is the thought that counts. Our family is small so we all get each other gifts (I have 7 to get for my family this year). I do NOT charge anything....I take up to $350 or whatever I can afford for the year and divide it among my family. If I can't afford to get my friends gifts, I will try to make something (either from my kitchen, or a craft of some sort). I try to limit that expense to around $100.00 and keep my total christmas spending under $500.
Great thread!
Nancy
Christmas for is us usually all the family here at our place,but this year for the first time my eldest daughter is having so we are going there for the day so i just have to turn up with gifts etc.( sounds great to me)
This time of the year here is so hot, so as a rule we have everything cold as in salads, turkey,ham,seafood etc,and of course Christmas isn't Christmas without a plumb pudding.
I enjoy the decorations. The grandchildren and I spend a bit of time putting them up while listening and sining carols,they have so much fun doing it.
The spending side of things all the family has a small budget for each person it can be a challenge to stay within the budget, and we do at times have some very funny and interesting gifts.
I haven't cut back that much as yet as the grandchildren get older the more I get them to do and they enjoy it because we make it a fun thing to do.
Cheryl