Christmas, debt and recession
It's November, and Advent is still four weeks away, but the pressure is already on to spend, spend, spend for Christmas.
THe BBC has a piece on how to "cope" with Christmas and not get into debt. "Make a budget and stick to it," it says, which is of course a smart idea.
But here's an even more radical idea: cut down your idea of what's required. The expectations we place on ourselves for Christmas, weddings and all sorts of other celebrations are completely out of hand: sure, if you are minted, enjoy it, but you do not have to spend seventeen grand on a wedding, or two grand on Christmas.
If you're on a tight budget, call your family and friends and tell them you're not doing presents this year, or only doing £5 presents, or whatever you can afford and invite them to do the same. (I just did that). They might even be very glad someoone else takes the initiative. And think realistically about what people really can eat in two or three days. Most families chuck out half a turkey a few days after Christmas (or they freeze it and then chuck it out six months later). Try buying an ordinary chicken instead, or two if there's a houseful. Four pounds buys enough carrots, parsnips and potatoes (especially if you shop at Aldi) to have roast veg for a week.
What do you really need to celebrate? Some warmth. Some friends. Enough to eat. Goodwill to all.
Lower expectations, cut out the stress, and raise the enjoyment factor.
6 Responses to “Christmas, debt and recession”
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Maggi has kept a blog since September 2003, writing about theology and faith, the arts and literature, and a little about life and random nonsense...
In an increasingly secularised society few people have a good working knowledge of the Bible. Yet a great deal of our culture is built on stories or ideas that come from the Bible. Literature, art, music, language and even the fabric of our society - such as our justice system - are built on Christian concepts and biblical references. The Writing on the Wall provides a fascinating introduction to the Bible's best-known, and most influential, stories. Each chapter gives some background to the text of the Bible, and shows how the stories have become enmeshed in Western culture. Adam and Eve, the ten plagues of Egypt, The Prodigal Son and Mary Magdalene all feature - along with how the Bible has influenced everyone from Shakespeare to Monty Python, and Caravaggio to Banksy. 
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I think this is a really important concept and that it’s possible to structure your time in ways along these lines that makes personal sense – I call it “making a day.”
Can I tell my wife and daughter that, on your advice, I’m cutting the wedding budget? (and how long do you think I’d live if I did?)
as a way of reducing Christmas present buying stress and cost… I really like the Secret Santa idea… just one present, so able to spend a reasonable amount on that one present, the joy of working hard to choose something your loved one will enjoy, without the stress of finding oodles of presents at £5.. I commend the proposal to the house
Our Christmas gifts for this year are being done by drawing names (stockings included). We have a cap and all gifts are to be handmade or secondhand. No store-bought cards for us either, we’re making them too! I’m excited to see what people are going to come up with!
you can tell them the person leading the prayers won’t charge, Hugh
We’ve sometimes declared a “no presents over £10″ year; and it’s always been lovely. I think we should make it the norm.