Looking forwards to Christmas

[stevieannie]

The LJ zeitgeist at the moment definitely seems to be towards a Christmas where "less is more".

How many of us really need more STUFF? How many of us actually look at our mound of gifts on Christmas Day and say, "Gosh, I really needed that novelty chicken bookmark and matching photo-frame set!".

Well, maybe you do, but I certainly don't. I've got too much stuff already. I have three garages and part of a storage unit full of excess stuff that I can't fit in my house. Why on EARTH would I require more stuff?

I don't intend to spend much this Christmas. I will (as a practising Christian) go to church quite a bit and think about my religion and what it means to me. I will eat well. Possibly the poultry of choice on Christmas Day will be one of the two fresh-shot ducks that my friend just gave me from a game shoot last Saturday (Tim needs to pluck and gut them first, obviously). I will give some gifts to my children, and the children of my immediate family. I will give something small to Tim. I will drink well (elderflower champagne and elderberry wine - maybe some mead if there's any left). I will enjoy the company of family and friends and share my food and drink with them.

I can't really see how novelty slippers or amusing books about cats could possibly improve on that...

Comments

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

I dunno about amusing books on /cats/, per se, but my Christmases always feel oddly incomplete without a new book to read.

[stevieannie.livejournal.com]

Hereby lies my problem - very few people can actually pick a book I like, and most of those people who can, will lend me their copy anyway. I end up asking for it, and where's the fun if you've *asked* for it? Might as well have bought it for myself...

Besides I think last Christmas cured me of that: 5 vegetarian cookbooks and 2 pairs of scissors were the backbone of *my* Christmas '06. Yeesh. Nothing says "I love you" like a book that shrieks, "I couldn't be bothered to look, so I didn't bother at all". Hmmm. I'll take a Christmas of good company and gentle overindulgence, thankyou!

[keristor.livejournal.com]

My family have always (in my memory at least) kept "present books" for birthdays and Christmas since we were old enough to write legibly in them. They listed the things we wanted and thought of during the year and then relatives could look to see what we wanted (and cross things off so they weren't bought twice). These days those of us with web access do it with Amazon wishlists. There is still the surprise of who gets you what, and the lists are long enough that we won't get everything, but without the 17 pairs of socks or other things that we don't really want. I don't expect anyone to be able to guess what I would like accurately, and even less for them to know what I already have, no matter how much they love me.

[plaid-dragon.livejournal.com]

Thinking of book-lending, have you read "A Meeting at Corvallis" yet? Because I've finished it, and can happily stick that in the Mongol post. Ditto the second Temeraire book, once Dave gets his sticky little mitts off it (he reads slowly so you may have to wait for that one!)

[soren-nyrond.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry --while I respect your minimalism, I like surprises, I trust people I know that they might just give me something I didn't know I needed, and I know some people feel very unhappy if they aren't allowed to give gifts to people at Xmas.

Have a good one, you and your family; bless you all.

[stevieannie.livejournal.com]

I envy you people who get you nice presents - witness my comment to Mike about last year.

Everyone has the right to enjoy their midwinter break in their own way - I hope you have a wonderful time :-) I think mine will suit my tastes :-)

[djbp.livejournal.com]

I think I'm doing a grand total of about 4 gifts this year, 2 of which are for my brothers step children.

Otherwise I'll be experimenting with home made liquer chocolates and some baking.

[tattercoats.livejournal.com]

Hear hear. I shall make biscuits and sweets for as many friends as it's fun making, and rehome some mathom; some things for P & C, and a few friends' kids, and little more, I suspect... but music, company, food and drink and crafting and visiting, that's what I want for Midwinter. Have a good one.

[plaid-dragon.livejournal.com]

How many of us actually look at our mound of gifts on Christmas Day and say, "Gosh, I really needed that novelty chicken bookmark and matching photo-frame set!".

That's odd, I didn't realise my MiL had ever bought gifts for you! There is something incredibly upsetting about opening presents from someone you love and know really can't afford to be buying you things but won't stop, and thinking they are fit only for the charity shop. And yet some times she gets it so right (snow-boarding lesson vouchers for birthday this year).