Sooo who's got sucked in

[darksideofthemoon]

and spending megga bucks on their kids?

You know, it's a real off put thing isn't it or am I wrong?

I was born before WWII and so Christmas was a bit on the lean side, although my mother made beautiful presents for me.  One year I found Father Christmas had left me a pink Tutu with a wand that had a sparkly star and a crown with a sparkly star.... I was about 5.

Another year when I was older I received a watch.  'Santa' (my mother) had to laybuy it so it would be paid off for Christmas.. I was about twelve and even today it happily keeps time

Now Christmas for me is waiting for my family to finally sell their property in Queensland and move down here to Tasmania.  We have waited three years, and since I have not seen my son more than three times in the last 18 years you can imagine how much I want to share a Christmas with him and his family....

So have you been sucked in to believing you have to buy up big for the kids or do you keep within your means?

[acacia_pycnantha]

It really is a suck-in.

It's just like Easter and Father's day and Mother's day .  Valentine's day?.... we get guilted-out into buying expensive presents in order to demonstrate our love . . . once or twice or three or more times a year . . . and even more than that if one takes birthday presents into account.

Nice work if you can get it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=venzPNvge18

[secondhand-vunderland]

I agree with you acacia.  In so many ways I wish I'd never introduced the whole "santa" thing to the kids.  

My daughter said to me a few years back in reference to her "spoilt" cousin "Gee mum C***y must have been such a good girl, look at all the presents santa gave her" It breaks your heart because you know the people who can afford to spend up big will, meanwhile those of us struggling financially can only afford meagre presents and not the Ipods and Ipads and Iphones that others can afford.  

And lets face it, you are lying to your children and bound to cause them heartache when they find out he's not real.  In hindsight it seems morally wrong to me.  But I have no choice now but to keep up with the facade but I cant keep up with the Joneses.

And it's interesting what you find when you research the significance of the tree, the mistletoe, the Holly, Santa, it has nothing to do with "Christ" or anything Christian for that matter.

[acacia_pycnantha]

yes, Christmas is another of those ancient festivals appropriated by the Church.

There is a way around it, and that is to educate your kids with some history lessons and to teach them about the commercial interests who have taken over ownership of these festivals, all for their own gain.

They are exploiting us by representing gift giving as  an obligation. What ever happened to "it's the thought (and the love) which counts?

Other kids might boast of the value of their presents but those kids who really understand what is going on might boast about the fact that their parents don't need any special day on which they have to demonstrate their love.

It's a difficult fight, to fight the sophisticated commercial propaganda machine, but it is possible to fight and even to win.

it's a hard thing to have to teach children to hold contempt. But the commercial interests who make us feel guilty if we don't buy the latest seasonal "thneed" have nothing but contempt for us; the suckers who get sucked in to their fantastical money-making greed machine.

Anyone who thinks they can buy love (on a few special days in the year) is mistaken.

(and for spotwelder's friend whose reply I can anticipate. . . . you can buy something else, but it definitely ain't love) 😉

[secondhand-vunderland]

They are exploiting us by representing gift giving as  an obligation. What ever happened to "it's the thought (and the love) which counts?

I really couldn't have said it better myself lol And this is what I hate most. I can stomach the "tradition" element to it, I enjoy all the catching up with family and cooking up a storm etc but the expectation it puts on parents.  It's like every year has to be better than the one before because inadvertantly we allow children to be greedy (well I try not to but so many others do) and it just doesn't sit well with me anymore.  

It's a difficult fight, to fight the sophisticated commercial propaganda machine, but it is possible to fight and even to win.

Would you mind elaborating?

[acacia_pycnantha]

Well it involves education.

Once we understand the mechanics and the ploys of advertising for example, those adverts cease to have an effect on us.

It's the same with things like Christmas and Easter, where it's the gift giving which is promoted and even the competition amongst children to boast about "what they got".

The insidious part is that the commercial interests talk about this as if it were an accepted norm and by accepting their myth, we make it come true.

[acacia_pycnantha]

Advertising works because it makes us feel unhappy with what we already have.

But it only works if we cannot see the ploys they use. Once we can see them (and we sometimes need to look harder) they become almost laughable in their desperation to make a few dollars more from us.

Almost laughable . . . if it weren't so serious  . . and if it weren't for the fact that many people cannot see the ploys and so get dragged under by them by spending more than they can afford in order to satisfy an artificially created "obligation" or an artificially created "need" which didn't previously exist.

[secondhand-vunderland]

It's amazing how ADs can do that to people isn't it? And I'm in total agreeance with you and keep trying to educate my children on the topics you speak of.  As they get older it gets harder. 

I'd like to sue Sunnycrust Golden Oat grain bread because the ad they had on telly in the eighties has been permenantly imprinted onto my brain lol. That song, I still remember every word of it. 

[acacia_pycnantha]

Yes, i know what you mean. and that's just the thing . . . the advertisers know that certain things will stick in the mind for a very long time and will influence a buying decision even years later.

ads in magazines and papers are not designed to be read but just to make an instant impression as you turn the page.

Subliminal advertising in moving pictures was banned a while ago but it still exists in a different form . . . "product placement" where the hero or heoine is seen holding a can or a bottle or a packet of something so that the logo is conveniently facing the viewer.

It may just be something on the table or a sign or a mention in a casual converstation, but it's anything but casual . . it is a deliberate ploy made to deliberately advertise things.

with awareness comes liberation.

[fourandsixpants]

I was sucked in for years when my kiddies were littlies! Lol!! But I really,really enjoyed buying a few things every now and then- 'specials', stock take rummage sales etc.....so I ended up with loads of 'stuff' hidden away in my wardrobe as a total for the year's shopping ventures. Then I used to select from this what I was going to give, wrap....and roll over the rest for the foll Xmas. I saved a lot doing this and had fun:) Now the kids are older, in tune with what the realities of the world and commerce are and honestly don't 'need' anything.....well, honestly?......I just announced a few Christmases ago that I was not giving gifts anymore!!! Initial responses were a few long faces but we had a discussion. I explained that if there was anything they wanted and price was justified etc they could have it at anytime during the year.....and if expensive but really wanted we could discuss and perhaps work out a 'plan'. Has worked a treat and evryone is happy:)

Last Christmas I announced 'Christmas is cancelled this year' LOL!!! 'no presents AND no Chistmas lunch. I'm not doing it....!!'

*wow. We had a GREAT day. I had a LOVELY stress free Christmas:) The kids and I thoroughly enjoyed our 'special' Christams day together......I had bought in a few extra treats like foods we don't usu. eat (rubbish/processed stuff!) and loads of 'pickings' like hommous dips and crackers and strawberries and cooked chicken and stuffed bell peppers (man these are expensive!) and stone fruit...... The only one disappointed but he went to a friends for a sleepover and Christmas lunch was my elderly Dad.

This year I considered doing same Lol!......but no, decided to do a ***CHRISTMAS MORNING MAGIC 2013*** event. Have sent out invites to A Christmas Champagne Breakfast. 8am start-until the champagne runs out. 'Please bring a present for foll people (supplied a list of names)....for no more than $2.00......Dress: must wear a Santa hat or reindeer antlers'......have received replies and everyone invited is coming and say they are looking forward to it.  

I am 'over' the Christmas lunch thing and whilst I am 'over' the commercial hype and expense I am looking forward this year to giving, receiving and opening pressies with everyone and nibbling a nice breakies instead of 'stuffing' down a lunch and drinking champagne-this year:)

This is the invite I sent out, by email:)

**************************************************************************************************************************************************

                        *** CHRISTMAS MORNING MAGIC 2013 *** 

Dear   ...................................................................................................

We would love you all to come to a Christmas morning Champagne and Orange Juice Breakfast!
Time: 8am start til the Champagne runs out, yeah?!
Date: *Der!
Where: ....................................................

Strict Dress: MUST wear either a Santa Hat or Reindeer Antlers.....flashing or non-flashing is optional:)
Please bring Presents: 
Value $2.00....no more🙂 this will be a fun challenge!
Wrapped and labelled for following lucky recipients-

Boys                    Girls     

...............            ...............

...............            ...............

...............            .......... etc

* There will be Freddo Frog awarded for the BEST Gift voted by an independent panel of judges....
* A further prize, probably chocolate again(!) will be awarded to the Most Creatively Wrapped Gift

Hope you guys think this is a good idea to start Christmas Day - with plenty of time to catch up with other friends and engagements ..... fun pressies that we can all afford and celebrate with our loved one's in the funn-est, coolest part of the day.
Hope you can come:)

Much Love and Magic,

............................................. xoxoxoxoxo

************************************************************************************************************************************************

So, in answer to OP's question.....no.

I do not feel or believe that I/we are getting sucked in over Christmas this year.

(I intend to do most of food prep day before)

............a safe and Merry Christmas everyone

- wherever you choose to be, whomever you choose to be with & whatever you choose to do:)

 *jingle jingle* 

[acacia_pycnantha]

"Freddo frog" ?

yep, you're sucked in alright. 😉

and stuffed peppers are not expensive if you buy the peppers and stuff them yourself.

Champagne at 8 in the morning is a real challenge. it's great to drink it but  . . there's a whole day stretching out in front of you . . . but I suppose if you drink enough then you can sleep through the worst of it.