tuesdaysgone
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,832
Jun 26, 2014 18:26:03 GMT
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Post by tuesdaysgone on Nov 24, 2018 19:03:16 GMT
I'm giving gifts to fewer co-workers. I have done up to 15-20 work gifts in years past; this year I'm only doing 6. What I do give will be very simple...home made granola.
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Post by needmysanity on Nov 24, 2018 20:03:36 GMT
We are saying no to my company Christmas party. It’s $80 a person which is ridiculous! You have to pay to attend your office party??? I've ever heard of that. That would be a big no thanks for me. It’s the Board of Directors and Officers dinner and yes we have to pay for it. We are a non profit agency so I get having to pay, I just wish they picked someplace cheaper.
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julie5
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,611
Jul 11, 2018 15:20:45 GMT
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Post by julie5 on Nov 24, 2018 20:18:40 GMT
Anything to do with the in-laws. They don’t attend anything for my children and give the shittiest gifts. This year I’m reciprocating with no guilt.
I will be doing anything and everything fun with my own kids and appreciating them and the time I have with them.
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Post by Scrapper100 on Nov 24, 2018 20:53:29 GMT
Well we are hosting Christmas brunch for the first time and after hosting Thanksgiving we are going to do everything easy. I am not going to spend 3 days cooking and cleaning and then another to clean up for a 3 hour family event. Everyone seems to have a special diet and I am not going to be baking stuff unless DS requests it. I am going for easy and just want to focus on visiting with the small family we have. We are celebrating two days early and this will be the first year in more than 2 decades that we don't get up at 5 am on Christmas and rush out - there will be no screaming crazy rants and it should be a pleasant experience with only the people we really care about.
Last year we started scaling back on the decorations and we are only putting up the ones that we really want to. I am almost done with my shopping - DH will buy for his family since I just found out that the three gifts for MIL won't work as she has a new diet. She doesn't appreciate stuff I do anyways so I am saying no more.
I am trying to come up with a few things to make the season special without going crazy at the same time.
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Post by mygigiscraps on Nov 24, 2018 21:21:31 GMT
We're saying NO to the outdoor lighting that normally takes two days, as well as most of the inside decorations. I pulled a few of my favorite larger pieces out of storage and kept it really simple. This might not be the only year it happens, either!
I'm totally doing my baking. It relaxes me.
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Post by AN on Nov 24, 2018 21:55:59 GMT
We're saying NO to the outdoor lighting that normally takes two days, as well as most of the inside decorations. I pulled a few of my favorite larger pieces out of storage and kept it really simple. This might not be the only year it happens, either! I'm totally doing my baking. It relaxes me. We paid an off duty firefighter here to hang up our outdoor lights (and then will take them down in January too). Worth every penny, because I really like outdoor lights but putting them up and tasking them down is a niiiiightmare. Kudos to you for figuring out it isn't worth it to you!! Realistically outdoor decorations mostly don't get seen much by your own family anyway!
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Post by alexa11 on Nov 25, 2018 0:10:05 GMT
I'm not making 80-100 meatballs this year. I inherited that job when my dad died 6 years ago and I'm over it! The Lil Smokies will just have to be alone in the slow cooker this year. I'm cutting back on my baking, too.
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Post by refugeepea on Nov 25, 2018 0:25:56 GMT
It would be easier to answer what are you saying YES to?
I said yes to decorating my living room.
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julie5
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,611
Jul 11, 2018 15:20:45 GMT
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Post by julie5 on Nov 25, 2018 1:31:55 GMT
We're saying NO to the outdoor lighting that normally takes two days, as well as most of the inside decorations. I pulled a few of my favorite larger pieces out of storage and kept it really simple. This might not be the only year it happens, either! I'm totally doing my baking. It relaxes me. Yes to the baking! I love eating it!
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,539
Jul 24, 2014 19:51:57 GMT
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Post by MerryMom on Nov 25, 2018 4:22:29 GMT
Buying presents for siblings and their spouses.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Nov 25, 2018 4:34:49 GMT
I am not arriving extra early for the Family gathering. I will be 30-ish min early(prior to dinner) to give my gifts. I will depart 30-ish minutes after dinner. Not hanging all day with people that I don't particularly care for. For me, Family time is small doses only. Not all day, not all afternoon, not all evening. Two-ish hours maximum. I won't feel guilty about. I won't feel sorry about. I will put myself and my well being first. That means small doses. If and when any passive-aggressive rude comments are aimed towards me, I will make my departure.
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kelly8875
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,391
Location: Lost in my supplies...
Oct 26, 2014 17:02:56 GMT
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Post by kelly8875 on Nov 25, 2018 4:56:43 GMT
I’m not going to our company Christmas party. Instead I’m going out of town scrapbooking with friends.
And I should go....my parents own the company 😂 I just don’t think my life has to revolve around the company, and I was invited to go somewhere else. It’s valid, not like I’m sitting on the couch.
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Post by 950nancy on Nov 25, 2018 5:08:26 GMT
I’m not going to our company Christmas party. Instead I’m going out of town scrapbooking with friends. And I should go....my parents own the company 😂 I just don’t think my life has to revolve around the company, and I was invited to go somewhere else. It’s valid, not like I’m sitting on the couch. I support your decision 200%. Would love to do that.
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MerryMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,539
Jul 24, 2014 19:51:57 GMT
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Post by MerryMom on Nov 25, 2018 5:42:59 GMT
We are saying no to my company Christmas party. It’s $80 a person which is ridiculous! You have to pay to attend your office party??? I've ever heard of that. That would be a big no thanks for me. If you work for a government agency or school or a non-profit agency, there are no employer paid parties. There is no party, the bosses pay for food and/or it’s a potluck. It’s on your own lunchtime: not paid time. Taxpayers don’t pay for parties!
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Post by dudleypippen on Nov 25, 2018 13:07:22 GMT
I’m saying no to buying presents for non immediate family. Since we’ve been together we’ve bought for my husband’s stepsister and stepbrother, both of who are younger than we are by 15-20 years. They’ve never said thank you, nor reciprocated with gifts for our children when we had them. They are now both adults and I told DH last year was the last time. So freeing.
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Post by llinin on Nov 25, 2018 15:36:05 GMT
I used to spend days putting up 3 trees and a house full of decorations. This year I put up what I could do in one day, that’s it. I collect vintage Christmas kitsch and I thinned it out a little.
Looks like the baking this year will be the 2 boxes of cookie dough I bought from a cousin’s fundraiser.
Ditched Christmas cards years ago and feel no guilt.
Still doing my family Christmas craft weekend even though it is a ton of work because we all love it. Ordering food both days and buying Christmas cookies so that’ll save a lot of work.
I work FT 3rd shift, some stuff just had to give.
I’m happy with what I am doing, not dreading any of it so goal met! Laura
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Post by LisaDV on Nov 25, 2018 20:12:12 GMT
I’ve ditched things or cut back through the years. I let our life each year dictate what we can do/get accomplished.
I quit cards years ago, each year I hope to send them out and each year they get pushed back. I joined the pea swap last year, and I loved it. This year no time but hope to send a few cards out.
DD got sick a few years ago and had several dietary restrictions. Also we had just moved, so I wasn’t hosting Christmas, the cookies were very limited. We did one nice dinner and just leftovers/snacks on Christmas Day.
This year we’ve said no to traveling. We usually go the first part of December to dh’s family and then to mine. I’m so happy to be staying home all month. It’s a huge relief.
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Post by **GypsyGirl** on Nov 25, 2018 20:17:40 GMT
Apparently we are all at the fore front of a new trend! JOMO is the Joy of Missing Out. Hope everyone enjoys their holidays a little bit more due to the JOMO they are doing!
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AnotherPea
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,968
Jan 4, 2015 1:47:52 GMT
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Post by AnotherPea on Nov 25, 2018 20:21:37 GMT
You have to pay to attend your office party??? I've ever heard of that. That would be a big no thanks for me. If you work for a government agency or school or a non-profit agency, there are no employer paid parties. There is no party, the bosses pay for food and/or it’s a potluck. It’s on your own lunchtime: not paid time. Taxpayers don’t pay for parties! well, they do. They just call the parties "retreats" and only the big-wigs are invited.
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Post by mrssmith on Nov 25, 2018 20:24:49 GMT
Not doing my office Secret Santa. It is actully fun - participation is optional and you get a list of 3 items the person likes (hobbies, etc) - but it's the remembering to get and deliver the items that is just going to add too much to my to do list. I will still bake. Not hosting anything this year though.
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Post by deekaye on Nov 25, 2018 22:21:14 GMT
Interesting this should come up because on Thanksgiving, the WOMEN in the family have decided that we are saying NO to Christmas Eve! Once upon a time, Christmas Eve was supposed to be a light meal, casual, quick get together and then everyone left for Church... with the idea that the next day, Christmas Day, was the BIG meal, gifts, etc. Somehow, Christmas Eve became a huge deal with a big dinner, etc. Most of us have full-time jobs and usually work Christmas Eve day so it means rushing home from work to get things going. This year we are going out of Chinese food and a movie, followed by evening church services... the guys don't know this yet.
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peaname
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,389
Aug 16, 2014 23:15:53 GMT
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Post by peaname on Nov 4, 2019 15:04:13 GMT
I'm bumping this thread from last year. I am thinking for this year, if my family is on board, to cut stocking stuffers. I find myself buying anything small and often things I would not buy otherwise just to 'stuff' a stocking. It's my life, I make the rules and if I don't want to stuff a stocking I won't! Even good old gift cards are hunks of plastic that are not recyclable and don't always get used. Or they'll have $1.26 left on them and sit in my junk drawer for years.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Nov 4, 2019 15:26:12 GMT
I just read through the last few responses from last year and had to laugh at JOMO- Joy Of Missing Out! LOL. I love it. I think I’m going to take the advice from mikklynn on the Refiller thread and just say no to cooking a big meal for both Thanksgiving and Christmas and just order the precooked meals from the store. DH will still get all the stuff he loves for the big holiday meals without all the work, especially since he wants to go to the lake (for Thanksgiving at least, so far). I will still make my homemade rolls/bread and will make my favorite Christmas cookies and a pumpkin pie for DH and DD. Those things are worth the effort to me and can be done here at home ahead of time.
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hannahruth
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,617
Location: Adelaide, Australia
Aug 29, 2014 18:57:20 GMT
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Post by hannahruth on Nov 4, 2019 15:26:36 GMT
We are not doing the office Secret Santa. Instead we are pooling our money and buying two or three angel tree requests for clothes or toys. This is a fabulous idea - who really wants the silly Secret Santa anyway?
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Post by dewryce on Nov 4, 2019 15:36:09 GMT
We are skipping Christmas Eve and Christmas Day celebrations with both families and going to Las Vegas instead! We had a loss on Christmas in 2010 and this year it is really hitting DH very hard. So we are getting out of Dodge and avoiding the whole thing. His stress levels dropped so much when we made the final decision.
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Post by mikklynn on Nov 4, 2019 16:10:53 GMT
peaname I love that you bumped this thread. It's a really great one.
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Post by flanz on Nov 4, 2019 16:14:49 GMT
I detest doing anything out of obligation and gave it up long ago. I used to put a ton of effort into the holidays but it's been a long time. In our family we prefer to give experiential gifts and to do them when opportunities present themselves, rather than on a date specified by the calendar. Just say no to obligations!
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Post by Basket1lady on Nov 4, 2019 16:15:28 GMT
We are saying no to my company Christmas party. It’s $80 a person which is ridiculous! You have to pay to attend your office party??? I've ever heard of that. That would be a big no thanks for me. In the military, we pay for our office parties, or any parties. Sometimes a social group will do a fundraiser to offset E-5s and below, but our Club bill is pages long for December as DH’s rank has increased. Even when he was a junior officer, his jobs were often the type where we had extra parties to attend. When the kids were small, I decided I was done with going and started sending DH alone. Both of our ticket prices plus a babysitter for the night were putting up in the poor house. DH can wear his mess dress to the parties, but the purchase of multiple post-baby cocktail dresses is perhaps what put the final nail in that coffin. In recent years, we have seen several parties done as a pot luck in the office. Yay! Because DH worked in the Pentagon, spouses never got to know each other, so just work people would attend. DH still had to buy the turkey and ham for the party, but it was still cheaper than tickets for a rubber chicken dinner and a new dress (no more babysitters these days!). I still had to attend the big Command office party, but those were always in interesting places like Mount Vernon, after hours. This is weekend I asked him to find out what is expected here for Christmas parties and if I have to plan it. These days, his admin is usually in charge of that. I brought over 2 formal dresses and I’m hoping it’s enough!
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Post by Rainy_Day_Woman on Nov 4, 2019 16:16:02 GMT
I am thinking about just skipping it all. I can do that, right?
I am buying gifts for my kids and nieces and nephews but that's about all. I have told my parents and siblings to not bother with gifting us.
We will put up a tree but it's small and the kids and I will do a bit of baking but I am not feeling it, I am tired, and I am not going to make myself miserable this year.
We are actually not even going to do dinner, probably order in, and just spend the day playing with the kids and hanging out, go sledding if there is snow.
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Post by barbarac on Nov 4, 2019 16:17:15 GMT
Every year we get a big tree. I go all out decorating. My mom comes to visit from about 12/23 to 1/2. We have a nice Christmas Eve dinner at our house and go to my sister's (about an hour away) for Christmas Day. We've been doing this since before my oldest were born and they're now 16 - we do this every year. But this year we are going on a cruise!!!! We are so excited. We'll be gone from 12/20 to 12/28. No Christmas tree, no mom, no sister, no undecorating - nothing! Well, I may put out a few decorations but no tree. We will be swimming with sting rays on Christmas day. Yippeee!!!
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