Christmas spending v saving the planet

Chestnut I so agree!
Present giving for us is now just the immediate family ( can hand them over as fortunately all live close) and a few small presents for good friends.
Shopping near Christmas can be panic inducing so the less done the better.

I'm glad I don't go wandering around the shops at Christmas any more. It would horrify me seeing so much stuff piled high, silly games and novelty items bought just for the sake of it. People are obsessed with wrapping something and handing it over, no matter how stupid the item. This has to stop.

But 25Avalon, the leftovers are the best part of the Christmas eating season. The only excuse for ever wasting food is not having a freezer. We will be having Christmas pie, fricassees, pasta dishes, curries, not to mention refreshing turkey and ham sandwiches.

Even last year when I ordered a big turkey for 7 and 2 of us sat down to eat it. not a fragment was wasted. I cut the turkey in half and kept one half in the freezer for Easter and the rest got eaten in all the usual ways.

I’ve had a ‘minimise the plastic tat’ rule for a few years now. I’d rather spend one larger sum on one decent present than several small things that will end up in the bin. It’ll be useful things, clothing items, books etc.

The children will get presents but I thought I'd buy them a tree each to be planted in the National Forest as well.

I have bought trees for them before.
www.nationalforest.org/get-involved/plant-a-tree/dedicate-a-tree?gclsrc=aw.ds&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxrqJqN__8wIVVu3tCh2RAgyVEAAYAyAAEgKPTvD_BwE

Everything I buy this year is made in the Uk and will be useful to the recipient. My Christmas dinner is coming from Cooks tomorrow so I will neither be going out to an expensive venue or having any leftovers to waste.

I'm with you Monica and most of mine is already done.

My present shopping starts by finding what the recipients would like to receive, so that things are not unused or thrown out quickly.

The list I end up dictates what i buy and where it gets bought. My preference is local, but living in a village and with town centres being so empty, not just because of online, but also because so many stores have upped sticks to scatter themselves on the outskirts of towns, online is often the most environmentally friendly way to shop.