Tuesday, Christmas guilt.

     Christmas was grand.  I am very tired, but today I am taking it easy.  Yesterday the kids left, it was quite last night and we ate left over oyster stew.  You know fish and company really do stink after three days.  I had so much Christmas guilt.  I cut back in so many ways this Christmas and was just ready for a load of crap from my family that never came!  I was just so tired and busy and behind and I thought screw it!  I don't care.  I hate not caring.  Here are the ways I am cut back and next year I will cut back even more.

     I did not make pj.s for everyone.  Yes, for years we all had matching night clothes even Grandma  and Grandpa.  Great family pictures but too much work.  This year I did not even buy everyone pj.'s.  The two youngest do not ever wear them except Christmas night.  They put on sweats and a t-shirt.  So why waste the money? I did buy a really cute pair of elf pj.'s for grandson.  $2.37 at Macy's. 

     I did not buy any expensive electronics, or outdoor gear.  Youngest daughter wanted her I-pod replaced and I was so tempted.  I looked at then several times.  But $400.00 for something she lost in a foolish way.  I just knew she was going to blow a gasket but she didn't.  So see you do not have to get everything on their list and you can set and enforce limits.  (I did not know that)

     I seriously cut back on Christmas Eve dinner.  We still had too much food and we will throw some out to the chickens.

     I did not fret over stocking stuffers.  Which by the way can add up fast!  I usually have so much stuff to put in the stockings, I cannot fit it all in.  This year I could  fit everything in and no body knew the difference.  The cute little soaps and crip/crap I spent money on, I  would throw away later when I finally got tired of seeing it in junk drawers.  I bought candy, a new toothbrush, hairbrush,ponytail holders,bobby pins, flashlights(with batteries) hand sanitizers to hook to key chains.  They all use these things.  I did not buy, socks, underwear,soap,chap stick, notepads,lotions etc.
No one complained.

      I did not buy movies or games.  We have enough, they have enough.  They all have Netflix, we don't and we can go to the $1 movie.  If I want it that badly I will buy it.

     I did not buy a Santa present for anyone but the baby.  This is usually the most expensive part of Christmas.  But they are 19, 24 and 31 do I need to be Santa? NO! No one complained.


     These are just the ways I can think of that I cut back but next year I will do more.  It is just time.  They are all adults and I want to get out of debt more than anything.  If I wasn't so in debt I would not have to work so hard.  They can understand that.

     So in a nutshell:

1. No p.j.s
2. No outrageous expensive gifts
3. Less gourmet foods, seafood, we still had too much!
4. No outlandish stocking stuffers
5. No, movie and game for each person
6. No Santa presents

     Now if you just read this with out explanation I sound like scrooge, but everyone opened at least 10 or more gifts.  That is enough.  I think sometimes the kids were just over whelmed and they get to be ungrateful.


Next year, I am going to cut back on cookies and only make 1/2 batches as most of my recipes are old  Swedish and make at least 10 dozen.  I made my favorite 13, but next year no double batches and I am going to make 3 kinds of candy and Swedish cookies.  I will leave the non-traditional to everyone else.  Just too much.  I will buy less seafood.  We could have gotten buy with 4 crabs, and 2 lbs of shrimp, 2 cans of oysters, 3 boxes of crackers.  My dream is to have Christmas at my daughters and just help her and contribute money.

     I also have the new artificial Tree for next year yippee!

Did any of you cut back?  If you did, in what way?

Have a great and productive day!

Kim