There is no television here at Bealtaine Cottage, so I am unaware of the masses of advertising you are being bombarded with!
I realise that the pressure is upon you to spend, spend, spend!
But, hold on a minute or two and think about this… Every pound, euro or dollar you spend this Yuletide will put you deeper and deeper into debt and force others to compete with the madness that is gift-buying!
As you spend, so the debt piles up around you, pressing you down, deeper into the mire of anxiety!
Many people spend to the limit on their plastic cards and spend the entirety of the following year just paying it back.
This represents the most insidious form of control on what should be a life of choices and freedom.
All the time you are controlled by debt you are enslaved…and for what?
Most of what is bought at Christmas ends up in landfill sites over the ensuing months.
Mother Earth pays a huge price for your debt slavery.
Who controls you?
The same corporations who pollute Mother Earth?
Change begins with you and me and the freedom to choose!
I can’t remember when I first found your blog, but I love it. I more or less grew up in the permaculture culture, but as time progressed the more modern life became. Every time I visit here I see those beautiful iron candle holders. I have search and search the web to try and find some similar and I can’t. Where can I find them and do they ship to the US?
All mine are pre-loved, so I cannot help you in your search. Try Etsy Ireland as there may be some metal crafters on there.
Lovely to hear from you XXX
Blessings
Colette, I agree with your comments, the problem is however that we do not own the land we live in with nothing but our labour to sell in competition with the world for survival. I read somewhere that the beat generation called themselves such because they were beaten with nothing to lose and chose nihilistic pleasure. We aren’t beat yet but we are fairly close to it, I don’t know many who would last more than a month without a pay check. I tried to buy a small bit of land in Cooley recently but couldn’t stump up all the money, no chance of building anything on it anyway which I find fairly ridiculous in a place where there is nothing but sheep.
Ar aon nós táim ar ais i nÉirinn an deireadh seachtaine seo chugain agus ag súil go mór leis. Slán go fóillín.
We do have TV on a lot. Hubby and son are news and sports channel addicts. Me and the girls rarely watch tv.
We have never gone into debt for Christmas. Our children are adults now and we don’t have any little ones in the family. We only buy for our family and grandparents. We will buy one or two items of clothing that we would need to buy anyway, craft supplies and books. I will bake some treats for the grandparents. Our girls will make little gifts for their friends. Christmas dinner, pudding and mince pies will be homemade.
Our Christmas decorations are handed down and homemade and are carefully put away and brought out every year. Fairy lights are LEDs. We have a second hand artificial tree that we’ve had for years.
I don’t know why Christmas is still a ‘holiday’ My husband had to work every Christmas for 30 years and my daughter has worked Christmas the last 6 years. Shops are open right through Christmas.
I feel sad the magic of Christmas for children is lost. Families around here have had their decorations up for two weeks already. It seems that when the shops put the Christmas stuff out signals time to put you decorations up at home. I wonder if some people even know why we celebrate Christmas. Poor kids are dragged around overheated shops. And in Nottingham uk this week a stampede in a newly opened Pound shop. ( A town that already has lots of pound shops)
Romi a lovely book your daughter might like is Seasons of magic by Laurel Ann Reinhar.
Please would you be able to tell me something about your lovely tiled floors/walls. What kind of tiles are they? I am guessing that is your lovely work.I love reading your blog and following your permaculture life. We live a lovely quiet country life here in Mid-Wales making lots of things, recycling and re-purposing things.
Thank Goddess we got rid of our TV! Nad we only keep a wee wind-up radio, although we do have 2 laptops and a big apple mac. (1 laptop is mine, the other is my dad’s for his business stuff), so, all in all, we are doing o-kay. (I hate listening to “news” on the radio, so we just turn it off when that comes on, then resume listening once it’s about over.Improved my mood no end, especially with only listening to radio 3 or classic fm, and the occasional feminist show on radio 4). 🙂
Most of my friends and I have agreed not to exchange gifts anymore, as we are fed up with the waste and futility of the whole exercise. As for my family, we draw names from a hat, so everyone gets one gift from a Secret Santa. I get the feeling that many other people are trying to downsize (or already have downsized) their Christmas. This is a good sign that people are waking up!
We don’t have television at home and only go to town about once/week so don’t have to listen to radio advertisements either. I’m glad to not have the incessant hum of brainwashing desires in my ears anymore.
This is the first year since becoming debt free, however, that we won’t have a Christmas budget this year. It’s a natural part of our plan, but I have to admit it is one of the harder ones. I like gift giving. This year we’re going to make gifts unique to where we are: shagbark hickory syrup, chili petin peppered venison jerky, home roasted coffee, and my mullein medicine syrup. That’ll work in baskets for adult gift baskets, but not so well for my grand-bitties who are 4 and like to play. At least it reduces our spending considerably.
I love the attention you draw to our gentle Mother Earth here at your blog.
Hi there
For many years I used plastic cards to buy presents I wasn’t sure my family or friends would even like. Now I make jams, breads, hand made trinkets and I have no debt after the holidays. Best part is everyone loves the personal touch. Now if I can only convince my husband to “dump” television. Thank you for your blog.
Love your little cottage. Christmas is a lovely time for catching up with family and friends and exchanging gifts is all part of the fun. We put the pressure on ourselves to conform to what we feel is expected of us. A little imagination goes a long way….
I have not had a tv for 14 years-I just have 2 old time radios-channels and volume turn with a dial and they plug into wall with cord. At the age of 17,( MANY years ago!) I was wrapping Christmas gifts, and suddenly I went into a temper tantrum! The entire concept of the overspending, over indulging,etc, that goes with this “holiday?” hit me like a giant blast all at once. And from that time on, I started feeling NEGATIVITY in the air each year, starting around mid November and not relenting until the start of January!
Like you, we have no tv, never had one, never will. More than that, I detest commercial advertisements of any sort. The radio goes off when adverts come on (which means often). If something has blanket advertising (Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Coors, etc) then obviously it’s no good – stuff should sell on its own merits.
Anyway, that’s by-the-by. I don’t ‘do’ Christmas or give gifts but I do acknowledge other peoples’ preference for singling out this time of year in a none-too-original way: during this winter break, I decide if I have any money to spare (rarely much) and give it to a charity – almost always a vegan one, like HIPPO or Eden Farm Sanctuary – then let people know.
My siblings and friends, though they have difficulty making the connection, benefit from this gesture, because it makes this world a miniscule bit healthier and saner. But just imagine if we all did it!
I have just cancelled the TV licence last week. So far, my 12 yo daughter agrees with me about TV. However ‘Christmas’ is anothe matter for her. I hope I could do like David does instead of ‘gift for no reason’. I have been disliking ‘commercial Chtistmas’ for long. I have a feeling that this ‘Christmas craze’ will be the ‘thing of the past’ in 10 years time or so.
I can’t remember when I first found your blog, but I love it. I more or less grew up in the permaculture culture, but as time progressed the more modern life became. Every time I visit here I see those beautiful iron candle holders. I have search and search the web to try and find some similar and I can’t. Where can I find them and do they ship to the US?
Peace & Blessings, Gale
All mine are pre-loved, so I cannot help you in your search. Try Etsy Ireland as there may be some metal crafters on there.
Lovely to hear from you XXX
Blessings
Colette, I agree with your comments, the problem is however that we do not own the land we live in with nothing but our labour to sell in competition with the world for survival. I read somewhere that the beat generation called themselves such because they were beaten with nothing to lose and chose nihilistic pleasure. We aren’t beat yet but we are fairly close to it, I don’t know many who would last more than a month without a pay check. I tried to buy a small bit of land in Cooley recently but couldn’t stump up all the money, no chance of building anything on it anyway which I find fairly ridiculous in a place where there is nothing but sheep.
Ar aon nós táim ar ais i nÉirinn an deireadh seachtaine seo chugain agus ag súil go mór leis. Slán go fóillín.
The power we have rests in all the small choices we make and the small things we change to empower ourselves…the effect is cumulative.
Blessings X
Thanks Colette, I like that reply.
We do have TV on a lot. Hubby and son are news and sports channel addicts. Me and the girls rarely watch tv.
We have never gone into debt for Christmas. Our children are adults now and we don’t have any little ones in the family. We only buy for our family and grandparents. We will buy one or two items of clothing that we would need to buy anyway, craft supplies and books. I will bake some treats for the grandparents. Our girls will make little gifts for their friends. Christmas dinner, pudding and mince pies will be homemade.
Our Christmas decorations are handed down and homemade and are carefully put away and brought out every year. Fairy lights are LEDs. We have a second hand artificial tree that we’ve had for years.
I don’t know why Christmas is still a ‘holiday’ My husband had to work every Christmas for 30 years and my daughter has worked Christmas the last 6 years. Shops are open right through Christmas.
I feel sad the magic of Christmas for children is lost. Families around here have had their decorations up for two weeks already. It seems that when the shops put the Christmas stuff out signals time to put you decorations up at home. I wonder if some people even know why we celebrate Christmas. Poor kids are dragged around overheated shops. And in Nottingham uk this week a stampede in a newly opened Pound shop. ( A town that already has lots of pound shops)
Romi a lovely book your daughter might like is Seasons of magic by Laurel Ann Reinhar.
It all sounds perfect, peaceful and seasonal, as it should be…Blessings X
Please would you be able to tell me something about your lovely tiled floors/walls. What kind of tiles are they? I am guessing that is your lovely work.I love reading your blog and following your permaculture life. We live a lovely quiet country life here in Mid-Wales making lots of things, recycling and re-purposing things.
Regards, Jean
Sent from my iPad
>
All the tiles are waste, reclaimed from local tile stores. Wall and floor tiles, all broken and in the trash bins.
Thank Goddess we got rid of our TV! Nad we only keep a wee wind-up radio, although we do have 2 laptops and a big apple mac. (1 laptop is mine, the other is my dad’s for his business stuff), so, all in all, we are doing o-kay. (I hate listening to “news” on the radio, so we just turn it off when that comes on, then resume listening once it’s about over.Improved my mood no end, especially with only listening to radio 3 or classic fm, and the occasional feminist show on radio 4). 🙂
Sounds good…and there’s some great documentaries on YouTube too!
Most of my friends and I have agreed not to exchange gifts anymore, as we are fed up with the waste and futility of the whole exercise. As for my family, we draw names from a hat, so everyone gets one gift from a Secret Santa. I get the feeling that many other people are trying to downsize (or already have downsized) their Christmas. This is a good sign that people are waking up!
Secret Santa is a great idea and fun too!
Agreed!
We don’t have television at home and only go to town about once/week so don’t have to listen to radio advertisements either. I’m glad to not have the incessant hum of brainwashing desires in my ears anymore.
This is the first year since becoming debt free, however, that we won’t have a Christmas budget this year. It’s a natural part of our plan, but I have to admit it is one of the harder ones. I like gift giving. This year we’re going to make gifts unique to where we are: shagbark hickory syrup, chili petin peppered venison jerky, home roasted coffee, and my mullein medicine syrup. That’ll work in baskets for adult gift baskets, but not so well for my grand-bitties who are 4 and like to play. At least it reduces our spending considerably.
I love the attention you draw to our gentle Mother Earth here at your blog.
To be mindful of alternatives is a massive step forward…well done!
Hi there
For many years I used plastic cards to buy presents I wasn’t sure my family or friends would even like. Now I make jams, breads, hand made trinkets and I have no debt after the holidays. Best part is everyone loves the personal touch. Now if I can only convince my husband to “dump” television. Thank you for your blog.
Wonderful X
Love your little cottage. Christmas is a lovely time for catching up with family and friends and exchanging gifts is all part of the fun. We put the pressure on ourselves to conform to what we feel is expected of us. A little imagination goes a long way….
How true…Gifts made with love and joy are imbued with all that beautiful energy.
I have not had a tv for 14 years-I just have 2 old time radios-channels and volume turn with a dial and they plug into wall with cord. At the age of 17,( MANY years ago!) I was wrapping Christmas gifts, and suddenly I went into a temper tantrum! The entire concept of the overspending, over indulging,etc, that goes with this “holiday?” hit me like a giant blast all at once. And from that time on, I started feeling NEGATIVITY in the air each year, starting around mid November and not relenting until the start of January!
I love the Midwinter as I now call it…a special time of feast and light!
Hi Colette
Like you, we have no tv, never had one, never will. More than that, I detest commercial advertisements of any sort. The radio goes off when adverts come on (which means often). If something has blanket advertising (Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Coors, etc) then obviously it’s no good – stuff should sell on its own merits.
Anyway, that’s by-the-by. I don’t ‘do’ Christmas or give gifts but I do acknowledge other peoples’ preference for singling out this time of year in a none-too-original way: during this winter break, I decide if I have any money to spare (rarely much) and give it to a charity – almost always a vegan one, like HIPPO or Eden Farm Sanctuary – then let people know.
My siblings and friends, though they have difficulty making the connection, benefit from this gesture, because it makes this world a miniscule bit healthier and saner. But just imagine if we all did it!
Regards
David
David, the time will come when this way of celebration you relate will be widely accepted.
I have just cancelled the TV licence last week. So far, my 12 yo daughter agrees with me about TV. However ‘Christmas’ is anothe matter for her. I hope I could do like David does instead of ‘gift for no reason’. I have been disliking ‘commercial Chtistmas’ for long. I have a feeling that this ‘Christmas craze’ will be the ‘thing of the past’ in 10 years time or so.
Romi
I agree Romi…it is passing and with it all the madness of disconnect,