Christmas hype moan

We went into to town this afternoon and unbeknown to me it was the Christmas light switching on ceremony. This was the exact opposite of what I was hoping for as it was noisy, packed with people, fair ground rides and food stalls. I had 80p in my purse! I had been hoping to find a quiet place to film an interview but even several hundred yards away from the happenings, the din, especially the buzz from the bass, intruded to ensure there wasn't anywhere quiet enough.

Then this evening, yet again I noticed how many ads there are on TV and on the internet for Christmas. They've been there for a while and I still find them so incredibly unnecessary and I'm cross that my kids see them and believe that they should receive so many high value pressies I just can't possibly afford.

There must be thousands and thousands of parents like me who are feeling pressurised by their kids to buy unaffordable presents by buying on cards, or mail order. I'm just not prepared to go in to debt for Christmas - where's the enjoyment in that?

I am pissed off that my kids are taken in by clever advertising and somehow believe that their lives will be better, cooler, smarter by owning the latest whatever. I'm equally pissed off that I'm feeling the pressure of it all, or rather allowing the pressure to get to me. And yet I can't bear the idea of disappointed faces on Christmas morning.

I've told them both that Christmas will be a scaled down affair. But we're still doing treat and fun things. On Christmas eve we're going to the pantomine. On Christmas Day we have lunch with my parents at a local hotel. On Boxing Day I'm hoping to take them to a carvery they both like. So at least the meals are sorted and whether I have a PA/carer or not, I'm not going to be exhausted preparing food and washing up!

Then they'll be loads of TV to watch. I might check out getting the movie channels for over the holidays. ANd we love playng Monopoly and those kind of games too. So I need to make sure we have loads of things to do that include them both but are free or cheap.

I'm not ashamed to try to live within my budget, but I know it's hard, especially when there is so much pressure to be this somehow perfect family, who have absolutely everythng, and want for nothing.

In absolute truth we want for nothing. We have a dry home with heating, food in our cupboards and fridge, season appropriate clothes. None of it's luxury but we have it and more. Yet the adverts tell us that to be the perfect, happy, healthy family we need 'stuff.' It's the 'stuff' that's the excess and not necessary. It's those things I don't want our Christmas to be focussed on. We may never be wealthy nor a perfect family but happiness and contentment come from within, and all the toys and gadgets in the world can never give us any of that.