Christmas

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Our presence IS a present. Creating memories is free! Whether it's going to see the lights, cooking a budget roast dinner together, playing board games or watching Christmas movies, there is nothing children love more than family time. Everyone wants to shower their kids with gifts and of course, children love to receive them but there are so many ways to create the most magical day for absolutely nothing. Think about what might be difficult about Christmas for you, and if there's anything that may help you cope. It might help to write this down. For example: Can't afford Christmas this year, and looking for what help is available? Whether you're on a low income, or have had some sort of financial disaster such as a loss of job and are struggling to afford Christmas this year, there are some wonderful organisations out there that can help you. Suggest an activity or an easy way to move on, if you want to help end an unwanted conversation. For example, this could be playing a game, or taking a screen break if you're on a video call.

Look for local offers or events. Local organisations, such as charities and community centres, may have free or low-cost events for Christmas. Or they may be able to offer support with things like gifts or food. Don’t miss our Premium nights where you will come face to face with some spellbinding acts! Premium nights include an extra sprinkle of magic in the form of two surprise Glow acts that promise to dazzle guests of all ages. If choosing fabric, consider if it is machine-washable. Fabric bunting or cotton hanging decorations can be cleaned easily, whereas felt and faux fur is harder to clean. Use Leftovers: have a plan for your leftovers. Think of meals that could use up excess (e.g. risotto for meat, patties with leftover veg). Ensure you use up the stuff that will go off first, and then use up the things that will happily sit in the fridge for a few more days. Worst case, if making meal plans overwhelms you, commit to freezing your leftovers and make a plan once they are safely frozen.Reusable Containers: if you’re going to be cooking up a storm on Christmas day, or you like to pre-prepare lots of food so you can avoid cooking for the rest of the week, reusable containers are a must. Most things keep better (and last longer) in sealed containers. Make sure you’ve got plenty of glass jars, Pyrex, yoghurt pots, Tupperware, or whatever you storage vessel of choice is. Alternating between alcoholic and soft drinks can help to limit the amount of alcohol you consume and keep you hydrated at the same time. But soft drinks, like fruit juices, tend to be high in free sugars, so keep to just a 150ml serving of these (around one small glass) a day. How you cope with the costs of Christmas will depend on your circumstances. You might not find all of these tips realistic. But it may help to try some of them: Choose things that will keep for at least a week, or tell people that you’ll be making dessert as their Christmas present in advance so they can plan around it. Alternatively make a “voucher” and say what you’ll make and when (e.g. a chocolate cake in the first week of January).

Secret Santa for Family Gifts: If the prospect of every family member getting a gift for every single other family member overwhelms you (and you can’t bear the thought of all the excess and waste), a Secret Santa can reduce the burden. Names are put into a hat, and each person gets one name – the person they buy the present for. Some people do this for adults only; other families with lots of nieces and nephews might choose to put families into the hat. Also, try to choose dishes that will keep well as leftovers if there ends up being too much. Leafy salads and BBQ prawns won’t keep past a day, however a dish of roasted veggies or a grain-based salad will last a few days. Pavlova won’t keep more than a couple of days, whereas Christmas cake will literally last for months. Mix up your dishes so you don’t have a race against time to consume it all in 48 hours. How would Low treat perhaps the most recognisable Christmas song of all time? Straight to the heart. Silent Night makes you a believer whethe you’re religious or not. It’s a quietly stunning rendition seemingly performed off the cuff, recorded using one mic, possibly in a wooden cabin, candle light scintilating in the evening darkness. Taking Down The Tree is a hymn of hope, all slow burning instrumentation and powerful melody. Rounding off with Parker’s solo vocal and guitar on One Special Gift, “Christmas” ends with an uncertain yet beautiful tone. Parker and a guitar, completely commanding the space and the listener’s emotions.Make a tasty nut stuffing. Many stuffing recipes and ready-made stuffing options are high in saturated fat. Nut stuffing makes an equally delicious accompaniment to roast turkey but contains mainly the heart healthy unsaturated fat. Walnuts are well worth including in your stuffing as they have the added benefit of containing heart healthy Omega 3 fats. Try our Christmas nut loaf recipe. If Christmas is your thing, but not putting too much stuff in the bin is also your thing, there are plenty of solutions. Here’s the result of 20+ people putting their heads together to come up with ideas for a low waste Christmas.

That said, I’m not the best person to talk about Christmas. Because I probably would just cancel it ;) So today’s post is a collaborative effort brought to you by the recent participants of my recent WASTEless course. Together we brainstormed ideas for how to have a low waste Christmas. Mix in the lemon and orange zest, then carefully fold in the flour, spice, sunflower seeds and fruit. Furushiki: the Japanese art of wrapping items in cloth. The cloth can be scrap fabric, a scarf, a tea towel, or whatever it is you have. There are lots of great tutorials online. Oh and if you’re running short on time you you only need to wrap a couple at the start and do the rest as you go along. Reply New for 2023 we’ll be welcoming The Luminas with costumes inspired by the coral reef these elegant, stilted ladies are sure to add a touch of sparkle.

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You don't have to justify yourself to others. But you might feel pressure to, especially if someone asks a lot of questions. It could help to let them know that certain situations are difficult for you, and tell them what they can do to help. It might also help to tell them that you understand they may see things in a different way. If having a routine is important to you, try to include as much of your regular routine in your Christmas plans as you can. This could help prevent you feeling too disrupted. Or you could slowly introduce Christmas activites to your routine, rather than do them all at once. Pharmacies can be closed on certain days over the Christmas period. So if you take medication, make sure you have enough for thewhole period. As well as the charity and organisations listed below, there are also plenty of other ways for you to budget and get free items for Christmas, Here we will help you to learn how to survive Christmas with no money... Father Christmas is coming to Marwell on Saturday 2 December, Sunday 3 December, Saturday 9 December, Sunday 10 December, and every day from Saturday 16 December to Saturday 23 December. He will also be visiting on Monday 4 and Monday 11 December for our Quiet Glow nights.

Tell people what they can do to help. And let them know if there's anything they could avoid doing. For example, let them know any activities you'd like to be involved in, and how they can support you during Christmas. Or you could tell them any topics you find hard to discuss, so they can avoid asking.

Be open with others. It can be hard to talk about money. But being honest with others can help. You may be able to agree ways to make Christmas plans free or low cost. Or they might be able to offer other kinds of support. Step Change's festive support has information on talking to other people about money worries. Mix well with a wooden spoon, then cover and leave it overnight in a cool place (but not the fridge) to allow the spices to infuse and the flavours to develop. Venture through a 36 metre multicoloured light tunnel, gaze in wonder at a towering Enchanted Tree with fluttering butterflies, wander through colourful clouds projected overhead and meet some new creatures brought to life in a magical Glow Forest.