Shadrach's Ex Battery and Rescued chickens thread.

[fuzzi]

I can sympathise. I'm trying to declutter, I don't need or want more cute stuff that I won't dust.

I have allergies, so people just have to get me inappropriate gifts like scented lotions, almonds, and chocolate. I appreciate the thought, but...

Abigail and Dinah

 

[Perris]

Yeah, I know, it's the thought that counts.

So, do we think Mauss got it wrong? Or that the shiny hand of commercialism has killed the true idea of the gift? Or is something else at work with all of us saying thanks but no thanks to presents from nearest and dearest?

I'm going to viewed as a miserable old bastard by some but I've got to write that this Christmas on the family present side was a tragic waste of money. Lovely to see sit and eat with them all; see the eldests husband had made progress, all the social stuff lovely.

Glad to read that the social side was great anyway! Same here.

But, the presents!

So, for future reference, would the idea of each person bringing something to the feast work better? Their present to all being whatever meal component they provided? A trad Christmas dinner is astonishingly expensive to put on, especially given the number of diners is usually significantly larger than the host typically plans, buys and cooks for. So each person shares the workload and the provisions budget with the others round the table, instead of spending time and money on finding, wrapping and giving additional and unwanted stuff before or after? And then the host just has to co-ordinate, instead of provide everything, while all the social bonds or whatever else it is that traditional gift-giving is supposed to affirm (and which explains how upset some people get when you don't want anything) get affirmed. (Might not work with picky eaters.)

J was shocked by the rat damage to the coop.

Have they not been along for a while? Or is it ongoing? Has nothing worked to stop that rat?

 

[Mother of Chaos]

So, do we think Mauss got it wrong? Or that the shiny hand of commercialism has killed the true idea of the gift? Or is something else at work with all of us saying thanks but no thanks to presents from nearest and dearest?

Glad to read that the social side was great anyway! Same here.

So, for future reference, would the idea of each person bringing something to the feast work better? Their present to all being whatever meal component they provided? A trad Christmas dinner is astonishingly expensive to put on, especially given the number of diners is usually significantly larger than the host typically plans, buys and cooks for. So each person shares the workload and the provisions budget with the others round the table, instead of spending time and money on finding, wrapping and giving additional and unwanted stuff before or after? And then the host just has to co-ordinate, instead of provide everything, while all the social bonds or whatever else it is that traditional gift-giving is supposed to affirm (and which explains how upset some people get when you don't want anything) get affirmed. (Might not work with picky eaters.)


Have they not been along for a while? Or is it ongoing? Has nothing worked to stop that rat?

Another option: draw names for a Secret Santa (or whatever it’s called in the UK.) Each person buys one gift for the name they drew; each person receives one gift from their Secret Santa. When you write you name, include 2-3 options of things you might like to receive.

Put a price limit on it. You can adjust it for kid buyers or others without bottomless wallets. e.g., £15 / £30.

People tend to get quite thoughtful and creative when they’re buying only one gift, with a price ceiling.

 

[BDutch]

Aaa a

So, for future reference, would the idea of each person bringing something to the feast work better? Their present to all being whatever meal component they provided? A trad Christmas dinner is astonishingly expensive to put on, especially given the number of diners is usually significantly larger than the host typically plans, buys and cooks for. So each person shares the workload and the provisions budget with the others round the table, instead of spending time and money on finding, wrapping and giving additional and unwanted stuff before or after? And then the host just has to co-ordinate, instead of provide everything, while all the social bonds or whatever else it is that traditional gift-giving is supposed to affirm (and which explains how upset some people get when you don't want anything) get affirmed. (Might not work with picky eaters.)

I love doing Christmas gatherings this way. We had such an agreement when MDH’s mother was still around. Christmas presents or homemade specials like Christmas puddings are not a Dutch tradition as in other countries anyway.

Now we decide about a month in advance what we want to do. No obligations. We make our own plan if we like to. Every year is different.

 

[BDutch]

Another option: draw names for a Secret Santa (or whatever it’s called in the UK.) Each person buys one gift for the name they drew; each person receives one gift from their Secret Santa. When you write you name, include 2-3 options of things you might like to receive.

Put a price limit on it. You can adjust it for kid buyers or others without bottomless wallets. e.g., £15 / £30.

People tend to get quite thoughtful and creative when they’re buying only one gift, with a price ceiling.

This is much like the Sinterklaas tradition many have in the Netherlands with older / adult children.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

We opened up a spot of green for them this morning, and after 20 minutes of munching, they’re wondering why they can’t go in the side garden.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Trudy and Lil are molting. Other than the cloud of downy feathers that surrounds Trudy, you really can’t tell: she looks smaller and she’s lost her tail, but is eating etc ok.

Lil on the other hand looks pitiful. She started on her neck and chest and looks like someone put a too-tight turtleneck sweater on her and then roughly wrestled it off. Today half her majestic tail is gone.

 

[kattabelly]

Here's a present that did go down well! One of the other community garden members brought them a very insecty cabbage that had snuck onto their plot disguised as a neep seedling and been getting in the way ever since.

 

[BDutch]

they’re wondering why they can’t go in the side garden.

Why?

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Why?

It’s not ready to be grazed down to bare ground again

I’m rotating areas in hopes of being able to always have something green for them to eat