Another mother has revealed how she will not be buying her little girl any Christmas presents this year – and will instead be spending the money on a holiday.
Matilda Hannah, 24, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, doesn’t want to get her one-year-old Penelope something ‘for the sake of it’. She and partner Ben, 24, are also not buying each other presents.
Consultant Matilda said they will instead use the £2,000 they have saved to go to Goa, India, for Christmas – along with Penelope.
Matilda said her daughter is still using her birthday presents, so buying something new ‘seems daft’.
It comes after Dinah Van Tulleken and her husband revealed why they had also decided to not buy Christmas presents this year for their two children, aged six and three.
Matilda Hannah (pictured with her family), 24, from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, doesn’t want to get her one-year-old Penelope something ‘for the sake of it’. She and partner Ben, 24, are also not buying each other presents
It comes after Dinah Van Tulleken and her husband (pictured alongside their children) revealed why they had also decided to not buy Christmas presents this year for their two children, aged six and three
Matilda said: ‘We were thinking about what to get her for Christmas and thought “This is silly to buy stuff for the sake of it”.
‘Ben’s mum and dad go away so we thought “Why don’t we go out and meet them”. It’s about spending time together. It’s a time of year about family. We have our own family now – we can be selfish.’
Prior to having Penelope, Ben, who works away, and Matilda, have always spent Christmas Day driving around to their families.
Last year, Penelope was only two months old, so they found it easy to do the same thing with a young baby.
But now Penelope is one years old, the pair have decided to do things differently.
Matilda said: ‘We always travelled between parents for lunch and dinner.
‘It’s really lovely but really hard when you have a young toddler getting them in the car.’
The family spent close to £1,000 on Penelope’s first birthday party and presents and realised it would cost them around £2,000 for Christmas gifts for themselves and her.
Instead, the couple are joining Ben’s parents and flying out to Goa on December 18.
Matilda is looking forward to some proper family time as Ben works away 80 per cent of the time.
She said: ‘By the time we’ve bought all the Christmas presents and food shop it costs the same as what we’ve spent on the holiday. As a parent I always want to focus on experience over material gifts.’
Matilda says her daughter Penelope (pictured) is still using her birthday presents, so buying something new ‘seems daft’
Matilda and partner Ben, 24, (pictured together with Penelope at her first birthday) are also not buying each other presents this year
Matilda (pictured) said they will instead use the £2,000 they have saved to go to Goa, India , for Christmas – along with Penelope
Matilda said Penelope (pictured by a Christmas tree) is too young to remember or understand Christmas. ‘She wouldn’t have a Scooby doo,’ she said
Instead of gifts, Matilda (pictured), Ben and Penelope are joining Ben’s parents and flying out to Goa on December 18
Matilda had to let her family down when they decided to go abroad – and cancelled pre-made plans.
She said: ‘In a big family you can never please everyone. We had to cancel plans and back out gracefully. They were disappointed at first but they’re supportive. I promised I wouldn’t do it every year.’
Matilda said Penelope is too young to remember or understand Christmas.
‘She wouldn’t have a Scooby doo,’ she said. ‘It will be a normal day – lounging in the sunshine. I won’t need to dress up – no wearing itchy sequin tops. I quite like changing it up and doing something different.’
Next year Matilda is looking at potentially taking her family to Canada – and paying for ski lessons for Penelope’s present.
She said: ‘My mum took me on a flight to Ibiza when I was six weeks old – I don’t remember but I always tell everyone. It’s overwhelming for them with all the presents. We know what’s right for our family.’
Meanwhile, Dinah Van Tulleken revealed that her plan for this year’s Christmas started on Boxing Day last year.
The Fashion Editor said: ‘Surrounded by wrapping paper and abandoned gifts, I suggested to my husband Chris that next time we shouldn’t buy anything — for each other or the children.
‘To say he was excited by this would be an understatement. He’s never been particularly interested in presents from me (or for me).
‘The best gift I ever got him was a pack of David Beckham/H&M underpants which had been lying on my desk when I left the office late one Christmas Eve. (Huge thanks to the H&M press office, and David, if you’re reading, my husband would like you to bring this range back, please.)
‘For my birthday this year he got me a copper pan. I hadn’t realised I wanted or needed one but, apparently, he’s saving my life by avoiding Teflon and “for ever chemicals”.
‘Not buying anything for my husband is trivial because he can buy for himself. But not buying presents for our two girls, aged six and three, is a trickier proposition.’
She continued: ‘We’re increasingly aware of the global impact of our purchases. Everything we buy the kids will go into landfill. Much of it already has.
‘I find it hard to stomach that the main focus wherever you look at this time of year is to buy, buy, buy. Given the cost-of-living crisis, it feels obscene that there’s such a huge amount of pressure on everyone and that the stuff we buy feels more disposable than ever.’