Christmas without clothes

Ok that's a misleading post title.

I didn't sprend Christmas naked. My parents were round - it would have been weird. 

But I didn't get anything new either. 

As you know the year long challenge I'm taking limits me to 35 items of clothing all year. I bought items number 30 & 31 at the end of November ( a cashmere polo neck &  a flannel shirt), and didn't get anything at all in December.

And it felt a little weird - because December is normally a big spending month for me. I don't know if I'm alone in this - but December for me is all about cosy. This means every year I follow a shopping pattern as predictable as those of migrating birds - normally I buy:

• some kind of loungewear made of super fluffy fleece

•  a knitted dress

• some kind of knitwear that is glittery

I love these things passionately for a couple of weeks. and then I never wear them again. They get charity shopped come March and then I re buy them the next December. 

It wasteful I know - but honestly I'd never conciously noticed that I did it until this year when I couldn't.

One of the things the capsule challenge has really helped me with is impulse control. I'm just less inclined to buy things on a whim when I know that whim will need to be in constant use for the next 5 months. So when I've found myself thinking I want something, I've asked myself what places and what months it'd work in and more often than not I realise it's a dumb choice. I really , really hope this attitude lasts me beyond the challenge because it'll save me a lot of money & the environment a lot of landfill if it does.

So has my Christmas been any less cosy because I didn't get any new clothes?

You know it really hasn't. Pretty much every day since finishing work I've worn one of my 2 pairs of jeans with one of my 3 shirts. I've felt relaxed and comfy & when I've wanted to snuggle down in something soft I've put on my cashmere jumper and snuggled down in that. And it is much MUCH softer than any fleecy or glittery winter top.

Cosy washing up gear

Which is actually a bit of an unexpected advantage to the capsule. You simply can't afford to save anything for best - so the precious lovely things I own are actually getting worn!

My Christmas was gorgeous folks - and I hope yours was too. 

And if you are feeling overflowing with Christmas generousity still - then remember what this challenge is actually about - fighting the disadvantage that families of Disabled children face and give the gift of a donation here.

Take care