If you're watching shows online, then it's not like you can live without television entertainment. You're still watching TV, but on your computer. If the TV they are offering is one they already own and its just collecting dust somewhere, I don't see why you should turn it down. I keep mine on a power strip that I shut off when I'm not home and only turn on when I am watching something.

If they want to buy you brand new stuff and you don't need these things, then by all means turn them down. And if they really want to spend money, tell them to donate it to a green charity or any other charity of your choice.

When our tv goes, we'll have a nice debate about replacing it. Why bring another clunky electronics device into our home when we, too, watch 90% of our tv online (and the other 10% on DVD?) and have great monitors with which to do that?

Ours is on a power strip, too, but not having one would be even better.

We're expecting our first child and I registered at the insistence of family members who want to buy us stuff. I've kept it to the things I know we'll need(like cloth diapers) and used the alternative registry as a way to encourage people to shop second-hand. It's amazing how confused people are that we didn't register for every new gadget out there and how adamant they are that we *absolutely need* whatever piece of molded plastic crap they're in love with today. So far we've kept most of it at bay with the "we're waiting until the shower/until the baby comes to see what we'll really need" but I have a feeling that the closer we get to the due date (mid-jan) the more things are going to start appearing on our front porch.

I think you're handling it nicely, now. Good luck!

I support your efforts and find myself often in the same situation. Stick with it!

We don't have a TV anymore (our 1976 one finally packed up, although I want to fix it, or re-purpose it somehow, just for the vintage-ness - it's so old it's cool again!), but we do still have a TV corner - 17" monitor, Mac mini, Elgato TV widget (which is great), and a 20-something yr old amp, which still gets appreciative looks from some - it was top notch when invested in back then. It works fine for us, although it's amazing the number of people that have insisted that we "need" a big flat screen TV, up on the wall in place of one of our artworks. What I like about it is that it doesn't dominate the room - I find massive TVs make themselves the focal point, even when switched off, and I don't like it.

As far as refusing to buy things you don't need - sounds like you're going about it just the right way - polite but firm, and ensuring people know you're serious. Good on you. We're lucky in that there isn't a big gift giving tradition in either our families or amongst friends - we all tend to just 'gift' each other with home cooked dinners :-)

That said, I think we'll be in the same situation as EmmieB once we start having kids, although I'm hoping that we can get out of most of it by simply accepting hand-me-downs from all the friends who are having children now, which will mean using things in at least three families - whereas a lot of our friends would just take things to the tip, we'll Goodwill/freecycle/ebay them once we're done with them...

I find these situations really difficult! My husband is not-so-green, but is slowly coming over to greener pastures as he is finding simplicity much more pleasurable. However, my mother-in-law is a shopaholic who doesn't even remember what she buys for us. For example (and let me say, this is only one example - there are too many to count), my 3 year old son has, count them - 57 shirts (and only 5 pairs of pants, thank goodness. In the same size. Our philosophies obviously clash, but she throws tantrums when we aren't grateful for what she "does for us". To keep the peace, we've allowed a constant influx of stuff into our home, and find myself constantly wondering where have I gone wrong?, how I can stop the madness?, how can she do this?, is this normal? Most people in our lives are aware of the situation and don't get us anything - they know we already got it from my husband's mother. They usually gift us things of sentimental value or things we actually need. Other people might look at us and say we're spoiled rotten...if they only knew we didn't want this. It's a tricky topic - feelings can get stomped on.

One more thing - we've stopped going shopping with the MIL. It's lessened the opportunity for "stuff" a little bit, but hasn't come near halting it altogether. As a busy family, we can always find an excuse not to go shopping with her.

This has always been an issue between myself and my family, especially my mother and grandmother. They cannot seem to understand that I would rather keep my two small TVs, one of which I have had for over 10 years, than take one of their big ones. I have 5 sets of sheets for my bed, only one of which I asked for (my beloved flannel sheets) - the others my gram gave to me because she no longer wanted them. I tend to wash a set and put it right back on the bed, so even 2 is a lot for me. My mother loves to buy us stuff at yard sales for our apartment, even though we have more than we need. Christmas and birthdays are really tough - they buy too much, and so much of it sits in our apartment unused. We have an impending move coming up right around the holidays this year - I think it's a tad sad that I am hoping it will help curb their gift buying for us this year.

My fiancee and I decided to go with a "Honeymoon Registry" instead of the more traditional route, because we already have enough things to dust and kick in the middle of the night.

Most of our friends and family have been very supportive, but there are a few that wanted us to be more traditional.

C'est la vie.

Great post - we've been TV free for over 10 years; our daughter is 9, so has never grown up with one and I think it has benefited her imagination and motivation to take part in creative activities.

Regarding a polite shopping trip; I'm not sure what I would do. I like to think I would say No thanks to the kind gesture.

Anyway, I linked to this post on my blog today, as I think mindful consumerism is something we should all be more aware of:

http://littlegreenblog.com/uncategorized/mrs-greens-stories-3/