'Are you cutting back on Christmas?' poll discussion

jayemcee49

We have agreed not to nuy presents except for the children and we are limiting that to £10. They are 17 and 19 and understand. Getting together for the mis more important!

lucycat_2

Pensions at a stand still, council tax, energy and food up so how can we afford Christmas?

JBEILBY

Had to opt for A. Have just lost my mum so there is only me and the cat this year. So intened having a very quiet Christmas after all it's a bit difficult getting him to pull the Christmas Cracker with me.

Toudavid

i am not surprised to see the results are largely on the cutting back! There are people still be ing laid off and plenty of uncertainty: my thought is that is not a bad thing for a while, credit was getting out of control and did not feel real.

debclayfield

Last year everyone at work donated instead of buying, sending cards and we bought a couple of goats and 12 chickens for a village in Africa. Don'y know what the charity is called but it saved on time / effort / paper as well as postage.

Groovychick

Christmas is cancelled in our house just cannot afford it !! It will be like a normal day for us.

dronid

Well we have the tree and decorations from previous years. Our decorations consist of ivy we have scavenged - it's very bad for trees! Our entertainment is conversation, the goggle box (Doctor Who is on!), a walk to the river and some card games. Our presents this year will be up to a max of £50 each in the sales (we could easily do without this) and maybe a footrub or two.

The food is


Christmas Eve
½ bottle Cava for Christmas Eve £4.50 (keep the other half till tomorrow morning for Bucks Fizz
Salad £1.50ish
Home made bread 50p


Christmas Day
Breakfast
Croissants £1
Orange Juice £1 + Cava from yesterday.


Dinner
Roast Sirloin £15
Roast Potatoes £1.50
Carrots, Parsnips, Swede £about 1
Sprouts £1
Bottle of wine £4 – and we have one left over from a friends visit.
Christmas Pudding £2 plus custard 20p


Eve as above but bubble and squeak! And tomorrow lunch.


So that's about £35 for food. For 3 days over Christmas. Not too bad.

donna_beddows

I'm cutting back, but mainly because I'm trying to buy a house, and because by now so many more of my friends have babies, and it all adds up! So I've set budgets per person (obviously a bit more on my family and the babies, but less on the adults) and written on a list what I've got so far for who/and what it cost. Also I've got quite a bit throughout the year in sales and as I've seen things- I'd recommend to anyone having a 'present box' to go on wardrobe/under bed for things you see and snap up during the year. I don't need to get much more now- this usually works for me.

Baileys_Babe

We plan to cut back our spending a little but mainly because we don't like christmas to be over commerisalised. Intend to have activities we all do as a family. As well as playing board games etc. Our Christmas is arranged so we can get together as a family and spend time together and create special memories. We have a present cupboard and buy presents through out the year, as well as give home made gifts, this year is likely to be a selection of chutneys made with gluts of home grown or foraged fruit and veg.

Realise we are lucky to only be cutting back through choice not neccesity and wish everybody is able to plan for future Christmas' so you can have the type of celebrations you wish.

gardengirl_3

Emails as Christmas 'cards' with the money going to my favourite charity. Done this before, and few people make any adverse comment. Cutting out presents to nephews' and nieces' children - they keep on producing offspring and I'm on a pension. Don't even get a thankyou letter from some of them! I'd rather see family members to talk and exchange news than be sent a present.