Budget for Xmas

16011996

couldn't not be home, but thenagain i got kids, and i'd miss all the family. (with a couple of exceptions).

cathy_3

Oh gosh - Christmas! My money saving tip - go on holiday! Honestly! It saves us a fortune. We don't bother with a tree, decorations, extra food & drink or get any of the stress. Prezzies for the extended family are delivered before or shortly after christmas & we have so many turkey dinners at various work parties that we don't miss it. Usually we take 1 or 2 small presents on holiday to open, but the holiday is our main present. Plus the bank holidays mean you generally only have to take 3 days annual leave from work instead of a full week.
It's much more relaxing, you can avoid all those relatives you don't really like & if you go skiing (like we do) it's incredibly festive.

you are so right, 2 years ago we told everyone to get stuffed that we were going on hols so wed see them after the hols

we went on a cheap and cheerful cancellation to costa del sol, £399 each 14 days half board had a whale of a time as there was entertainment each night sunny during the day wonderful cost us about £1400 which is about £400 more than usual so we recon we got a fab holiday with spends and car hire for £400

doing it agan this year if nobody is on strike

jaybee

I'd love to do it but my mother brings on the emotional blackmail - ie 'but we've never been apart at Christmas' and 'what about all the lovely Christmases we gave you when you were a child' etc etc.

Will somebody please take Christmas away (except for those who have kids and really enjoy it).

16011996

i have kids and hate it for the most part, is so stressful.

Chris25

I loved christmas until last year - the children decided that they were too big to make their own cards (after I'd spent the year, as usual, collecting 'interesting' bits and pieces); they didn't want to make decs, too boring!; my husband had to go and choose the tree himself as the rest of us were away for the weekend; and everyone decided that they really only wanted money to buy their own stuff. :-/

I was really upset. Christmas was so flat last year - I suppose i never thought that THAT day would come, I imagined that they'd always like to bake and participate in the traditional things we do every year.

But guess what?......................seems like they're not so big after all - a lot of the family were surprised they got bought cards last year and the children realise now that they do want to make them again and put a little bit of love into each one! ;D ...and they missed making pudding and mulled wine etc.

Methinks, this Christmas will be better than last ;D

tru

I love Christmas ;D I insist to my kids that santa is real, even though they're 13 +14, they go along with it to keep me happy ;D ;D

This is now my favourite thread ;D

16011996

chris, i'm sure this year will be good. its good the kids realised how much family like homemade cards and that, you obviously have lovely kids. we have started already, spent an hour last night making cards with the middle one, and will be doing same with eldest two in next few days. i find doing a bit each week is nore fun, the decs don't go up till mid december, but by then we have most things baked/made so we can relax and enjoy it.

on this thread however, i want a bit of advice, last year several of the 8 yr olds friends gave her presents, and i had to dash out and get them something back in return. this year i've got a few bits, but i don't wanyt to make other kids mums think they have to buy her something, so stuck for what to do. do i send any way, (have told her only giving to 3 closest friends) or wait and see if they send something first. any thoughts appreciated.

Spendless

Our local indoor bouncy castle and ballpool place did gift vouchers for birthdays but had never thought of doing them for xmas.
went & asked if they'd print me a few xmas ones off -which they did.
The cost was £2.50 each - what you pay in admission fees
So each kid I gave pressie to had only cost me £2.50
also friends loved them cos it meant they got free trip out using voucher.

16011996

good idea spendless, saldy ours burnt down a couple of weeks ago, but wonder local park or zoo do something similar.

Chris25

chris, i'm sure this year will be good. its good the kids realised how much family like homemade cards and that, you obviously have lovely kids. we have started already, spent an hour last night making cards with the middle one, and will be doing same with eldest two in next few days. i find doing a bit each week is nore fun, the decs don't go up till mid december, but by then we have most things baked/made so we can relax and enjoy it.

on this thread however, i want a bit of advice, last year several of the 8 yr olds friends gave her presents, and i had to dash out and get them something back in return. this year i've got a few bits, but i don't wanyt to make other kids mums think they have to buy her something, so stuck for what to do. do i send any way, (have told her only giving to 3 closest friends) or wait and see if they send something first. any thoughts appreciated.

Thank you - i think it will be too ;D

On the home-made topic - your daughter might like to make little note pads for her friends.
Find a nice small xmas card, cut a wad of paper to the same size,put any old piece of cardboard at the back then punch holes in side or top of card and paper to fit together. Then thread some snazzy cord through all the holes and tie a bow in the front.
We've done this for all occasions and ages and sometimes give older members of the family a pen aswell so it's handy to keep by the telephone.