How much has this year's Christmas cost you?

Former_MSE_Debs

Poll started 11 Dec 2012

Christmas and the holiday season is an expensive time of year. So how much do you plan to spend on presents, food, and transport to see friends and family?

Vote in this week's poll

Did you vote? Why did you pick that option? Are you surprised at the results so far? Have your say below. To see the results from last time, click this

robpw2

people should only spend what they can afford !!

chog24

I'm in one of the higher brackets, although to be fair it's the "Traveling to visit friends and family" part that bumps us up, since my partner's family (who we'll be going to visit) are in Sicily.

sw9440

Proudly spending (almost) nothing for I think the 13th year running

Annoys the hell out of most people who feel they 'have' to buy presents etc and seem to spend a lot of time stressing about having to fit in time to go shopping...a lot of them are openly jealous that I can properly enjoy the season without any of the hassle.

I'm also proud that I've maintained my stance on spending despite now having an almost 2 year old...Overcoming the pressure to start the next generation on 'must haves' for Christmas.

Costs this year are £10 for a tree so our son could participate in decorating it (kept playing with the one in the supermarket!)(decorations bought in Jan ridiculously cheaply) and a few stamps for a few cards that my husband feels we must send aging family members etc.

No cards, no presents, no specific extra food (well except some freezing filling from supermarket reductions).

XRAT

"I" don't "plan" to spend much. But my wife (a non-earner) has a joint account..., and I know that the biggest surprise won't come wrapped in pretty paper on Christmas Day!
But if I can just go to work whilst she does the planning and the 'crowd wars' at the High Street.., and all I have to do is cook the dinner for happy, good company on the day..., then it's worth every penny.
May every housewife's Christmas wish come true.

Merry Christmas everyone.

LameWolf

We're Pagan, so we celebrate Yule rather than Xmas; I'm also disabled and have severe social phobia, so going we don't visit or have guests, and certainly don't attend parties.:eek:

We are hoping that my DH won't have to work on Yule (he booked the day off ages ago, but they have a "crisis" on at work currently); assuming he's home, we shall spend the day quietly enjoying each others' company; we shall go out on the patio at sunrise with a hot cup of tea and welcome the returning sun, if it's do-able weather-wise we'll get my mobility scooter out and go for a wee trundle round by the Concrete Cows, and for dins I'll feed us Qu0rn fillets in white wine sauce with roast root veggies followed by home made "Xmas" pud as requested by DH.

We stopped doing presents several years ago when DH was out of work and we were living solely on my disability money, and we've carefully never restarted doing presents.

I did get my 36 stamps at 2011 prices, on production of my IB entitlement letter;) so the few cards DH feels obliged to send are more than covered - local ones we've delivered by hand during journeys that would take us close to the recipients' homes.

chocaholicmanc

We were in one of the highest brackets (as a couple) but my OH family live 300 miles away and we're travelling to see them separately (he's going up before xmas, I'll be going after) so that is around £60-£70 straight away.
I always look at the total and think I spend too much at xmas, but when I look at what I actually spend per person I don't think it's excessive. I save money all year to cover the cost and use as many vouchers, special offers, etc as possible to get the most for my money.
I think xmas is an amazing time of year and I love spending time with my family and friends. I will be honest and say it would not be the same without the food and presents!

WantToBeSE

i spent just over £500 for my 2 kids, and the rest of my family.

tenuissent

But how big is your family? I have 3 sisters, all their families, my own grandchildren, huge meal for 12 on the day and many more days of family visitors from abroad.......I dare not add up the cost, but I love to treat them and we all have a lot of fun.

I do end up half dead from the efforts of making beds, cooking food, wrapping presents and all the rest of it - but as long as I am strong enough (in my 70th year) I hope I will make them all happy.

VfM4meplse

sw9440 wrote: »

Proudly spending (almost) nothing for I think the 13th year running

Annoys the hell out of most people who feel they 'have' to buy presents etc and seem to spend a lot of time stressing about having to fit in time to go shopping...a lot of them are openly jealous that I can properly enjoy the season without any of the hassle.

Are they? Whilst I agree that you don't have to spend much, I'd like to know how quite how you enjoy the season w/o spending an extra penny?

My concession is that I tend to take advantage of the offers to stock up my drinks cabinet, buy additional food to treat my guests and some small house gifts for hosts, and perhaps spend a little more on drinks in bars. I don't see that as going over the top, and whilst I know that lots of good things in life come w/o a cost attached, I certainly don't wish to spend my Christmas evenings indoors watching TV to save money.

Robin_TBW

£79.60(ish)