The financial nightmare that is christmas...

Tea-and-Cake_3

I have just been to the sainsburys toy sale and spent £200:eek: on the 3 children that we have and assorted friends/neices/nephews and that doesn't even cover half of it. I used to love spending money on christmas presents, now it fills me with horror at the dent it will make in the bank account. Not to mention the adults we need to buy for and the food etc. Feel very unfestive about it all for the first time

My childhood christmases were so lovely with loads of presents under the tree that I want to do that for my children but we can''t really afford to. Also, I know that most of it will be forgetten by the end of January, my children already have enough toys to cover all the bases...puzzles/arts and crafts/dolls/dressing up etc etc so mostly it is just a variation of more of the same.

How do you all "do" christmas?

heartbreak_star

I start my shopping in October and try and put £20-£30 a month away towards presents throughout the year.

I also try and make at least a few presents!

HBS x

Tropez

Well as I don't have children that does make it easier. I buy gifts for my fiancee, bottle of Baileys for my mum and that's me done.

Phoenix7

I don't have as many people to buy for (OH, daughter (21 months), mum, dad, brother, SIL, nephew (3 yrs), nan and a couple of friends) but I don't think I spend £200 in total. I try and stick to £10-£15 per person, and less if I can. But money is very tight for us, I don't have a lot to spare.

Personally, I have wonderful memories of my childhood christmasses and they don't involve hundreds of presents under the tree. Even now, at 32 years old, I adore going home for Christmas and being with my family. I couldn't care less about presents and when people ask what I want, I often don't know. I just want to spend a few days in their company, eating anything that isn't nailed down and cosy up in front of rubbish christmas tv and I want the same memories for my daughter. This year she is getting a £15 chalkboard easel from IKEA and perhaps an aquadoodle if I can still find one on offer.

Softasputty

This year I'm determined to do it differently. I have two grown up children - one at university and a musician - the other finished university last year and is working at a short-term internship. Then I have a 9 year old from my second relationship. I usually spend £200 on each - not wanting to be over generous to my younger son. However, last year, the craze was Skylanders. He had the game and characters totaling £200 plus his dad bought him a new bike (£150)! What a waste of money!!! Fun to open but he hardly played with the Skylanders and I ended up selling the lot with a huge loss! It's peer pressure - he wants what his friends have. This year he is having one or two bigger presents that he will not disregard after 5 minutes. The pile will be smaller under the tree but my bank balance will be healthier. I've told my older two that they will be treated like adults this year - no more stocking fillers that just sit there gathering dust all year. :rotfl:

Gillyx

I buy on offers throughout the year usually, for everyone but especially the children. ELC always have decent reductions throughout the year on happy land stuff, I bought a happy land train set in February for my little one, it was 50% off and then they sent me a code for an extra 20% off sale items, meaning I got a £40 train set for £16 delivered to store. My OH thinks I'm daft but he's happy come Christmas when we don't have any major expense.

I also keep all my tesco club card vouchers and double them up to buy presents. Set up alerts on camel camel camel for items I'd like to buy for presents, and they tell me when they get to a price I'm prepared to pay for them.

I don't do it but I know loads of people use cash back sites for everything so they have a little extra come Christmas.

Food for Christmas, I buy some extras every week from September until December with my weekly shop, (obviously non perishables)

I go to Next on Boxing Day too and generally get loads of decent stuff for the year to come.

However I don't ever buy something just because it's cheap, I try to get everyone something I think they'd like. I know some on here will say go to boots sale and get loads of toiletry sets etc at 70% off and then keep them for Xmas! but useless IMO if the recipient isn't in to things like that.

FBaby

I have stopped getting totally excited about Christmas because of what it means financially. On one hand, you have all the relatives who already got everything they need or want. So it starts with 'what do you want for Christmas' followed by 'I don't know, I don't need anything', and so you ended up buying useless things (as they do) for the sake of buying. You don't want to spend a lot, but don't want to seem cheap, so go half way, but when you count it all, you are £100s poorer having bought things that will only bring limited happiness any way.

Then there are the kids. When mine were little it wasn't so bad because they got excited at things that were not that expensive. You could fetch for good deals and really make the day magic. They are now teenagers and what they want is expensive and there is not so much you can do about getting it cheaper. You can therefore only get them proper present if not going overboard. Even if this is topped up with smaller items, ultimately, they would probably prefer to get the money and pick these items themselves....

If it was up to me, Christmas would be about offering my children one big present each and some cash. I would then book a week-end away for hubby and I for later in the year (which we would do, but might as well make it a Christmas present!) and then get nothing to other relatives (no other children in the family) unless they really wanted something and of course, receiving nothing from them either.

Admittedly, I would miss the present opening moment, but finding my bank balance so much depleted for the sake of 15 minutes of joy... I know I'm a party pooper, but it's just that I so much prefer saving the money to go on a wonderful holiday, than all spent on one day with money spent on things that will end up in the bin/back of the cupboards.

lindsaygalaxy

We only usually buy for children, and maybe close relative adults (max £10-£15 each). I only buy something if it is on offer and look for offers through the year. Best friends (3) with children (2) I buy for the children instead. Experience tells me less is more - like when you rotate getting toy boxes out. A good board or wii game goes a long way for xmas entertainment. My children also get presents from their dads when they go to his - in effect getting twice as much which we are stopping this year and each buying less.

notanewuser

Why let it be a financial nightmare?

We don't do presents (we have a 3 year old). We sometimes have a tree. We always have a family (Xmas) meal at some point in December (never the 25th). For the outlaws we make something (cake/beer/chutney) and the kids will get a cheap top/outfit each. That's it.

Brighton_belle

I'm another one who spend very little at Christmas: I can't bare the hype and clutter of unwanted and unneeded things and absurd levels of stress and debt it seems to incur for so many: give advanced warning to family and opt out of as much as possible!
I spend easily less than £100 (don't have children and I do understand it must be much harder if you do and haven't stared out as notanemuser has).
DH and I don't do presents for each other and family fortunately are all token small things only and only the people we see on the day. The 3 children in my life I buy something small for (a book) and spend more on their birthdays.

The food: we only buy for xmas and boxing day and as a wider family we share the costs and cooking.
Friends and I stopped buying for each other a long time ago - we enjoy just meeting up for a coffee.

74jax

I get the majority of my present for throughout the year in the Boots 75-90% January sales - these cover things like office birthday,s thanks you presents etc.

Then for Christmas I just have my best friend, husband and daughter to pay for.

I tend to buy for them as and when i see anything, but wont just before christmas as it will be in the sales so they might get a photo of something for example and we'll go and get it in the sales during a 'shopping in the sales' day my daughter loves.